…all of this being said, CEO Ronan Colleran puts it plainly that in general, businesses in Ireland want to be seen to be diverse rather than actually be diverse.
This week, the team at Azon got together for a Lunch & Learn on the topics of feminism and inclusion inspired by this year’s International Women’s Day theme #InspireInclusion.
As recruitment consultants, it is especially important to have a greater awareness and understanding of candidates’ and contacts’ different needs as they relate to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB). We need to ensure we are asking the right questions about diversity in the organisations we work with, which feeds into the consultative aspect of our business.
These conversations, while difficult to approach at times, are one of the first steps to effectively #InspireInclusion.
In your industry, is there a push to source a more diverse pool of candidates?
50% said sometimes.
A consultant in Financial Services answered sometimes. They explained that their candidate market is very tight at the moment. As a result, and especially for smaller/mid-sized firms, DEIB may not be a priority when trying to fill a role. This is not the case for larger financial institutions that have the ability to pay closer attention to meeting DEIB standards.
50% said yes.
Another consultant who said yes highlighted how diversity fosters innovation and brings new perspectives to the table. In doing so, we are more capable of addressing systemic inequalities.
In Construction, where only 9% of the industry is female, recruitment consultants are driven to find and place candidates who do not fit into the traditional expectations of the industry in a bid to enhance diversity.
What were your main takeaways from International Women’s Day this year?
– That everyone, no matter their gender, has their own challenges that they face. It is important to keep an open mind and have an empathetic approach, to always try to listen and understand individual needs.
– That there needs to be a wider acknowledgement of the needs of women in the workplace. Tackling these issues starts at the top.
– We briefly touched on last year’s theme for International Women’s Day, #EmbraceEquity. Equality is not the same as equity. To embrace equity, we have to recognise that not all people have the same opportunities but should have access to the same opportunities.
– That there is still a misinterpretation of feminism; that men should not be/cannot be/are not feminists, when really feminism touches all of us in some way.
– That while the world is inherently an unfair place, everyone deserves a shot at justice!
