Diverse Hiring Strategies for Tech: HTD Solutions for DEI Improvement

Diverse teams boost innovation. Use diverse panels, structured interviews, blind hiring, and HTD for effective DEI in tech.

It has been proven time and time again that diverse teams drive innovation, creativity, and better business outcomes.

Achieving diversity, equity, and inclusion — or DEI — in hiring remains a challenge for many organizations even today. The same diverse hiring practices used ten, five, even three years ago aren’t able to keep up with today’s recruiting efforts or fill talent pipelines to create broad, yet skilled tech teams.

These new and proven initiatives can help tech organizations improve their DEI hiring efforts, placing a specific focus on the Hire-Train-Deploy (HTD) model as the most comprehensive solution.

The Importance of Diversity in Tech

Diverse hiring practices ensure that organizations benefit from a wide range of perspectives and experiences. Research shows that companies with diverse teams are more likely to outperform their peers. According to a McKinsey report, companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 25% more likely to have above-average profitability. Furthermore, companies in the top quartile for ethnic diversity were 36% more likely to outperform their peers in the work environment.

Despite these advantages, the tech industry continues to struggle with diversity. A report from the Kapor Center revealed that women make up only 26% of the computing workforce, and Black and Latinx employees constitute just 9% of the tech workforce.

Addressing these disparities helps both job seekers and hiring managers alike, but requires a unique blend of new and established diverse talent acquisition strategies.

What Does Diverse Talent Look Like?

Creating equal opportunities within hiring decisions means hiring team members from a range of diverse backgrounds and demographics. Qualified candidates may have many unique aspects, including:

- Ethnicity: Includes individuals from different racial and ethnic groups such as Black, Latinx, Asian, Native American, and others.

- Gender: Encompasses all gender identities, including male, female, non-binary, and transgender individuals.

- Sexual Orientation: Includes LGBTQ+ individuals with diverse sexual orientations.

- Disabilities: Encompasses individuals with physical, mental, or cognitive disabilities.

- Age: Includes different age groups, such as millennials, Gen Z, baby boomers, and more.

- Socioeconomic Background: Individuals from various economic backgrounds and levels of socioeconomic status.

- Educational Background: Includes candidates with diverse educational experiences, such as those from non-traditional educational paths or different educational institutions.

- Cultural Background: Encompasses individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds and experiences.

- Veteran Status: Includes military veterans and individuals with service backgrounds.

- Geographic Location: Individuals from different geographic regions and locations, including rural, urban, and international areas.

- Work Experience: Includes individuals with varied work experiences, industries, and career paths.

- Religion: Encompasses individuals with different religious beliefs and practices.

- Skill Sets: Includes individuals with diverse technical and non-technical skills.

- First-Generation Status: Includes first-generation college graduates or professionals.

- Language: Individuals who speak multiple languages or come from non-English-speaking backgrounds.

- Marital and Family Status: Includes single parents, married individuals, and those with different family structures.

- Political Beliefs: Encompasses individuals with diverse political viewpoints and ideologies.

- Immigration Status: Includes immigrants, refugees, and individuals with various citizenship statuses.

These aspects contribute to creating a diverse workforce and can be addressed through inclusive hiring practices, sourcing strategies, and DEI initiatives. Moreover, they’re necessary to building not just an inclusive culture, but an inclusive company that looks at their entire top-down strategy from a diverse lens.

4 Proven Strategies for Diverse Hiring

There are a number of DEI strategies that have been used successfully, time and time again, in tech recruitment and in the practice of creating an inclusive workplace. These are initiatives that should be adopted as your foundational strategy in bringing on fresh, diverse tech talent:

1. Diverse Hiring Panels

Diverse hiring panels can help reduce unconscious bias in the hiring process. When interview panels are especially diverse, candidates are more likely to be evaluated on their skills and experience rather than on stereotypes or preconceptions.

Organizations should ensure that their interview panels include individuals from different backgrounds, genders, and ethnicities. Training panel members on recognizing and mitigating bias is also crucial.

