Tips to build a diverse and inclusive workforce at your agency

Recruiting diverse talent for your agency is important

A new analysis has found that minority Americans will make up the majority of the nation’s population by 2050¹. As agencies compete for talent, attracting diverse candidates to a career in insurance shouldn’t be overlooked. A team of diverse employees can help foster innovation and create a competitive edge for your agency. Diversity, equity and inclusion are essential for a positive and productive workplace. Diversity recognizes the seen and the unseen characteristics that make each of us unique, equity ensures the fair treatment and access to opportunities, and inclusion ensures everyone feels welcomed and respected. Inclusive workplaces are significantly more innovative and financially successful. Diversity, equity and inclusion enables companies to better understand and serve a broad customer base, giving them a competitive edge in the market.

Diversity vs inclusion

Diversity is the collective mixture of people’s differences and similarities of abilities, skills, characteristics, values, beliefs, experiences, and backgrounds. Diversity encompasses ethnicity, race, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, nationality, disability, veteran status, as well as many other differences such as thinking styles, personalities, and work experiences.

Equity focuses on fairness and is designed to ensure access for everyone. This includes fair treatment and access to information and opportunities, but it is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Equity ensures that everyone has the tools, resources, and knowledge for their success.

Inclusion refers to the behaviors and cultural norms that make people feel seen, cared for, valued and respected. It maximizes diversity and results in strong business performance.

Diversity, equity and inclusion go hand in hand and are crucial in fostering a positive and productive workplace. While diversity brings different people into the same environment, equity and inclusion involves methods and strategies to support a diverse workforce work more effectively. According to Deloitte, inclusive workplaces are six times as likely to be innovative, and have more than two times the cash flow per employee over non-inclusive workplaces in a 3-year period.²

Tell a compelling story with your agency’s website

Before you begin recruiting, think about the story you must tell and share the aspects that would make a jobseeker want to work at your agency, and make sure to talk about your commitment to your community. Being part of the community is important to diverse candidates and can be a gateway to identifying your next hire.

Identify the talent gaps within your agency

Just like creating a proposal for a client, establish the minimum job qualifications and elaborate on a few key points in an inclusive job description that invites candidates to apply.

Use your network and cast a wide net

Insurance is a relationship business and it extends beyond sales. Your network is a great place to begin your search for the right talent. Consider reaching out to partner organizations, historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), resource groups at local colleges, posting the opportunity on diverse job boards, and on your social channels.

Assemble a diverse interview panel

When interviewing candidates, it’s important to have employees from a variety of backgrounds participate in the interview process. This can help avoid hiring based on shared biases.

Create a multigenerational workforce

By 2030, approximately 25 percent of U.S. workers will be 55 or older.³ Embracing a multigenerational workforce is a strategic move for employers. Each generation brings a unique perspective to the workforce. More experienced employees can share their institutional wisdom and serve as professional mentors, while associates just entering the workforce may infuse newer ideas, perspectives and process efficiencies.  This cross-generational collaboration enhances productivity and will serve to enrich company culture.

Use inclusive language

Modeling inclusive language when hiring ensures that job descriptions resonate with a broader range of candidates and will help attract diverse talent by signaling an equitable work environment. To create a more supportive work atmosphere, learn and use the preferred pronouns for employees in your company.  For example: use “spouse” or “partner” rather than the gendered “husband” or “wife” to refer to someone’s spouse.  Make sure to also list your preferred pronouns in email signatures and organization charts.  This actively demonstrates your respect and awareness for the LGBTQ+ community.

Establish multilingual support

Establishing a multilingual organization offers several advantages. A multilingual workforce fosters better connections with clients and enables effective communication with a diverse customer base. Here are some tips to help you assess your office’s language needs and to help you foster an environment that is culturally welcoming:

• Identify the languages spoken by your customer base
• Prioritize languages based on demand and business goals
• Recruit talent from diverse backgrounds to find multilingual talent
• Help employees understand cultural nuances through cultural sensitivity training
• Install multilingual signage, this can instantly signal “all are welcome here” to employees and visitors

By attracting diverse talent, agencies can foster innovation and gain a competitive edge. Inclusive workplaces, where everyone feels welcomed and respected, are more likely to be innovative and financially successful. Effective recruitment strategies, embracing a multigenerational workforce, using inclusive language, and establishing multilingual support all contribute to creating a positive and productive workplace.

Read Nationwide’s diversity, equity and inclusion philosophy.