In recent years, tech companies have made concerted efforts to build more diverse and inclusive teams. And while organizations and leaders recognize that pursuing an inclusive workforce is a good in itself, as technology continues to expand across the globe, they also realize that it’s an important part of better serving their customers.
It takes deliberate, conscious effort to ensure that the technology industry is open to and supportive of everyone who wishes to join it, but it’s work that is well worth it. Below, 20 members of Forbes Technology Council share some steps a tech leader can take to cultivate a diverse and inclusive tech team and why they believe these efforts will contribute to the overall success of an organization.
1. Implement Anonymized Hiring Practices
Implementing anonymized hiring practices is one step toward fostering diversity in tech teams. By focusing on skills rather than personal characteristics, we minimize our unconscious biases and better ensure fair opportunities for all. A diverse team offers multiple perspectives, driving innovation and performance, reflecting our global user base and contributing to a more inclusive technology landscape. – Imane Adel, Paymob
2. Look For Diversity Of Thought
Diversity comes in many different forms. I encourage my team to think about diversity in the way they solve problems. By challenging ourselves to think differently from one another, we ultimately take a more creative approach. We are better able to put ourselves in our customers’ shoes and can more successfully solve their problems. – Isabelle Meyer Stapf, Artera (formerly WELL Health)
Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
3. Hire From Outside Industries
A diverse culture spurs diverse thinking. Make a point to hire people from industries outside of your own to provide a fresh perspective on your space. Maybe a new hire will not be a classic fit on the surface, but they could be successful in bringing a different viewpoint to the table that your existing team did not consider. – Elad Schaffer, Faye
4. Ensure Diversity From Leadership On Down
You have to be intentional about your hiring process, and it starts with having a diverse pool of candidates. As the CEO of a health tech company, I am committed to ensuring we hire more diverse candidates, from my leadership team right on down to our internship program. Diversity, equity and inclusion make for a better workplace. Hire leaders who have these values and are committed to creating this type of culture. – Ann Barnes, Intelligent Medical Objects
5. Work To Understand Unconscious Bias
Tech teams that reflect various perspectives and experiences drive more innovative and responsible outcomes. Leaders can cultivate diverse and inclusive teams by understanding how unconscious bias creates barriers to discovering, attracting and nurturing diverse talent. This awareness can inform equitable HR practices and help leaders realize the value of each employee’s unique voice and background. – Merav Yuravlivker, Data Society
6. Create A Culture Of Recognition
Amplify the voices of more people on your team. Give people from diverse backgrounds and who are less senior the chance to be represented. Creating a culture of recognition is inclusive and sets the right cultural tone. – Tali Rapaport, Puck
7. Prioritize Empathy
Tech leaders should prioritize empathy in communication and decision making. This means valuing diverse perspectives and encouraging team members to understand others’ experiences. It fosters an inclusive culture where everyone feels heard and respected, thereby boosting morale, collaboration and innovative thinking, which are key to an organization’s success. – Mohammed Cherifi, Hyperion Consulting
8. Consider ‘Non-Tech’ Talent
Tech leaders can cultivate a diverse and inclusive tech team by looking beyond the confines of technology and considering talent from across the wider business. This step brings in fresh perspectives, ideas and concepts, enriching the team’s diversity and contributing to the overall success of the organization. – Pete Hanlon, Moneypenny
9. Prioritize Soft Skills As Much Or More Than Hard Skills
Hire great people over good résumés. There is always a class, certificate or hard technical skill that can be learned or earned through on-the-job experience, but finding a person who is willing to do the work is invaluable. I’ve seen that when you prioritize soft skills as much as hard skills, you naturally build a diverse team of people and are able to open more doors to others. – Ben Finke, OnDefend
10. Take A Multi-Pronged Approach
Conduct diversity and inclusion training, implement inclusive hiring policies, encourage the formation of employee resource groups and establish mentorship programs. Maximize the effect of these initiatives by reviewing existing policies to ensure they support employees from diverse backgrounds. Consider flexible work and family-friendly policies, and make accommodations for team members’ religious practices. – Dave Sherwood, BibliU
11. Ensure Women Are Represented In Leadership
Leading by example and representation matter. That is why having women on the leadership team helps create a diverse and inclusive tech team. It attracts more diverse candidates to the company, and those candidates enable a more well-rounded approach to solving difficult problems and help the team avoid groupthink. – Lana Feng, Huma.AI, Inc.
