3 ways to improve diversity within the HR profession
It’s no secret that HR is a female-dominated profession but, according to a recent HR Dive article, this lack of diversity is problematic. It states that HR remains the one area within the C-Suite where females outnumber men.women currently account for 75% of the HR workforce and 74.2% of HR managers in the United States, while women account for 55% of the CHROs of the 1,000 largest companies. However, as is the case within with every company workforce and institution, there is a need for diversity in the profession it provides a greater array of ideas and creative viewpoints to draw from. Whether this is in terms of gender, race or age, businesses with more diverse workforces often perform better financially.
Here are three things that can be done to improve diversity in the HR profession.
In order to recruit more men into the department, the profession must continue to rebrand itself and continue to develop as a strategic function and not as an administrative one. This means increasing use of data, metrics, and technology in HR, which will help drive more men to the field.
In terms of education, for men should be encouraged to study HR-related courses and programmes at tertiary level. Because, if men are not entering HR university programs, they will not obtain the skills and professional experiences, such an internships, which lead to entry level positions.
Lastly, when recruiting for HR jobs, it is important to have a diverse interview and selection panel to reduce biases and obtain a variety of perspectives. Also, having a diverse panel can send a strong message to candidates that different people can thrive within the organisation.
