Pathways to Equity, Diversity + Inclusion: Hiring Resource
Table of Contents
Overview ⟶
Preparing to Hire ⟶
Drafting a Job Description ⟶
Recruitment ⟶
Reviewing Resumes ⟶
Interviewing ⟶
Hiring ⟶
Hospitality Industry Resources ⟶
Definitions
DIVERSITY | The term diversity is used to describe individual differences (e.g. life experiences, learning styles, working styles, personality types) and group/social differences (e.g. race, socio-economic status, class, gender, sexual orientation, country of origin, ability, intellectual traditions and perspectives, as well as cultural, political, religious, and other affiliations) that can be engaged to achieve excellence in the workplace.
INCLUSION | The term inclusion is used to describe the active, intentional, and ongoing engagement with diversity—in people, in the workplace, and in communities (e.g. intellectual, social, cultural, geographic) with which individuals might connect.
EQUITY | The term equity is used to describe an approach that provides everyone access to the same opportunities. Equity recognizes that advantages and barriers exist, and we start at varying beginnings. The approach to a more equitable workplace begins by acknowledging the existing of unequal starting places and, as a result, we commitment to addressing the imbalance.
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Source: Adapted from the definitions outlined in several resources including the University of Virginia's Office of Diversity, Equity, + Inclusion, George Washington University’s Office of Diversity, Equity, + Inclusion + General Assembly.
Overview
At Oyster Sunday, it is our mission to build a sustainable and supportive infrastructure for the food and beverage industry. Inclusivity, opportunity, and safety are foundational to building a world we want to live in, because we believe our industry can only thrive when everyone has a seat at the table.
This Equity, Diversity + Inclusion Hiring Resource aims to help operators to ensure their tables are filled with the best, and most equal representation of talent possible – from drafting job descriptions to onboarding new employees.
Let’s be very clear, this resource is just a start. The actions we take as employers, managers, and colleagues on a daily basis are key to ensuring talent retention in our organizations.
The power dynamic can not change and diversity can not thrive without equitable distribution of power and clear values. In this resource, we turned to companies such as Google, The New York Times, and IDEO to build and frame the conversation. We understand they are not perfect, but we felt that:
Each of these companies have established internal processes to create inclusive structures in their hiring processes.
They published these resources to provide transparency into the company’s process for applicants so they understood the community and their processes.
We knew there were likely legal and internal review processes in place to ensure the right minds were able to review these documents.
As a result, we felt this was a strong foundation to build a resource rooted in sound practices. The process to progress happens on a daily basis – not overnight. We are a step closer today than we were yesterday, and we hope this information is useful to help you thoughtfully make changes in your company.
Let’s go back to data:
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Employees who believe their organization supports D&I feel their ability to innovate increases by 83%. [source]
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A 2018 study of 1,000 companies across 12 countries by McKinsey & Co found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity were 21% more likely to experience above-average profitability. Additionally, ethnic and cultural diversity resulted in a 33% increase in performance. [source]
Preparing to Hire
When an operator begins thinking about hiring for a new role, there are a few necessary steps to ensure the search is set up for success. This begins with a deeper dive into the core of the business and the culture that has been created. It is essential to think critically and intentionally about diversity and inclusion in your business prior to considering your hiring process, as company culture is the first thing that needs to shift before you can effectively integrate diversity.
Many companies have taken an honest and hard look at their internal structure and have acknowledged where there is room for improvement. Diversity and inclusion reports from The New York Times and McKinsey & Company are good examples of this.
If you are looking for external guidance or assistance, there are talented consultants who are equipped to lead the conversation and help you start the work necessary to make meaningful changes in your business. Here is a shortlist of professionals:
Once you are ready to move forward with the hiring process, drafting the job description is an opportunity to remove unconscious bias. This includes where you post the job opportunity, your interview process, and how you select the final candidates.
When beginning the interview process, here are some questions to consider:
Are you being as inclusive as you can possibly be? What level of formal education, or years of experience are actually needed for the position? Will you be offering robust training?
What kind of diversity does your team currently have? This includes how team members identify in categories such as, race, color, nationality, citizenship, disability, age, religious affiliation, gender identity, sexual orientation, and more. This is important to ensure that new hires are not tokenized, or feel alone, or bear the emotional labor of being unfairly labeled a "diversity hire."
How can you address the necessary internal changes for your next hires? Do you need to audit and adjust existing staff, advisors, or collaborators to ensure an environment free from harassment?
Have you considered the reach of the job boards you choose to post the job opportunity? The accessibility of job descriptions during the recruitment process is essential to the candidates you attract.
For more resources on how to ensure that your team understands and acts in accordance with their respective biases, Google re:Work has unbiased hiring resources here.
Drafting a Job Description
When drafting a job description that is clear, concise, and inclusive, consider the following suggestions:
Have a clear vision in mind for your job description.