12. Consider Adopting The ‘Rooney Rule’
Setting up practices to facilitate hiring from an international candidate pool is critical when it comes to cultivating a diverse team. A best practice, inspired by the NFL’s “Rooney Rule,” is to ensure you interview candidates from diverse backgrounds (in the tech industry, that includes women and underrepresented groups) at each stage. By having a diverse team building its products, an organization can better serve the needs of its customers from across the globe. – Liz Li, Velocity Global
13. Create A Safe Space For Conversation
Create a safe space for open conversations about diversity and inclusion. This will help the team explore diverse perspectives and experiences. It will lead to an environment where everyone feels valued and respected, leading to increased collaboration. – Mani Padisetti, Digital Armour
14. Expand Your Talent Pool
With the Covid pandemic, the talent pool became global. No matter where your company is, you have access to hires from anywhere. And with companies devoted to supporting global employment practices for businesses, finding and hiring diverse candidates has become much easier. It is important for tech companies to consider hiring engineering talent from multiple locations and to break down barriers to building a more diverse and inclusive engineering team. – Kiran Menon, Tydy
15. Develop A Shared Purpose
Developing and communicating a meaningful and shared purpose for the entire team to aspire to is the first step. This helps team members to collaborate with trust and openness and bring together their diverse strengths toward supporting the team’s cause. – Srinivasulu Nasam, Bosch Global Software Technologies Pvt. Ltd.
16. Thoroughly Evaluate Your Hiring Processes
Scour your hiring processes for unintentional bias. Make sure you’re posting in diverse places. Review your screening tools (which are often AI-powered) and practices to ensure you aren’t screening out great candidates who are coming through atypical career paths. And finally, review your interviewing techniques to ensure you aren’t favoring “typical” candidates. A diverse workforce needs a diverse hiring process. – Patti Mikula, Hackworks Inc.
17. Promote Cross-Functional Collaboration
Promote cross-functional collaboration and interdisciplinary projects. Encourage team members from different backgrounds and areas of expertise to work together on challenging projects. This fosters a diverse and inclusive environment where individuals can learn from one another, leverage their skills and contribute to the team’s success by bringing diverse perspectives and approaches to problem-solving. – Jagadish Gokavarapu, Wissen Infotech
18. Ensure Your Hiring Managers Understand Your Goals
It sounds simple, but tell your hiring team you want a diverse and inclusive team. Hiring managers may be mindful of that, but unless they’re explicitly told, it may get overlooked. After that, do team-building activities outside work settings that help employees get to know each other’s backgrounds. It’s not enough to just have a diverse group of people in the room; encourage your team members to get to know each other. – Jordan Yallen, MetaTope
19. Invest In D&I Training
Prioritize and invest in diversity and inclusion training for all employees to raise awareness about unconscious biases, foster empathy and promote inclusive behaviors. This will help ensure everyone feels valued and respected and create an inclusive work environment. This inclusive culture promotes collaboration, boosting employee productivity and unlocking innovative solutions to complex challenges. – Cristian Randieri, Intellisystem Technologies
20. Establish Mentorship And Sponsorship Programs
Tech leaders can foster a diverse and inclusive tech team by adopting mentorship and sponsorship programs and creating official or informal connections between skilled mentors or sponsors and members of underrepresented groups. These programs offer direction, assistance and employment prospects while also encouraging a feeling of community and advancing participants’ careers. – Neelima Mangal, Spectrum North
Read the full article here
