Recruiting and Retaining Diverse Talent is the key to success

It's always an honor to be asked to speak on a panel or give a talk on Diversity and Inclusion.

In February and March, I participated in two separate Women in Technology events. The first was a panel event where we talked about Diversity and Inclusion. We discussed how to showcase the true value of diversity, how to grow it at your organization and what actions to take to get started. The second event was for International Women's day where I was able to talk about LGBT, Women and Women in Technology issues and some ideas on how companies can improve in these areas.

Many organizations today realize the power of a diverse workforce.

Sadly, we still have a long way to go. Women still earn an average of 20% less than men, with African American women earning 37% less. http://fortune.com/2017/04/03/wage-gap-equal-pay-day/

Some greate practices are starting to emerge around hiring.

Consider the following:

-Intentionally remove the name of the candidate off of the resume. This instantly removes any gender or cultural bias based on the candidates name

-When hiring, consider a panel interview and ensure the panel consists of diverse team members

-Partner with local organizations and colleges to cast a wide net when looking for talent. For example leverage the LGBT Chamber of commerce

-Create a self "opt-in" option for LGBT employees so they can be counted

-Ensure your Equal Opportunity statement is up to date and inclusive