Margaret J. Hartigan
Marstone Inc. co-founder and CEO
It is often said that necessity is the mother of all invention. The innovation born out of the pandemic was an example of this. In financial services, the pandemic accelerated digital roadmaps of banks and wealth management firms, as well as consumers’ adoption of digital engagement.
The response to these shifts was nothing short of heroic and the impacts are still being felt. It proved to many institutions that they can do hard things, quickly. Now is the time to keep being courageous and curious to meet individuals where they are.
My advice on how you can foster a community of inclusivity starting with hiring and, as a result, meaningfully improve your business:
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Remain objective: We leverage an applicant tracking system that helps us to remove unconscious bias throughout the hiring process (objective evaluation assessments, insights to reduce judgments and assumptions). It’s incredibly important for organizations to realize there is much they have yet to learn about themselves as a team and as individual managers as a company grows. There are tools today that can open your eyes to what you don’t yet recognize.
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Remain consistent: It’s vital to hold all candidates to the same standards by defining key decision criteria and requiring skills evaluation explanations. If any member of your team believes that favorites are being played, you run the risk of unmotivating them and damaging team morale.
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Remain curious: Inclusion is more than a buzzword; it literally means that you take into account the variety of opinions your team holds. Once you’re thoughtful and fortunate enough to have attracted diverse talent, curiosity will ensure you can stay ahead of potential issues before they rear up.