Inclusive Hiring Initiative

The University-wide Inclusive Hiring (IH) Initiative was a joint collaboration being led by the Talent Acquisition and Outreach (TAO) team with the Inclusive Hiring Working Group and supported by the Office for Equity, Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging (OEDIB). This initiative aimed to develop sustainable guidelines and trainings on compliant and inclusive hiring practices that align with the University's commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence. These resources have and will continue to support efforts to reaffirm the University's commitment to inclusive hiring, to building an increasingly diverse workforce, and to more fully realize the promise of Harvard as a place where everyone can flourish. 

Initiative Goals

  • Provide foundational knowledge on compliant and inclusive hiring
  • Offer resources and practices that can be implemented into department hiring strategies
  • Teach strategies for engaging with diverse talent for open positions
  • Instill an understanding of how departments can leverage the selection process to promote a more inclusive hiring process overall
  • Facilitate conversations with Subject Matter Experts around best practices

Process & goals for IH Initiative

Inclusive Hiring Roadmap

Phase I-a: Data Collection (February - May 2021)

Data collection was conducted by surveying University-wide recruiters and leading focus groups with a sampling of hiring managers. This information provided an increased understanding of our current state and was instrumental in developing relevant topics for the inclusive hiring training and Talent Acquisition and Diversity (TAD) Talks. We also gained a better understanding of unintended barriers in our recruitment processes and workflows.

Phase I-b: Inclusive Hiring Resources Guide (February 2021)

An Inclusive Hiring Resources Guide (IHRG) was developed to provide recruiters and hiring managers with resources to help mitigate biases in our hiring practices and to create a more diverse workforce. This resource guide is currently available and will be continuously revised by members of the Inclusive Hiring Working Group to keep its status current and relevant.

Phase II: Talent Acquisition and Diversity (TAD) Talks (May 2021 - April 2022)

As part of our goals to bring Subject Matter Experts to the forefront of our Inclusive Hiring Initiative, we developed a monthly series called “TAD Talks.” We are thrilled to have hosted ten speakers who presented on a variety of topics from external and internal talent pools for diverse talent to current diversity sourcing and recruiting trends. The TAD Talks were a critical data point in our Inclusive Hiring Initiative, and the feedback gathered was leveraged to inform the roll-out of Phase III, our Inclusive Hiring training.


Phase III: Inclusive Hiring Training (July - September 2022)

We launched our first live, virtual training: Between the Lines: Discerning and Mitigating Bias in the Selection Process. This course used hands-on scenarios to provide participants with an understanding of the top biases in the selection process and the framework needed to mitigate these biases. By doing so, participants were provided with the foundational knowledge needed to support inclusive hiring efforts across the University. This course was designed for recruiters and hiring managers, but all who participate in the hiring process (e.g., interview panelists) were encouraged to attend. These courses were offered in July, August, and September 2022.
 

Additional Training Opportunities: