Tackling Diversity and Inclusion Challenges in Graduate Recruitment: Insights from Recent Surveys.
The recent Talent Solutions Student Pulse survey and NZAGE Graduate and Employer Surveys highlights the fact that diversity and inclusion remains a key focus for graduate programme practitioners in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Diversity and Inclusion Data from Student Pulse:
Talent Solutions produces the annual Student Pulse which surveys tertiary students nationally to understand their aspirations, expectations and job hunting behaviours as they consider their first career role after University.
The 2023 Student Pulse results presented in October last year provides crucial insights into the demographic landscape of students across various disciplines. Engineering, for instance, sees only 23% of students identifying as female. In accounting and professional services, only 12% of students identify as Māori, with 9.9% identifying as Pasifika. Similarly, in computer science, the numbers stand at 7.6% for Māori and 5% for Pasifika students.
These statistics underscore the need for concerted efforts to address the underrepresentation of certain demographics in high need skill areas and highlights the challenge for graduate recruiters seeking to attract a diverse pool of applicants.
Bias Concerns:
Forty six percent of Student Pulse respondents expressed worries about gender and/or ethnic bias when applying for internships and graduate roles and 50% of Māori respondents expressed concerns over ethnic bias.
This revelation is paradoxical considering the emphasis many organisations place on increasing the representation of Māori and Pasifika applicants. It suggests a glaring gap between organisational rhetoric and candidate experiences, highlighting how important it is for organisations to better communicate their commitment to diversity and inclusion and to foster culturally safe spaces throughout the selection process and beyond.
Insights from the NZAGE 2023 Graduate Survey:
The NZAGE 2023 Graduate Survey provides insights into the composition and preferences of graduates entering the workforce. Notably, 50% of surveyed graduates identified as Pakeha, while 11% identified as Chinese and 9% as Māori. Furthermore, 10% identified as LGBTQI+, and 4% disclosed having a disability, showcasing the diverse makeup of the graduate pool.
Gender differences in retention profiles show that while flexibility in work arrangements is not a primary retention factor for either gender, males tend to prioritise career advancement opportunities, with 31% falling into the 'climb' retention profile. In contrast, females are more likely to value opportunities for overseas placements and diverse experiences, with 27% embracing the 'explore' retention profile.
A notable shift observed in the 2023 survey was the emergence of the 'learn' retention profile as a popular choice among females, indicating their increasing emphasis on ongoing learning and development opportunities.
Insights from the NZAGE Employer Survey Report:
The NZAGE Employer Survey Report provides valuable insights into how employers are approaching diversity and inclusion in their recruitment strategies.
Employers are actively seeking to promote diversity among graduates, with efforts directed towards students identifying as Maori, Pasifika, and women. The number of employers promoting to these groups has remained steady or even increased compared to previous years. For instance, promotion efforts targeting women have seen a significant increase of 20% from last year.
Additionally, there have been substantial increases in efforts aimed to attract students who identify as LGBTQI+, students with disabilities, male students, and mature age students.
Selection: Cultural or Ethnic Adjustments / Cultural Training:
Many employers seek to make cultural or ethnic adjustments to their selection processes to accommodate the needs of applicants, for example, allowing support people to attend interviews with candidates, including Maori or Pasifika interviewers in selection panels and providing organisation-wide cultural sensitivity training.
Employers are also trying to identify candidates who may need additional support through the recruitment process as early as possible (i.e in the application form). This provides an opportunity for the employer to communicate and manage adjustments to ensure the candidate has the best chance to show their strengths. Clear and supportive marketing messages before candidates apply are critical to ensure candidates feel comfortable sharing personal information of this nature and removing the fear of discrimination.
What This Means
The data from these surveys show that diversity and inclusion remains a major challenge for graduate programme practitioners. Companies need to do more than just talk about diversity; they need to actively work on it. This means critically reviewing marketing messages, tackling biases in hiring processes, and creating workplace cultures where everyone feels included.
How can Talent Solutions help?
Marketing campaign review: We can review your marketing campaign to identify opportunities to strengthen your intentions around diversity, inclusion and belonging.
Psychometric assessments: We have two new assessment tools available that are designed to support applicants for whom English may not be their first language and a specific assessment for candidates who identify as neurodiverse.
Assessment centre design: We can review and design your assessment centre and assessment activity to help showcase your focus on diversity, inclusion and belonging.
Outsourced screening: Our outsourced screening model is designed to take into account the full applicant, beyond the normal criteria of degree, GPA and motivation. Our 360 degree approach to candidate evaluation ensures you are identifying the strongest profiles that match your intended applicant outcomes.
Development programmes: Our full suite of development programmes are designed to compliment your internal training initiatives around diversity, inclusion and belonging.
Speak to one of the Talent Solutions team - you can contact us at info@talentsolutions.co.nz
