CSR And Talent Acquisition

"The language of #diversity, #equity, and #inclusion might change, but impactful work will not." This was the hopeful refrain of many as anti-DEI backlash and political attacks ramped up against this critical work. But as the months drew on, I wasn't seeing any compelling new language. Leaders were watching and waiting, hoping that a new framework would organically emerge that could protect our impact while being more defensible against political attacks. So I started creating that framework myself. The FAIR Framework, standing for Fairness, Access, Inclusion, and Representation, officially launches today in a new feature article for the Harvard Business Review. I wanted to create something that could build on the best of effective DEI work, discard the performative noise, and be firmly comprehensible and defensible by any leader. And after countless hours of research, it boiled down to 4 tenets: 🎯 Outcomes-Based, focused on measurable results rather than flimsy signals of commitment. 🌐 Systems-Focused, using change management to shift workplace systems, rather than surface-level awareness. 🔗 Coalition-Driven, seeking to engage the collective rather than delegating the burden of blame or change onto cliques. 🌱 Win-Win, communicating the benefits of healthier organizations for everyone, rejecting zero-sum framing. FAIR work looks like challenging discrimination in pay, hiring, and promotions, and ensuring that workplace systems set everyone up to succeed. FAIR work looks like removing barriers to participation, using universal design principles to build for all, and including users in every design process. FAIR work looks like creating a workplace culture that recognizes people's differences and ensures a high standard of respect, value, and safety for all. FAIR work looks like participatory decision-making, transparent communications, and strong track records of promises kept and trust maintained. I designed FAIR to be something any leader and practitioner can use—so long as your work meets the core tenets. If I'm being frank, however, a good deal of work calling itself "DEI" does not pass the test. The feel-good trainings with no impact measurement, the never-ending coaching services trying to "fix" the individual but never the systems holding them back, the blame-and-shame strategies that trade a moment of vindication for months of backlash; if we are to survive this moment, we cannot take this kind of "DEI" work with us. I put this framework out into the world with a healthy dose of pride and anxiety. It is far from perfect. It will certainly evolve as practitioners iterate and improve on it. But I truly believe that this is exactly the kind of rigorous, defensible framework leaders need right now to weather this storm and emerge with their impact intact. I hope you find it useful as you seek to do the same. A free gift link is in the comments—please share if it resonates.

Lily Zheng's new FAIR framework: Fairness, Access, Inclusion, and Representation, doesn't replace DEI; it helps us evolve the work. Lily challenges the industry’s reliance on "one-and-done" training and advocates for a 90/10 split—prioritizing system-level changes over individual interventions. This conversation is for leaders who want to move beyond performative buzzwords to create workplaces that truly work for everyone. My Key Takeaways Evolving DEI to FAIR: Lily proposes replacing the broad, often misunderstood terms of DEI with the FAIR framework. This model focuses on whether everyone is set up for success, free from discrimination (Fairness), whether environments allow full participation (Access), if people feel respected and safe (Inclusion), and if employees truly trust their leaders (Representation). The 90/10 Systems: First Approach: Real change happens when organizations spend 90% of their effort on changing systems (incentives, hiring processes, and transparency) and only 10% on individual training. Training alone rarely solves systemic issues and can often lead to the "Cobra Effect," where poorly designed incentives actually make problems worse. Representation is About Trust, Not Tokens: True representation isn't just a "check-the-box" exercise of hiring diverse faces. It is achieved only when people from all social groups My Favorite Quotes "Rebranding DEI as FAIR will not save us. But reimagining how we conceptualize and execute what we used to call DEI just might." "If you had $10,000 to invest... I'd invest maybe $100 into training. But everything else is going into creating that system, to creating the incentives, to creating the culture." "We have to stop [teaching people how to jump over gaps]... we got to point at the missing stair and go, 'Why is there no stair there? We have to put a stair there.'" Follow Lily Zheng at lilyzheng.co and get their book at https://lnkd.in/grPwHZMf Read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/gQqnFa26 #DEI #FAIR #culture

