Here at ThinkingAhead, we value diversity and are committed to continual growth and improvement. We believe teams achieve better results and are more effective when they include diverse members with uniquely rich experiences and perspectives. That is why ThinkingAhead is partnering with people3, a leading, national DEI consultant. We are actively working on becoming a more inclusive workplace and presenting a diverse candidate pool to our clients. ThinkingAhead recognizes our responsibility and opportunity as a recruiting firm to create a more inclusive workforce by presenting employers with expert, diverse candidates that make a great cultural fit. Since 2019, 82% of our searches have included a diverse pool of candidates. In 2019, 41% of placements were individuals of color. Recently our nonprofit team was recognized by Women of Color in Fundraising and Philanthropy (WOC)® as one of the Top 10 Executive Search Firms serving women of color in the nonprofit sector. We take this work seriously and are committed to doing better by our employees, candidates, and clients. Our long-term partnership with people3 is the next step for improving our practices.
Unconscious bias in hiring practices is a vice that impacts most, if not all companies. Humans naturally make assumptions based on our own background and preferences. Intentional systemic reflection and self-reflection are crucial for identifying points of bias within a hiring process. Hiring bias doesn’t start when selecting which candidates to hire. Bias starts with where talent is sourced. Recruiters are getting creative with their talent pipeline. If you look in the same place, you get the same results. Change it up, cast a wider net, and you open the door to a whole new pool of qualified and expert candidates.
Diversity does not mean you are sacrificing company culture. It means that a team possesses people of different skills, background, perspectives, and ideas that adhere to the same values. The expression of the values may be different. That tension is what pushes organizations to grow, innovate, problem-solve, and ultimately achieve greater success.
More tips for mitigating hiring bias include:
- Re-working job descriptions with non-biased language
- Blind resume reviews that remove demographic information
- Structured interviews that are standardized for all interviewee’s
- Implement weighted evaluations
At ThinkingAhead, we know understanding and promoting diversity and inclusion is a marathon, not sprint. We are intentionally working to better understand our internal and systemic bias so that our actions and results reflect our values.
ThinkingAhead Executive Search is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to a work environment that supports, inspires and respects all individuals. Personnel processes are merit-based and applied without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, age, disability, national or ethnic ancestry, military service status, citizenship, or other protected characteristic. This applies to every aspect of employment including hiring, training, advancement and termination. The firm is committed to creating a just culture of diversity, equity and inclusion by practicing, within the company and the marketplace we serve, intentional strategies that serve marginalized individuals and groups.
If you’re looking to hire, give us a call or check out our current opportunities here: https://thinkingahead.com/opportunities/