Providing positive recruitment experiences for LGBTQ+ candidates

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, or DE&I, as it is known, is now an important aspect of recruitment strategy for most companies. According to the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM), “DE&I is a discipline that encompasses practices or policies intended to welcome individuals from different backgrounds and provide them the assistance they need to succeed at work to the best of their ability.” In a dynamic and fast-changing global business environment, having a diverse and inclusive workforce goes beyond social-justice; it is providing a competitive advantage, increasing profitability, and fuelling growth.

Laws regarding diversity are country-specific. In India, while there are no specific laws and legislations governing diversity in companies, every citizen of India is safeguarded by Articles 15 and 16 of the Indian constitution which forbid discrimination and mandate equal opportunity for public employment. However, these compelling reasons are not enough by themselves. While large conglomerates have diversity policies, it remains a tall order to be truly inclusive.

Diversity hiring is a complex process, and recruiting LGBTQ+ candidates comes with a completely different set of challenges that need to be specifically addressed. The Supreme Court of India recognises transgenders as the “third gender”. Transgender people are also protected by the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act of 2019 which has anti-discrimination provisions. However, a lot needs to be done both in the public and private sector to ensure that these laws are applied in reality, and not just in spirit. In the private sector, companies need to consciously include provisions for the LGBTQ+ community to ensure that they have equal opportunity and a positive experience during recruitment.

Recruit with Pride

Even before you begin, you need to go back to the drawing board to review or create inclusive HR policies for LGBTQ+ employees. Sexual orientation needs to be covered as part of the employee handbook and HR policies, so that employees can be safe from any type of workplace harassment or homophobic behaviour. Health insurance policies should include all genders, and be equitable. Doing so and publicising this information gives candidates the assurance that they will work in a safe and secure environment. Once the policies are created, companies also need to come out in the open to support the community. This builds confidence for candidates from the start. Companies can state their inclusive stance on the career site, modify the mission statement and employer branding, to showcase their commitment to the Pride community.

For instance, a DE&I page on the MasterCard US website states - “We believe in an equitable world, where humanity unites, prosperity is shared and opportunity is open to us all.” - with quotes by the CEO and Chief Inclusion Officer. Stating diversity and inclusion intentions openly gives a huge boost of confidence to potential LGBTQ+ candidates. 

Existing employees, recruiters and hiring managers need to be sensitised and trained on to remain gender-neutral at every interaction, use proper terminology and respect boundaries. Job postings and job descriptions may need to be rewritten to ensure that they are not discriminatory. Gender-specific language should not be used, and pronouns such as “he” and “she” need to be modified to “they”. Deploying AI-based hiring solutions for screening and assessments can help eliminate any unconscious bias.

Proactively reaching out to candidates via specific LGBTQ+ job boards is another way to tap into a diverse talent pool. Companies can also reach out to staffing agencies that support diverse hiring needs. Careernet Prism is an initiative that helps build inclusive workspaces by finding the best talent across women (including back to work programmes), regions and ethnicity, Persons with Disabilities (PwD), LGBTQ+ community, and veterans. 

Supporting the community by celebrating Pride month and publishing success stories attracts diverse talent. Gathering feedback about recruitment practices from both LGBTQ+ candidates and hiring managers is an important step to understand the gaps, so that corrections can be made. Inclusive hiring practices are a lot of work, but the payoff is worth it. A diverse workforce fosters creativity, innovation and growth - a great formula for success. Which business wouldn’t want that?