The tech industry has a diversity gap. Even more sobering, it’s one of the least diverse industries because it’s falling behind in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) initiatives. For an industry that prides itself on being flashy and cutting-edge, statistics paint a dreary picture of a workforce that’s behind-the-times.

Men currently occupy 75% of computer science positions and 85% of engineer and architecture roles. Fifty percent of women who take a tech role will drop it by the age of 35, compared to 20% in other types of jobs. White workers make up 62% of the tech industry. Although Hispanic workers make up 17% of total employment across all occupations, they comprise 8% of all STEM workers. 11% of all employed adults are black workers, but they only make up 9% of those employed in STEM occupations and 5% of engineers and architects. 

This reality is impossible to justify, given that a diverse workforce offers profound benefits to both the company and workers.

Companies with an inclusive culture are six times more likely to be innovative, anticipate change and respond effectively. They’re twice as likely to meet or surpass financial goals. They recognize and have the capacity to expand into new markets and attract a broader spectrum of customers.

Diverse teams are more engaged and make better decisions up to 87% of the time. When team members come from different backgrounds, they’re able to apply unique experiences and a wider range of knowledge to generate groundbreaking ideas. They’re also able to catch mistakes that might alienate customers, harm the brand, or disrupt growth.

When team members know that they’re treated fairly regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation or age, they’re 9.8 times more likely to look forward to going to work, 6.3 times more likely to have pride in their work and there’s a 5.4 times higher employee retention rate.

Especially among millennial and Gen Z professionals, surveys reflect a shift in candidate’s values. Today, 76% of candidates believe that a diverse workforce is important when they evaluate companies and job offers. 37% won’t even apply to a company that has negative satisfaction ratings among people of color. DE&I initiatives are a competitive advantage when attracting and retaining top talent.

It’s critical to intentionally integrate DE&I values into your hiring process, because this is a strategic place for candidates to experience your company’s culture.

1. Craft a job description that identifies skillsets over a diploma.

Drop the degree requirement when it’s possible for a candidate to acquire hands-on experience through a coding boot camp or an industry-related vocational class.

Include your company’s employee value proposition (EVP) statement, because applicants from traditionally underrepresented communities may carefully review these statements for clues about your company’s culture. Use inclusive language. Pay transparency in the job description can address concerns about gender and racial wage inequalities and cultivate trust in the company.

2. Set them up to succeed in the interview process.

Candidates want to know what they’re getting into. Reach out before the interview and let them know what questions are going to be asked. Offer suggestions on how they can best prepare. Be transparent- you’re not hiding anything, and you want them to have any information they need to walk away from the interview confident that they gave it their very best.

To help remove bias, ask the same set of questions and evaluation metrics across candidates. Keep the content of the questions related to the job and specific to the role. Model two-way communication- ask good questions during the interview process and listen to the responses.

Encourage candidates to ask as many questions as they want, to gain a solid understanding of the company, the role they’re interviewing for, and the team they’ll be working on.

3. Broaden your pipeline.

Check out career fairs designed for underrepresented candidates. Be present at the career fairs of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs.) Post offerings with groups or colleges that focus on underrepresented talent (such as Latinas in Tech, National Black Nurses Association, and Campus Pride). Initiate internal apprenticeship programs for people from underrepresented backgrounds.

4. Beware of unconscious bias!

Unconscious bias is a mental shortcut that occurs when we’re influenced by our instincts, which may-or-may-not be accurate, depending on our exposure to and experience with people with a different perspective. We need to be aware of the areas where unconscious bias may influence our hiring process.

We’re more comfortable when we have something in common with a candidate. If our companies thrive with diverse team members, this means that the wrong candidate may be the candidate that’s most like us.

We unconsciously try to confirm our first impressions. To do this, we might pay attention to the points that reaffirm our opinion and ignore or downplay the qualities that don’t reinforce this preconceived notion. It’s misleading and may result in a bad fit. We don’t easily update our assumptions when new information comes to light.

Intentionality is the key to resolving the tech industry’s diversity gap. When your DE&I is infused in the hiring process, candidates know exactly what kind of company they’re getting into. And they’re ready to jump in.

Photo by Clay Banks on Unsplash