Diversity: How to determine if a company truly values it

Do you strongly value a diverse workplace — one where teams consist of employees of different genders, ages, ethnicities, religions, and backgrounds?

If you’ve answered, “Yes!” to this question, you’re not alone. According to Ryan Jenkins in his Inc. article “How Generation Z Will Transform the Future Workplace,” 77 percent of Gen Z workers stated that their decision to work at a company would be impacted by the organization’s level of diversity. In addition, only 27 percent of Millennials who were not employed at a diverse company said they’d stay with their employer for five years or more — compared to 69 percent who did work for a diverse organization. 

Of course, most companies say they value diversity and inclusion. But if you’re interviewing for a new position, how can you determine whether or not a potential employer actively fosters a diverse, inclusive workplace? 

Perform Online Research

There are several ways you can leverage the Internet to find out whether or not a company values and promotes a diverse workplace. As Vickie Elmer points out in her Glassdoor article “Diversity at Work: 5 Tips to Find Out If a Company Has It or Not,” you can begin by looking at who is on the organization’s executive team. If it includes women and people of diverse ethnicities, there’s a good chance that the workplace is also diverse. You can also review the company’s social media posts. Look for photographs of events and teams to see what demographics or social groups are represented. In addition, read company reviews on Glassdoor to see what current and former employees have to say. 

Leverage the Interview Process

In her article titled “The Best Way to Figure Out If a Company’s Truly Committed to Diversity and Inclusion” for The Muse, Ciara Trinidad advises asking questions during the hiring process. For example, you can ask what the company does to help people from different backgrounds and underrepresented social groups feel empowered in the workplace. Furthermore, you can ask whether the organization has any diversity initiatives and what its diversity statistics are. 

Ask Your Connections

Use LinkedIn to your advantage by going through your network and pinpointing any contacts that work or have worked at the company. Send them a quick message to ask their impressions regarding diversity in the organization. 

Determining if a company truly values diversity requires an investment of time and energy. Yet it’s well worth the effort to ensure that you only accept a position in a work environment where you feel at home — and where you can shine. 

Source:

https://www.inc.com/ryan-jenkins/the-2019-workplace-7-ways-generation-z-will-shape-it.html

https://www.glassdoor.com/blog/diversity-work-5-tips-find-company/

https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-best-way-to-figure-out-if-a-companys-truly-committed-to-diversity-and-inclusion

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