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The discussion will take a deep dive with senior procurement professionals and supplier diversity champions to understand why corporations should be talking about diversity in the contingent workforce. The panelists will also delve into what suppliers can do differently and how procurement and supplier diversity mavens can help bring about this paradigm shift in how we view diversity in the contingent workforce.
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5 Key Takeaways
Diversity is considered: A majority of suppliers and MSPs are taking DEI seriously, with nearly 60% of Connect attendees talking about DEI within their organizations. Staffing firms are looking at diversity as a qualification, and not just a box to tick.
Highly functioning teams are diverse: You want teams to adapt to the environment, each other, the business, etc. In order to do that, they need to be diverse and/or a team with a diverse mindset to lead to diverse insights. Without this, it’s going to be hard to achieve big goals. So, you need to go to suppliers who take diversity needs into account when moving through the hiring process.
There are no challenges, just proactive thinking: When it comes to analyzing a workforce to improve DEI, it’s not a focus on challenges to overcome. Rather, it’s about being proactive in finding ways to improve the makeup of a workforce to better highlight the unique mindsets diverse teams bring to the table. Companies WANT to improve their equity and inclusion because doing so offers long-term benefits for the health and growth of the company. This is not a challenge to overcome, but rather a beautiful goal to work towards by taking action to achieve it.
Get loud about diversity: Corporations often focus on ownership. But, as a staffing company, you have to promote that you have diverse contingent workers. You may not be a diversity candidate, but if you can bring a diverse extended team to the table, you give others the opportunity to expand. Shout about your success in bringing in a diverse thought-set, and that’s a key differentiator as a supplier.
Have the difficult conversations: There are all too many individuals who have made mistakes in their life who aren’t getting the opportunities to thrive in the workforce. And, when these conversations aren’t being had, folks aren’t given the opportunity to better themselves and leave a past mistake in the past. When looking into diversity, it’s important to hear these voices to be able to uncover the talents they bring moving forward.
Standout Quote
“If we act now to improve gender [equity], it could add 13 trillion dollars to the GDP.”
It’s amazing the strides forward the entire global economy could make if everyone who wanted to work was given the flexibility and the opportunity to do so.
