Equitable Hiring Practices
Research has long shown the dramatic impact of dominant male-dominated, heteronormative cultures within the tech sector. In addition to nurturing organizations’ poor reputation, the lack of gender equity is often responsible for toxic working environments and the subsequent departure of valuable workers due to gender stereotypes, oppressive cultures, and the lack of role models.
While commitment to gender equity can lead to higher employee retention and boost organizations’ notoriety and attractivity, it also has many economic benefits. The McKinsey Global Institute shows that firms with gender-diverse executive teams are 21% more likely to experience above-average profits compared with less diverse teams. Achieving full gender equality among the workforce could add as much as US$28 trillion to the global annual GDP by 2025.
As 22% of women in tech are considering leaving the workforce (twice the rate of women outside the industry), it has become clear that improving gender equity within STEM and other male-dominated fields should be a top priority for organizations. Implementing equitable, gender-focused recruitment practices represents a first step in the right direction.
The sections below provide brief summaries of our research on equitable hiring practices in STEM/AI fields and outline some of the most important steps for HR departments to consider in an effort to promote gender equity within hiring and onboarding processes.