You’ve got the job description polished, the role has been approved, and your hiring manager is eager to get things moving. But when you post the opening and the applications trickle in�� none of them are quite right. So�� now what?

If your candidate strategy only kicks in once someone hits “apply,�� you’re already late to the party.

Candidate relationship management (CRM) is the practice of building connections with potential hires before, during, and even after the hiring process. And we’ll be real with you �� it's a long game, not a quick fix. And in a world where talent has options, playing the long game matters.

When done well, CRM helps you stay top of mind with great candidates �� especially the ones who aren’t actively looking. It makes the experience feel human, even if parts of it are automated, and it sets your hiring team up to move quickly when the right role opens up.

In this guide, we’ll walk through what CRM is, why it’s key to hiring top talent, and how to build a process that works. You’ll get real examples, simple steps, and tips that don’t require an enterprise-sized budget.

Ready to rethink how you build relationships with candidates?

What is candidate relationship management?

Think of candidate relationship management as the dating phase of hiring, before anyone says “yes�� to a job offer.

CRM is the process of creating and maintaining relationships with current and potential job candidates. It includes the tools, strategies, and communication methods a company uses to keep candidates engaged, whether they applied yesterday or joined your talent network a year (or more!) ago.

At its core, CRM helps hiring teams stay organized and intentional. Instead of scrambling to fill roles the moment they open, recruiters can build a pipeline of interested, qualified talent ahead of time. That means less time searching and more time hiring.

CRM also isn’t just about active job seekers. ����’s especially useful for reaching passive candidates �� those who aren’t applying but might be open to the right opportunity. For example, maybe someone joined your virtual event last spring and liked what they saw. They didn’t apply then, but a quick, personalized message now could bring them back into the conversation.

The process can be manual (with a spreadsheet and a lot of patience) or powered by tech (like a candidate-focused CRM tool or your applicant tracking system).

Why is candidate relationship management important in hiring top talent?

While you can’t control when the perfect candidate decides to make a move, you can control whether they think of your company when they do.

Candidate relationship management gives employers a way to stay on a candidate’s radar before, during, and after the hiring process. Instead of starting from scratch with every new job post, you’re working with a warm pool of people who already know who you are and what you stand for.

Here’s what strong CRM brings to the table:

1. It improves the candidate experience and your employer brand.

Candidates remember how you made them feel, so if your communication is inconsistent or non-existent, they’ll notice. CRM keeps the process human. It shows candidates they’re not just another resume in the stack, even if they’re not hired. That kind of care builds trust, and trust builds reputation.

💡 Example: A company that sends regular, friendly updates (even just “we’re still reviewing�� although don’t leave them hanging forever!) leaves a far better impression than one that goes silent.

Did you know? According to our What Talent Want report, hiring processes continue to be a source of frustration for candidates, with 63% of them reporting ghosting and 60% reporting fake job descriptions.

2. It builds long-term talent pipelines.

Some roles seem to be always open, but others are notoriously hard to fill. CRM helps you plan ahead by keeping track of people who’ve already shown interest. Maybe they applied for one role, weren’t the right fit, but could be perfect down the line. With the right tracking and follow-up, you won’t lose them.

3. It increases engagement with passive candidates.

Not everyone is actively looking. In fact, many top performers aren’t, but that doesn’t mean they’re off-limits. CRM helps you stay in touch with these folks through regular content, event invites, or a personalized check-in. This can be especially useful with niche roles.

💡 Example: A passive candidate who attends your webinar today might become your new team lead six months from now…with the right follow-up.

🎯 How PowerToFly helps: Our sourcing services and networking events connect you with professionals who match your hiring goals, whether you’re hiring right now or next quarter. Explore our recruitment solutions here.

4. It reduces time-to-hire and cost-per-hire.

Hiring tends to move faster when you’re not starting from zero. With a pipeline of already-engaged candidates, recruiters can fill roles more efficiently. Less time spent sourcing = fewer resources spent hiring.

🎯 How PowerToFly helps: Use PowerPro to measure pipeline strength, engagement trends, and time-to-fill metrics �� all in one dashboard.

PowerPro: A new tool to transform diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging - YouTube

5. It gives you a competitive edge in tight talent markets.

Whether you’re hiring engineers, designers, or sales pros, good candidates move fast. If they’ve already heard of you, already like what they’ve seen, and already trust your brand, your offer will stand out.

💡 Example: A candidate who’s been following your company for months is more likely to choose your offer over one from a brand they’ve never interacted with.

6. It supports inclusion goals through intentional outreach.

Good CRM is personalized, thoughtful, and inclusive. That means building relationships with talent from underrepresented groups before they apply, not scrambling to diversify a candidate pool at the last minute.

🎯 How PowerToFly helps: Our dedicated sourcing connects you with skilled talent through targeted, relationship-driven outreach. This personalized sourcing is paired with employer branding content like blogs and videos that reflect your values and culture, so candidates see a place where they can belong. Explore our recruitment solutions here.

The key steps of candidate relationship management

To do candidate relationship management well, you’ll need a clear framework that helps you stay organized and intentional at every stage.

Here are five actionable steps to follow:

1. Attract

You can’t build relationships if people don’t know your company exists, so this first step is all about visibility. Showcase who you are, what you value, and why someone would want to work with you.

• Use clear, inclusive language in your job descriptions. (Psst�� this free guide will show you how.)
• Share employee stories and company culture content.
• Be where your candidates are, whether that’s LinkedIn, GitHub, or niche community events.

💡 Example: A tech company shares a behind-the-scenes video featuring their product team (like this one created in partnership with PowerToFly). ����’s not a job ad, but it piques interest and gives potential candidates a reason to follow them.

🎯 How PowerToFly helps: We partner with companies to create authentic, story-driven content that builds trust with candidates �� from blogs that spotlight your team members�� experiences to videos that show (not just tell) what makes your company a great place to work. Explore our recruitment solutions here.

2. Engage

Now that people know who you are, it’s time to start a conversation. The engagement stage is all about interaction.

• Reach out to potential candidates with tailored messages.
• Invite them to events with value or share relevant content.
• Respond to questions or comments quickly and with a human touch.

💡 Example: A recruiter sends a short, personalized note after a candidate attends a virtual event, thanking them and inviting them to join the company’s talent community.

🎯 How PowerToFly helps: Our team hosts and promotes interactive networking events where candidates and employers connect in real time. We also support follow-up strategy so your relationship doesn’t end when the event does. Explore our recruitment solutions here.

3. Nurture

Not every conversation leads to an immediate hire �� and that’s kind of the point. The goal here is to stay in touch, so when the timing is right, your company is already top of mind.

• Send occasional newsletters or updates on new roles.
• Share useful resources like blogs, videos, or webinars.
• Celebrate wins (yours or theirs) and stay supportive, not pushy.
• Pro tip: Make it easy for candidates to update their info or preferences, so your outreach stays relevant.

💡 Example: You send a quarterly update to your talent network that includes recent company news, spotlights from your team, and open roles. One subscriber clicks through to apply.

4. Track & measure

If you’re putting in the work, you want to know what’s, well, working. Tracking your data and candidate behavior helps you see patterns, identify drop-off points or technical hiccups, and ultimately improve CRM over time.

• Monitor email open rates, event attendance, and application conversions.
• Keep tabs on how long candidates stay in your funnel.
• Use your CRM or ATS to segment talent by role, location, or interest area.

🎯 How PowerToFly helps: PowerPro makes it easy to view real-time data on sourcing performance, engagement, and candidate movement, so you can fine-tune your process without guesswork.

5. Convert

Alright �� it’s go time. Whether you’ve got a perfect-fit role and have someone in mind or someone in your talent network finally says, “I’m ready,�� this is where relationship-building pays off.

• Reach out with a personalized note when the right role opens.
• Make the process smooth and respectful.
• Keep candidates in the loop, even if the outcome isn’t what they hoped for.

💡 Example: You’ve kept in touch with a candidate for six months. When a senior role opens up, you already know their interests, and they’re already familiar with your team, so you invite them to apply. No cold outreach needed!

Keep in mind that CRM isn’t linear. Candidates may bounce between these steps or drop off and come back later. That’s actually part of the process, because the relationship grows through steady, thoughtful effort.

Tips for effective candidate relationship management

You don’t need a massive team or enterprise-level software to build good relationships with candidates. What you do need is a consistent, thoughtful approach.

Here are some tips to help you get there:

Know your audience

Not every candidate is the same, so your outreach shouldn’t be either. Tailor your messaging to different roles, experience levels, and interests. A junior designer and a senior data engineer aren’t looking for the same things, and they can spot a generic message from a mile away.

💡 Example: Instead of blasting your entire talent pool with a job alert, send role-specific updates to segmented lists.

Use your CRM tools wisely

Technology can streamline your efforts, but only if it’s used intentionally (we’ve been using that word a lot on purpose). Segment your contacts. Track engagement. Set reminders. Automate where it makes sense, but make sure you keep the personal touch.

💡 Example: Set up automated birthday or work anniversary emails, but leave space for a custom message when the timing feels right.

Keep it human

Even if you’re using templates, make sure they sound like…well, you! People can tell when they’re talking to a robot, so be warm. Be honest. And please, please don’t open with “Dear Applicant.��

💡 Example: A friendly “Hey Alex, saw your recent post on inclusive product design. Loved your take!�� goes a lot further than “We are currently seeking qualified candidates.��

Stay consistent and frequent (within reason)

One message every six months doesn’t build a relationship. Set a simple, sustainable, regular cadence and stick to it. A short check-in is better than going quiet and trying to reintroduce yourself later.

💡 Example: A quarterly email that shares company news, open roles, and team updates keeps you in the loop without overwhelming you or your list.

Close the loop

Following up (especially when a candidate doesn’t move forward for whatever reason) is part of good relationship management. It shows respect and professionalism, and keeps the door open for future opportunities.

💡 Example: A short “We went with another candidate, but would love to stay in touch�� message may not be thrilling to send, but that transparency goes a long way.

Involve your team

Recruiting doesn’t live in a silo. Hiring managers, teammates, and even current employees can all help build and nurture relationships. Invite them to events. Encourage them to connect with candidates. Make it a shared effort and show off your work culture at the same time.

💡 Example: A hiring manager sends a quick “great to meet you�� message after a virtual networking event. Now the candidate feels more connected �� and more likely to apply.

Use feedback

Candidate surveys help you understand what’s working and what’s missing. Treat them like a mirror, then make changes based on what you see.

💡 Example: If multiple candidates say your process feels slow, it might be time to revisit your interview timeline or response strategy.

Repurpose your content

You’re already creating great stuff�� so use it! Turn that blog post into a newsletter snippet. Share your latest team video in a follow-up message. Content is a fantastic relationship tool.

💡 Example: A short email that includes a “Meet the Team�� video (like this one created in partnership with PowerToFly) helps candidates picture themselves on your squad.

Build a better hiring strategy with candidate relationship management

Relationship-building is ongoing, sometimes messy, and totally worth it. With a thoughtful CRM approach, you’ll build a reputation that candidates remember for all the right reasons.

����’s about doing the right things consistently: showing up, staying in touch, and making the process feel human. Whether you’re hiring now or planning ahead, CRM helps you stay ready.

Start simple. Audit the touchpoints you already have. Clean up your outreach. Ask your team where they see drop-offs. Then build from there.

And if you’re looking for support, PowerToFly can help. From branded content and sourcing strategy to events and platform insights, we make it easier to connect with the right people �� and keep them engaged.

Schedule a demo with PowerToFly today and take the next step in building an inclusive, high-performing workforce.

