As well as increased profitability, better innovation, and higher performance, a diverse and inclusive workplace is ultimately a workplace with higher employee wellbeing and stronger retention levels.
Another reason having a diverse and inclusive workplace is important is because current and future generations of workers care so deeply about equality, and for many, it’s a core value they want their employer to share. PwC gathered interesting insights about the millennial workforce (specifically female millennials) and they discovered that 85% agreed that a policy on diversity and equality was important when deciding whether to work for an employer.
We’ve looked at how USS are approaching diversity and inclusion to present a detailed example of what a determined and successful diversity and inclusion strategy looks like. Their commitment to diversity and inclusion has resulted in these milestones:
Build a diverse and inclusive workforce and workplace
Individuals are supported, respected and have a voice
Encourage a workplace and culture where opportunities are open to all
Their diversity strategy aims to ensure inclusion is a core value maintained at all stages of the employee journey from initial candidate attraction through to internal promotions.
Attraction
USS aim to be an attractive organisation to potential applicants regardless of their background. Not only do they demonstrate a public commitment to diversity and inclusion to show potential candidates that they’re a safe and supportive employer with an attractive working environment based on equality and fairness, but they also ensure roles are advertised with clear and fair role profiles. To ensure a diverse pool of applicants apply for roles, they allocate time and resource to proactively outreach to potential underrepresented groups in tech.
Recruitment
When it comes to recruitment, USS is dedicated to ensuring that every aspect of the recruitment process is fair and inclusive for all by investing in building inclusivity knowledge and mindsets in hiring managers. Hiring managers with up to date and informed knowledge of diversity best practices, inclusivity, and equality can be more targeted and proactive in their recruitment processes and attract a larger pool of diverse tech talent. USS ensure this is ongoing and sustainable by embedding internal targets to further develop an open and inclusive recruitment process.
Retention & Development
Diverse and inclusive workplaces experience higher employee wellbeing and subsequent retention levels. USS support employee wellbeing and inclusion by supporting the development of personal and skills as well as role-specific development. Their approach places trust in the tried and tested fairness of equal opportunities for development and reward.
Progression & Inclusive Leadership
Further along down the employee journey when it comes to progression and inclusive leadership, USS draw on a similar approach that they adopt to fair recruitment. Setting targets and building inclusivity knowledge, mindsets, and behaviours in senior leadership and hiring managers leads to inclusive recruitment and internal promotions.
Proactively demonstrating a dedication to diversity and inclusion through a well researched and informed D&I strategy communicates to employees, clients, competitors, and potential candidates that your company or organisation is committed to making the technology industry as diverse as the society it serves. USS are an example of how important and fruitful it is to cover all areas when it comes to strategy implementation. From candidate attraction to leadership, diversity must be a core and shared value to move in the right direction and make a difference.
We interviewed Kelly Jones and Jenny Murphy at USS on their thoughts and experience on women in tech, read the interviews in full:
