A new report released by Breezy, an applicant tracking system that leads with DEI principles in the recruitment process, shows how companies are adapting to embrace diverse hiring practices and standards.

In the report, Breezy surveyed over 500 hiring managers from companies with anywhere from 1 to 1,000+ employees across various industries where inclusive hiring is imperative. 

“This diversity report cuts through the noise and the buzzwords around diverse hires,” Breezy CEO Samiur Rahman told RecruitmentMarketing.com. “DEI isn’t about ticking boxes; it’s all about building a team as diverse as your customer base. If you’re looking for a plain-language and data-backed way to think about hiring in 2024, our State of Diversity Hiring is a great place to start.”

Here’s what the report had to say about the state of diversity hiring.

Attracting Candidates from Diverse Backgrounds

One of the primary initiatives for companies looking to diversify their workforce is career development, with 48% of respondents considering it a top priority. This is closely followed by showcasing employee diversity at 40% and offering differentiated benefits and rewards at 29%. These strategies not only attract diverse candidates but also create a workplace culture that values and supports inclusivity.

Diverse Hiring Attracting and Sourcing

Regardless of their size, companies are facing common challenges when it comes to diversifying their talent pool. Attracting diverse talent (41%) and sourcing diverse talent (41%) continue to be the biggest challenges cited by employers. This highlights the ongoing struggle many companies face in finding and recruiting candidates from various backgrounds. It is not just a matter of attracting diverse talent; it is also about effectively sourcing it.

Retention of Diverse Talent

Retaining diverse talent has been identified as the third major challenge, with 21% of respondents acknowledging it. This figure has increased by 2% compared to the previous year, indicating the growing importance of retaining employees from diverse backgrounds. The report discovered that a significant percentage of employers find it challenging to retain diverse candidates, with competition from other companies being a significant factor.

Sourcing and Selection of Candidates from Diverse Backgrounds

To address the challenge of sourcing diverse talent, companies are turning to a variety of tools and methods. Job boards (53%) and inclusive job ads (49%) are among the primary tools used for this purpose. Interestingly, the number of applications from job boards has increased by a substantial 62%, and offers made through job boards have seen a staggering 379% increase.

At the selection stage, structured interviewing remains the most popular tool, with 68% of respondents utilizing it. Data-driven assessments (30%), candidate experience surveys (23%), and interview coaching (22%) are also employed. However, the least used selection initiative is blind hiring at 10%, indicating an untapped opportunity for companies seeking to increase diversity in their hiring process.

Retaining Candidates from Diverse Backgrounds

When it comes to retaining diverse talent, companies are implementing strategies such as inclusive onboarding (50%), mentorships (46%), and employee resource groups (30%). These initiatives not only help diverse candidates feel welcomed and supported but also contribute to their long-term success and engagement within the organization.

To learn more about Breezy and diverse hiring, visit its RMC Marketplace profile here. For more information about their findings, you can view the full report here. 

Drew Lord

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Drew supports day-to-day organization operations and special initiatives across RMC, helping lead content partnerships, development initiatives, and cross-departmental project management. Before joining RMC, Drew served as chief of staff at an early-stage start-up helping build an AI-enabled B2B product, and has held roles at DoorDash and JPMorgan Chase. He graduated from Cornell University, where he earned his bachelor's degree.