How Can I increase Representation at My Workplace?
This is #IncreaseDiversity, a weekly newsletter series + Increase Diversity Toolbox sharing best practices for employers who want to learn how to….well, increase diversity. To see previous editions, visit JenniferTardy.com. | IG: @IncreaseDiversity | Increase Diversity - YouTube
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Did you know there is a hidden job market? According to Jobvite’s 2019 Job Seeker Nation Survey, 1,500 American job seekers reported that nearly half of respondents hear about jobs by word of mouth via friends. 37% said that they also learned about opportunities through professional networks. This highlights that most individuals got a job or heard about a new opportunity because of being connected to someone in their network who was able to introduce them to the right person at the organization that posted the job opening.
As the famous saying goes, “it’s not just what you know, but who you know as well.”
According to LinkedIn, the network gap is the advantage some individuals have over others due to who they know. Where you grow up, where you go to school, and where you work can give you up to 12x an advantage in gaining access to opportunities. This does not mean you did not work hard to be in the position you are in now or striving to be; it is simply an acknowledgment of the systems that influence our daily lives.
Therefore, if referrals grant access to the hidden job market, then do you have enough job seekers who identify uniquely in your networks that will get referred to your organization? It is not enough to say that recruiters must increase diversity in their personal network, but to increase workplace diversity, diversifying your network should be an initiative for all employees.
However, it is important to note, that as human beings, we do not identify as just one social group. We are intersectional individuals. The important thing is to be specific in naming where you need to increase representation. Your organization might lack representation in more than one group. Therefore, the ability of your organization to increase diversity is also connected to your ability as an employee of that company to increase diversity among your personal network.
Here at Team JTC, we created an infographic that we shared with you all in a newsletter last year, that I feel is very relevant here and universal to all underrepresented groups. It depicts how individuals can support increasing diversity within their organization. I wanted to share that again here and I encourage you to download and share it with your peers.
Now, here is my favorite thing about this infographic. You can essentially change the words “Black Women '' with women, veterans, people of color, people with disabilities, people who identify as LGBTQ+, etc., and can still use the same infographic to identify your next steps.
