Accumulating diversity data in an ATS only for that data set to sit there unused won’t help you move the needle with your diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiative.
Instead, you need to take action on DEI insights you generate to ensure your org:
- Eliminates unconscious biases in its recruiting and hiring efforts
- Employs ethnically diverse candidates and members of underrepresented groups
- Realizes your executive team’s diversity and inclusivity objectives
If you lack solutions and processes that can help you make the most of your DEI data to boost your business performance and bottom line, it’s time to upgrade your TA tech stack.
Collecting diversity data for candidates and employees: Essential to evolving your talent strategy
According to our 2021 State of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Report, just 31% of orgs had a data-driven approach in place to help them analyze data tied to DEI efforts and “uncover and address potential biases” in their hiring processes.
What’s more, just 44% noted they took action on any DEI data they collected in the prior 12 months to enact changes to their hiring policies after collecting and analyzing data.
If your org is in a similar state of stasis when it comes to using diversity data to make headway with your DEI initiative, there’s a good chance your company’s inaction stems from a lack of unified data (and dynamic data visuals) related to your DEI efforts.
In short, it’s not enough to simply store data related to your DEI-centric recruiting and hiring programs (i.e., ethnicity and gender diversity data for prospects and new hires) in an Excel sheet or disparate database that doesn’t sync and share data with your ATS.
Instead, you need a single source of truth in which all recruitment data — diversity and otherwise — can live and update dynamically. That’s where a native ATS + CRM can help.
How to use DEI data to make progress with your diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative
The case for collecting diversity data is fairly straightforward. Now the question arises:
How can your org make the most of your diversity data to actually effect changes in terms of evolving the makeup of your workforce and embracing individuals from varying backgrounds
Truly diverse companies in the United States, United Kingdom, and elsewhere globally don’t just generate this data only to have it ‘live’ in their database collecting cobwebs.
Rather, they use an advanced talent acquisition suite with in-depth, built-in analytics and candidate relationship management (CRM) capabilities that help recruiters, TA leaders, hiring managers, and C-suite members assess and take action on that data regularly.
Consider Lever customer Loopio.
The RFP automation software company uses Visual Insights in LeverTRM — specifically, the dynamically updated diversity data in the DEI and EEO dashboards — daily to understand the diversity makeup of its talent pool and candidates its recently engaged, advanced, and hired.
“We’re constantly looking at the source of hires and how it intersects with our goals around representation,” said Loopio Sr. Manager of Talent Experience Yeniffer Pang-Chung
Why you need the right DEI tech to properly leverage your diversity data and enhance your hiring
Your company’s DEI initiative doesn’t solely fall on the shoulders of HR and talent acquisition. In fact, its structure (and success) falls mostly on your leadership team. Why? Because they’re the ones who must set specific (and realistic) DEI goals for all teams to achieve.
“Instead of (or in addition to) asking, ‘What (separate) DEI programs should I stand up?,’ ask ‘How can I make my existing processes, programs, and policies more inclusive?’ former Lever VP of People Annie Lin said.
“This is work that’s hard and often behind the scenes, but it’s also work that will have the most sustained and widespread impact,” per Annie.
All that said, once your business leaders have a clear vision for what you want to achieve with your DEI efforts and a solid plan to execute cross your org, you and your TA team must do your part by capitalizing on your diversity data.
That is to say, use the data to optimize and adapt your recruiting and candidate engagement.
And this requires the right recruiting platform in your tech stack. Notably, one each talent specialist and your TA leader can all to use better understand — and improve — the:
- Sources you turn to to find net-new job candidates
- Messaging on your career site and in nurture emails
- Desired qualifications and skills featured in job listings
- Structure of your interview panels and questions you ask
Once you’ve reoriented your recruiting strategy, you can better utilize your diversity data to build a more scalable, sustainable TA program that thrives in the long term.
Just as importantly, you can also ensure you know the characteristics of your workforce and use that data to bolster the diversity of your talent pool and, ultimately, identify and extend offers to those with unique backgrounds, experiences, and voices.
Realizing this goal is how prove DEI truly matters to your org.
Download our State of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion report to learn what HR and TA leaders as well as general business pros have to say about their companies’ DEI efforts.