We asked 1,084 employers what makes a great hire. 78% have hired technically skilled people who failed because other factors weren't evaluated. Here's what this taught me about the real problem with hiring: 1. We evaluate in silos - Skills OR experience OR culture fit - Never all three together - Missing the full picture - Making decisions on incomplete data 2. We confuse "qualified" with "successful" - Great on paper ≠ great on the job - Technical ability ≠ team collaboration - Right experience ≠ right fit - We're solving the wrong puzzle 3. Hiring managers want simple answers - "Just tell me if they can do the job" - "Do they have the right background?" - "Will they fit in?" - Life isn't that simple 4. Our tools encourage narrow thinking - ATS filters for keywords - Interview guides focus on experience - Reference checks ask about past performance - Nothing connects the dots 5. We're afraid of complexity - Multiple assessments seem harder - Holistic evaluation takes time - Easier to focus on one thing - But easier ≠ better 6. We test the wrong things at the wrong time - Skills after screening - Culture fit during final rounds - Learning potential never - By then, best candidates are gone 7. Success stories don't get shared - Bad hires make noise - Good hires just...work - We remember the failures - Forget what actually works TAKEAWAY: The teams with the highest hire satisfaction aren't just testing for skills. They're evaluating the complete candidate - technical ability, soft skills, learning potential, AND values fit. In this week's special report edition, I'm sharing exclusive findings from the 2025 State of Skills-Based Hiring Report. Including: - Why holistic evaluation increases satisfaction by 18 percentage points - The 4 dimensions that predict long-term success - Your action plan for seeing candidates completely The full breakdown is here 👇

Inclusion isn’t a one-time initiative or a single program—it’s a continuous commitment that must be embedded across every stage of the employee lifecycle. By taking deliberate steps, organizations can create workplaces where all employees feel valued, respected, and empowered to succeed. Here’s how we can make a meaningful impact at each stage: 1. Attract Build inclusive employer branding and equitable hiring practices. Ensure job postings use inclusive language and focus on skills rather than unnecessary credentials. Broaden recruitment pipelines by partnering with diverse professional organizations, schools, and networks. Showcase your commitment to inclusion in external messaging with employee stories that reflect diversity. 2. Recruit Eliminate bias and promote fair candidate evaluation. Use structured interviews and standardized evaluation rubrics to reduce bias. Train recruiters and hiring managers on unconscious bias and inclusive hiring practices. Implement blind resume reviews or AI tools to focus on qualifications, not identifiers. 3. Onboard Create an inclusive onboarding experience. Design onboarding materials that reflect a diverse workplace culture. Pair new hires with mentors or buddies from Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) to foster belonging. Offer inclusion training early to set the tone for inclusivity from day one. 4. Develop Provide equitable opportunities for growth. Ensure leadership programs and career development resources are accessible to underrepresented employees. Regularly review training, mentorship, and promotion programs to address any disparities. Offer specific development opportunities, such as allyship training or workshops on cultural competency. 5. Engage Foster a culture of inclusion. Actively listen to employee feedback through pulse surveys, focus groups, and open forums. Support ERGs and create platforms for marginalized voices to influence organizational policies. Recognize and celebrate diverse perspectives, cultures, and contributions in the workplace. 6. Retain Address barriers to equity and belonging. Conduct pay equity audits and address discrepancies to ensure fairness. Create flexible policies that accommodate diverse needs, including caregiving responsibilities, religious practices, and accessibility. Provide regular inclusion updates to build trust and demonstrate progress. 7. Offboard Learn and grow from employee transitions. Use exit interviews to uncover potential inequities and areas for improvement. Analyze trends in attrition to identify and address any patterns of exclusion or bias. Maintain relationships with alumni and invite them to stay engaged through inclusive networks. Embedding inclusion across the employee lifecycle is not just the right thing to do—it’s a strategic imperative that drives innovation, engagement, and organizational success. By making these steps intentional, companies can create environments where everyone can thrive.

An accessible recruitment process is not just about offering adjustments/ accommodations, it should also include: Adequate Training Hiring teams should have adequate training in accessibility, ableism, bias, adjustments/ accommodations, and inclusive communication. This shouldn’t be a one-off training either; it should be annual and mandatory. Job Descriptions Hiring teams should be able to write job descriptions that are clear, anti-ableist, and free of jargon and acronyms. Role requirements should be essentials, not nice-to-haves and they should focus on outcomes. Adjustments/ Accommodations Always include an adjustments/ accommodations statement and include a point of contact. Hiring teams should know the process and be able to support candidates with confidence. Ask Preferred Communication Style Hiring teams need to be asking a candidate for their preferred communication style, and not just ignore it. If we say email is better, use email. Promote Accessibility at Every Step Emails to candidates should include an accessible message. Example: “If there is a more accessible way to communicate or if you need any adjustments/accommodations at any point, please let me know.” Be Flexible Be flexible when arranging interviews, interview locations, and during the interview itself. Keep Candidate Informed Keep a candidate informed of any next steps and provide timeframes. If you would like to learn more about creating an inclusive accessible recruitment process, please reach out: info@disabledbysociety.com) #WednesayWisdom #DisabilityInclusion #DiversityAndInclusion #Recruitment Image Description: A dark background filled with colourful squares and rectangles, of all different sizes. An off-black box contains text reading, "An accessible recruitment process is not just about offering adjustments/ accommodations". At the bottom left the Disabled By Society logo.