The workplace has changed. Again.

Remember when we thought remote work was just a temporary fix during the pandemic? Or when "flexibility" meant casual Fridays and leaving 30 minutes early for your kid's soccer game?

For better or for worse, those days are gone. Today's employees have lived through economic ups and downs, seen layoffs next to record profits, and discovered they can do great work from anywhere. They've grown wiser, more vocal, and less willing to settle.

At PowerToFly, we wanted to cut through the noise about 2025 workplace trends. No reports from consultants who haven't worked a day job in years. No recycled LinkedIn posts from ‘thought leaders��.

Just real people, sharing real thoughts.

Our What Talent Wants survey collected thousands of responses from workers across industries and experience levels. The results paint a clear picture of this year’s workplace trends: Employees know their worth �� and they expect employers to keep up.

Here are seven real, no-BS quotes that tell you exactly where companies are getting it wrong (and how to fix it).

🎥 Catch some quick insights on 2025 workplace trends from our chat The Data-Driven Blueprint for Workplace Success.

Why professionals are really quitting - YouTube

No more ghosting & guesswork

💬 “I just want a hiring process that’s clear and fair. Tell me what skills you need, let me show what I can do, and don’t leave me waiting. It shouldn’t be more complicated than that.��

What this tells us: Candidates are over the wild goose chase of hiring.

Our What Talent Wants report confirms this frustration runs deep; an alarming 63% of candidates report being ghosted during their job search, while 60% encounter job descriptions that barely resemble the actual role. More than half (54%) face the added challenge of salary secrecy, forcing them to invest time in applications with no idea if the compensation aligns with their needs.

The demand for skill-based hiring is loud and clear: 83% of professionals want companies to prioritize experience and competencies over degrees. The overall message? Cut the red tape. People want a transparent hiring process that values what they can do, not just where they went to school.

What it means for you: If your hiring process is a drawn-out mystery, you’re losing talent.

Clear job descriptions, transparent salary ranges, and prompt communication all immediately signal respect for candidates' time. Skills-based assessments that actually relate to the job create a fairer playing field where all talent can show off and excel.

How do you fix your hiring process? Streamline the steps. Ditch outdated degree requirements. Be transparent about pay. And most importantly? Respect your candidates�� time. A clear, fair hiring process attracts stronger talent and strengthens your employer brand.

Because at its core, candidates want something remarkably simple: a chance to show what they can do without jumping through unnecessary hoops.

Read this next: Ghosting, bias & barriers: How to improve the candidate experience

Rigid policies drive talent away

💬 “Flexibility is huge for me, especially as a caretaker for my mom and two kids. I do my best work when I have control over where and when I work, as long as the job gets done. If I have to stay home from work with a sick kid or need to visit the doctor, my boss shouldn’t question my work ethic. Trust goes both ways.��

What this tells us: The traditional 9-to-5, in-office grind doesn’t work for everyone �� and employees know it. More than half (53.5%) of professionals in our What Talent Wants report say flexible schedules are their top priority. Caregivers and women, in particular, rely on workplace flexibility to juggle work and life.

But despite the increased popularity of flexible work with employees, many companies are backtracking post-pandemic. Hybrid policies are getting stricter, and some leaders still believe productivity depends on how many hours someone spends at their desk.

The numbers don’t lie: 92% of employees say they’d quit for a job with better flexibility. That’s a massive talent drain just waiting to happen. Businesses that resist flexibility risk alienating valuable employees, while those companies that embrace flexible work models see higher productivity, morale, and retention.

What it means for you: If you’re clinging to outdated office norms, expect to lose talent. Flexibility is about autonomy (not slacking off). Employees who can balance work and life without unnecessary stress are more engaged, productive, and loyal.

Instead of measuring success by hours logged, focus on outcomes. Trust your team. And if an employee needs to step away for a doctor’s appointment, assume they’ll get their work done �� because if they don’t feel trusted, they’ll find an employer who does.

Flexibility at work is key - YouTube

Read this next: What’s happening with the return to office movement?

Money matters

💬 “����’s pretty simple for me. I want to get paid fairly for the work I do. If I can get a higher salary elsewhere, that’s going to catch my attention. Nowadays, it feels like the best way to get a raise is to switch companies.��

What this tells us: Loyalty doesn’t pay �� literally. Employees don’t chase bigger paychecks for the fun of it; they’re doing it because they have to. Raises often fail to keep up with inflation, internal pay structures are opaque, and companies still expect workers to be grateful for "competitive" salaries that aren’t so competitive anymore.

Employees today also have unprecedented access to salary data through platforms like Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and other industry forums. They know their value.

Our What Talent Wants report found that 97% of employees would leave their job in 2025 if they found a company willing to pay them more. That’s nearly everyone! Compensation is still one of the biggest drivers of retention, yet many businesses act surprised when employees leave for better offers.

What it means for you: If your best people keep leaving, take a hard look at your pay structure. Are your salaries actually competitive, or just competitive compared to what you were paying five years ago? Are raises meaningful, or are they just keeping up appearances?

Clear salary bands, open conversations about compensation, and straightforward paths to increases help build trust. When employees understand how pay decisions are made and see a path to growth without leaving, they're more likely to invest in their current workplace, even if their salary doesn’t align 100% with their expectations.

Smart organizations are also addressing "loyalty penalties" �� the wage gaps that develop when new hires command higher salaries than veteran employees doing the same work. Consider regular salary adjustments for existing staff, not just new recruits.

The bottom line: If employees have to leave to get the salary they deserve, they will. And when they do, you’ll end up paying more to replace them than if you’d just paid them fairly in the first place.

Read this next: Salary transparency: Everything employers (and you) need to know

Salary isn’t the only motivator

💬 “A�� my last job, I felt like I was just pushing numbers around without any real impact. I switched companies because I found a mission-driven role. Yes, the paycheck matters, but I need to understand the purpose behind my work and feel like I can get behind my company’s values.��

What this tells us: A job is not just a job. Employees want to feel connected to what they do.

In our What Talent Wants report, 93% of respondents said they would leave their current job for one that better aligns with their values. That number has been climbing for years. Back in 2022, value alignment ranked fourth in job priorities, trailing behind salary, learning and development, and flexible work. By 2025, it’s second only to salary.

For caregivers, values matter even more than traditional benefits like parental leave. That means companies can’t just offer perks and call it a day anymore.

What it means for you: If your company’s mission is simply a line on a website, don’t expect employees to stick around. People want to see that the work they do connects to a bigger purpose �� whether that’s supporting communities, driving innovation, or pushing for meaningful change in an industry.

Be transparent about what your company stands for. Show, don’t tell. And if you don’t have a clear answer when an employee asks, “Why does this work matter?�� �� don’t be surprised when they start looking for a company that does.

Company values matter - YouTube

Read this next: 15 employee engagement ideas

Stagnation leads to resignation

💬 “My company just laid off a quarter of the workforce for not ‘not keeping up,�� but there were no professional development resources available. This is not okay. A company should help its people grow!��

What this tells us: Employees are expected to keep up with rapid changes in technology, but many companies aren’t giving them the tools to do so. And when layoffs hit, it’s often the workers �� not leadership �� who take the blame.

Our What Talent Wants report shows that 91% of employees see upskilling as critical to their careers. Interestingly, we also found some differences in how various groups approach learning. Women showed stronger interest in mentorship (70%), while men favored self-paced learning and technical skills. This suggests that effective development programs need multiple pathways to accommodate different learning preferences.

What it means for you: Layoffs shouldn’t be the result of a company failing to invest in its people. If employees are "falling behind," that’s a leadership failure, not a workforce problem.

Companies that prioritize upskilling both retain talent and build higher-performing teams. Provide structured learning opportunities, mentorship programs, and access to technical and soft skills training. This should include access to learning platforms like PowerUp, but also be personalized and include a clear path to career advancement.

Upskilling matters to employees - YouTube

Explore this next: PowerUp: Your self-guided learning platform for essential workplace skills

Moving up shouldn’t mean moving on

💬 “I’ve worked at two companies now that kept me in the same role for 3+ years. The only way I could move up was by switching companies. I think I speak for most everyone here: I’m not interested in being ‘stuck.�� I’m actively applying for jobs now.��

What this tells us: Nobody wants to feel stagnant. Quite the opposite! Employees want to learn, take on new challenges, and see a future for themselves at work. But when promotions are rare and career paths are unclear, it’s easy to feel stuck.

According to our What Talent Wants report, only 24.5% of employees feel confident about their company’s career advancement opportunities. That number drops even further for women (17%), Black employees (20%), and Latino employees (16%). Black women (14%), White women (12%), people with disabilities (17%), and LGBTQIA+ professionals (23%) report even lower confidence.

What it means for you: If your company isn’t investing in employee growth, you’re creating a revolving door of talent. Career development shouldn’t be a guessing game or a privilege for a select few.

Make promotion paths clear. Offer mentorship and sponsorship programs. Train managers to actively support employee development. And most importantly, make sure career growth is happening for everyone.

Read this next: How to craft the perfect employee development plan

We need leaders (not bosses)

💬 “Bad managers make good jobs unbearable. I’ve had bosses who barely acknowledged my work, gave no feedback, and didn’t help me get closer to my career goals.��

What this tells us: Ever heard the saying: people quit bosses, not jobs? Certainly rings true here!

Speaking of stagnation; employees want leadership that supports their growth, acknowledges their contributions, and helps them build a meaningful career. When that’s missing, even a great job can start to feel miserable.

Only 37% of employees are satisfied with their leaders�� ability to support career development, according to our What Talent Wants report. That number drops to 32% for women and a staggering 20% for Black employees.

Intersectional data paints an even bleaker picture, with only 12% of employees satisfied with their company’s leadership. The biggest gaps? Mentorship, inclusion, and visible career support.

What it means for you: Managers are often promoted for their technical skills, but that doesn’t mean they know how to lead people.

Employees want managers who see their potential and help them grow �� not bosses who hoard opportunities or provide vague, generic feedback. A culture of mentorship, where managers genuinely invest in their team’s success, leads to stronger engagement and better business outcomes.

Leaders should have clear frameworks for career progression discussions, resources to strengthen their management abilities, and companies should both support their leadership and hold them accountable for supporting their teams.

54% of professionals are ready to quit their jobs in 2025 - YouTube

Read this next: 5 leadership lessons everyone should know

What now?

Yes, these seven quotes reflect personal experiences, but based on the numbers, they’re also representative of wider workplace trends in 2025.

Consider it a wake-up call.

Employees have made it clear what they need this year: fair pay, real career growth, strong leadership, and a hiring process that respects their time. They want flexibility, purpose, and the chance to build skills that keep them competitive.

Companies that ignore these realities will struggle to keep top talent, but those that listen and adapt will have a real opportunity to excel.

📝 Free download: What Talent Wants in 2025

Want to dive deeper into what today’s workforce is looking for? Check out our What Talent Wants report for more insights on how to attract, engage, and retain the best employees.

So, you’ve just onboarded a brand new employee. You’ve done the introductions, shown them around the office, made sure they can log in to everything, handed them all their company swag, and given them an onboarding buddy. Phew �� good job! We know onboarding is a big job on its own. But it’s done now, and you can move on to the next employee�� right?

Not so fast. In a recent Gallup study, of the surveyed employees said their employer has figured out how to do onboarding correctly, which means a wide majority of employees are not on-board (okay, pun intended) the onboarding express.

Those are pretty grim numbers, we know, and the easiest way to change them fast is to have that conversation with your new hires. They’re your ticket to understanding where the gaps are and may have some great suggestions on how to bridge them.

