A people analytics expert has urged the government to standardise training policies in the workplace, following reports that one in five HR leaders are receiving inadequate or no training in diversity, equity and inclusion.
When polled, 97 per cent of 200 HR leaders surveyed by innovative behavioural assessment firm - AssessFirst - agreed that as 2022 is almost here and the topic of diversity, equity and inclusivity continues to be spoken about, it is a high priority across the country.
Over a third of respondents stated that the Covid-19 pandemic had accelerated progress in diversity, equity and inclusion in businesses across the UK. Yet, there is a worrying lack of regularisation in the implementation of company policy - resulting, for example, in the likes of disability and sexual orientation being overlooked in diversity goals.
David Bernard - founder and CEO of AssessFirst - is a leading advocate for the removal of bias in the workplace and whilst he believes that biases stem largely from outdated recruitment practices, he is of the opinion that the business case for gender, cultural, ethnic and socio-economic diversity is increasingly important to enable long-term success.
He states that it is proven that companies who lead on ethnic and cultural diversity are 36 per cent more likely to be profitable than those who do not, adding:
“Following almost two years of widened remote working due to the coronavirus pandemic, this environment has opened doors for bigger and better opportunities for both employer and employee, allowing a multitude of candidates to apply for jobs that would have otherwise been deemed unattainable, for whatever reason. However, as we transition out of the other side of the pandemic, more and more businesses will revert to their previous ways of working, with a drop in remote working becoming inevitable.”
He added:
“We must not be allowed to reverse the clock and fall back into old habits. I truly believe it is imperative that the government introduce training regulations to support HR and recruitment teams as they source, evaluate and manage all candidates. Ultimately, this will create higher performing businesses that are more efficient – and free from bias.
It is a fundamental misconception that a CV is an effective way to identify and rank talent for hiring. As humans, we are all engrained to make decisions with bias. When this manifests in hiring managers and HR personnel alike, it results in a recruitment strategy based on intuition. Yes, intuition has an important place in business, but when relied upon too heavily in recruitment, it can mean that we make decisions based upon ‘what we are familiar with. It can cause us to rank candidates based on upbringing, education, experience, and even appearance.”
David Bernard went on to say:
“Currently, more than 50 per cent of workforces across the UK are operating completely remotely. However, this figure is expected to drop to 22 per cent in 2022 - proving that some of the impacts of the pandemic are temporary.
Remote working helps to facilitate diversity, equity and inclusion because it offers greater equality of opportunity to a wider demographic. But in 2022, when the ubiquity of remote working subsides, we hope to see businesses maintaining the progress they have made under difficult circumstances.”
Reassuringly, 97 per cent of survey respondents declared that diversity, equity and inclusion will be a major priority for years to come and David Barnard remarked:
“HR is critical to a business’ ability to succeed - especially at a time when UK job vacancies are at a 20 year high. And HR is overwhelmingly saying that diversity, equity and inclusion is a very high priority. Most HR leaders are now well-placed to drive meaningful change, but only if they are supported with the right training and legislation.”
