Key Tips for Recruitment and Retention of a Diverse Team

Last year, SDI teamed up with Ivanti to host a forum for service desk professionals (both male and female) to discuss their thoughts, concerns, and ideas surrounding gender equality in ITSM. Throughout the day, delegates expressed that they struggled to hire and maintain diverse teams, and in turn the group shared what has worked for them in this respect.

We’ve compiled their excellent tips to succeeding with recruiting and retaining a balanced and diverse workplace into an infographic, the content from which is below. You can also read the full event write-up here.

• Consider whether the listed requirements of a role are absolutely necessary

Hiring managers or HR should review job descriptions and requirements to consider whether every qualication listed is relevant and necessary.

• Advertise to appeal to people with creative skills

Consider the other skills or attributes the right candidate should have, and in turn this may lead to more women applying for tech roles.

• Be transparent in job adverts

Advertising perks that could directly benefit women could lead to a higher rate of women applying to tech roles where you need to address a gender imbalance.

• Consider offering a job share

This is where two people effectively do one person’s job, but it is more flexible than a full-time role, which opens the role up to parents and carers.

• Include both men and women on interview panels

Women are more likely to accept a job if they know there are already other women on the team, particularly in a typically male-dominated industry.

• Let the candidate sit with the team during the interview process

This can allow the candidate to know if the company is the right for them and potentially give them an insight into the team’s gender balance and culture.

• Implement a secondment initiative

This is another avenue to getting women to consider a career in tech, and potentially provide a platform for them to progress within the tech sector.

• Set up mentorship and sponsorship programmes

Women in senior positions could mentor new starters who want to progress in a tech career and may be able to recommend their sponsored colleague for opportunities to help boost their career.

• Establish gender equality and diversity networks

This can connect likeminded people and inuence a conversation around gender equality within your organisation and motivate women to be more condent in their abilities and take new opportunities.

• Offer flexible working without stigma

Treating exible working as a normality rather than an inconvenience can set an example for the rest of the team and foster an environment that empowers your staff.

• Provide equal career development opportunities to both men and women

Career development should be a joint eort between employees and their organisation; managers can facilitate this by creating an environment which empowers sta to learn and progress.