So, if you’re seeing some high churn and top talent is leaking through, we may have an unlikely culprit: onboarding! But don’t worry, as always, PowerToFly has got you covered. Aside from this blog, we’ve also prepared a sample onboarding survey template for you to identify those cracks and get to fixing them.

📝 Free download: Sample Onboarding Survey Template

Ready to transform your onboarding process into a truly inclusive experience? Our customizable onboarding survey template helps you gather critical feedback from new hires during their first weeks and fine-tune your onboarding process based on direct employee input.

In this article, you’re going to find out what questions to ask your new hires so you can get ahead of any challenges. In fact, we’ve gathered the top 18 new hire onboarding survey questions that will truly complete your onboarding process so you can have a more efficient and engaging workplace.

But, first!

Why do we need these onboarding survey questions for new hires?

Onboarding and long-term retention:

The first impression is the last impression. Studies show that the onboarding experience your recruits have directly impacts their productivity, engagement, and retention. To be precise, a great onboarding process could improve retention up to , and we can guess why!

How you onboard a new hire is your first impression. This will significantly influence how they see the company’s work culture, values, and ethos. And onboarding doesn’t stop after day one.

Read this next: 5 reasons why employee retention is important

AG���˰ټ��� the challenges fast:

You’ve just made a new hire. Onboarding survey questions should become your top priority. Why? Feedback. You’ll get the most useful and relevant feedback on your onboarding process while the experience is still fresh. The feedback you collate would help you identify the gaps before they slip into a larger void and become unrepairable.

Read this next: 3 tools and 5 steps for gathering employee feedback

What makes a good employee a great employee?

A great employer. Specifically, an employer who provides them with a friction-free route to success. When brands have well-defined onboarding roadmaps, the employee doesn’t have to spend their business hours trying to figure stuff out. They already know where to look, whom to turn to, what to expect, and even better �� they know they can trust the company to structure and support their journey.

Studies show that simply structuring and standardizing the process can make your team more productive.

Watch this next: The role recognition plays in employee retention

Best practices for designing onboarding surveys

Before we give you the exact onboarding survey questions for your new hires, it’s important to discuss the right strategy for these surveys. A survey isn’t just about the questions, after all. What really makes or breaks a survey is the way it is conducted.

Keep these four points in mind to conduct your onboarding survey the smart way:

1. Keep surveys short, focused, and easy to complete

A new hire is too busy learning systems, protocols, and the actual job to fill out a survey with 72 questions and may skip it (or do a poor job if it’s mandatory). So how do we ensure that doesn’t happen and still get meaningful feedback? We keep the survey short and sweet, with no more than 10 questions at once. We want to ask relevant questions only, and for most questions, provide them with multiple choices or a scale (rank this from “strongly disagree�� to “strongly agree,�� or on a scale of 0 to 10). This makes it easier and time-effective!

2. Make it anonymous

Any workplace survey is met with some healthy hesitation and skepticism, especially at a new workplace. There’s a (sometimes) valid concern that if a reporting authority or management sees a new employee answering questions unfavorably, it could affect their career.

At the start of the survey, assure your employees that their entries will be collected and used with utmost respect for their privacy, and where possible or appropriate, anonymously.

3. Conduct surveys at strategic points

Timing is important. We can’t expect new hires to be able to take the survey too frequently, nor can we delay it to a point where their experience has been influenced by other factors. The ideal intervals to conduct the onboarding survey are day one, then day 15, and day 90. Why? Day one surveys tell you about any immediate red (or green!) flags, including the steps that have led to the day of joining.

After two weeks of joining, a recruit has more insight into the onboarding process and the workplace culture. They will be able to highlight the gaps and make the orientation/induction smoother for future hires.

After completion of three months, they are likely past their probation period and understand the company better. Now is the time to check how the overall onboarding process went.

4. Include open-ended questions to gather deeper insights

We know we told you to limit the number of questions that require effort and give the employee multiple-choice questions and scaled questions. But you also want them to express their opinion and give any tips that might help you and future team members. Ideally, questions that require more elaboration should come towards the end, and you can make them optional. This gives employees an opportunity to elaborate if needed, but doesn’t place any undue pressure.

Top 18 new hire onboarding survey questions:

Okay! Now, let’s finally get to the meat of the article. You’ll want to conduct an onboarding survey for new hires, and like we mentioned above, you’re going to space them out for day one, day 15, and day 90. The questionnaire on each of those time periods is going to look very different.

Good news �� we’re going to give you the exact questions you need to ask your hires, along with the timelines.

Day 1:

Needless to say, the very first day at a new job is critical. Prior to the start date, most of the onboarding process has probably already happened. From document collection to setting the new employee’s credentials and getting their technology ready, a lot of preparation to transition them into their new role has already gone by. So even if the employee has been ‘on the job�� for a few hours, this is a good time to start by asking for feedback on the recruitment process so far.

• Did you feel welcomed and respected throughout the recruitment drive?
• Did you feel you had enough time to prepare for each stage of the process?
• What was the most challenging part of the recruitment process for you?
• Is there anything we could have done to improve your recruitment experience?

Day one is also a good time to get to know your new team member a little more! This will help align the onboarding and work experience to meet their needs as well as the company’s expectations.

Here are some questions that would help:

• Why did you decide to join the organization?
• Were the timelines for feedback and decision-making communicated effectively?

Day 15:

So, it’s been two whole (business) weeks. ����’s not really a long enough period to say the employee has fully gotten comfortable in the new environment, but it’s a fair opportunity to evaluate the onboarding process and the company’s compatibility from the employee’s perspective.

Keep in mind, 15 days is still pretty new! Everything is fresh, exciting, and there’s more energy to connect with the culture. This is the work honeymoon phase. ����’s probably too early for questions about whether or not your employee is happy or if they feel fully settled; that’s for the next phase.

For now, lead with:

• Was the onboarding program well-organized and helpful?
• Were the tools and resources you needed provided on time?
• Do you feel welcomed by your team and the company?
• Do you feel the company values inclusion?
• Do you feel you have a clear understanding of your job responsibilities?
• What is one thing we could have done to make your onboarding experience better?

Day 90:

This is the ‘last�� phase (onboarding never really ends), and possibly the most telling. ����’s been three months, and the new hire is no longer “new,�� and that’s a good thing! They should now have more insight into how the organization works, and should be able to tell you if the job description aligns with the job expectations. Most importantly, you’ll also have some analytics on how they are performing. This phase of the onboarding survey can help you remedy any gaps in the employee as well.

Conclude the survey with questions that leave room for long-form answers and suggestions to course-correct. You’ll want to check in with the employee on multiple levels:

• Has your manager provided the guidance you need to succeed?
• Do you feel comfortable asking questions or seeking help when needed?
• Is there anything you expected during your first 90 days that didn’t happen?
• Do you feel you can bring your authentic self to work?
• On a scale of 1 - 10, how proud do you feel to work at the organization?
• How likely are you to recommend the company to a friend?

How to use onboarding feedback to improve retention

You’ve collected all this valuable feedback �� now what? The real impact of onboarding surveys comes from how you use that data to create a better employee experience. Here’s how you can turn feedback into action and improve retention:

Identify and act on common themes

Not all feedback will be groundbreaking, but patterns will emerge over time. Maybe several new hires mentioned that they felt lost in their first week, or they weren’t sure where to find important resources. By analyzing recurring issues, you can pinpoint the biggest onboarding gaps and address them strategically.

For example, if multiple employees mention feeling overwhelmed by the amount of information they receive on day one, consider spreading out key training sessions over the first month instead of cramming them into the first week. Likewise, if new hires consistently struggle to connect with their teams, creating more structured social interactions �� like team lunches or team-building exercises �� could make a big difference.

Read this next: 7 things you absolutely need to do to retain diverse talent

Communicate changes based on feedback

If employees take the time to provide feedback, they want to know that it’s actually being used. One of the most effective ways to build trust and engagement is to show new hires that their voices matter.

Let’s say a majority of survey responses highlight confusion around company policies. Instead of making changes silently, publicly acknowledge the feedback and explain what you’re doing to address it. You could send out an email, create a Slack announcement, or include a note in the next company newsletter that says:

“We heard from our recent new hires that our policy handbook was difficult to navigate. To make things easier, we’ve redesigned it into a more user-friendly digital format with a search function. Thank you for your feedback. We’re always looking to improve your experience!��

When employees see that their input leads to real change, they feel valued and engaged, increasing the likelihood that they’ll stay with the company long-term.

Read this next: 8 employee experience examples worth emulating

Onboarding is just the beginning

The first 90 days set the tone for an employee’s journey, and if they feel supported from the start, they’re more likely to stay for the long haul.

Companies that prioritize onboarding feedback create a culture of continuous improvement, where employees know they are heard and valued. Not only does it reduce turnover, but it also builds stronger teams, improves productivity, and fosters a more positive workplace culture.

So, don’t let your onboarding process be a one-and-done task. Keep the conversation going, take action on the insights you gather, and watch as your retention rates �� and employee satisfaction �� skyrocket!

Read this next: The 4-day work week and other employee retention strategies you haven’t tried yet

Who do you trust more? A complete stranger, or someone your friend vouches for? We know �� the answer is obvious, and that’s exactly why employee referral schemes have been around for so long.

What is an employee referral scheme?

Generally speaking, an employee referral scheme is a hiring tool employers can use to fill their job vacancies with known and trusted candidates from within the network of their existing employees. As the name suggests, employees refer a person they know outside of the company for the job. Some organizations even offer incentives or bonuses to the referee if their candidate is hired and retained for a predetermined time period.

And hey, we know that hiring processes are expensive and time-consuming. Employee referral schemes can be a great option to cut costs by adding a sort of pre-screening layer. If the system is working as intended, the recommended applicants are likely to be a good match since the ones referring them have already been selected as a great fit for your company and workplace culture.

However, as is with anything that involves human participation, human bias can complicate the process. Employee referral schemes can unintentionally end up homogenizing the workforce, among other challenges.

Potential biases in referral programs

People tend to refer people they like, and that’s both a pro and a con.

On one hand, it’s great because the reference can come from a place of merit, where you as an existing employee refer someone you feel is a good match for the job. But on the flip side, it can be not-so-great because you’re also likely to recommend someone similar to you. These similarities can be social, ethnic, financial, educational, gender-based, etc. Why we prefer some people over others can often also be rooted in circumstance, coincidence, or sometimes even subconscious bias.

This has the potential to alienate a large section of candidates and can result in marginalizing the marginalized groups further. So, when you open the “hiring�� floor to your employees, are you unknowingly moving towards a less diverse workplace?

One way to find out is by doing a quick audit of the previous referrals. Notice any patterns? Biases? Maybe you tended to hire one demographic more often than others? Is there a specific ethnic group that’s forming a clear majority within your team? Do most of the referrals come from more privileged or financially advantaged strata of society?

This critical analysis could inform you if your employee referral scheme is unwittingly falling prey to human bias.

Read this next: 10 mistakes you're making with your diversity recruitment strategy (and how to fix them)

When done carefully, though, an employee referral scheme can be a great strategy to make the workplace more diverse and inclusive.

So how do you start an inclusive employee referral program?

Designing an employee referral scheme for inclusivity

Step 1: Set clear and measurable diversity objectives

You’ve identified the gaps, now it’s time to bridge them. Let’s say you observe that the X to Y ratio in your organization is 10:1. To make a more diverse and equitable space, you’ll probably want more X-employees on the team.

So, when a vacancy comes up, you get the opportunity to balance the team out a bit more. Set a clear goal that the business is looking to encourage more participation and candidature from X. You could even put a number on this goal. Say, in a year from now, you want to take the ratio from 10:1 to 10:4.

