Editor’s Note: The Inequality of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

I know what you’re thinking - and yes, we’re kicking off with our second diversity and inclusion themed issue this year.

You may wonder why, exactly, with all the manifold issues impacting hiring and recruitment today, we’re doubling down on a topic that’s become, well, almost inescapable within the talent acquisition conversation. Why not cover another trending topic in the talent trope (like, say, recruitment marketing, candidate experience or sourcing best practices) instead of pushing out two issues in a row centered on building more diverse workforces and inclusive organizations?

Well, the answer is pretty simple, really: it’s because not only is DE&I one of the most critical and crucial core competencies for recruiting leaders and talent professionals today, but it’s one of the most important, too.

And it remains top of mind for both recruiters, employees, candidates and executive management alike - over 8 in 10 respondents to the recently published The Future of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion State of the Industry report from the HR Research Institute, powered by HR.com, rated it as one of the most critical talent challenges - and a primary area of focus - for human capital leaders. Approximately the same number of respondents anticipated that DE&I would remain among their top talent priorities in the months and years ahead.

Of course, we’ve got a long way to go before we’re able to bridge the gap between intent and action. Our ‘Future of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion’ survey also showed that despite the dramatic increase in resources and attention allocated towards DE&I initiatives, less than 10% of respondents rated their diversity and inclusion programs as “highly effective,” and fully 22% (or almost 1 in 4) organizations do not have any dedicated DE&I programs or formalized strategy in place. The result? Only around 38% of surveyed respondents felt that their workforce was more diverse, or their company culture more inclusive, than it was two years ago.

I’d encourage you to check out the complete study (hot off the presses) for more compelling data, insights and actionable takeaways for moving the DE&I needle forward (click here for a full copy of the report - it’s worth a read).

Long story short - the results suggest that as far as we’ve come as a function, we’ve still got a long way to go before achieving a truly inclusive and equitable workplace. Which is why we’ve decided to share some of the emerging best practices, empirical insights and tangible talent takeaways shaping the future of diverse hiring in this month’s issue of Talent Acquisition Excellence.

We’re excited to bring you bylines by some of the best leaders and most inspiring influencers in the business of DE&I today - about topics that go far beyond the normal talking points or talent tropes. Consider, for example, “The One Overlooked Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Strategy That's Costing Your Company Millions” by Cassandra Rose, partner at MeritArc and HR.com Advisory Board member, who breaks down the intersectionality between employee benefits and DE&I success. Which, you know, makes sense, considering the fact that equality is kind of impossible to achieve without also addressing the significant disparities in benefits administration and literacy that are too often overlooked in most DE&I strategies.

Another article this month, from Exaqueo’s Shannon Smestad, also shows that DEI isn’t a siloed or separate subset of talent acquisition or management - that it’s a holistic, all-encompassing component that drives all parts of the hiring and retention process. In this case, Smestad breaks down just how significant an employer brand can be when it comes to attracting diverse talent, and highlights four important ways companies can bring employer branding and diversity hiring together.

From theory to practice, this month also features “10 Ways to Create A Sustainable Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Strategy” by Alfred Mendez, the head of Inclusion and Equity at Robert Half, one of the world’s biggest recruitment firms. He breaks down some of the best practices, programs and policies real recruiters and employers can really use to really make a transformational impact on their respective diversity recruiting and retention efforts - and shares some inspiring lessons learned from leading DE&I programs for over 16,000 full time employees all over the world. It’s a big job, and fortunately, Alf has some big ideas that are definitely worth a read.

Of course, there are a bunch of other great articles worth checking out - and hopefully, they’ll make you rethink and reassess your own DE&I efforts, and help give you the ideas and inspiration you need to make your programs and policies even more effective throughout every component of the talent acquisition process.

Because if there’s one thing that’s certain, it’s that you can’t have Talent Acquisition Excellence without excellent DE&I, too. It’s a lot easier than it sounds. But it’s not impossible. And hopefully, after checking out this month’s issue, you’ll have a better idea of what’s next - and what’s possible - when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion.