How to Spot Diversity in a Company During Your Job Search

Diversity in a team is vital to a business’s success, but also to an employee’s career success and overall happiness. Companies that value different ideas and thought processes experience better growth and often reward their team members, making these companies the ideal places in which to work for both parties. Employers notice more productivity and employee retention, and employees receive performance benefits and genuinely enjoy going to work and collaborating because they know their insights are valued. Essentially, we should all strive to land a position with an inclusive team in an inspiring workplace. So, how do you spot an inclusive workplace during the job search?

 

diverse executive team

 

Look up the Executive Team

Inclusion starts at the top. During the research phase of your job search, take a look at the executive team on the company’s website. Forbes reports, “While some executives and companies have made considerable progress in diversifying their overall workforce, representation for minorities in leadership and highly compensated technical roles remains poor” which says a lot about your future with the company should you accept the position. Consider a few things when reviewing the leadership team page, to ensure you’re choosing an inclusive environment. Is there a diverse mix of people on the leadership team? Do they post their gender, age, and race/ethnicity stats? Go further and review the executive team’s social media. Are they posting articles in support of the social movement(s)? Are they open about their community outreach with organizations supporting other cultures? These are all questions to ask yourself as you do your online sleuthing.

 

Research Their Reviews

During your research, you’re probably already looking at their employee reviews on Glassdoor or customer reviews on Google. So while you’re looking, take note of the different types of people leaving one- or two-star reviews calling out interactions they had with the company. What do their negative reviews say about how they treat their employees of color, who are women, or the older demographic? What do they say about their treatment of customers of color, who are women, or elderly? How they treat them will be a great indicator how they will treat you, your coworkers, and your clients if hired.

 

Look up the Employees

Looking at their team can tell you a lot as well. While you’re on LinkedIn scoping out the company page and its material, also look at their list of team members. Do they all look different? How long have they been with or stayed with the company? And do they post material promoting their company, talking about what a great place it is to work? Additionally, reach out to the employees on LinkedIn and get a sense of the environment. Create those connections to become a more eligible candidate, but also to get a feel for inclusion in the workplace. Focus the phrasing of your questions on team culture and the inclusion aspect, rather than grilling about diversity. They’re more likely to answer your questions, and give you the information you need to decide if this job is the right fit for you, if you focus the questions on curiosity about the company culture and advancement opportunities.

 

Ask During the Interview

At the end of the interview, the interviewer or panel of interviewers will always ask, “do you have any questions for us?” This is a great opportunity to get more information on inclusion in the office. If they list diversity as one of their core values, ask them how they promote that value as well as the others. If they list culture-based organizations as partnerships or charities, ask them why they chose those organizations or what inspired their decision. Ask them what sensitivity or diversity training, workshops, or seminars they have annually, if at all. And most importantly, if not simply, ask them what they do to ensure inclusion among all team members. Each of these questions are within legal boundaries and will be appreciated by the interviewer, giving them the opportunity to brag a bit about the company and its values.

 

Consider the Employee Benefits

You’re thinking about the benefits in terms of work-life balance and time off, but there are other things to consider when perusing the benefits offered. For example, inclusivity and respect regarding family planning. Are they generous, or at least reasonable, with paid family leave? Do they offer the same benefits package to employees all in the same place on the chain or career roadmap? What they offer to employees, equal and considerate of personal advancement as well as professional, can provide insight into the level of inclusivity at the company.

 

It’s a long process to land the perfect job for you, but it’s not impossible. There are many companies out there that value inclusion. View our job board to find the one for you! For more tips to help you with your job search, keep following our blog.