While skills and fit are still the ultimate criteria behind the selection, setting a clear goal means you’re taking the first measurable step in the direction of diversity and equality.

Read this next: A guide to inclusive hiring practices

Step 2: Broaden referral criteria

Hiring processes can sometimes focus too much on where a candidate has worked before or the kind of institutes they come from. However, using this criteria alone works against applicants from marginalized backgrounds or historically disenfranchised groups. So then to get access to employers, applicants need privilege to even cross the recruiter’s desk.

When we shift the focus primarily on the skill set required for a job or previous work, it opens the door to a broader group of applicants and referrals, and welcomes more people from diverse backgrounds to compete based on skills and merit.

Read this next: Skills-based hiring for a more inclusive workforce

Step 3: Educate employees about inclusive referrals

Needless to say, if you want an employee referral scheme that works well, you have to tell your employees! Don’t just communicate the goals, either, but make sure you explain the reasons behind those goals. Most people aren’t consciously contributing to the lack of diversity; employees tend not to consider that their referrals shape the workplace.

As leaders, we should proactively (and gently) inform our teams of the role subconscious bias plays in hiring. Don’t get us wrong, this is a delicate conversation because it may come across as accusatory. But do it right, and you’ll help your employees feel more connected to you, your team, and your workplace. You'll also be helping them make better and more conscious decisions.

The good news is that at PowerUp, you’ll find plenty of courses and workshops that are themed around creating more diverse and equitable workplaces, and that’s as good a place to start as any!

Do this next: Explore PowerUp catalogue

Step 4: Expand access to broader networks

Some industries and locations already face the challenge of homogeneity, and it might just be the case that your employees come from homogenous circles and they may not be able to readily recommend more distinct and diverse candidates. In cases like these, an organization can step in to provide them with resources that expand their current circles. Sign them up for membership in organizations like Black Girls Code and Code2040.

An employee resource group can also serve as an internal body within your organization, fostering diversity and inclusivity. Use ERGs to promote job openings in communities you may not have easy access to.

Watch this next: The ABCs of ERGs: How to Create, Build and Grow Employee Resource Groups

Step 5: Incentivize referrals

In the case of referrals, quantity is quality. The more employees refer, the higher your chances of getting a wider pool of applicants, leading to a more diverse workplace. To encourage more participation from your employees, offer them incentives. You have many options to pick from—more PTO, a fully-paid trip, a new work desk or laptop—all good incentives! A bonus is common too, for example, if the selected candidate also finishes six months in the company successfully, both the new employee and the referrer can be offered a bonus.

Step 6: Make referrals transparent

Transparency is almost always a good idea in the workplace, but if you really want your employee referral program to sing, you need to tell everyone about it, including wins.

If you were able to successfully boost your ratio of X:Y like in our earlier example, let your team know! Their hard work helped build a more inclusive workplace and a more diverse company. These are important metrics, and keep employees motivated. If you set a public goal, hitting it and celebrating it makes everyone feel pretty great. Plus, you’ll be putting your money where your mouth is and affirming that your DEIB initiatives aren’t just lip service.

Read this next: Take your diversity recruiting to the next level

This time when you start a referral program, you’ll get recommendations that are less biased or homogenous. This is great news! But…that’s only half the work done. The other half involves setting up an inclusive hiring process for the referred candidates.

Following up on the plan with an inclusive hiring process

Step 1: Create inclusive job descriptions

True inclusivity means providing an equitable hiring process to everyone. For those who aren’t coming via referrals, your job postings need to communicate your commitment to inclusivity. Ensure that your job description clarifies that you are open to candidates from all genders, ethnicities, and backgrounds.

📝 Free download: How to Write Inclusive Job Descriptions

Looking for some more examples? Grab our free guide on writing inclusive job descriptions below �� so all talent, no matter their background, feel welcome at your company.

Step 2: Standardize the interview process

Questions for all interviewees need to (generally) look the same for the same position, even if they’re a referral. That’s one of the ways we ensure the process is fair and unbiased.

Of course, conversations with each person will go differently, and this in no way stands against the natural flow of the interview. However, certain questions can alienate a whole group of people. For instance, a question like “are you planning to have kids within the next two years?�� is only faced by women and not men, and more importantly, it has nothing to do with their capabilities at work. Most importantly, some of these questions have legal implications.

Step 3: Create diverse interview panels

Want to foolproof the hiring process even more against partiality and discrimination? Appoint an interview panel with representatives from every group you want to see more of. If you would like to see more women in the workforce, your panel needs to have women on it. This isn’t just for the show, either. You’re bringing in broad representation to evaluate candidates and hear directly from folks who are more likely to share experiences.

Step 4: Get help from recruitment technology

You don’t have to do this alone! PowerToFly is always happy to help with all your talent management needs. Get your hands on our innovative recruitment tool, PowerPro, to attract top talent.

Read this next: How inclusion can help you attract and retain top talent

Employee referral program template

A good employee referral program document should answer the following key questions:

• What is the position the referral is for?
• Who can be referred?
• Who can refer?
• How to refer?
• Incentives for the employee referral program
• Any additional guidelines?

Here’s what a standard employee referral program template looks like. Feel free to tailor it to your unique hiring goals and objectives:

In short? By designing your referral program with inclusivity in mind, you can tap into your employees' networks while actively working to expand your workforce.

Now you know how to create a successful employee referral scheme �� happy hiring! 🚀

The term “DEI hire�� has become a point of contention. For some, it represents a commitment to diversity and inclusion; for others, it raises concerns about tokenism and fairness.

This debate recently intensified as broader conversations around diversity, equity, and inclusion face growing scrutiny. Following a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that , legal and political challenges to DEI initiatives surged. Critics argue that these measures unfairly disadvantage historically dominant groups (think White Americans or those who’ve faced fewer systemic barriers), while supporters maintain that DEI is essential for creating equitable opportunities.

In some circles, DEI has even been blamed �� without evidence �� for major business failures, using it as a scapegoat when companies don’t achieve desired results.

At PowerToFly, we’ve seen how important inclusive workplaces are to creating (and retaining) high-performing teams. We also understand that labels like “DEI hire�� can sometimes oversimplify a complex issue. Individuals should not be reduced to their demographics �� so how do we approach terms like “DEI hire�� with nuance and care?

🎥 Get a quick take on the future of diversity hiring in our recent chat Rebranding DEIB: How to Continue Elevating Diverse Talent in Uncertain Times.

What is at the heart of DEI? - YouTube

What is a DEI hire?

Let’s start with the basics: What is a DEI hire? This term generally refers to someone hired as part of an organization’s efforts to build a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive workforce. This entails recruiting candidates from historically underrepresented groups, including people of color, women, LGBTQIA+ individuals, people with disabilities, and other marginalized communities.

In the U.S., policies like affirmative action and equal employment opportunity laws were introduced to help dismantle systemic barriers that had long excluded certain groups from educational and professional opportunities.

Over time, corporate America joined in �� recognizing that hiring diverse talent lead to stronger workplaces. Studies have consistently shown that diverse teams drive innovation, improve decision-making, and enhance financial outcomes, not to mention the retention benefits. In a CNBC Workforce Survey, of employees reported wanting to work for a company that values DEI.

Attracting top talent is the key to business innovation - YouTube

The intention behind DEI hiring is clear, so where do things get muddled?

The problem with the term "DEI hire"

The words “DEI hire�� can be controversial, distorting the conversation around talent and opportunity. Here’s how:

Implications of tokenism

The term “DEI hire�� can imply that someone was hired because of their identity rather than their skills, experience, or qualifications. That’s a problem. No one wants to feel like they’re in a role just to check a box. And no employer wants to undermine the credibility of their own hiring decisions.

Impact on workplace culture

Then, there’s perception. When someone is labeled a “DEI hire,�� it can create doubt �� both from colleagues and within the individual themselves.

Employees labeled as “DEI hires�� can feel a sense of isolation, lack of confidence, and shortage of motivation, especially when colleagues question their qualifications or make dismissive comments. Imposter syndrome? It thrives in environments where people feel like they have to prove they deserve to be there.

The myth of merit vs. diversity

Last, the term “DEI hire�� can reinforce the false idea that diversity and merit are at odds. They’re not. Hiring with DEI in mind isn’t about lowering the bar; it’s about removing barriers that have kept highly qualified candidates from getting a fair shot in the first place.

Reframing the conversation: ����’s about high-performing talent

Ultimately, the phrase “DEI hire�� can get in the way of what really matters: hiring great people who bring valuable skills, fresh perspectives, and new ideas to the table. Instead of using language that reduces people to a hiring category, companies should focus on building workplaces where talent is recognized, valued, and supported �� no labels required.

Diversity vs. inclusion - a language shift is happening - YouTube

What inclusive hiring looks like (and what it doesn’t)

�� Inclusive hiring is not:

Imagine a company looking to diversify its board of directors. In a rush to be seen as inclusive, leadership replaces multiple board members with Black and Latino professionals who don’t yet have the necessary governance or industry experience. While the intent may be good, this approach sets everyone up for failure. The new board members struggle without the right background or support, colleagues question the decision, and the entire initiative reinforces the false idea that diversity comes at the expense of competence.

�� Inclusive hiring is:

Now, consider a different approach. Instead of making sudden, optics-driven changes, the company invests in long-term solutions. It launches a leadership development program for high-potential Black and Latino professionals, providing mentorship, board training, and executive coaching. It ensures these professionals gain the experience and networks necessary to thrive in leadership roles. When board seats open, these individuals are truly ready �� not because of a diversity mandate, but because they’ve been given the same access and preparation that their peers have historically enjoyed.

Strategies for building inclusive hiring practices

If the goal is to hire the best people, companies need hiring practices that give all qualified candidates a fair shot.

(To reiterate: That doesn’t mean lowering the bar. It means making sure the bar isn’t unfairly out of reach for certain groups.)

Here’s how companies can build more inclusive hiring processes that attract high-performing talent:

Broaden the talent pool

Partner with organizations and platforms (like PowerToFly) that connect companies with diverse talent. Use sourcing strategies that actively reach underrepresented communities, such as participating in diversity-focused job fairs or advertising on niche job boards.

Watch this next: Inclusion in action: A webinar on how to source diverse talent

Audit job descriptions for bias

Unconscious bias can creep into job postings in subtle ways. Gendered language, overly rigid requirements, and industry jargon can discourage strong candidates from applying. Use inclusive language and focus on skills and impact over unnecessary credentials.

Watch this next: Ban resumes: How to encourage more inclusive hiring

Prioritize skills-based hiring

Instead of focusing on traditional pedigree, like specific degrees or past job titles, assess candidates based on their actual skills and potential. Work samples, skills tests, and project-based interviews can help gauge real ability.

Read this next: Skills-based hiring for a more inclusive workforce

Standardize the hiring process

Implement tools like structured interviews �� where every candidate is asked the same set of questions�� and anonymous resume reviews �� where identifying details such as names, photos, and personal information are removed �� to ensure fair evaluations. Clear scoring rubrics also prevent personal preferences from overshadowing objective assessments.

Read this next: 10 mistakes you're making with your diversity recruitment strategy (and how to fix them)

Train hiring teams on unconscious bias

Conduct regular workshops to help hiring managers recognize and mitigate biases. Role-playing exercises can make these sessions more impactful. Ensure that hiring teams understand the broader value of diversity, connecting it to business outcomes and team dynamics.

