Want to Recruit Diverse Talent? Follow These 5 Best Practices.

In 2021, diverse teams make for a more profitable and forward-looking business. Those companies ranked highest in terms of their diversity hiring practices are nearly twice as likely to be innovation leaders than their less-inclusive counterparts, a finding reflected in a bevy of other, similar research.

Crucially, diversity comes in many forms and can’t always be seen with the naked eye. In the work we do at BRG, diversity of thought and perspective can really move the needle in crafting dynamic and innovative solutions for our clients. The collectivity of these perspectives can make the difference: a study featured in the Harvard Business Review showed teams with high levels of “cognitive diversity”—that is, groups with varied perspectives and ways of thinking—perform the best (and fastest) when it comes to strategically solving problems.

As a longtime HR professional dedicated to implementing diverse hiring practices, I’ve spent my career focused on building just these sorts of teams. Here are five best practices I’ve picked up along the way that can help organizations get started.