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Crafting a More Equitable Hiring Process: 6 Steps

on Apr 27, 2023 9:00:00 AM By | Deanna Singh | 0 Comments | Hiring Bias Equity
Traditionally, companies’ hiring practices have been anything but equitable and inclusive. They use language that targets male over female candidates (whether intentionally or not), they discriminate against older employees, and they tend to reject candidates with “Black-sounding” names far more than candidates with “white-sounding” names. All this is problematic, hurtful, and, of course, discriminatory. When bias is baked into a company’s hiring practices, that tends to shut the door on many qualified candidates before they even have a chance to interview. Fortunately, it is possible to reform a company’s hiring practices through intentional action and strategy. Here are 6 ways to make that happen...
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4 Ways to Develop Underrepresented Talent

on Jul 14, 2022 9:00:00 AM By | Deanna Singh | 0 Comments | HR Diversity Hiring Business
Whether consciously or not, certain people are often unsupported in their professional development. A company’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts should not stop with recruiting a diverse set of people. Rather, it is crucial to nurture diverse talent and provide equal opportunities and support systems for traditionally underrepresented individuals to advance. Why nurture traditionally underrepresented talent?
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Your DEI-Centered Business Plan

on Feb 2, 2022 4:00:00 PM By | Deanna Singh | 0 Comments | Diversity Hiring Race Business
Last week, we discussed the need for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), why it matters, and how companies can begin to center themselves around DEI. This week, we’re going to dig into one particular aspect of DEI: creating a DEI-focused business plan. No matter if you’re a one-person shop or working in a Fortune 500 company, it is crucial to have a business plan that reflects your company’s values, ethics, and mission. Words matter. Remember that old saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”? That was a convenient lie for anyone who wanted to insult or belittle others without consequences! But the truth is, words can have a profound impact. When you’re creating or reworking your business plan, consider the language imbedded in it. Ask yourself: Is it inclusive? Will it attract a more vibrant and diverse workforce? Does it reflect a genuine desire to support DEI work? Does it put people before profits? In addition to examining the language of your organization’s business plan, it’s a good idea to go through each section and rework them to reflect the company you want to become. Change starts from the top, down, and from the inside, out. A business plan is as “inside” as it gets. It is the core of the organization and should reflect its integral values and moral standards. To center your company around DEI, try reworking the following sections of your business plan:
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Why Care About DEI in the Workplace?

on Jan 26, 2022 5:00:00 PM By | Deanna Singh | 0 Comments | Diversity Hiring Race Business
Today, the U.S. is having a moment of reckoning in terms of discrimination towards racial and ethnic groups, women, the LGBTQ+ community, and those with disabilities. In a recent survey from Monmouth University, 76% of respondents said racial discrimination is a big problem. Compared to 2015, that’s a 25-point jump! The recent “Me Too” movement has shed light on discrimination and harassment toward women (with studies showing that nearly half of all women face major workplace discrimination). And 46% of LGBTQ+ workers have dealt with discrimination in the workplace, while a staggering 82% of Americans with disabilities are unemployed (as of 2020). These statistics are troubling, and point to an urgent need for proactive reform and leadership centered around Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Creating a welcoming workplace is the right thing to do from not only an ethical and moral standpoint, but also from an economic standpoint. According to Harvard Business Review, “Diverse and inclusive companies find and nurture the best talent, increase employee engagement, and improve customer willingness to buy.” A diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce is a satisfied and industrious workforce. It should come as no surprise that if a company nurtures and protects its employees, that company will experience higher retention rates and greater productivity. A company’s attitude toward DEI can be conveyed right away, during recruitment, interviewing, and hiring and, unfortunately, intrinsic bias is often baked into the hiring process. For instance, applicants with “Black-sounding” names get fewer callbacks than applicants with “white-sounding” names. And Latino applicants are 24 percent less likely to land an interview than white candidates. To combat bias, organizations can take conscious steps to equalize their hiring process, such as: Diversifying their recruitment/hiring team Actively recruiting candidates from colleges with high student diversity Having a strict “no nepotism” policy Publishing recruitment materials that use inclusive language Actively seeking candidates that add to the company culture, rather than those who look/act/think like everyone else Making sure all members of the recruitment/hiring team receive ongoing DEI training (consider enrolling in my “How to Be an Ally” virtual summit in March!) The hiring process is, of course, only one piece of the puzzle. Beyond that, it is crucial to emphasize DEI at every level—from the leadership, down—and to make it a cornerstone of the company’s business plan (more on that next week!). Without this DEI focus, diverse employees are more likely to be marginalized and undervalued and, ultimately, more likely to leave. According to a recent report, over one-third of Black employees plan to leave their companies within two years (a number 30 percent greater than their white counterparts), and 33 percent do not feel respected or valued. I could throw more statistics at you, but this really boils down to common sense: If people feel comfortable, respected, and included in their place of employment, they will want to stay and make meaningful contributions. Imagine signing up for an intramural basketball team. You’re shorter than average, so your teammates assume you’re no good and never allow you a chance to play (even though you’re secretly quick as lightning and can nail almost every three-point shot!). How long would you want to stay on that team? This same basic premise plays out all the time in the workplace. Far too often, people make snap judgments about others’ capabilities based on who they are or how they look. How can we do better? Though there is no magic, one-size-fits-all solution for creating an equitable workplace, there are several steps companies can take:
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Asking for Help: A Guide for Small Biz Owners