Read this next: A 2025 guide to inclusive hiring practices

Prioritize onboarding and belonging

Design onboarding experiences that create a sense of inclusion from day one. Assign mentors or buddies to new hires to help them integrate smoothly into the company culture. Providing regular check-ins during the first 90 days can further improve the onboarding experience and address any potential challenges.

Do this next: Inclusive onboarding course

Measure and adjust

Look, this kind of work doesn’t happen overnight. We’re changing workplaces!

To understand what’s working (and what’s not), you should track who’s applying, who’s moving through the process, and who’s staying and thriving. If certain groups consistently drop off at specific stages, it may signal hidden biases or barriers.

But data alone isn’t enough. Listening to employee experiences through surveys, feedback, and exit interviews can reveal issues that numbers don’t capture. Maybe candidates feel welcomed but struggle to see growth opportunities. Maybe interviews aren’t as inclusive as they should be.

The key is to stay flexible. If something isn’t working, adjust it. If unintended biases emerge, address them. Inclusive hiring isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress.

How do you show your commitment to inclusion? - YouTube

Read this next: Take your diversity recruiting to the next level

From DEI hire to inclusive talent strategies

The term “DEI hire�� may have started with good intentions, but it’s time to move beyond labels and focus on creating inclusive workplaces that value all talent. At PowerToFly, we focus on what really matters: building workplaces where top talent can thrive. That’s why we partner with companies to source top candidates of all backgrounds, create inclusive hiring strategies, and build work environments where every employee feels valued.

By reframing the conversation and implementing thoughtful strategies, organizations can build teams that not only reflect diversity but also thrive because of it.

Ready to transform your hiring practices? Let’s chat! Schedule a demo with PowerToFly today and take the next step in building an inclusive, high-performing workforce.

92% of employees told us they would quit their job for one with better flexibility.

If that number surprises you, it shouldn’t. Workplace expectations in 2025 are shifting in ways that demand more flexibility, adaptability, and inclusivity. AI is reshaping roles, employees are asking for more skill development, and leaders are being challenged to adapt to hybrid, in-person, and quasi-distributed workforces where two days are (truly) never the same.

At PowerToFly, we’ve been keeping a close eye on these shifts. And thanks to our latest What Talent Wants in 2025 survey, we have firsthand insights into what professionals are looking for from the future of work.

What we’ve found is clear: The workplaces that thrive in 2025 will be those that balance cutting-edge technology with human-centered approaches. Let’s dive into the biggest workplace trends shaping this year �� and how talent is responding.

AI integration is accelerating (and employees are on board)

AI is no longer just a fancy add-on; you’ll find it embedded in everyday workflows. (We like to think of it as the workplace equivalent of the calculator. Once a game-changer for math, it’s now an essential tool no one thinks twice about.)

Think of AI as the ultimate co-worker; it handles the repetitive stuff so employees can focus on big-picture thinking, creative problem-solving, and human connections.

And the line between "AI-enabled" and "traditional" jobs? ����’s disappearing fast. In the future of work, AI literacy is quickly becoming as fundamental as knowing how to send an email.

The good news: employees are paying attention. They see where things are headed, and they’re asking for training that keeps them competitive. AI isn’t replacing them �� it’s changing what’s expected of them. That’s why more professionals are demanding opportunities to upskill, with AI at the top of their learning lists.

📈 91% of respondents in our survey emphasized the importance of upskilling, with AI literacy ranking as their top priority.

In the future of work, skills are the new currency

Degrees aren’t the golden ticket they used to be. The real game-changer? Skills.

More and more companies are ditching rigid degree requirements and focusing on what employees can do, not just what’s on their diplomas. This shift is fueling a movement called skills-based hiring, where demonstrated abilities in AI, digital collaboration, and problem-solving carry more weight than formal credentials.

And employees are on board. They know that keeping up in today’s workplace means constantly learning and adapting (see above on AI skills!). And they’re paying close attention to which employers are offering opportunities to upskill.

📊 An overwhelming 91% of respondents stressed the importance of upskilling in their workplace. Translation? If businesses want to retain their best people, they need to prioritize learning opportunities.

Upskilling platforms that let employees customize their learning journeys �� like PowerUp �� will be essential in helping organizations meet this demand and stay competitive.

Employees are feeling detached, and companies need to fix it

A troubling trend has emerged in recent years: The Great Detachment. Unlike the 'Great Resignation,' where employees voluntarily left jobs in record numbers, many workers in 2025 feel stuck. A cooling job market and rising inflation means employees who might otherwise seek new opportunities are staying put �� but they’re not happy about it.

Instead, they’re disengaged, unmotivated, and feeling disconnected from their work.

📉 Only 36% of professionals in our survey believe their leaders are capable of supporting career growth, with women and Black employees reporting the lowest satisfaction levels.

Why are so many employees feeling this way? ����’s a combination of factors.

We’re still feeling the aftershocks of rapid organizational changes from 2020, the growing pains of remote and hybrid work, and the back-and-forth push for in-office returns. Without tangible career growth opportunities, many workers feel like they’re treading water rather than moving forward.

Our survey also showed how confidence in job security has dropped from 60% in 2023 to 37% in 2025, indicating increased worker anxiety.

The solution sounds simple on paper, but it takes a concerted effort from employers: re-engagement. This means setting clear role expectations, creating opportunities for team bonding, and strengthening relationship management at all levels. Employees want to feel connected to their colleagues and leaders, and companies that encourage meaningful work will be the ones that retain top talent.

Inclusion needs to be baked into the business

Despite political and corporate shifts away from diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) initiatives, employees still value inclusive workplaces.

Naming aside, the ask is clear: People want to work in an environment where they feel respected, valued, and empowered.

And there’s still more work to do.

👀 Just 18.5% of respondents were satisfied with their company's current workplace inclusion efforts, indicating a lack of visible and influential leadership in promoting inclusive cultures.

Even more, nearly 30% of survey respondents reported frequently experiencing microaggressions, highlighting the lack of psychological safety in their organizations.

So how do we fix the problem? In 2025, inclusion needs to be upgraded from “hitting hiring targets�� to embedding equitable practices into every aspect of a company’s structure. That means skill-based hiring, clear career pathing, mentorship programs, and leadership that reflects the diversity of its workforce.

Lack of flexibility will be a deal breaker

While some companies continue to push for return-to-office (RTO) mandates, our survey data tells a different story: employees overwhelmingly want hybrid or flexible work options. And they’re willing to leave jobs that don’t offer them.

🏠 92% of employees said they would quit their job for one with better flexibility.

This is especially critical for caregivers �� who make up 40.5% of our survey respondents �� as well as women, who prioritize flexible scheduling even more than men. Companies that ignore this demand risk losing top talent to more adaptable competitors.

The way we see it, hybrid work requires more strategy than a simple “we split our time between home and the office.�� Companies will have to develop more thoughtful approaches to collaboration and team dynamics. Think physical offices shifting into intentional spaces (or “collaboration hubs��) for connection, while technology creates smoother, more integrated experiences for both remote and in-person employees.

Cue virtual reality brainstorming sessions!

Mental health & well-being are non-negotiable

Burnout is still a major issue in 2025, and employees are looking for companies that take mental health seriously.

🧠 45% of respondents identified mental health as a key workplace priority.

But a wellness stipend or an occasional day off isn’t enough; organizations must build well-being into the structure of work itself.

What does that look like?

Popular initiatives for 2025 will include structural changes to distribute workloads, flexible working hours, and removing the stigma around mental health conversations in the workplace. We’ll also see a focus on emotional intelligence training for leaders to pinpoint problems before they escalate and lead with empathy. (By the way, we offer a great training on Emotional Intelligence for Leaders through PowerUp.)

Leadership needs to evolve for the hybrid era

The shift to hybrid and remote work exposed a leadership gap.

Many managers were trained for in-office environments and are struggling to adapt to distributed teams. Employees, meanwhile, are demanding leaders who are more transparent, communicative, and people-focused.

📊 Only 37% of employees in our survey feel that their leaders are effectively supporting their career growth.

Successful leadership in 2025 requires emotional intelligence, adaptability, and a commitment to mentorship. Companies should invest in leadership training through platforms like PowerUp to prepare managers for this hybrid era.

The result? We’ll see a new breed of leaders arise �� one that can effectively boost camaraderie between employees scattered across time zones.

This is how we picture it: A manager leading a hybrid team starts each week with a quick async check-in, where employees share priorities and blockers in a shared workspace. Instead of micromanaging, they use outcome-based performance metrics. They also make time for informal ‘coffee chats�� to replace the lost watercooler moments.

The takeaway: The future of work is both high-tech and high-touch

If there’s one thing our What Talent Wants in 2025 report makes clear, it’s that the best workplaces of the future will strike a balance between technology and human connection. AI may be accelerating change, but professionals still crave leadership, flexibility, and purpose in their work.

Businesses that embrace these trends �� rather than resist them �� will be the ones that attract and retain top talent in 2025 and beyond.

🔍 Want to dive deeper into these insights?

Download the full What Talent Wants in 2025 report below:

Onboarding is more than simply an HR task; it’s the first major step in preparing new employees for long-term success. When done well, an inclusive onboarding process fosters a welcoming and engaging atmosphere, increasing employee morale and retention. An efficient onboarding checklist helps expedite the process, ensuring that nothing critical is forgotten and that every new recruit feels encouraged, valued, and prepared to contribute from the start.

In fact, data indicates that organizations with a well-structured onboarding process increase . This data demonstrates how critical it is to focus on providing an inclusive onboarding experience that not only welcomes new workers but also establishes the foundation for a long, fruitful relationship.

So, to help out, we'll use this blog to walk you through a detailed onboarding checklist that welcomes new employees with passion, clarity, and inclusivity. Whether you have a small team or are a part of a large corporation, this advice can help your new employees feel at ease, confident, and ready to succeed!

Ready? Let’s dive into the key parts of an effective onboarding checklist and how to implement it in your organization.

Onboarding checklist template

Great news �� to make your onboarding process as effective and inclusive as possible, we've already prepared a detailed onboarding checklist that includes all of the necessary processes from pre-onboarding to continuing support. This checklist will be indispensable to ensure that each new hire has a smooth transition to your organization and feels valued from day one.

📝 Download our free onboarding checklist

... download, copy, and follow the steps! Onboarding just got a whole lot easier.

Now that you have your template, let’s walk step-by-step through how to implement each stage of the onboarding process. From pre-onboarding to ongoing support, we’ll break down each phase with actionable tips to ensure every new hire feels welcomed, prepared, and set up for success.

Pre-onboarding checklist (before day one)

Effective onboarding starts before the first day. Pre-onboarding activities can make new hires feel more prepared and enthused about joining your team. While pre-boarding will look different for nearly every organization (specific IT needs, anyone?) we’ve got some example steps to include in your pre-onboarding checklist:

1. Prepare paperwork and resources

• Ensure all documents are accessible: Ensure that all documents are digitally accessible and meet ADA standards. Use digital forms and resources to help new hires complete paperwork before their first day starts. This saves time, gives the employees some confidence, helps them start learning the company culture, and makes the whole onboarding process go more smoothly.
• Provide options for preferred names and pronouns on onboarding materials: Incorporating your new team member’s preferred name(s) and pronouns into onboarding documentation and processes is a simple and respectful way to demonstrate diversity and make the new employee feel seen and heard.

2. Personalize the welcome

• Send a personalized welcome email: Before the new hire's first day, send them a detailed email explaining their first week's schedule. Include information like team introductions, useful resources, and a summary of their responsibilities. If the position is in-person, include parking information and some basic office etiquette like dress code or helpful tips about the food options. If you’re onboarding remotely, it’s super useful to include information about what tech they should expect to arrive and how they will go about logging in on their first day.
• Include a quick video or note from the manager or CEO: A personal touch helps new employees feel like they belong. Consider creating a small video or note from the team manager or CEO to express delight and welcome the new hire to the company.

