‘We advertised to everyone, we just didn’t get any applicants from those communities’
In a rush? Check out the 4 key takeaways visualised below!
How often is this statement, or similar, made by conference leaders and hiring teams?
Though many workplaces and conferences claim to be equitable, when investigating the continued absence of specific identities, they continue to speak to their intention and not to their actions.
Remember, it is your job to find the people, not their burden to find you!
Rather than reaching out to the communities that are underrepresented, we often see adverts in the same spaces with the addition of ‘We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all qualified individuals’.
It is critical for us to understand that minoritised identities are not passively included in ‘everyone’ or ‘all’.
Everyone is often lazy language to refer to the people within your own community and reach. Your ‘everyone’ cannot include the people you cannot see and the people who have never been present as they have never been part of everyone for you – unless you take supporting actions.
We have to understand that everyone is not:
- …on LinkedIn
- …connected with you
- …using English as a first language
- …a member of that group or organisation
- …an identity that has been historically welcome in these roles and events
- …happy to engage with organisations who do not clearly and intentionally make space for them and ensure their safety
Four steps to ensure your leadership truly involves ‘everyone’
To challenge this continued marginalisation of identities systemically, I have applied these principles while connecting with people to create my DEIJ Hot Takes podcast:
- Privately tracking the identity labels used by guests I reach out to. Where possible, this includes their pronouns, advertised identity-labels, outward presentation, the area of the world they currently work in and have experience in, etc.
- Recognising identities and appearances that are underrepresented.
- Proactively and intentionally reaching out to individuals connected to those communities, asking for referrals, and tracking the steps I am taking to ensure these identities are reached.
- Track changes in the representation found in the people I connect with and platform.
Please note, there is no ‘quota’ involved.
I am ensuring that I am both accountable and intentional. I am ensuring the actions I take support the inclusion of everyone, I am responding to the marginalisation indicated by the data, and I am tracking the outcomes to inform improvements and changes in my actions.
The first and most important thing we can be responsible for in DEIJ work is that our actions speak to the outcomes we desire.
Track your actions and impacts, not your intentions – DEIJ it’s what we DO