on Nov 4, 2021 9:00:00 AM By | Deanna Singh | 0 Comments | Hiring Skills Plan Self-Care Networking Business Hustle
If you’re like many Purposeful Hustlers, you’re an independent go-getter who isn’t afraid to roll up your sleeves and do whatever needs to be done. You take pride in your work ethic, and you’re dedicated to following through with your commitments. These are all excellent qualities to have, and they will take you far in your endeavors, BUT your rugged independence could occasionally have negative effects. Pushing yourself is one thing; pushing yourself to the point of exhaustion is an entirely different story. Additionally, there are some situations where—even though you may hate to admit it—you’re simply not an expert. You can’t know everything about every topic. If you’re trying to be your own website designer, marketer, IT manager, and accountant (in addition to running your business, founding a program, or whatever your “hustle” might be), you’re bound to run into areas that are simply beyond your expertise. And that’s okay! It’s fine to admit when you need help. In fact, it takes a good deal of courage to be vulnerable and humble enough to acknowledge when you’ve reached your limit. Dare to seek help when: You’re feeling overwhelmed or stressed. You’re having trouble keeping track of your various projects. You’re facing an issue that is beyond your area of expertise. You’re struggling to focus on your main mission. Your mental, physical, or emotional health is beginning to suffer. Your relationships are being negatively affected by your workload. Even if you know it’s time to ask for assistance, it’s a whole other thing to ask for it. You might feel embarrassed at the prospect of asking for help. You might feel like you’ve failed in some way if you need to turn to others for support. Or, you might assume that others are too busy to help or uninterested in lending support. Alternatively, you may assume that it’s too expensive to hire someone to assist you. All these roadblocks can prevent you from reaching out and asking for help when you require it. If you’re grappling with some of these roadblocks, try following these four steps:
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HOW TO HIRE FOR PURPOSE, NOT SKILL

on Aug 4, 2021 6:10:14 PM By | Deanna Singh | 0 Comments | HR Hiring Purpose Passion Initiative Culture Motivation
Human capital is arguably the most important asset a business has. In ensuring you get the right people that align with your company’s goals, recruiters typically have a system they follow. They check the work experience of the candidate, skills relevant to the job opening and then match them accordingly--typical stuff.
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How to Find and Book Diverse Speakers

on Aug 23, 2018 9:45:00 AM By | Deanna Singh | 0 Comments | Event Planning HR Diversity Speaker Hiring
The centerpiece of almost any special employee resource group event is the guest speaker. After all, many of the members of an employee resource group already know each other. They’ve met at work, or at previous events or meetings. They’ve heard each other’s stories, perhaps even worked directly with each other. So one of the best ways to draw in an audience is to put someone on the agenda who has a fresh perspective. Someone who shares your values or ideals or goals but whom you don’t see in the break room.
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