An interview with Raychel McBride sheds light on how companies can implement hiring practices that attract the best talent
Hiring diverse managers who champion inclusive company cultures is essential to improving the workplace for your employees and assuring business success. But, how does a business get that talent into management positions? Bold Culture spoke with Raychel McBride, founder of Corporate Kin, about how companies can assure they are hiring the right managers to fit their workplace culture goals.
1. Evaluate the Present Workplace Culture
The first thing that Raychel recommends is for businesses to, “evaluate the team and see what they are missing.” In short, what are some things your employees need from management? What are some past blind spots that can be improved? And more than that, why might diverse employees be leaving your company? Raychel comments that finding the answers to what is missing can be done through different methods such as surveying the team. By doing a review of the current culture, companies will be able to have a starting point for where they are and how they can improve. After pinpointing where a company is, Raychel says it is important to focus on hiring people with different beliefs and goals.
2. Use Established Networks to Connect with Diverse Talent
The answer to hiring the best management talent who believe in diverse workplaces? Raychel recommends three things. To begin with, she suggests businesses reach out to professional organizations and educational institutions that serve diverse communities with your job announcements. Through these networks, you will be quickly connected with the talent you need for your company. Secondly, she recommends companies look at candidates’ connections or memberships with different organizations and groups. These can clue you into their commitment to spaces that support diverse talent. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, Raychel says one of the best ways to learn this information is to ask during an interview; let the candidates tell you about their work.
3. Realize Hiring Diverse Candidates is Not Difficult
For companies looking to make changes, the steps toward change may feel daunting. However, Raychel believes it is not something to be overly concerned about. “I really don’t think hiring diversity is as difficult as it seems,” she mentions. “Many times, when I have discussions around hiring processes, it is typically not that diverse folks are not applying, it’s that they are either not being selected to move forward in the interview process or they are not being selected for those higher level positions.”
Raychel suggests taking a good look at the established hiring process at your company. For example, if your managers need specialized training, create a management pipeline program for new hires that will help diverse candidates be prepared for the role. But what if your company is still not seeing the workplace culture change? In these cases, Raychel notes, it may be worth finding someone else to take on the responsibility of hiring for those roles.
Nikki Brueggeman is a writer based out of Southern California. She has been published in Yes! Magazine, Byrdie, and Upworthy. Her adventures in writing can be followed on Twitter: @warriornikki.
