The lack of diversity in corporations became truly visible in the last decade by social movements such as MeToo, Black Lives Matter and Equal Pay Day. They showed that the old ways of thinking about recruitment were not going to work anymore. Those companies had to work harder to overcome both conscious and unconscious bias. Recruitment diversity is the new buzzword, but it is often easier said than done.
The trouble is that many businesses are used to recruiting in the same manner as they always have done, by targeting the same universities or running the same events and campaigns that attract the same type of candidates. So, how do companies increase diversity in recruitment?
MIC is here to help. We are the connection between businesses and a pool of diverse and talented candidates, ready for the chance they deserve to drive your business forwards. This article explains how MIC benefits you by improving the diversity of recruitment.
How We Help Create Recruitment Diversity
Find candidates ready for the world of work
Many school leavers lack the skills they will need for the workplace and must learn them on the job. This is fairly common, but that doesn’t stop it taking up the time and resources of businesses. However, the candidates that come through MIC are prepared for the world of work.
They have both the soft skills and hard skills that they need to hit the ground running and provide true value for your business from their first day. We instil them with knowledge of working practices so that they are prepared to take the step up with your business with confidence.
Find enthused candidates
One of our jobs is to empower young women and build their confidence so they can find their strengths. By partnering with MIC, you gain access to female candidates who have been through the process of looking inside themselves, working on extracting their self-worth and channelling that into a determination to succeed.
These are not people on the corporate production line, only applying for jobs in your area because it is what is expected of them. These are determined young women who are passionate about making their way in the corporate world. They are coming to you because they want to prove their worth and give your role everything they have.
Provide new perspectives
Following on from the previous point, recruitment diversity brings diversity of gender and ethnicity, but also diversity of thought. Underrepresented people have a lot to offer corporates because so much of the received wisdom of business is never challenged. If businesses recruit the same types of people, they will repeat the same systems over and over again.
Bringing new voices into the corporate world helps you discover new ways of tackling old challenges. Difference experiences can inform greater problem-solving and can add that point of difference to your offering that no one in the field has thought of before.
Help your CSR and ESG
Shareholders and other stakeholders are more interested in non-financial performance than ever. They want to know that the company does good in the world too. A business that invests in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and in its environment, social and corporate governance (ESG) performance is one that is less likely to suffer reputational damage from social movements as they rise in prominence.
By empowering women, you empower more than 50% of the population. It makes sense to seek to address the gender balance within your business and the corporate landscape as a whole. Similarly, nurturing and celebrating candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds should be second nature for businesses, and working with MIC helps you achieve both of these goals that will enrich your company and please your stakeholders too.
Battle the gender pay gap
The gender pay gap is still a blight on the business world, both in this country and around the world. The World Economic Forum states that “achieving equality for all is one of humankind's greatest challenges.” It claims that it could take up to 100 years before women see parity of pay with men. This is clearly outrageous.
The diverse and talented young women that we work with are focused on achieving great things in their business lives and will work hard to show their worth in a world that still shows preferential treatment towards men.
By recruiting with diversity in mind, you change the corporate landscape, you normalise young professional women being seen as equals with their male counterparts and you empower them to work on levelling the playing field. Be the revolution that the business world needs and help to destroy that pay gap much sooner than a century’s time.
How MIC Works With You
We work with leaders, businesses and a variety of organisations to create tailored and equally beneficial partnerships. The ultimate aim is to empower the next generation of successful independent career women and that takes collaboration between businesses like yours and companies like ours.
We help you tap into the next generation of business leaders and give you access to our data and research gathered from working in schools and other educational establishments with the bright young prospects of the future.
You could sponsor a school where there are few, or even no, extra curricular activities. With your support we implement a programme to inspire future businesswomen through guided support and advice. Another route is to host an insight day for pupils to experience the workplace for themselves and are inspired by those already making strides. We can also use our research to help you create a recruitment seminar that encourages and promotes recruitment diversity.
Enquire now to find out how we can work together to help you recruit the brightest and the best.