Be inclusive and examine language for unconscious bias and gendered terms.
Predetermine your role criteria before looking for a candidate.
Predetermine the role’s salary prior to interviewing, as to prevent further unconscious bias. This could include posting a salary band — the range of compensation for a specific role — so that candidates applying clearly understand the value of the position.
When looking at this through the lens of hospitality, operators may ask themselves questions such as, is a bachelor’s degree really needed for this role? How do experiences from other industries such as retail or client services help candidates in hospitality? Evaluating and reconsidering common requirements listed in a job description will help open up opportunities for those who may otherwise decide not to apply due to lack of qualification.
If you are interested in learning more, please visit Google’s re:Work resource drafting job descriptions [here].
Recruitment
Intentionality is key when considering where to post job descriptions. Hiring takes time, and sourcing candidates can be an extremely difficult part of the process. Getting diverse eyes on and interest in job opportunities are pertinent steps to sourcing the right talent. Prioritize posting the job opportunity on various recruitment sites and job boards to ensure broader reach.
To help facilitate finding job boards, we created an Open-sourced Job Board Database that is updated regularly We welcome any and all submissions.
Reviewing Resumes
Reviewing resumes can also leave a lot of room for unconscious bias. Research tells us that subtle indicators — names, clubs, addresses, schools, previous employment, race, parental status, socio-economic status, and many more factors — may unconsciously affect expectations and assessment of a candidate.
Teams with divergent opinions can make better, less-biased decisions. It is encouraged to review resumes and interview candidates, allowing for a more sound and inclusive hiring process. Google’s re:Work published resources and tips for reviewing resumes, which can be viewed [here]. This guide includes how to:
Screen for consistency + impact
Review qualifications
Match the right candidate with the right role
Revisit great, rejected applications
Interviewing
Before beginning the interview process, we recommend identifying a “hiring committee” to ensure diverse opinions are heard, eliminate individual unconscious bias, and maximize the potential for a strong long-term fit. Depending on the business, and understanding that this can be particularly difficult and even daunting for small businesses, it’s ideal to have 3-4 team members across various management levels who are trained on the company’s interviewing policies. If possible, we recommend paying these team members a bonus or stipend for helping in the recruitment process.
Once the hiring committee is organized and trained, use a standardized process and prepare interviewers appropriately to gather accurate information about candidates during interviews. While interviewing, keep in mind that research has shown that negative implicit attitudes have been found to predict negative nonverbal behaviors (i.e., less smiling, less eye contact, more blinking, more speech hesitations). ‘Like me’ instincts may cause interviewers to favor some candidates, and confirmation bias may cause people to seek out behaviors to confirm pre-existing expectations.
Interview Checklist:
Standardize pre-interview prep to ensure consistency throughout the interview process.
Ensure a comfortable, neutral candidate and interviewer interaction to minimize distractions for either party.
Use structured interviewing by applying structured criteria and data-driven questioning.
Ask for evidence; don’t assume. Allow yourself to gather more data to ensure that you are not filling incorrect information with your own assumptions.
Learn more tips about unconscious bias and interviewing from Google re:Work [here].
Hiring
Extending an offer to a new team member is an exciting and important step in growing your team. Every new hire affects the team dynamics, culture, and direction of the company, so it pays to invest time, resources, and research into the hiring process. A wrong hire can be a difficult mistake, so intentionality is key.
When the hiring committee convenes to discuss the candidates, use previously agreed upon standard interview criteria. Ahead of the meeting, the hiring committee members should review each candidate packet, which should roughly include the following:
Candidate resume/CV
Employee referral notes, if any
Internal references, if any
Interview questions and interviewer feedback
If applicable, recruiter notes (including trends across interviewers or anything the recruiter feels is very important to call out)
Note: It is tempting to review a candidate's social media accounts or to “Google” them, but we suggest holding off to ensure you are not reinforcing bias.
At Oyster Sunday, we understand that this is just the beginning phase of employment, and that inclusion needs to be implemented in the entire life-cycle of an employee. From management review processes, to continuing education, to promotions, the work continues well beyond when the employee is onboarded and trained.
The actions we take as employers, managers, and colleagues on a daily basis is key to ensuring talent retention in our organizations.
Hospitality Industry Resources
Sources
2019 Diversity and Inclusion Report | NYT (See “New Actions” & “Building an Inclusive Culture”)
2018 Diversity and Inclusion Report | NYT (See “New Actions” & “Building an Inclusive Culture”)
Multilevel, Multidimensional Diversity | Vaughn Tan
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: A Work in Progress | IDEO.org
Disclaimer: The consolidated resources are here for your consideration. The information provided above is not legal advice. We recommend talking to your lawyer to ensure all state + federal compliance is maintained. If you do not have legal representation, we would be happy to connect you with legal counsel. We understand that circumstances are changing quickly and we are updating content as it is available.
