Why is intersectionality relevant in recruitment?
Intersectionality is an intrinsic part of the Diversity & Inclusion conversation and is a theme for Corecom Consulting this month, ahead of our event on the topic on 20th April in Leeds. ED&I is at the core of our proposition at Corecom, so intersectionality is a word we might be comfortable with, but that is not the case for every workplace and the statistics still show there is work to do in terms of making our sector and particularly leadership roles more accessible to a people of all backgrounds. So, how does intersectionality relate to progressing ED&I initiatives, and how can we as recruitment partners push this conversation along?
What is intersectionality?
Intersectionality is “an analytical framework for understanding how a person’s various social and political identities combine to create different modes of discrimination and privilege.”
A crucial part of the diversity discussion is intersectionality and how differing extents of systematic disadvantage impact individuals owing to their interconnected social categorisations. Intersectional theory addresses the way that multiple oppressions can be experienced by individuals and, if overlooked, can marginalise them even further.
For example, a white male from a low socio-economic group with a physical disability will face multiple challenges at work relating to both his disability and level of opportunity, compared to an able-bodied white male from a prosperous socio-economic background. Black women, both as women and a racial minority in the UK, face differing workplace challenges to white women. Gen Z and those identifying as LGTBTQ+ experience their own challenges. Our identities are multi-dimensional, and an awareness of intersectionality helps us appreciate that a combination of these identities can have an impact on the opportunities we receive in life.
Did you know?
- Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.
- Companies in the top quartile for gender diversity are 15% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians
- Black women represent only 3% of women working in tech, and 0.7% of overall IT roles
The importance of intersectionality in the hiring process
As we can see from the statistics, diverse teams outperform homogenous teams, and this impacts business growth. It is not just the quotas of certain groups within an organisation that make it successful; it is the variety of life experience and the resulting approaches to problems and perspectives. These help organisations to:
- Improve product and service offer
- Find the top talent for job vacancies whilst understanding that talent can come from non-traditional backgrounds
- Create an inclusive working environment that enables people from all backgrounds to feel comfortable, to thrive and succeed
Without an awareness of intersectionality, managers and leaders may be unwittingly building a homogenous team. Without intersectionality, it can be challenging to understand the different layers of discrimination that hold candidates back from accessing opportunities. Women in the technology industry are vastly underrepresented, but under-representation of women of colour in technology is an even bigger issue, as the statistics above demonstrate. If a software engineering team is 50%+ women but they are all white women, for example, that team is lacking representation.
Recruiters with a focus on intersectionality can help to bridge this gap. The first question might be ‘how can we get more women into tech?’ but a more relevant and useful question is ‘how can we bring more women into technology from all backgrounds, particularly those who are underrepresented?’
How to implement intersectionality into your hiring process
To remove barriers that could stand in the way of finding the best candidate for the job, think about the various forms of oppression that could restrict access. Asking whether a candidate has any requirements before attending an interview, for example, can highlight areas where that candidate may face discrimination. In addition to this, considering intersectionality when creating more inclusive and welcoming environments for new starters will help to retain top candidates from a variety of backgrounds.
Dominic Brown, Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador at Corecom Consulting says:
“Employers should be looking at ways to adapt the recruitment process, providing training to reduce the chances of bias creeping in whilst assessing candidates. During candidate debriefs and application reviews, it is vital to identify the blockers that underrepresented people in technology experience to create new ways of thinking around talent acquisition goals.”
Questions that we ask during the recruitment process include:
- What are the transferrable skills that we should be looking for from candidates who want to join the technology industry?
- How could we distinguish the mindset and knowledge from candidates which may have been gained outside of traditional career paths?
- What is our unique value proposition as an employer for those talented people already in tech?
This should make for a more inclusive process, recognising the talent that others may have overlooked.
Additional ways to consider intersectionality include:
- Purposefully expanding access to your job vacancies and opportunities to candidates from a variety of backgrounds will increase the knowledge, experiences and views that could be valuable to your team
- Measuring diversity through tracking the demographics of candidates in your recruitment pipeline e.g. measuring candidate numbers, including those who identify with multiple backgrounds, identify as women, LQBTQ+, those with disabilities, underrepresented minorities etc. Some applicant tracking systems offer this capability.
Ensure your hiring process is inclusive
At Corecom Consulting, we support our clients through their ED&I journey, educating and advising on the many benefits of diverse and inclusive workplace cultures. Our Diversity and Inclusion Ambassadors specialise in working with employers to:
- Adopt a genuinely inclusive approach to hiring
- Diversify the pool of candidates in recruitment pipelines
- Enhance the ED&I proposition across the organisation
We are committed to breaking down barriers that exist, to create a sector that is truly diverse and sustainable. Through supporting clients and candidates to strive for a more inclusive world, we ensure that everyone working with us can challenge held perceptions and practices, as well as understanding their rights and responsibilities.
For support with making your hiring process more inclusive, please contact:
Dominic Brown
Diversity and Inclusion Ambassador
d.brown@corecomconsulting.co.uk
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The Covid-19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on children with cancer and their families. Extended periods of separation and isolation, anxiety and financial hardship have all taken their toll and the need for our specialist support has become ever more critical. However, sadly, at Candlelighters, we saw our fundraising grind to a halt during the pandemic, which is why we put Team 500 into motion. And we are so thrilled that Corecom have come on board with supporting us on this initiative. In going above and beyond their fundraising goals, we are able to continue to provide critical support and make life a little brighter for the 150 families in Yorkshire devastated by a cancer diagnosis each year.
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