Diversity

The business case for diversity continues to be well articulated topic within the HR and recruitment sector. Yet while pledges, policies and codes of conduct are readily available for employers to engage with, there is still a significant discord between what is preached and what is practiced, particularly with regards to gender diversity.

Last month, the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) held its second Women in Recruitment conference in conjunction with Recruitment International, during which a number of key themes were presented and discussed.

First and foremost was the reiteration of the indisputable business benefits brought about by the creation of a diverse workforce. Not only does it widen the talent pool, it also helps to remove the stigmas and prejudices surrounding both male-dominated industries and female-dominated industries.

It was rightly indicated that recruitment consultants have a duty to ensure that employers are fully informed and aware of the important issues surrounding diversity, particularly within their local labour markets. This is something that myself and the team at ACR directly identify with, working consistently with our clients to modify and enhance their recruitment methods according to the latest trends, research and legislation.

Most recently this has included the promotion of flexible working offerings and the support of mentoring in schools through careers guidance and work experience for young people. ACR has long been a vociferous advocate of temporary staffing because the advantages are extensive and the value high. Yet too often temporary work is regarded as a ‘women’s issue’ and wrongly attributed to return to work mums.

Clients who have recognised the benefits of employing both make and female interim workers have reported improved retention rates and increased productivity. There are multiple benefits for the candidate also – a change in career direction that began with a short-term placement being just one example.

With regards to school liaison, and the wealth of higher education opportunities now available to young people, more needs to be done to help advise and guide school and college leavers about which option to choose. And while gender crossover continues to be low within certain industries and along particular career paths, improvements must be made to the quality and availability of careers guidance and work experience opportunities.

ACR are regularly involved in school college liaison on a local level and continue to address the above points during our visits. It’s only by businesses taking on enthusiastic, hard working youngsters and discovering the benefits for themselves that they will be encouraged to invest in more and so widen the job market for that age group.