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Inclusive hiring isn’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore. It’s a business imperative.
In today’s world, companies are under more scrutiny than ever—not just for who they hire, but how they hire. More than 86% of global candidates say that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) matter to them when considering an employer. But despite this growing awareness, many hiring processes still unintentionally exclude great talent due to bias baked into outdated systems.
If you’re still relying on gut instinct and traditional job boards, you’re likely missing out on incredible candidates—and sending the wrong signal about your company culture.
This guide breaks down what inclusive hiring really means and how you can put it into practice to build stronger, fairer, and higher-performing teams.
What Inclusive Hiring Really Means (And What It’s Not)
Let’s clear up a common misconception: inclusive hiring isn’t about ticking diversity boxes or hiring to fill quotas. It’s about designing your recruitment process to give every qualified candidate a fair shot—regardless of their background, identity, or circumstances.
That means rethinking not just who you hire, but how you evaluate, source, and support candidates throughout the hiring journey.
As Reverend Jesse Jackson said, “When everyone is included, everyone wins.” Inclusive hiring is about building a process where everyone can participate meaningfully, and where decisions are driven by skill, potential, and fairness—not unconscious bias or familiarity.
Why Inclusive Hiring Pays Off—For Everyone
From a business perspective, inclusive hiring is one of the smartest strategies you can implement. Research consistently shows that diverse teams are more innovative, productive, and profitable. Companies with high levels of diversity are also more likely to retain top talent—especially when inclusion goes beyond surface-level representation.
And there’s a legal and reputational case, too. In 2020 alone, workplace discrimination lawsuits cost employers in the U.S. over $400 million. A transparent, inclusive hiring process helps mitigate risk while enhancing your brand in the eyes of candidates and customers alike.
Step 1: Define What Diversity and Inclusion Mean to You
Before you change your job ads or interview process, step back and ask: what does diversity actually mean in the context of your company?
It goes beyond race and gender. Think about age, neurodiversity, disability, veteran status, socio-economic background, and lived experience. Also consider intersectionality—the unique experience someone might have at the crossroads of multiple identities.
This definition should be owned internally and tailored to your context. What’s “diverse” in one environment may not be in another. Get clear on your goals before diving into tactics.
Step 2: Write Job Descriptions That Invite Everyone In
Job descriptions are often the first signal of how inclusive your organization really is. Here’s how to make sure they invite—not discourage—diverse candidates:
- Use gender-neutral language throughout.
- Avoid jargon, acronyms, or “bro” culture cues.
- Emphasize responsibilities over rigid requirements—and remove unnecessary degree requirements.
- Mention your commitment to DEI clearly and upfront.
- Use tools like Gender Decoder to identify biased language.
Even subtle changes in tone can make a big difference. Research shows gender-neutral job ads are filled 14 days faster and attract a more diverse pool of applicants.
Eliminate low-effort applicants—including those who use AI Tools to apply, copy-paste answers, or rely on "one-click apply." This way, you focus only on genuine, committed, and high-quality candidates—helping you avoid costly hiring mistakes.
Step 3: Source Talent Where Diversity Lives
If you’re only posting jobs on LinkedIn and Indeed, you’re likely reaching the same narrow audience over and over. Expand your reach by tapping into platforms designed to surface underrepresented talent:
- DiversityJobs
- Pink Jobs
- HBCU Connect
- Fairygodboss
- National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE)
- LatPro
- Local community orgs, bootcamps, and colleges
Don’t stop at job boards. Attend career fairs at multicultural institutions, connect with alumni networks, and build long-term relationships with organizations that support underrepresented groups in your field.
Step 4: Standardize the Hiring Process
Inconsistency is the enemy of fairness. Structured hiring helps minimize bias by ensuring all candidates are evaluated using the same criteria. Here’s how to implement it:
- Use interview guides with standardized questions.
- Create scorecards that focus on job-relevant skills.
- Avoid questions about salary history or personal circumstances.
- Introduce blind resume screening in the early stages—removing names, graduation years, and other identifiers.
When every candidate follows the same process, you create a level playing field—and reduce the risk of unconscious bias affecting decisions.