2. Structured Interview Processes

Structured interviews, where each candidate is asked the same set of questions in the same order, help ensure that all candidates are evaluated fairly.

Develop a standardized set of questions focused on job-relevant criteria. Use scoring rubrics and specific metrics to assess candidate responses consistently.

3. Blind Hiring

Blind hiring processes remove identifiable information such as names, gender, and education from resumes to prevent unconscious bias.

Use software tools that anonymize candidate information during the initial screening stages. Focus on skills assessments and work samples.

4. Inclusive Job Descriptions

The language used in job descriptions on job boards like LinkedIn can either attract or deter diverse candidates. Inclusive job descriptions encourage a wider range of applicants.

Avoid jargon and gender-coded language. Highlight the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion. Emphasize skills and experiences over specific educational backgrounds.

While these should be standard in every tech organization’s diversity recruitment strategy, it’s important to also incorporate updated strategies that reflect the technology, beliefs, and practices of today’s tech ecosystem.

3 New and Innovative Approaches to DEI Hiring

1. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Recruitment

AI can help identify and mitigate human biases in the hiring process by analyzing large datasets to find patterns of discrimination. Invest in AI tools that can screen resumes, analyze job descriptions, and monitor hiring practices for bias. Ensure that these tools are regularly audited for fairness.

2. Employee Resource Groups (ERGs)

ERGs can provide valuable insights into the challenges faced by underrepresented groups within the organization and help shape more inclusive hiring practices. Support the formation of ERGs and involve them in the recruitment process. Use their feedback to improve job descriptions, interview processes, and onboarding practices.

3. Partnerships with Diverse Organizations

Partnering with organizations that focus on underrepresented groups can help expand the talent pool and reach candidates who might not otherwise apply. Collaborate with universities, coding bootcamps, and professional associations that serve diverse communities. Participate in their job fairs, mentorship programs, and networking events.

In order to attract and retain top talent, many top organizations in the tech industry have turned to a different model: Hire-Train-Deploy, or HTD.

The Hire-Train-Deploy Model: A Comprehensive Solution to Sourcing Diverse Talent

One of the most effective solutions for improving DEI in the technology industry is the Hire-Train-Deploy (HTD) model. This approach involves hiring candidates based on their potential, providing them with customized training, and then deploying them to client projects.

Here are the benefits of employing a HTD model to address common DEI challenges:

1. Broadening the Talent Pool

The HTD model focuses on creating top talent based on potential rather than previous work experience, allowing organizations to build their own diverse talent pipelines to fulfill both technology and DE&I initiatives simultaneously.  . At HTD Talent, we identify diverse candidates with foundational skills and a strong desire to learn and use assessments to gauge their aptitude for specific technical roles.

2. Customized Training

Providing tailored training ensures that all hires have the skills needed to succeed, regardless of their prior experience. By developing training programs that are customized to the needs of the role and the client, we can include modules on both technical skills and soft skills, such as communication and teamwork.

3. On-the-Job Support

Continuous support helps new hires integrate into their roles and the company culture, reducing turnover and enhancing job satisfaction. Assigning mentors or buddies to new hires, then providing regular feedback and additional training  help this talent develop into your Next-Generation of your workforce

The Impact of the HTD Model

Organizations that have implemented the HTD model report significant improvements in their technology outcomes while also accomplishing their DEI goals as a by-product.. Leading tech companies that have adopted the HTD model saw measurable if not exponential increases in the diversity of their teams. Additionally, retention rates for HTD hires are notably higher than those for traditionally hired employees.

Expand Your Diverse Hiring Strategies with HTD Talent

Improving DEI in the technology industry requires a combination of proven and innovative strategies. By incorporating both new and traditional efforts, organizations can reduce bias and create more inclusive hiring practices.

The Hire-Train-Deploy model stands out as a comprehensive solution to DEI challenges by focusing on potential, providing customized training, and offering ongoing support.

HTD Talent helps organizations build a diverse and skilled workforce. As the technology industry continues to evolve, adopting diverse hiring strategies and models like HTD will be essential for driving innovation and achieving long-term success.

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