3. Assign a welcome buddy

A welcome buddy (basically a peer mentor) is someone who can assist the new hire throughout their first few weeks at the workplace, or beyond. This might be especially advantageous if the welcome buddy is from an underrepresented group because you’ll be effortlessly promoting diversity, making sure the new employee understands inclusion is an integral part of workplace culture all while providing the new hire with someone to ask questions.

A welcome buddy can help with:

• Navigating business tools and systems.
• Answering questions regarding the company's culture and daily activities.
• Providing emotional support throughout the transition phase.

Day one checklist

Needless to say, the first-day experience is essential for your new employee! Here are some tips on how to make the first day inviting and smooth:

1. Start with a warm welcome

One of the most important things to be mindful of on the first day of work for a new employee is creating a welcoming environment right away. Regardless of if your team is hybrid, in-office, or remote, hosting a team introduction meeting allows everyone to offer a quick "about me," which helps the new employee connect immediately with their coworkers and fosters a feeling of belonging. This icebreaker reduces early apprehension and fosters a friendly environment. By introducing the team early and in a friendly, low-pressure meeting, the new hire can begin to learn their colleagues' duties and personalities, allowing them to feel better integrated into the group from day one. This initial kind welcome sets a great tone for the new employee's experience at the organization.

2. Walk through core values and mission

It's critical to spend some time walking the new hire through the company's basic principles and values, giving them a clear picture of the company's culture, mission, and objectives. Emphasizing how inclusivity aligns with the company's values will also assist the new hire in understanding how their work fits into the organization's overall goals. Employees who understand the company's goal and values feel more engaged with their work and how it contributes to the organization's success. Discussing these overarching goals also helps to establish expectations for behavior and relationships, ensuring that everyone understands what the organization stands for which in turn boosts teamwork.

3. Address accessibility and accommodations

Finally, one of the most essential components of a thorough onboarding process is to address accessibility and accommodations. ����’s super important for comfort and confidence that the new team member understands how to request any adjustments or help they may require, whether it be for physical accommodations, mental health, or any other workplace needs. By making the new hire feel comfortable requesting help, you establish a safe and friendly workplace where they’re able to understand their well-being isn’t just being considered; it’s a priority. Encouraging openness and offering clear guidance on how to request adjustments allows the new recruit to focus on their position without the burden of managing accessibility issues. Not only does this encourage diversity, it also builds a culture in which all employees can succeed regardless of their specific needs.

Read this next: 7 easy ways to improve accessibility in the workplace

Week one checklist

Following a hopefully pleasant and welcoming first day, your next steps should be focused on establishing clear expectations and increasing overall employee engagement. Getting your new team member settled into a routine with concrete expectations and a warm environment is key to productivity and a great workplace culture.

1. Set clear expectations with a role-specific onboarding plan

Create a structured onboarding plan: Outline the major objectives and milestones for the new hire's first 30, 60, and 90 days. This should include performance benchmarks and success criteria, making it clear what the new recruit must accomplish during this term. If you’re able to, you can start career progression this early as well. Ensuring that your new employee understands optional journeys can be a great way to make them feel integrated and motivated.

Read this next: Goal setting for employees | Step-by-step guide

2. Schedule 1:1 check-ins

Regular check-ins with their direct manager: Schedule weekly or biweekly 1:1 check-ins to discuss progress, answer issues, and provide assistance. This demonstrates to the new hire that their achievements are valuable and their questions are heard, making them feel more involved and appreciated.

3. Invite new team members to employee resource groups (ERGs)

Ongoing support checklist

Effective onboarding definitely doesn’t stop after the first week! Continuous attention and effort help new hires stay engaged, feel appreciated, and, ultimately, succeed!

1. Create continuous learning opportunities

Offer ongoing learning and development opportunities: Give the new hire access to resources externally and internally that will help them enhance their skills and advance within the organization. Consider offering extra professional training programming like PowerUp to help them continue to develop.

Read this next: How to craft the perfect employee development plan

2. Create a survey for new hires

Gather feedback through surveys: What better way to learn about how your onboarding strategy is going than from new employees? Invite new employees to express their thoughts on their onboarding experience. This feedback can be vital in enhancing the hiring process for future employees while you make current employees feel heard.

3. Celebrate early wins and acknowledge contributions

Celebrate achievements early on: Recognizing new employees for their accomplishments, especially early on, improves morale and engagement. Recognize their accomplishments, big or small, to demonstrate that their efforts are appreciated and help them get to know their team.

Watch this next: The role recognition plays in employee retention

Remote onboarding

As we’ve lightly touched on, many employees now begin their new job duties remotely. An effective remote onboarding process may be even more important than an in-person onboarding, as it can be additionally challenging to make remote employees feel like a part of the team if they never meet in person.

For additional ideas on how to make remote onboarding more inclusive and effective check out 7 steps to inclusive remote onboarding.

Managing a successful onboarding checklist

By now you’re probably tired of hearing about how onboarding is a critical stage in an employee's journey with a company, laying the groundwork for their experience and advancement within the organization. But, a well-executed onboarding checklist does more than simply check off boxes on a list; it really does foster an environment of inclusivity, enthusiasm, and clarity, allowing new employees to feel confident and supported from the jump. Companies that invest in a robust onboarding process do more than just improve new employees' early transition period; they also establish the groundwork for long-term success, engagement, and retention. Businesses have the opportunity to leave a lasting impression by concentrating on the important factors of planning, customization, clear expectations, and ongoing assistance.

An inclusive and complete onboarding process is especially crucial since it communicates to new employees that they are valued, respected, and fully incorporated into the team. This sense of belonging not only boosts employee satisfaction, but it also adds to improved productivity because employees are more inclined to perform well when they feel supported and connected to their peers and business ideals. Whether it's making sure you’re using accessible tools, designating a mentor, or making room for criticism (or all of the above!), these little but impactful gestures make new workers feel welcome and part of the business culture, fostering loyalty and trust.

As the workforce continues to evolve, particularly in remote and hybrid work contexts, companies must modify their onboarding strategies to remain relevant and effective. Ensuring a seamless, consistent, and engaging onboarding process may have a significant impact not only on new workers but also on the overall business culture.

And hey, this is a learning process! Your list will change and shift based on feedback and business needs. By constantly modifying your onboarding checklist in response to feedback and insights, you can establish a cycle of growth and progress that improves employee retention, performance, and overall happiness. Investing time and resources in creating a welcome onboarding experience pays off in the long run, leading to a vibrant, engaged workforce that will help the team and the company achieve its objectives.

Download our free onboarding checklist

This guide walks you through everything you need to consider for an exceptional onboarding experience �� from the first engagement to the first day, all the way through the first month 🚀

Is it true that too many chefs spoil the broth? A shift to a lean-and-clean workforce and increased focus on high-performing teams can help you avoid that at your business.

This probably won’t be the first time you’ve heard “quality over quantity��, and hey, it’s good business advice! It doesn’t make sense to hire 20 people to get a job done if five highly skilled experts can do the same thing, right? When you intentionally work with lean teams that are focused on performance, you save time, energy, and even capital. Yes, experts also warrant higher pay, but also factor in all the money and time you’ll save by not having to train someone who isn’t performing, or paying full-time salaries for excessive team members. (Note: this is not anti-upskilling! No matter how skilled your team is, they’ll probably require training at some point)

So, if increasing profitability and productivity is on your to-do list for 2025, one of the best ways to do it is by building high-performing teams. This blog will be your step-by-step guide, complete with examples, on how to DIY your dream team.

Check out our virtual fireside chat on cultivating and building high-performing lean teams below.

What does a high-performing team look like?

A high-performing team is a group of professionals with their own diverse perspectives and talents, coming together to seamlessly collaborate and progress towards a focused goal. Remember, the end result of their individual tasks as well as those of the group defines success. High-performance teams work on well-defined goals, metrics, and smooth communication.

The focus is on driving tangible results here in a pre-planned and efficient manner. Naturally, it makes perfect sense for a business to work with a few immensely skilled people. Doesn’t every business want that? Sure, but, where do you find these people? The answer is right under your nose!

High-performance teams aren’t always built from scratch, you can absolutely nurture your current team.

Read this next: Maximize your workforce with high-performing teams

This blog is here to show you that building high-performing teams only takes five easy steps:

Step 1: Build a team charter

First things first! Get the whole crew together and build a nice stable foundation aka a team charter.

Even if you’re all in-office, you’ll probably need a virtual workspace or hub to bring all the stakeholders together. Everybody on the same page results in greater transparency, and getting all the nitty-gritty sorted means your crew can collaborate, plan, and get work done without too much hassle. This allows the high performers to truly focus on, well, their performance!

Here’s how to create a team charter:

• Download a digital collaboration tool. We recommend using for its ease of use and unmatched functionality. Miro also provides multiple readymade as well as customizable charter templates that you can pick from.
• Once you have picked a template or settled on a structure, start by customizing it to suit your business needs. This is where you will add your team members and assign them goals and roles. For example, Miro also comes with the Org Chart widget to create diagrams for workflows and reporting hierarchy.
• Go one step deeper: you can use this workspace to get to go into extreme detail, such as deliverables per person, deadlines, handovers, pending resolutions, etc.
• Before you float the team charter out, make sure it has been reviewed by the management, the HR, and the team leads. Also, these reviews need to happen every few months to adjust to your evolving priority list.

Step 2: Decide on the rules

Now that you have created a system/charter to collaborate, communicate, and designate, you need a bunch of basic guidelines and a SOP for everyone to follow.

Team norms, as they can also be called, help remove any room for error in the process and make it easier for your high-performing team to focus on the actual job.

Before you implement these rules, here’s what you can do to make sure everyone’s onboard with them.

• Decide on these team norms collaboratively. Involve all key stakeholders in the process.

• Do not ignore the basics. Something as simple as “Don’t be afraid to share your ideas with the group�� can be reassuring for your employees and encourage collaboration.

• For everyone to follow these rules, the team leads have to lead the way. When a guiding principle isn’t respected by a leader, it won’t last long. If you want your team to lead with empathy and honesty, it has to start with their manager creating a space for open dialogue and constructive feedback, not just for the team but for themselves as well.

• We know, giving feedback can get…awkward. Setting guidelines and even templates on how to deliver constructive criticism or opinions can help reduce friction. You can even use anonymous feedback tools such as Officevibe or a simple Google form to collect feedback without anyone feeling uncomfortable.

• Organize a team workshop to discuss psychological safety (the shared belief that it’s okay to take risks and disagree openly) and its importance. The goal of establishing these guidelines is to foster an environment of inclusivity, growth, and safety. Offices can very quickly become grounds for power play, politics, and discontentment, so when we define our values and principles clearly and hold everyone accountable to them, we say NO to drama.

Read this next: How to create psychological safety at work

Step 3: Conduct a skills inventory

A high-performing team runs on skills. Want to build a team that has the right knowledge, tools, and skills for the job? First, we find the skills they already have and then identify the skills they need to have for the job they currently have or the one you want to grow them into.

�ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s intuitive personal skills audit tool SkillMeter is a quick, easy to use, and heavily personalized way for you to understand every aspect of your team’s capabilities and potential. Hard skills, soft skills, and technical skills �� it's a rundown of everything!

Start by getting your team to fill it out, and once you’ve identified the skill gaps, you can bridge those gaps with the right courses, online learning tools, and the resources your employees need to remain at the top of their game.