Quickly identify your most promising candidates. WorkScreen automatically evaluates, scores, and ranks applicants on a performance-based leaderboard—making it easy to spot top talent, save time, and make smarter, data-driven hiring decisions.
Step 5: Build Diverse Interview Panels
Representation matters—not just in your company, but in the interview process itself. Candidates want to see that your values are reflected in the people assessing them.
Consider these benefits of diverse panels:
- Broader perspectives in decision-making
- Reduced risk of affinity bias (hiring people similar to us)
- Increased trust and comfort for candidates
Intel famously required two women or underrepresented interviewers per panel and saw a 41% increase in diverse hires within two years.
Step 6: Train Hiring Managers to Recognize (and Reduce) Bias
Even the best-designed process can fall apart if hiring managers don’t buy in. And often, this is where DEI efforts break down.
Provide training on:
- Unconscious bias and how it shows up in interviews
- Inclusive decision-making frameworks
- How to assess skills fairly (vs. relying on “culture fit”)
- The impact of inconsistent standards across candidates
Ongoing training—not just one-and-done workshops—helps hiring leaders make more equitable decisions over time.
Step 7: Offer Inclusive Benefits That Reflect Real Lives
It’s not just about who you hire—it’s about whether they feel supported once they’re in the door. Inclusive benefits signal that your organization understands and accommodates diverse needs.
Consider offering:
- Flexible work schedules
- Cultural or religious leave
- Remote or hybrid options
- Mental health resources
- Disability accommodations
Highlight these benefits in your job ads and interviews. Candidates want to know how your company supports people like them.
Step 8: Use Technology Thoughtfully (and Watch for Bias)
Recruitment technology can help reduce bias—but it can also reinforce it if you’re not careful. Some best practices include:
- Use tools that anonymize assessments or grade take-home tasks blindly.
- Pre-define success criteria for roles before reviewing candidates.
- Ensure vendors have clear, transparent bias-mitigation strategies.
- Offer ADA-compliant assessment tools for candidates with disabilities.
Easily administer one-click skill tests. -This way you can Assess candidates based on real-world ability—not just credentials like résumés and past experience. This helps you hire more confidently and holistically.
Step 9: Measure Your Results—Then Improve Them
If you’re not tracking your progress, you can’t improve it. Set meaningful metrics for your inclusive hiring strategy, such as:
- Demographics at each stage of the hiring funnel
- Interview-to-hire ratios by group
- First-year retention across different demographics
- Candidate feedback on fairness and experience
And don’t just measure—act. Use the insights to refine your process, uncover hidden biases, and challenge outdated practices.
Inclusion Starts With Action
Inclusive hiring isn’t a checklist. It’s a mindset—a commitment to equity that runs through every step of your recruiting process.
It takes time. It requires unlearning old habits. And it demands that you listen—to your team, to your candidates, and to the data.
But the results are worth it: stronger teams, better hires, and a culture that genuinely reflects the people and communities you serve.
The future of hiring is inclusive. Will you be part of it?
FAQ
Use automation to reduce bias and speed up hiring—like blind résumé screening or structured scoring systems. Efficiency improves when every candidate is evaluated using the same clear criteria. And inclusivity increases when you remove subjective decisions from early-stage filtering.
Inclusive language makes your job ads more appealing to a diverse pool of applicants. For instance, replacing masculine-coded words like “dominant” or “competitive” with neutral terms like “confident” or “goal-oriented” can help attract more female and nonbinary candidates. Small changes here can make a big impact.
Blind hiring removes identifiable details (like name, gender, and education) from the initial screening process. This reduces unconscious bias and helps hiring teams focus solely on skills and experience. The result is a more level playing field and a more diverse shortlist of candidates.
When multiple perspectives are involved in interviewing and selection, it reduces the risk of unconscious bias. It also signals to candidates that your company values diversity and inclusion, which can make underrepresented candidates feel more comfortable and respected.
Offer flexibility—like sending questions in advance, allowing video or written responses, or extending time limits. Make sure your interview environment (virtual or in-person) is accessible. Ask candidates if they need accommodations up front and follow through respectfully.
They shift focus from résumés and credentials (which often reflect privilege) to what candidates can actually do. This gives overlooked talent—like career changers, self-taught professionals, or those without degrees—a fair shot.
