LinkedIn’s new report finds a steep upward trend, where in the past five years, there’s been a 70% increase in the number of D&I professionals globally, with 50% of these roles in senior leadership positions.
With the emergence of social issues related to racial and gender inequity, the business world has been impacted deeply. From employees raising their voices to top leaders exiting over discrimination claims, the world has changed dramatically and put a spotlight on the inherent discrimination that exists in organizations.
The demand for DIB (diversity, inclusion, and belonging) roles since 2015 has been growing at a much faster rate than the demand for traditional HR – growing 39% between July 2019 and June 2020, finds LinkedIn’s latest researchOpens a new window . This demand has remained consistent even during the pandemic.
There is also an increased perception that companies with employees dedicated to D&I are 22% more likely to be seen as industry leaders with high-caliber talent.
The sectors that are driving this hiring trend are media and communications, software and IT services, legal, non-profit, and retail.
Internal Hires Are the Preferred Choice for D&I Roles
The U.S. leads with the highest volume in terms of the number of DIB employees (6.8K), but the U.K. has a higher representation of these roles within HR positions (that is, 784 employees per 1,000 roles in HR).
A sub-trend shows that internal hiring is one key source of candidates for these positions, and this approach is more prominent for DIB roles than traditional HR roles. Jobs posted for DIB roles have also increased consistently, as per LinkedIn, indicating a high demand.
When data is observed for the last one year, the legal, education, and public administration industries seem to have a higher demand for these roles.
“I think one positive outcome of the renewed movement for racial justice is a reckoning within corporate organizations around the role they need to play in creating equitable work environments and in promoting equity via their products and brands more broadly. All of this is driving more demand for expertise in diversity, inclusion, and belonging.â€
-Thomas SextonOpens a new window , senior director of global diversity, inclusion, and belonging at LinkedIn
The data is telling, and while the upsurge in demand for DIB professionals shows a positive outlook from organizations toward creating inclusive workplaces, it is vital to analyze the reasons for them.
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What Is Driving the Rise in DIB Roles?
Several ongoing issues point to the rise in these roles.
Increased awareness about diversity and inclusion
This is the primary reason for hiring externally or placing internal resources into DIB roles. Issues related to inclusion have been persistent for many years, but usually, they are treated as areas of concern for HR to manage.
Now, with an increased focus on diversity, the need for a dedicated D&I team or leader who will focus specifically on short- as well as long-term solutions in the workplace becomes prominent.
The need to sustain workplace culture
High levels of internal hiring indicate that many companies prefer to have talent that is aware of its culture to take on such roles and the responsibilities that come with it. This could have both a positive as well as a negative impact.
An existing employee will already be entrenched in the culture, and if that is what needs to be changed to make it bias-free or inclusive, they might find it more challenging to make the shift. Conversely, knowledge of the culture might allow the employee to be aware of its gaps, which can make them amenable to a new and more robust D&I roadmap.
The need to become an employer of choice
LinkedIn data confirms this. Businesses are perceived as more inclusive when they have dedicated resources for D&I. This makes it a critical reason for a higher demand for these roles. If this is the case, unless each role is backed by strong internal practices, it might result in talent attraction but not in retention.
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DIB Leaders Are Needed But Should Be Hired for the Right Reasons
It is good to see that organizations are creating roles that are directly accountable for D&I. This can improve their business tremendously. However, while the intent seems clear, the purpose of hiring for these roles needs further clarity.
Sexton adds, “Sustainable change begins with the leaders of an organization getting crystal clear on why diversity and inclusion is critical for the company in meeting its business objectives. That could be driven by the conclusive research that companies with diverse employee bases and leadership teams are more successful financially. It could come from conviction in the need to have a workforce that reflects one’s customer base.
“Companies that do this well treat it like a business priority, putting clear strategies and measurements in place that are informed by the voices of their employees, and ensuring they’re holding themselves accountable for delivering on those strategies.â€