We recommend doing a skills inventory semi-annually because, let’s face it, the world is changing too fast. Building high-performance teams is not a one-time job, it’s a constant work in progress.

Read this next: How to conduct a skills inventory on your team for growth

Step 4: Use structured collaboration tools

Now that you’ve established the rules, set up your virtual hub, identified the skill set(s) you need and taken a step in the direction of upskilling your workforce…what next?

The work, of course!

High-performance teams are made up of high performers, but specifically independent, intelligent self-starters who are passionate about bringing visible results. Be careful, it’s super easy to mistake this independence for ‘working in silos.�� High-performance teams work well because there’s immense teamwork pulling them to greater results.

To encourage this, the business needs to establish clear channels for communication and collaboration.

For collabs, platforms like ClickUp, Notion, or Trello can help all the team members ideate, update, and review the progress all in one place. You need this setup for saving time and confusion. Another good way to avoid miscommunication and work more efficiently is to set up dedicated weekly meetings for all team members to catch up on the project status. (Also, these meetings can serve as a great bonding exercise to help the team feel connected.)

Seamless, smooth communication takes some streamlining. We know all the basic software we need for that �� Zoom, Slack, and Teams, to name a few �� but you can make your workflow smoother if we integrate all the tools we need into one handy dashboard. This is where choosing the right software becomes important.

This is also where training becomes even more important, because even with the right tools and existing digital literacy, there can be a learning curve. Do not underestimate that gap! Regular tech seminars/talks or training sessions with the IT team can help your high-performance teams get the work done faster and easier.

Once you’re past the technical barrier, the focus can be on clear and frequent communication.

Read this next: Communication skills: Synonym for great info sharing

Step 5: Celebrate the team

Nothing kills motivation and morale like a lack of recognition. And it’s not just about the KPIs �� if you’ve built a team of skilled and enterprising bunch of go-getters, make it a point to acknowledge their ongoing efforts, not just the straight wins.

Define clear milestones for your performers separately and for the team as a whole. These milestones should also be communicated along with the incentives and rewards that come with achieving them.

Certificates, trophies, gift cards, PTO, or sometimes even a newsletter or meeting shoutout celebrating that win can go a long way in making your team feel valued.

Watch this next: The role recognition plays in employee retention

Go forth and build a high-performance team

At the time of writing this article, it’s the start of a new year, which is a great time to give your business a new direction towards higher efficiency and performance. Start your journey towards building a high-performing team today with a simple question: How can I help my employees perform better?

That’s it! You’ve already taken the first step towards creating a high-performance business.

📝 Free download: Guide to Inclusive Language

High-performing teams thrive in inclusive cultures. Looking for an overview on appropriate wording, sensitivity tips, and HR guidelines for inclusive language? Download our below:

reports that American businesses lose $450-500 billion a year because of disengaged or underutilized employees. That’s a lot of money that could have been used more productively and constructively! To utilize our human capital better, we have to start by asking: what is causing this massive scale of discontentment and unhappiness among employees? Bad bosses, improper goal setting, lack of inclusivity, and office politics �� these are all just symptoms of a larger issue…improper workforce management. So how do we cure it? Strategic workforce planning.

On the surface, it might seem that employee and employer motivations are different, but they have much more in common than you might think! The big one is that both the employer and the employee are working to grow the business, and both are ultimately focused on delivering better performance. So if it feels like the employees aren’t synced with the employer’s vision, it’s probably exactly that! They’re not in sync, and strategic workforce planning can bring you better harmony.

What is strategic workforce planning?

Strategic workforce is about, well, strategy and workforce planning. But what does that actually mean? In practice, strategic workforce planning is the foresight and planning with which a business manages its biggest asset �� human capital. Strategic workforce planning is what helps you nurture, grow, and tap into the fullest potential of your (literal) human resources.

We accomplish this by forecasting and proactively working on any talent, skill, or goal incompatibility an employee might face, and because it is inherently strategic, we have to establish a framework with proven methods first.

Read this next: Maximize your workforce with high-performing teams

There are three core elements in a workforce planning template:

1. Talent forecasting

Want to make sure your employees are the right fit for your vision? There are only two ways to do it: hire someone who’s already a fit, or upskill your current employees. The latter is typically more economical because hiring can be an expensive affair! And, not for nothing, but even when you can hire someone who’s already a fit, the world changes quickly enough that you’ll have to upskill that employee eventually anyway!

What you ultimately want is people who are willing to learn and grow with you and the business. So, if the goal is building a high-performance team, we have to first identify the skills that will get them there. This is talent forecasting, where you map out the skills you need from your employees �� both current and in the near future. Talent forecasting also helps you understand where your team stands at the moment. This extensive exercise gives you a clear view of the competencies, gaps, and opportunities your workforce currently has.

Read this next: How to get started with talent density for your teams

2. Gap analysis

You want to find the gap �� the skills gap �� as soon as possible.

Any time spared is time and money wasted. But how on earth do you find the gap? You need a skills audit!

A skills inventory doesn’t just tell you where your team lacks skills (the gap) but also what they’re already good at. These are both equally important pieces of information and will help you make a plan that naturally works for your employees.

Read this next: How to conduct a skills inventory of your team for growth

3. Resource allocation

The third element is all about using what you’ve got and figuring out what new tools you might need. You’ve identified what you need from your employees, and you have identified where their skill gap is, so now it’s time to bridge that gap! This might involve something as simple as switching to a better piece of software that helps your employees save time by automating repetitive tasks, or committing to an upskilling exercise by providing them:

• Cross-departmental opportunities,
• Enrolling your workforce in , and workshops to help them gain new skills.
• Creating a virtual peer support and accountability group to check progress.

Now is the time you could also consider fresh recruitment to fill those gaps, but the idea here isn’t to increase the size of the workforce, rather increase the merit and quality of your team. Building a high-talent-density workforce isn’t a new concept.

Read this next: Building lean teams 101

For a strategy that works for your business, you can start with this workforce planning template:

1. Define business goals: Strategic workforce planning begins with clarity about your business goals. Are you aiming to increase revenue, enter a new market, or improve customer retention? By understanding your long-term goals, you can identify the specific roles, skills, and behaviors required to achieve them, ensuring that your workforce planning efforts are targeted and impactful.
2. Assess current workforce capacity: To effectively plan, you need an accurate understanding of your current workforce's capabilities. This involves evaluating your team’s existing skills, strengths, and performance levels. A detailed skills inventory or assessment can help you uncover areas where your team excels and where improvement is needed.
3. Identify gaps: Once you’ve defined your goals and assessed your workforce, the next step is to identify gaps between what you need and what you have. This includes skill gaps, capacity shortfalls, and even behavioral or cultural mismatches that could hinder progress.
4. Create action plans (recruiting, training, or automating tasks): With a clear understanding of your goals and gaps, you can develop a strategic action plan to bridge those gaps. This might involve recruiting new talent to fill critical roles, investing in upskilling programs to enhance your current team’s capabilities, or introducing automation tools to streamline repetitive tasks.
5. Monitor and adjust regularly: Workforce planning isn’t a one-and-done exercise �� it requires continuous monitoring and adaptation. As business priorities shift or market conditions change, your workforce strategy must evolve to stay aligned. Regularly review your progress, reassess your workforce needs, and make adjustments to your plans to ensure long-term success.

McKinsey’s Three Horizons Model

There are many models and ways to go about strategic workforce planning. But none of them marry strategy and workforce planning quite as efficiently as the Three Horizons Model. Fortunately, we think it’s pretty simple to understand, too! The Three Horizons Model of strategic workforce planning uses time as the compass to steer the business with relevant goals and strategies.

Start by drawing time out in three distinct horizons: the present, the short-term future, and the long-term future. Then, one by one, you carefully evaluate the needs and action points for each horizon. Remember, we plan for all three horizons together, but prioritize the first horizon’s activities.

The first horizon deals with immediate needs such as how to reduce attrition, address recent openings, maximizing productivity, or planning on conducting a skills audit. This is the horizon that needs to be planned with the most details.

Then comes the second horizon, which deals with short- to medium-term business goals. The time frame here is within three to five years from when you begin planning �� you’ll want to try and anticipate any threats or opportunities that your workforce may encounter, include your plans to scale the business up, add new departments or roles, any significant working mode transitions (from on-site to remote), or technological innovations you may want or need.

The last horizon is the one that is more tied to your end goal and vision for the business. Since it is so far out into the future (5-10 years), meticulous planning for this horizon is difficult and may never actually actualize. However, this just means that this is the horizon where we have more leeway to be ambitious, to plan for future projects, experimentation, and account for management-level changes.

����’s crucial to do all three horizons simultaneously, but follow the 70-20-10 rule! Horizon one gets 70% of your attention, horizon two gets 20%, and horizon three gets 10%. This helps you and your business effectively balance short-term and long-term goals while also ultimately adapting the path of the greatest good for that vision.

Best practices for strategic workforce planning

Involve all leadership and HR stakeholders in the conversations

Strategic workforce planning only works if you involve the relevant people right away at the planning stage, so when you are working on creating a strategic workforce plan, ensure your strategy leaves no one out. It has to center around the employees and factor their interests and goals in, but it also has to include the leadership �� from the individual contributors to the CEO �� to help guide the business toward its ultimate long-term goals. And, of course, since the HR team will end up being the bridge between the stakeholders, they’re one of the most important stakeholders!

This stage can be tricky since all the parties involved have their own requirements and concerns. How does one strike this conversation and make a plan conducive to everyone’s growth? You know we’ve got you covered!

Read this next: Why communication style matters for business

Prioritize agility & flexibility

Even with a solid bulletproof plan, things can always take an unexpected turn. Sometimes for good, and sometimes not! In case you’re met with inconvenience or obstacles while implementing this plan, what do you do? Abandon it? Absolutely not!

Tweaking is much faster and much more feasible. So, when you are strategizing your own workplace management template, make sure to keep some room for error. A little margin that allows you to maneuver, customize, and course-correct without (much) pain.

Read this next: 10 lessons on continually evolving your business

Focus on employee retention

Did you know hiring is at least more expensive than retaining? Yup! Right at the onset of this blog we told you that strategic workforce planning explicitly doesn’t aim to shelve or replace the current workforce. Rather, it nurtures and grows the existing talent with more skills and tools.

Yes, business needs evolve and new hiring may be the only solution at times, but it shouldn’t be your go-to first solution. The idea behind this whole exercise is to improve company profitability and make your people a long-term culture and performance fit, and that means strategic hiring decisions too!

Ideally, workforce planning strategies create new opportunities for the employees to grow and advance in their careers within the organization.

Watch this next: Unlocking Potential: The Role of Career Advancement & Growth in Employee Retention

Looking for support as you create a workplace where both employees and the organization can reach their full potential? PowerToFly helps the world's leading companies attract top talent and retain engaged employees with solutions that simplify recruitment, enhance employee satisfaction, and drive long-term business success. We'd love to help you build high-performing, inclusive teams.

In the world of recruitment, staying ahead requires embracing change with gusto and thinking proactively. Trends like skills-based hiring and lean team-building are continuing to grow more popular, so organizations must emphasize forward-thinking talent acquisition strategies in order to attract, recruit, and retain the finest talent.

What goes into a talent acquisition strategy, and why is it important?

When we talk about a talent acquisition strategy in this blog, we’re going to be talking about the systematic approach to sourcing, attracting, and hiring top talent while aligning your hiring goals with the business goals.

