Flexible Hiring Boosts Diversity in Climate Tech

Like other tech sectors, climate tech suffers from a lack of racial, ethnic, and gender diversity in the workforce.

Tech Nation’s Diversity and Inclusion in UK Tech report found that just 15% of tech workers are black and minority ethnic (BAME). While this figure is slightly higher than the 11% in the labor market as a whole, it’s still not representative of the UK BAME population of 18.3%.

The gender imbalance is even more striking — 50% of workers in the broader labor market are women, but just 26% of workers are women for roles in tech.

With the growing numbers of skilled tech workers eager to work for planet-positive initiatives, now is the chance for climate tech companies to land more diverse hires. Moving to flexible hiring solutions — remote, freelance, and borderless — will make gender and ethnic diversity initiatives faster, easier, and more successful.

In this article, you’ll gain better insight into why diversity in the workplace matters and how you can use flexible hiring solutions to achieve your DEI priority goals.

Diversity in Business Boosts Performance

The business case for why diversity matters is well documented — and it keeps getting stronger.

According to three successive McKinsey Diversity Reports, US, UK, and Latin American companies with high levels of ethnic and cultural diversity were 36% more likely to outperform competitors in 2019. That’s up from 33% in 2017.

And companies with high levels of gender diversity were 25% more likely to outperform their competitors, up from 15% in 2014.

Tech giants like Apple are listening and taking action. After making changes to their global recruitment practices, Apple reported a 74% increase in the number of workers employed from underrepresented communities in December 2021 compared to January 2021.

At the end of the day, the case for prioritizing diversity goes far beyond the bottom line. Diversity and flexible hiring practices create a lasting impact on a brand’s reputation, and its ability to recruit and retain top talent.

Flexible Hiring Practices Improve DEI

Flexible hiring improves workplace diversity through inclusive hiring practices, reducing office obstacles, and providing workers with the opportunity to work on their own schedule.

Promoting Inclusivity

Not everyone prefers standard office life. Workers with neurotypical differences may find it difficult to concentrate in the presence of office chatter. Others may simply prefer to avoid workplace politics in favor of remote work. For minority workers, remote work options promote inclusivity by eliminating microaggressions experienced in the office setting.

Reducing Obstacles

By removing the obstacle of requiring workers to report to an office, tech companies can expand their talent pool significantly. Workers who are not able to afford the high cost of living associated with tech hubs (or just not interested in a lengthy commute) are now encouraged to apply.

Flexibility Across Schedules

Flexible work often facilitates asynchronous schedules. Rather than expecting each team member to conform to one interpretation of the ideal work schedule, asynchronous work allows employees to choose to work when they perform at their best.

Careers of both young and old benefit from this flexibility. Since caregiving responsibilities disproportionately impact women’s careers, flexibility in schedules can greatly level the playing field for women in tech.

And for those dealing with chronic health conditions, remote work makes it easier to manage their health needs and a full-time job.

Flexible Hiring Improves Recruitment and Retention

Of all the changes COVID-19 sprung upon us, workplace flexibility is one you’d be hard-pressed to find complaints about.

According to a Future Forum survey of more than 10,000 global workers, 93% of workers want flexibility when they work. Among the responders who are dissatisfied with the level of flexibility offered by their current positions, 75% say they’ll be looking for a new position within the year.

Employers find flexible hiring to be beneficial both in attracting and retaining talent.

A 2022 report from The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that 68% of employers offering hybrid or remote working say it’s helped their organization attract and retain talent. And 30% of employers recruiting in the past 12 months say that advertising roles as ‘open to flexible working’ is one of their most effective methods for recruiting.

Offering flexible work allows companies to cast a wider talent net and recruit beyond their local borders on a national or even global scale. With a wider talent pool, you can attract higher quality talent — and keep them longer.

Connect with Remote, Freelance Tech Workers

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