Diversity in the Workplace

By Karen L. Edwards, RCS Editor.

With diversity in the spotlight more than ever it is important to make sure our workplaces are inclusive.

Diversity matters in the workplace and research shows that the more diverse a company, the more financially sound they tend to be. A McKinsey study of 366 public companies in various industries in Canada, Latin American, the U.S. and United Kingdom showed that “companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35 percent more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.”

It’s also good for recruiting. Ziprecruiter reports that 86 percent of job seekers say workplace diversity is a high priority when they are looking for a new job. "Millennials and Generation X together account for over two-thirds of today's U.S. labor force. When close to 90% of them say that a company's concrete commitment to workplace diversity affects their decision to work there, it means that employers who deploy DEI programs can have a competitive edge in the war for talent," said Ian Siegel, ZipRecruiter Co-Founder and CEO. 

“Many job seekers today expect an inclusive, diverse workplace,” recruiting strategist Jack Whatley says. “The main idea of recruiting should be that it’s color-blind and gender-blind. A company with that core principle strengthens a worker’s sense of belonging, actively demonstrates great opportunity for all, and signals a strong company that sincerely desires to hire the best people, regardless of race or gender.

Whatley says that diversity begins with the recruitment process. He advises choosing words in job descriptions carefully and precisely since men will apply for a position if they feel they meet 60 percent of the criteria and women only apply if they feel they meet 100 percent of the criteria.

Consider recruiting from diverse communities. National Women in Roofing recently partnered with RoofersCoffeeShop® to launch a platform for recruiting more women into the roofing industry. “The demand in roofing for not just labor but a strong, diverse talent pool is incredible.  RoofersCoffeeShop® is committed to working with roofing associations like National Women in Roofing (NWIR) to provide free access for recruiting the next talented and diverse labor force into roofing,” stated Heidi J. Ellsworth, RCS Partner.

Take the next step to achieving diversity in your company. Place your free recruitment ad here. Look for jobs in the roofing industry here.