By Shawna Armstrong

There’s been a big movement towards D&I in HR and Talent Acquisition for several years now.  I have worked with clients on sourcing strategies for building diverse talent pools, I have personally submitted every candidate who meets position requirements, I have had some challenging conversations with clients and hiring managers regarding “cultural fit” and reasons for rejections, and I have done a ton of introspection on the topic.

Following George Floyd’s murder and the massive Black Lives Matter protests that erupted across the US and beyond in the midst of a pandemic, I got quiet and I listened.  I heard a lot of different things.  Most prominently I heard the world crying out that as far as we have come, it’s not enough, or it’s not consistent enough, or it’s not wide-spread enough.

We talked at work about how we can take meaningful action, both internally and for our client partners. I didn’t get on a soap box; I didn’t preach or virtue signal.  I didn’t care to make it about me or my opinions.  I do agree that it is important to speak out, and that words matter.  But actions matter more.  As a first step for Talent Acquisition, I downloaded a free Diversity, Inclusion & EEOC Compliance toolkit from Paycom to compare my knowledge and existing hiring process with guidance on anti-discrimination laws, company culture, job interviews and hiring decisions.  It’s a start.  You can get it à HERE.