𝗔𝗜 𝗶𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗲 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗲, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀? Many companies I partner with, including Fortune 500s, have started using AI for hiring from resume screening to video interviews. And I'm a big advocate for these tools because they help us hire faster and more fairly. But here's what many may not realise. It's not about just using AI. It's about using it the right way. This is really important because that ensures that candidates are all truly assessed for their skills. So if you are wanting to build an inclusive hiring process with AI, here are 5 ways to get started: 1️⃣ 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀. Get clear about what fair and inclusive hiring means for your team before adding AI. This way you'll have clear measures of success too. What gets measured, gets tracked. 2️⃣ 𝗨𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮. We all know that AI is only as good as what we feed it. To give yourself the best chances, make sure your data input reflects real diversity, across race, gender, age, ability, and more. 3️⃣ 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗼𝗿𝘀 Ask how they test for bias and what proof they have their tools are fair. Inclusion is a shared responsibility. 4️⃣ 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻. I always say, everything is data. Look for patterns in who gets filtered out. One client found their AI was missing career changers—something we only caught by reviewing the data. 5️⃣ 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲𝗱. Yes, AI helps, but we still need humans making the big calls. Train your team to spot and correct bias, whether it comes from tech or people. What are some inclusive hiring practices you've seen? I'd love to hear your stories! #inclusivehiring #airecruitment #lfbalumni #diversityandinclusion  

This 5 step framework gets my clients SUPER clear on Diversity We use this everyday: It’s called PICOC Population: Who are talking about specifically? Intervention: What are we planning and how? Comparison: Who or what are we comparing ourselves to? Outcome: What do we want to happen? Context: What are the circumstances? This allows you to get specific. This increases your chances of getting a result you want. This is Evidence Based Inclusion and it’s tactical. Instead of saying: "we want more Diversity at work” You can say: "We want Asian Women in Full Time Equivalent Senior Leadership Roles to increase by 25% within 18 months. We’ll achieve this through lateral hires, Rooney Rule style panels and amending the bonus packages of hiring managers. This project is going to be piloted in the UK Finance Team and we’ll review the results.” I’m oversimplifying but you get the point. This answers some important questions and makes you specific: - Population: Asian Women in Full Time Equivalent Senior Leadership Roles - Intervention: Lateral hires, Rooney Rule style panels and amending the bonus packages of hiring managers. - Comparison: Ourselves 18 months prior - Outcome: Asian Women in Full Time Equivalent Senior Leadership Roles to increase by 25% within 18 months. - Context: UK Finance Team as a pilot Even if you're not responsible for doing this stuff at work You can use this to hold people accountable. Is this something you can try yourself?

