Meaningful Diversity Recruiting Metrics for Success

• fostering employee trust and satisfaction,
• strengthening employer brand,
• engaging stakeholders,
• strengthening leadership commitment,
• securing additional resources, and
• advocating for further change.

Diversity metrics should focus on three key areas and compare employees to the available talent pool when applicable. First, diversity performance measures should be used for diagnosis purposes. By looking at representation, recruitment, promotion, and pay, you can detect what areas need the most work.

Second, they can be used to track progress. Once you know the selection rate for people of color, for example, in interviews, you can track that metric to see the progress you are making through your initiative. Perhaps you are tackling the gender pay gap. A downward trend in that metric is a sign you are on the right track.

Finally, these metrics can help determine ROI on your diversity initiatives. The hard data and bottom line matters, and seeing improvements in profits and productivity in relation to positive increases in DEI metrics can only improve buy-in at all levels.

For all of these metric types, it is important to compare your own employees to the available applicant pool, as well as across organizational levels. Is the percentage of candidates of diverse backgrounds less than that of the overall percentage represented in the applications you received? Are diverse employees being represented in leadership? These are simple metrics to calculate that make a big impact on employees.

According to Tyler DeBoard, Global Director, Talent Partnerships, at WPP, a marketing services company, “As a gay man, it’s always been important for me to see executives with a shared experience to my own. If I can’t see people like myself leading our company, I won’t see the potential for me to become a leader myself. We will continue to improve with a focus not only on recruitment, but on creating ecosystems of support for all employees to grow and develop with us.”

Employee Satisfaction with DEI Initiatives

Like Tyler explained above, beyond the raw data, the employee experience is important. Luckily, this is still measurable through employee surveys. A simple five-question Employee Satisfaction survey covering their feelings on how your company is handling diversity, equity, and inclusion can provide quantifiable data that can be tracked.

Exploring Turnover

Costs, morale, and employer brand are all affected by turnover. The same can be said when a company is experiencing higher than normal turnover from diverse employees. This is a red flag and a time to investigate, making this an essential metric. Important questions to ask, perhaps in an exit interview, include: