By Anjali Sanghvi, co-chair, MPI Potomac DE&I Committee

 

As the meetings industry begins to reopen and more jobs come on the market, it is essential we all take into consideration whether our hiring practices are equitable. This is an ideal moment for this since the pandemic has seismically shifted our industry. While COVID-19 has devastated many parts of our industry, the one silver lining has been the ability to reflect and learn from our past and to change our practices to reflect that growth.
 
By no means is this list exhaustive, but here are a few things to consider as we begin to open up our industry.
 
1. Consider the things you are listing as requirements for the job. Education requirements for entry level positions that may be mostly grunt work may not require that bachelor's degree for example. This is especially if you are not able to provide compensation to match those requirements. Review your job listings to make sure you are not making demands of potential employees that could hinder access by those hardest hit by the pandemic. 
 
2. Post the salary range in the job description. This is a deeper organizational issue, but a worthwhile conversation to start. Posting salary ranges allows transparency on all fronts and allows candidates to know upfront whether the job description matches their expectations for remuneration.
 
3. Make sure your job posting is accessible. Make sure you are posting in both traditional and new marketplaces to attract diverse candidates.

 

4. If you require candidates to supply work product examples as part of your interview process, outline clearly that their work will not be used without compensation if they are not hired for the position.
 
5. Don’t ghost your applicants. Even an auto-generated email letting an applicant know their application has been received can go a long way in creating goodwill. Making sure your application process is transparent — and conducted in a timely manner — is also an equity issue. Letting applicants know they are no longer in the running allows them to shift their focus elsewhere. While it may be an employers market right now, the tides can change, and making sure you are treating applicants in a respectful manner will carry weight into the future.

 

There are many more ways to hire back and open up our industry equitably. These are just a few suggestions to start you off. I hope they start some conversations for you.
 
The MPI Potomac Chapter Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Committee is committed to bringing you relevant topics, our podcast series and our DE&I System and Roadmap.
 
To learn more about our DEI initiative, please visit us at 
https://www.mpi.org/chapters/potomac/media-resources/diversity-inclusion or contact our co-chairs: Anjali Sanghvi, anjalisanghvi@gmail.com, or Joan Aiken, jmaiken22@msn.com.