Companies are shifting the way they look at diversity and inclusion. It’s been repeatedly proven that an inclusive workplace leads to greater innovation, better collaboration, and new ideas.
Let’s take a look at building a diversity and inclusion communication strategy within your association.
Growing diversity is a multi–faceted initiative. Organizations must be cognizant of the messages they convey internally and externally. It’s not enough to employ members of various minority groups. You need to create an environment where individuals feel comfortable and included in the organization’s community and goals.
Small changes in the words and phrases used to communicate with staff and members are great opportunities to build and foster inclusivity. A key area to focus on is avoiding divisive identifiers when speaking and writing to groups.
People are becoming more aware of how they want to be addressed. If you are unsure of preferred pronouns, use “they”, “you”, and “everyone” instead of “he”, “she”, and “ladies and gentlemen.”
Words are important. Identify the places you and your organization can create a feeling of inclusion, such as:
- Avoiding gender-specific nouns
- Not using prefixes before names
- Auditing commonly used business phrases and industry terms for perceived racist or sexist connotations
- Limiting the use of acronyms and idioms
From your staff to your members, people today are more connected, and they can easily spot messaging that is authentic. Ensure your communications incorporate elements that foster empathy and trust.
Actively and consistently, recognize days of significance across the diversity and inclusion community. Share updates regarding what is being done to drive the DEI agenda and what that means for members and staff.
If you are looking for diverse candidates to add to your team in the coming months, career fairs are an excellent source for diverse talent. Companies can meet with dozens of interested applicants in a few hours, resulting in promising candidates ready to fill open roles.
YM Careers partnered with colleges and universities with diverse student bodies to create the College Diversity Network. The College Diversity Network recently hosted a virtual career fair to connect 23 of the world’s top employers, including NASA, PwC, Dell, and Deloitte, with more than 500 students from over 190 colleges and universities nationwide.
The 3-hour event enabled nearly 900 interviews! Hear how it went from some companies that attended:
“Yesterday’s career fair exceeded my expectations. We had non-stop traffic to our booth until 5 pm. True to your word, we had students who were from both Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Predominantly White Institutions, impressive all the way around. The platform was probably one of the best interactive platforms that I have navigated for career fairs. We had the options to chat, video, or call which made it so much more personal.” -Tori Scarborough, Federal Reserve Bank of New York
“Being part of the College Diversity Network Virtual Career Fair was an extremely rewarding experience. I saw many diverse candidates and students make connections they would not have made otherwise. Supporting diversity initiatives and connecting talent is a strong passion of mine, and these events have been critical to developing more connections.” -Fields Jackson, Jr., Racing Toward Diversity Magazine
