When we at YES! Your Human Resources Solution say employee diversity, what does that mean to your company?  Everyone will have a slightly different definition when it comes to the details, but we can probably all agree a diverse workforce means a well-rounded workforce.  And we can probably also agree that the overall potential present in a well-rounded workforce is more powerful than, say, if each worker was a carbon copy of the next.  After all, if everyone had the same point of view, who would ask the questions and dream the ideas meant to push your company to greater heights?  That’s how diversity can help make your business stronger.

If your company hasn’t thought about employee diversity for a few years, you may be surprised by how much the definition of diversity has changed.  Gone are the days when diversity meant hiring more female and minority workers.  It’s all about the bigger picture of varied personal and professional backgrounds.  But don’t run out to hire diverse employees for diversity’s sake, just because we said it’s a good thing.  Really think about what diversity means to your company, and about the potential benefits of a better-rounded workforce.

How would your company benefit from hiring a manager with 10 years of experience in your exact industry?  You’d know what to expect from this employee’s knowledge and background, and you’d have someone likely to integrate well with your company’s status quo.  Now think about how your company could benefit from hiring an employee with 10 years of experience in a different industry.  (Scandalous!  But in this job market, recruiters all-too-often ignore the benefits of transferring experience and skillsets across industries.)  At the very least, you know you have a competent manager who is interested in your field.  Sure, this person might need some time to learn the details of your industry.  But you also know this person comes with a fresh perspective and a different way of doing things, which might yield some new and unexpected ideas to shake up your business.  So then comes the million-dollar question: how do you find these candidates who will diversify your workforce?

When it comes to recruitment, the world is quite literally at your fingertips.  Career websites, social media, and employee referrals are all great ways to locate talent from different industries across the country or the world, so polish that job description and start posting.  When job descriptions list requirements such as “five years’ experience in the industry,” it discourages driven candidates who are interested in applying their skills to a new field.  So don’t say that!  Instead, encourage candidates by presenting the job as an opportunity to broaden employee horizons.  When those resumes start to roll in, keep an open mind about employee backgrounds; don’t discount accomplished candidates just because they haven’t worked in your industry, or even in the specific role you’re looking to fill.  It may be tempting to seek the most exact match for your company’s status quo, but remember—it’s easier to teach the nuances of your industry than to teach 30 years of managerial skills.

Diversifying your workforce can result in new perspectives, new ideas, and new heights for your business!  For more information on effective ways to diversify your talent pool, contact the team at YES! Your Human Resources Solution, Orange County’s premier Human Resources consulting firm.  Our friendly professionals will put their 20 years of experience to work for you, to find the top talent that will help your company thrive into the future.  Are you ready to discover the power of saying YES?  Contact us today for a free consultation.