How can hybrid working help you recruit and retain a truly diverse talent pool?

With optimism in the economy returning, recruitment across the UK has risen sharply this year. Vacancies between February and April 2021 reached their highest level since Q1 2020 (Office of National Statistics). As employers now scramble to attract the best candidates from a rapidly shrinking pool, many organisations are pushing for more diversity within their hiring. They would like to work with populations they have perhaps previously struggled to recruit, increasing the mix of voices within their teams and benefitting from the inclusivity and increased creativity that this brings. Hybrid working presents both opportunities and risks to organisations with regards to their drive for more diverse hires.

Organisations moving towards a more hybrid way of working, mixing at-home and at-office working arrangements, can capitalise on their decreased dependency on the physical office by  recruiting in geographical locations that they usually would not have reached. They can also recruit people who previously would have been difficult for organisations to work with, such as those house-bound for mobility or health reasons. Diversity is not just about race, ethnicity, and gender but also age, perspective, physical ability and background. Therefore, as organisations have learned to integrate remote working this past year, they are now more capable of translating this into how they hire talent. Organisations can search for the best people from within communities who tend to live further from the physical office space, as well as candidates who would work better from their own homes. 

Hybrid working also presents risks to diversity that need to be addressed. By having some teams located in the office and others scattered across various locations, the possibility arises that an exclusionary mentality develops, where the voice of managers and in-office employees carries greater weight than those who are less visible. If decisions are repeatedly being made by those who are physically present, omitting the voices of those still working remotely, those excluded can become disenfranchised and organisations will lose out on the wisdom and talent that these missing voices would bring. This would disproportionately affect those incapable of being present in the office and undo any progress made by a drive for more inclusive hiring. Creating a culture that works for all in the hybrid world means ensuring that all voices are kept in the mix. This requires planning, making a concerted effort to redefine decision making processes and to ensure meetings are hosted in a way that will fully involve everybody. 

At Thriving People we’re passionate about helping organisations create cultures that truly work for everybody. Organisations that get this right improve the wellbeing of their people while simultaneously benefitting from the richness of ideas and talent that inclusivity brings.