So what’s the big deal when it comes to having a diverse workforce? You might be thinking that your hiring practices so far have been working out alright, or that there just aren’t as many diverse candidates in your industry.
But, what if you could do better?
Different genders think differently and have different lived experiences. And when a company has a diverse workforce, you get a wider array of opinions, ideas, and approaches. When you have more diverse ideas to choose from, your company can benefit–big time! More ideas lead to better ideas.
One of the best ways to find great employees while you improve the gender gap is by focusing on cultural fit.
Cultural Fit Matters!
Each company has its own culture or personality. When you find job candidates that fit your company culture, they not only get along better with your current employees, but it can also lead to greater levels of happiness, satisfaction, and commitment to a company.
This makes cultural fit critical to the overall success of the business and the individual. Don’t believe us? Our own research found that nearly three-fifths of respondents said that they were more likely to stay with an employer if aligned on culture. This means you’ll have lower turnover and you’ll spend less resources on hiring!
On a personal level, better cultural fit leads to higher levels of job satisfaction (44%) which can lead to higher levels of productivity. Happy workers just get more done, and they do better work!
Now, let’s take a look at some ways that you can improve the gender gap, including using cultural fit as a focus in hiring.
Bills, Bills, Bills
In 2020, women earned 81 cents for every US dollar earned by men. And this is just average–it’s even worse for women of color. You can promote more gender equality in your workforce by being transparent about wages. This will help ensure that women aren’t earning less than men in equivalent roles. Pay brackets can also encourage female applicants and employees to negotiate their wages.
Short List Lengthener
Gender inequities during the hiring process can be inherent, particularly in male-dominated industries. To address this, make your informal shortlist longer. According to the Harvard Business Review, adding an additional three candidates to an initial shortlist of three increased the women-to-men ratio from 1:6 to 1:4.
Balancing Act
Prioritizing the importance of work-life balance at your company can benefit both men and women. Gen X started the work-life balance revolution but it hasn’t stopped with them. In fact, more and more employees are prioritizing that balance. Having the option for part-time, job sharing, or flexible scheduling can bring your company more applications for all genders! In fact, our own research shows that 42% of respondents consider the ability to have a flexible schedule very important while another 40% consider it important.
Risk Management
Reduce the risk of unfair bias by including skills-based assessments as part of your hiring process. Skills assessments are objective, while an interview can be subjective. Skill tests don’t lie and it can be a good indicator of who has the skills you need, regardless of gender identity. However, don’t base your decision fully on objective skills tests. You need to have a balance between the objective and subjective parts of the hiring process in your decision-making. If you decide to use skills tests, make sure that the tasks you ask candidates to complete are standardized to ensure fairness.
Cultural Connection
So what do all of these tips have in common? They are based on the value of closing the gender gap. And your values are part of your company culture!
Did you know that close to half of women consider a good cultural fit with a company very important (47%), compared to two-fifths of men (41%)? This means that when you focus on finding candidates that have a good cultural fit, you could increase your pool of female job candidates, helping you find the best fit while diversifying your workforce!
But how do you assess cultural fit? There are lots of personality tests out there, but none have the ability to combine subjective, soft skills with personality insights like Workzinga! Our Culture Fit Assessment allows us to help match you up with the best candidates for your job openings. It’s kind of like being a matchmaker, but just for the working world.
So stop wasting time, and improve the gender gap in your office with the help of Workzinga today!
