Prioritizing DEI to Attract Top-Level Talent to Your Small Business

Kim Neisen, Director of Talent at ProcureAbility, wrote how prioritizing DEI gives small businesses a competitive edge—helping attract top talent, foster innovation, and build a thriving, inclusive workplace for long-term success.

Read the full article in Small Business Currents and below:

In today’s highly competitive job market, small businesses must use every advantage to attract and retain top talent. Prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is one of the most effective strategies for success in a competitive market. According to a 2021 Glassdoor survey, 76% of employees consider a diverse workforce as a primary consideration when evaluating a potential employer. Building a culture that values and promotes DEI can attract a diverse and highly skill workforce, drive innovation, and achieve sustainable growth.

Below are actionable DEI and culture tips tailored for your small business that you can implement immediately to create a roadmap for ensuring your DEI efforts are meaningful and impactful.

Your DEI efforts should all contribute to a central goal or mission for your company. Having an unwavering focus will help to guide your efforts and decisions as you set out to bolster diversity and inclusion in your business. To get started, clearly articulate what inclusion and diversity mean for your organization. Create a vision statement that emphasizes the importance of an inclusive culture. Start by understanding the diverse perspectives within your organization. Encourage open conversations among team members and solicit feedback on creating a more inclusive workplace. Use surveys, suggestion boxes, or regular team meetings to gather ideas. This approach ensures that everyone feels heard and valued, fostering a sense of belonging.

Once your vision statement is set, implement clear and accessible policies that support your vision. Flexible working arrangements, diverse hiring practices, and anti-discrimination policies are great practices with which to start. Make sure these policies are communicated effectively to all employees to demonstrate your commitment to DEI, in both words and actions.

Having an inclusive workforce involves starting employees off on the right foot. It’s imperative to incorporate DEI training into the onboarding process to set the tone for new hires, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. Platforms like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, and YouTube offer free or low-cost courses on DEI that you can share with new hires when they join your team.

Beyond this, continued employee training and education are vital for cultivating an inclusive culture. Make DEI training a part of continuous professional development programs. This could be through quarterly workshops, lunch-and-learn sessions, or annual training requirements.

Beyond online courses, tap into your other resources. For instance, encourage employees who are passionate or knowledgeable about DEI to lead training sessions or discussion groups. Or investigate local resources; many organizations provide free DEI workshops and resources. You can partner with local nonprofits and community groups to offer training and support for your employees. This not only enhances DEI knowledge but also strengthens community ties.

Transparency in career advancement opportunities is crucial for promoting equity within your organization. Develop and communicate clear pathways for career advancement. Ensure that all employees understand the opportunities available to them and the steps required to achieve their career goals. This transparency helps build trust and motivation among employees.

Establish mentorship programs where experienced employees guide and support newer or less experienced team members. This promotes knowledge sharing and provides underrepresented groups with opportunities to advance in their careers. Mentorship can be formal or informal, but it should be consistent and accessible.

Establish Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to provide support and networking opportunities for underrepresented groups. Empower ERGs to have a voice in shaping the organization’s diversity and inclusion strategy.

• Ensure job descriptions are free of biased language, such as gender-based job titles, instead of councilman, use council member for example.
• Emphasize the skills and potential required for the role rather than rigid qualifications that may exclude diverse candidates.

• Post job openings on job boards and websites that cater to diverse communities (DiversityJobs, HBCU Connect).
• Partner with university job fairs and job boards particularly those with diverse student populations.
• Collaborate with community organizations and professional associations that focus on underrepresented groups, by establishing mutual goals and attending events, meetings, and conferences to understand their work better and to show your support.

• Train recruiters and hiring managers on unconscious bias and inclusive hiring practices.
• Use structured interviews with standardized questions to ensure consistency and fairness.
• Assemble diverse interview panels to reduce bias and promote different perspectives in the hiring process.

• Create internship and apprenticeship programs specifically designed to attract and develop talent from underrepresented groups.

• Conduct regular pay equity analyses to ensure that all employees are compensated fairly.

• Start small: Begin with one or two initiatives that are easy to implement and build from there. For example, start by revising your job descriptions to be more inclusive or organizing a small cultural celebration.
• Engage your team: Make DEI a team effort by involving employees in planning and implementing initiatives. This not only distributes the workload but also fosters a sense of ownership and commitment.
• Seek partnerships: Partner with local organizations, universities, and community groups that can provide resources and support for your DEI initiatives.
• Be patient and persistent: DEI is a continuous journey that requires time and persistence. Be patient with the process, celebrate small wins, and remain committed to your long-term goals.

Prioritizing DEI is imperative and a strategic advantage for small businesses. By fostering an inclusive culture, leveraging free resources, promoting equity, and diversifying your talent pipeline, you can create a thriving workplace that attracts top-level talent. Remember, even small changes can have a significant impact. Start with these actionable tips, and you’ll be well on your way to successfully building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive business.

Read Kim Neisen’s article in Small Business Currents.

Kim Neisen, Director of Talent at ProcureAbility, is an industry expert with over 25 years of proven experience in talent acquisition, managed services, and procurement.  She has an extensive history of driving innovation and enhancements that elevate operational effectiveness, employee engagement, and client satisfaction.  Kim believes in leading by example and finding innovative ways to provide value to clients, candidates, and her peers.

Prior to working at ProcureAbility, Kim led the global, enterprise-wide Professional Services MSP under Global Spend Management at Aon Corporation, where she earned the Outstanding Buyer of the Year award from the Chicago Minority Supplier Development Council.

Kim graduated from Marquette University with a degree in Communications. She resides in the suburbs of Chicago and enjoys spending time with her husband, two boys, and numerous pets.

ProcureAbility, a Jabil company, is the leading provider of procurement services, offering advisory, managed services, digital, staffing, and recruiting solutions. For more than 25 years, we have focused exclusively on helping clients elevate their procurement function.

We combine leading methodologies, analytics, market intelligence, and industry benchmarks with our uniquely flexible and customizable service delivery model. Global organizations of all sizes trust ProcureAbility to transform their procurement operations, drive growth, and reimagine what’s possible.

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