Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) have become important priorities for organizations of all sizes and sectors in recent years. For recruiters, other HR professionals and management staff, using a D &I lens has become critical in their work. This is especially true as the benefits of incorporating D&I in companies’ operations have been proven in many studies in past years; equally importantly, it is the right thing to do! Hiring without bias leads to a workforce rich in ideas and perspectives that can drive a business forward.
D&I is also becoming more important to candidates when choosing their next company, with 64% of recent survey respondents saying a company’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity is an important factor in choosing to accept a job offer. If you do not have diversity in mind for you company, you could be missing out on the best available talent in more ways than one!
As a woman-owned and -led business we have always been proud to stand out from the crowd, representing a demographic that is frequently under-represented at CEO/President level. However, we have been challenged to ensure that we ourselves are truly representing the areas that we serve. Western New England has a wonderful cultural mix, with people of all races, creeds and identities represented. United’s staff is committed to engaging with those communities in our recruitment and placement efforts, in order to build strong teams to benefit not only United Personnel, but our clients as well.
To keep our eyes firmly on Diversity and Inclusion priorities, the UP team has established a Diversity Committee. The committee, which meets monthly, is tasked with ensuring that we continue to be an inclusive workforce, representing the communities we serve. The aim is to ensure that we are unbiased in our hiring, embracing the differences among our employees and fostering a welcoming culture within our organization. We also seek to build new partnerships which will increase communication and recruitment efforts with diverse constituencies in our region. These initiatives have already begun rolling out, and we look forward to sharing more information and ideas over the coming weeks and months.
To get you started on further thinking about this topic, here’s our diversity and inclusion mission statement:
"At United Personnel, diversity is a part of our heritage and our future. Since our founding as a woman-owned business in 1984, we have prioitized partnerships with many different constituencies in our community, including Regional Workforce Investment Boards, Friends of the Homeless, Partners for Community, Springfield Business Leaders from Education, and dozens more. Our goal is to be an inclusive workforce that is representative, at all job levels, of the communities we serve. There is more work to be done, but with the help of our employees, our candidates, our clients and community partners, we can ensure equity for all. #United4Equity."
If you’re considering launching your own diversity committee, let us know – we’d be happy to brainstorm ideas and share some best practices that we’ve embraced.
Committee Co-Chairs:
Chea Alston: salston@unitedpersonnel.com
Jennifer Marrapese: jmarrapese@unitedpersonnel.com