Lots of orgs are hiring right now, which means people are deep in interview prep. I wanted to share some of my favorite interview questions, organized by key competencies. I think it’s important to touch on each of these with almost any candidate. It wasn’t easy to narrow this list down, and of course your JD and candidate rubric should always guide which questions are asked. I also know there are so many great experts here on LinkedIn: What would you add to this list? What am I missing? — MISSION ALIGNMENT 🎙️Based on what you know about ORG, tell me in more detail why you’d like to work with them. What about their approach attracts you? 🎙️ Two key values of ORG are: X and Y. Why are these values important to you? Please include any relevant experiences. 🎙️ Why this job, at this organization, at this particular moment? What motivates you? LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT 🎙️ This role will need to be able to operate at the 50K-foot level and manage day-to-day operations. How have you balanced big-picture strategic priorities and day-to-day operations in the past? Describe a time you did this successfully. 🎙️ Describe a time when you or someone else had a vision and you had to motivate a team to work towards that vision. What was your approach? What was the outcome? 🎙️ Describe a project/experience when you were the leader. How did you lead? What was the outcome? 🎙️ Please share 2-3 values you try to embody as a manager. Can you give us an example of something you did as a manager at a previous job that reflects one of those values? COLLABORATION, RELATIONSHIPS & PROBLEM SOLVING 🎙️ Describe a time when you facilitated collaboration in a complex political environment. 🎙️ How do you build relationships? Give an example of a time when you built a relationship with someone who became a strategic partner for your organization. 🎙️ How do you communicate important information to your team members? 🎙️ Tell us about a time when you helped a group or people reach a consensus. What was the objective? How did you bridge differences? RESILIENCE & GROWTH 🎙️ What do you think will be the biggest challenge/learning curve for you if you were to be hired for this position? 🎙️ Describe a time when you made a mistake at work. How did you deal with the situation, and what was the outcome? EQUITY & INCLUSION 🎙️ Share an example of a time you demonstrated a commitment to antiracism, diversity, equity, and/or inclusion in your advocacy or workplace. 🎙️ Talk about how you approach inclusion as a leader. Give an example you are proud of that exemplifies your commitment equity.

46% of new hires fail within 18 months. The reason: ineffective interviews. Most interviews miss the mark in 3 key ways: → They focus on past experience, not future potential → They assume that candidates know their potential → They are a test rather than a discovery process That’s where coaching questions make a difference. Interviews become a discovery process that uncovers: → The candidate's aspirations and what they value → Their strengths and development areas → To what extent the role fits them Here’s how to incorporate coaching questions in interviews: 1/ Life Story ↳ Please tell me your 'life story' in your own words. This reveals their journey, not just their job history. 2/ Key Strengths ↳ Based on that, what are your top 3-5 strengths? Helps them articulate their abilities and learnt skills. 3/ Development Areas ↳ What are your top 3-5 areas of development? Encourages self-reflection and self-improvement. 4/ Future Vision ↳ Where do you see yourself 3 years from now? Ensures that the role supports their long-term goals. 5/ Future Journey ↳ What do you hope to experience in the next 3 yrs? Ensures that the day-to-day fits their expectations. 6/ What Matters The Most ↳ What things matter the most to you in life right now? Helps understand their current priorities and values. 7/ Impact On Them ↳ How will this role help you achieve these things? Evaluates how the role aligns with their life goals. 8/ Impact On The Company ↳ How do you expect to impact the company? Reveals their understanding of their potential value. 9/ How They'd Start ↳ What would you actually do in the first 3 months? Shows their practical understanding of the role. 10/ Fit Self-Assessment ↳ To what extent does this role fit you (1-10)? Turns the decision into a collaborative discussion. Everyone can be excellent at something if they are in: → The right role → The right environment → The right headspace When you're interviewing, you’re not just filling a role. You’re helping candidates see if they will thrive in it. The best part: You can come to a mutually agreed conclusion. You don't need to 'reject' them. Turn interviews from a test into a discovery process. P.S. What was the most insightful interview experience you've ever had? Share it with us in comments. ---------------------------------------------------- ♻️ Repost to turn interviews into a discovery process. ➕ Follow Mica Vaipan for more on how managers and leaders can bring out the best in people.

The Hiring Process Is Not Inclusive for Neurodivergent People. We talk about diversity, but the hiring process often shuts out entire groups of talented people, especially neurodivergent candidates. Traditional hiring is built around norms that assume: * Comfort with small talk * Strength in rapid-fire interviews * Ability to perform under social pressure * A communication style that is neurotypical But real talent doesn’t always present that way. One-way video interviews, timed assessments, unstructured conversations, and “culture fit” filters disproportionately disadvantage autistic and ADHD applicants. Not because they can’t do the job, but because the process itself isn’t designed for them. If companies truly want neurodiversity, they must rethink hiring: * Clear expectations * Written questions in advance * Alternative interview formats * Flexible communication styles * Evaluating skills over performance in high-pressure social environments Inclusion isn’t about lowering standards, it’s about removing barriers so people can show what they’re capable of. If your hiring process excludes neurodivergent candidates, you’re not filtering for talent, you’re filtering for sameness. #Hiring #Recruiting #Recruiter #Leadership #Inclusive #BestPractice #Neurodivergence #NeurodivergenceAtWork #JobSeeker #Autism #ADHD #Acessibility #HR #HUMANresources