December 09, 2020
December 09, 2020
Contributor: Teresa Zuech
Labor market data provides a more complete picture of available talent, improving the success of diversity hiring initiatives.
The demand for recruiters with experience in diversity hiring jumped 800% between 2017-18 and 2019-20, according to Gartner TalentNeuron™ data. However, hiring specialists to bring in more diverse talent is only one step in the move toward a sustained approach to hiring, developing and promoting diverse talent.
The events of 2020 have amplified the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) within business and talent strategies as protests against racial injustice followed the dual economic and health crises presented by COVID-19 — effects felt disproportionately by underrepresented groups.
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Diversity and equity opportunities aren’t new. As of late 2019, Gartner TalentNeuron data showed that women and men of color comprised only 10% and 18% of senior-level positions, respectively, in U.S. organizations.
The challenge for hiring managers is how to hone the searches in their talent acquisition process. Data can help with that. Data can show, for example, that popular locations replete with talent aren’t always optimal locations that offer stronger representation of females and ethnic underrepresented talent.
Consider the search for information security analysts in the U.S.
Comprehensive labor market data shows, for example, that even though Washington D.C. offers a well-established and large talent pool, locations like Atlanta and Philadelphia offer higher proportions of diverse talent — and with far less competition from government contractors offering security clearances.
Equipped with the correct data, HR leaders can provide a realistic view of diverse talent profiles across popular and alternative locations in the U.S. when making hiring decisions.
Further, with the rapid adoption of remote and hybrid workforce models in 2020, organizations can now take into consideration future location strategy and go beyond proximate labor markets that may be homogeneous or experiencing high competition for diverse talent. HR leaders can then expand their geographical footprint and leverage flexible locations to increase the overall pool of qualified, available talent and improve representation of diverse talent within their organization.
Labor market data can support diversity hiring initiatives in a number of ways:
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Recommended resources for Gartner clients*:
Improving Representation of U.S. Minority Talent Segments in IT With Labor Market Intelligence
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