Slow Down and Plan Ahead to Build Your Team’s Diversity
Building a sustainable, diverse future workforce starts early.
Organizations like NASA and the FAA educate STEM students as early as middle school. They plant seeds so when these kids graduate, they remember how cool it was to learn about rockets and airplanes and (hopefully) gravitate to those organizations.
But most nonprofits and government organizations don't have the infrastructure to reach such a wide pool. And when they DO outreach, they're usually going to their leadership teams’ alma mater or another space within their existing networks ... not to communities of historically marginalized groups.
That makes it even harder to build our next generation of diverse, dynamic teams.
How can you think outside the box?
Find New Partners
Try partnering with a nonprofit organization like Black in Marine Science, Latino Outdoors, Minorities in Aquaculture, or Women in Aviation. Identify an aligned organization and start the conversation to find out how you can support each other.
If they're already working with young people, attending conferences, and have a trusted brand with the demographics you'd like to reach, you could sponsor their work, provide multi-year funding, and even offer internship opportunities as a way to start a meaningful relationship.
Partner with a HBCU or other university serving a diverse demographic. The school might not offer the very exact, specific program that ties to your organization (like satellite engineering) but you know what? They have a Math program. They have a Physics program. And they have a more diverse pool of STEM talent. So, have one of your leaders become an adjunct professor. Build an internal path for students to shadow your operations and fall in love with what your company does.
“Build an internal path for students to shadow your operations and fall in love with what your company does.”
Slow Your Process
What about those organizations who needed to hire someone yesterday to fill an open position? While you’re taking the steps above to build your workforce for the future, what you can do is this: slow your process.
Often, prioritizing speed over quality is a pervasive issue for complex organizations. I get why.
For nonprofits and government organizations, having an unfilled position for too long means you're in jeopardy of those funds being taken away -- not to mention the critical, time-sensitive work that piles up while the seat is vacant. Hiring someone internally, who you already know and like, can be tempting. And maybe that person IS the right person for the role.
BUT ... I encourage you to pause and consider: are you maximizing this opportunity to bring in new talent and tap into the potential pool that can bring your organization to new heights? In the long run, giving the recruitment process the time it deserves will save your organization money. It'll allow you to cultivate high performing, inclusive teams with the diverse lived experience required to tackle the complex issues you work on.
“Are you maximizing this opportunity to bring in new talent and tap into the potential pool that can bring your organization to new heights?”
When you already know and appreciate an internal team member, you're comfortable with their work style and what they give. Maybe you’re just going through the motions of the recruitment process as a formality because you already know who you want in that open seat. This can lead to biased and short-sighted decision-making, because you’re ultimately missing potential opportunities to bring exceptional talent and expertise that doesn’t currently exist in your organization. Also, think about the perception that it sends to your team when a position is listed for a few short days, then is suddenly filled by someone on your staff. Believe me, they see it! Widening your net and ensuring that you have a diverse candidate pool to choose from will always allow you to make a more sound long-term decision.
How are you going to try something new in order to increase your team's diversity, instead of just wondering why BIPOC folks aren't applying?