Leroy is always thinking about ways to help her team. She spearheaded the ReThink Speaker Series, a 360-degree professional development forum designed to give Viacom’s Ad Solutions department access to industry leaders, change agents and experts. During the past year, the series has already seen 2,500 live stream views. She also oversaw the launch of a program to help expand the pipeline of next generation sales leaders. “To authentically connect to diverse talent, a variety of tactics and practices can include investing in relationships with targeted colleges, college alumni engagement, third party websites, social media engagement, employee affinity groups, multicultural professional associations and strategic community partnerships,” she says.
How can diversity be better incorporated into the recruiting process?
Incorporating diversity into the recruiting process is not a one-size-fits-all approach because diverse groups are not monolithic. Each corporate division should develop a customized strategy that clearly outlines how/where high-potential candidates can be sourced. It is also important to build strong relationships between talent acquisition, hiring managers and executive champions. To authentically connect to diverse talent, a variety of tactics and practices can include investing in relationships with targeted colleges, college alumni engagement, third party websites, social media engagement, employee affinity groups, multicultural professional associations and strategic community partnerships. Tapping into data insights and predictive analytics approaches can also help reduce bias in the hiring process, open up the pipeline to candidates from a variety of backgrounds and inform smart hiring decisions.
What questions is the industry not yet asking in its efforts to be more diverse and inclusive that it should be?
- How are you showcasing your company’s commitment to diversity among current and prospective employees, consumers and clients?
- Does the profile of your employee population reflect the buying power and demographics of your multicultural audiences and consumers?
- Have diverse voices been invited to have a seat at the table where key business decisions are made?
What current television show/s best embrace diversity?
Nickelodeon’s educational animated TV series “Dora The Explorer” is a groundbreaking legacy show that has influenced broadcasters, content producers and distributors to embrace and expand the positive representation of diverse cultures. Dora’s Latina voice filled a void in media, inspiring and informing both children and parents worldwide through engaging and authentic storytelling. It’s incredible to see how Dora continues to drive conversation and culture via stage productions, tours and merchandise, and even on the big screen this summer with a live-action film adaptation.