How to Develop Hiring Policies & Procedures That Increase Diversity

A diverse work force can increase creativity and innovation; expand the organizations awareness of sales, marketing and investment opportunities; and reduce marketing mistakes associated with misunderstanding of or insensitivity to societal diversity. From an ethical standpoint, affirmative action in hiring procedures can help redress systemic injustice associated with historical discrimination based on race, ethnicity, sex and sexual orientation. To increase diversity in your organization, hiring policies and procedures must target, respect and appeal to a wide variety of people.


Make a wide recruitment strategy company policy. As the United States Equal Opportunity Employment Commission notes, “Who ultimately receives employment opportunities is highly dependent on how and where the employer looks for candidates.” Plan to post job opportunities on a wide variety of online employment websites, such as Times Change Women’s Employment Service, Diversity Link, LGBT Job World and Simply Hired as well as newspapers and magazines that target different ages, minority groups and alternative lifestyle communities. Arrange to attend a variety of job fairs and recruitment events, including those which highlight the achievements and credentials of visible minorities, women and alternative lifestyle groups.


Create recruitment teams that are diverse themselves; ensure company representatives attending trade shows and career fairs, and sitting on interview boards represent a wide variety of races and cultures, and include women and alternative lifestyle employees. Visible minorities, women and alternative lifestyle recruits may feel more comfortable approaching representatives of the organization who share some of their experiences, and understand their concerns. Representatives of ethnic minorities, women and the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual community in positions of authority will demonstrate a sincere commitment to the advancement of a diversified work force.


Evaluate the current composition of your work force and identify segments of society at large that are underrepresented. Target these groups when advertising job opportunities and make it policy to invite a specific number of people fitting underrepresented profiles to interviews if they meet the qualifications for the position. As the United States Equal Opportunity Employment Commission suggests, your objective in advertising job positions should be to “create applicant pools that reflect the diversity of the qualified labor market.” Targeting particular groups of people with job advertisements is not a violation of title VII of the Civil Rights Act if you have identified this group as underrepresented within your company, according to the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment Commission.


Develop job qualifications professionally and objectively. List only professional attributes and experiences.


Develop interview questions and applicant tests that respect differences and provide a fair opportunity for people with a variety of backgrounds to present their case for employment. Ask for feedback on the questions from current employees representing visible minorities, women and alternative lifestyle groups. This is important to ensure that questions do not unfairly challenge or advantage different types of people based on race, ethnicity, religion, sex or sexual orientation.