Unlike reactive hiring methods, talent acquisition strategies are proactive, with an emphasis on developing a strong talent pipeline, nurturing applicants, and supporting long-term organizational goals. A well-crafted plan is critical for firms trying to hire the right talent to accomplish their targets while also encouraging innovation and growth.

Read this next: Talent acquisition - What is it and how to do it inclusively

Should recruiting be paying attention to trends?

Yes! Looking ahead to 2025, we’re definitely seeing the talent market influenced by several transformative trends you should look at, including:

Skills-based hiring will outpace degree-based requirements: As industries prioritize practical ability above formal qualification, skills-based hiring will become the dominant talent acquisition strategy. Companies such as Google and Apple, for example, have already eliminated degree requirements for many positions, instead focusing on individuals' demonstrated expertise and performance in skill evaluations. This trend allows organizations to tap into a larger talent pool, encouraging diversity and innovation while addressing significant skill shortages in fields such as technology, healthcare, and engineering. It also tends to encourage better retention and lower churn!

Watch this next: The skills-based revolution

Remote and hybrid-first hiring will continue to dominate: Candidates and employers value the flexibility provided by remote and hybrid work models. Beyond the inherent lifestyle options this allows, remote and hybrid work arrangements provide access to talent pools far outside their headquartered cities, allowing companies to hire the best candidates regardless of location. To thrive with this model, businesses must invest in digital collaboration tools, clear remote work regulations, and training programs that keep staff productive and engaged regardless of their physical proximity.

Read this next: 10 lessons on continually evolving your business for 2025

Inclusive workplaces will win over candidates: Not just a buzzword; candidates are looking for companies with strong diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) programs and inclusive company cultures. Companies with more inclusive atmospheres enjoy some very real benefits such as higher employee retention, improved team performance, and increased innovation. To attract (and keep!) top talent, organizations must go beyond surface-level DEIB commitments and provide genuine perks such as maternity leave policy, mental health support, anti-bias training, and additional accessibility accommodations.

Read this next: The DEIB-backed employee benefits candidates expect to see in 2025

For even on what’s trending for the upcoming year, check out: New talent acquisition trends to watch in 2025

Step-by-step guide to build your talent acquisition strategy

1. Define your hiring goals

The very first step in developing an effective talent acquisition strategy is to establish your specific, measurable hiring targets (KPIs, etc.). Your goals should be in line with your company's overall objectives and ideally anticipate future employment requirements whenever possible.

Examples of hiring goals might include:

• Reducing the time-to-hire for vital roles by 20%.
• Increasing the percentage of diverse hires by 10%.
• Cultivating candidate satisfaction scores to 4.5/5.

Read this next: Maximize your workforce with high-performing teams

2. Build a candidate persona based on the skills for the job

To bring in the right talent, it helps to know what an ideal candidate looks like (on paper, not literally). However, be careful because focusing entirely on stringent prerequisites such as degrees or even years of experience in that job title/industry/etc., might limit diversity. Instead, build a candidate persona that highlights the role's required skills, talents, and traits.

Example: Instead of demanding a specific degree or five years of experience, a marketing manager can prioritize talents such as content strategy, data analysis, and leadership.

Read this next: Skills-based hiring for a more inclusive workforce

3. Optimize your employer brand

Your employer brand is simply your company's reputation in the workplace. Naturally, a strong, authentic employer brand can attract top talent and differentiate you from competition. Consider using employee testimonials, underlining business values, and emphasizing career growth prospects in your branding efforts.

Read this next: 10 employer brand mistakes (and solutions) for 2025

4. Tap into diverse communities

Sourcing candidates from various communities is an important part of modern talent acquisition strategy! Forging partnerships with organizations that promote underrepresented groups, attending diversity-focused job fairs, and utilizing online platforms are all excellent strategies to broaden your reach. Traditional hiring can be fairly exclusionary, so go grab some talent that’s historically been on the sidelines!

Psst... wondering how? Meet PowerPro, your platform for in-depth recruitment funnel data and insights. PowerPro’s dashboard gives you instant access to actionable recruiting insights and the performance metrics you need to hit your DEIB goals.

Contact our team to learn how PowerPro can help you transform diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) in your workplace.

Read this next: 16 best talent acquisition softwares

5. Leverage employee referrals

Employee referrals can be a powerful tool for locating qualified candidates. To encourage referrals, design programs that reward employees for proposing candidates who meet your company's goals and values. Clear standards and incentives can boost participation and help you develop a strong talent pipeline. Don’t ignore qualifications and skills though!

Read this next: 7 chat & learns to elevate your hiring game

6. Use data to drive decisions

Data-driven hiring is a great way to optimize your talent acquisition strategy. Software tools like dashboards with clear metrics and tracking can help you understand key performance indicators (KPIs) such as time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, and quality-of-hire.

For example:

Read this next: The future of AI recruiting: What to know as an employer

7. Invest in the candidate recruitment experience

The candidate experience can absolutely make or break your talent acquisition strategy and since onboarding doesn’t end after an offer letter, it can affect turnover as well! To provide a positive experience:

• Communicate transparently throughout the hiring process.
• Streamline application procedures.
• Personalize interview interactions.

Read this next: How to recruit candidates with DEIB in mind

8. Build an inclusive onboarding process for new hires

Like in the previous step, an inclusive onboarding procedure is vital for preparing new hires for continued success. This involves making training materials more accessible, designating mentors, and building relationships with diverse teams.

Read this next: 7 steps for inclusive remote onboarding

Assemble your talent acquisition strategy

Honestly, we feel like crafting an effective talent acquisition strategy is not really an option; it’s a must-have for businesses seeking to remain competitive in this already competitive talent market. You can recruit and retain top talent while creating a more inclusive workplace by defining your hiring goals, focusing on skills-based hiring, enhancing your employer brand, and making data-driven decisions.

Consider this your call to action to think beyond traditional hiring practices and embrace strategies that prioritize innovation, diversity, and inclusion! With these tools and insights, your business can face the challenges of 2025 while emerging stronger, more agile, and better prepared for the future of work.

Looking for support as you build high-performing, inclusive teams? PowerToFly helps the world's leading companies attract top talent and retain engaged employees with solutions that simplify recruitment, enhance employee satisfaction, and drive long-term business success. Let's chat!

Employer branding and recruitment have become completely entwined, and while traditional recruitment methods aim to fill positions with competent employees, employer branding focuses on developing a strong, desirable reputation as an employer of choice. The correlation between these two areas cannot be overstated. Employer branding is important because it directly influences the ability of a company to attract (and retain!) top talent.

Let’s take a second to explore how employer branding impacts recruitment, why it’s a game changer for talent attraction and retention, and talk through some practical strategies for building an authentic and compelling employer brand.

What is employer branding?

Employer branding essentially refers to how a company presents itself to job seekers. It influences public perceptions of workplace culture, values, and general working environment. It's not just about what a company does, but also how it treats its employees, which is critical in attracting and retaining top talent.

Key elements of employer branding

• Company culture: The common values, attitudes, and practices of an organization.
• Employee experience: How employees feel about their jobs, from onboarding to regular mundane tasks.
• Career development: Prospects for growth, learning, and progress inside the organization.
• Work environment: Physical and virtual workspaces that promote employee productivity and well-being.

Why employer branding is important

A well-established employer brand can have a significant impact on both recruitment and retention. Consider companies who are infamous for great benefits, or unique workplace cultures. Why does employer branding and recruitment work so well together?

1. Attracts high-quality candidates

• Creates a compelling narrative: A strong employer brand enables businesses to communicate their stories and highlight what makes them distinctive before the job listing is even posted. Candidates that are aligned with your company's culture are more likely to apply.
• Differentiates from competitors: In a (very) competitive talent market, a positive reputation can help a company stand out.
• Increases interest: Candidates are more likely to apply to organizations with a high reputation.

2. Reduces hiring costs

• Streamlines the hiring process: A well-established employer brand can nearly eliminate the need for significant marketing spend and decreases the number of hiring stages by attracting more suitable candidates early.
• Fewer rejections: Candidates who were drawn to your company culture in the first place are more likely to accept offers, which saves time and resources on recruitment.

3. Improves employee retention

• Aligns expectations with reality: When candidates understand what to anticipate from working at your organization, they are more inclined to stay longer.
• Fosters employee loyalty: A favorable work environment that represents the company's values increases worker satisfaction, resulting in higher retention rates.
• Boosts employee engagement: Employees who identify with the company's mission and values are inclined to be engaged and productive.

How employer branding is a game changer for recruitment

1. It builds trust with candidates

• Transparency: A good employer brand gives candidates a clear picture of what your company stands for, which renders them more likely to trust you and apply for the job.
• Authentic content: Sharing employee personal stories, working experiences, and company norms increases credibility with authenticity from actual employees.

2. It enhances candidate experience

• Better engagement: Candidates that understand your company's culture and principles are more inclined to participate fully in your recruitment process.
• Seamless application process: When your employer brand is robust, job seekers can confidently navigate the recruitment process, recognizing exactly what to expect.

3. It boosts candidate quality

• Attracts the right fit: A strong employer brand guarantees that you attract individuals who have not only the required skills but also the appropriate cultural fit.
• Reduces time to hire: When your brand connects with potential applicants, the process advances more quickly and efficiently.

Building a positive employer brand: practical tactics

Building an exceptional employer brand makes use of several techniques and strategies, including real content development and direct engagement with candidates. Here are some innovative and actionable techniques to help you create a strong employer brand. We know they work because we also use them!

1. Leverage blogs and video content

• Showcase employee stories: Highlight day-to-day stories or employee interviews to provide job seekers with insight into your company culture.
• Create informative content: Write blog posts or produce videos about professional growth prospects, employee benefits, and your company's community involvement.
• Engage with potential candidates: Post content on your website or social media that directly addresses the type of employees you wish to attract.

Example from PowerToFly: We collaborate with companies to create compelling blogs and videos that highlight their culture. These pieces give prospective applicants an inside look of the company, fostering trust even before they apply.

2. Host virtual and in-person events

• Showcase your company values: Hosting webinars, career fairs, and networking events allows you to showcase your organization and its values to potential applicants.
• Engage directly with job seekers: Events give job seekers the opportunity to ask questions and interact with staff or leadership, strengthening their relationship to your brand.

Example from PowerToFly: PowerToFly's Diversity Reboot Summit is an excellent example of an event where companies can demonstrate their diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) endeavors while connecting directly with prospective employees.

3. Promote employee testimonials and reviews

• Build social proof: Support employees to share their experiences on sites such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, or your company's website. Positive testimonials can boost job seekers' confidence in your company.
• Share success stories: Feature stories on employee growth, internal promotions, and career advancement. These stories are effective tools for attracting like-minded candidates.

Example from PowerToFly: We frequently highlight companies and their specific teams or niche jobsets on our blog and social media to give candidates an insider-look at what kinds of workplace cultures exist out in the world.

4. Engage on social media

• Highlight your company culture: Use networks like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram to convey information about your workplace, beliefs, and mission.
• Post behind-the-scenes content: Share behind-the-scenes footage or "day in the life" content that highlights your company's workplace and culture.

Example from PowerToFly: We support companies in efficiently using social media by sharing material that tells the company's narrative and demonstrates why it is a wonderful workplace for employees.

The power of employer branding in recruitment

Today's hiring landscape is ultra-competitive, so employer branding is no longer a "nice-to-have" �� it's a strategic imperative. A strong employer brand not only helps you attract top talent, but also promotes long-term employee retention. Companies can improve their reputation as employers of choice and create long-term relationships with top talent by implementing innovative strategies such as blogs, videos, social media, and virtual events.

PowerToFly helps businesses create and implement effective employer branding strategies that attract, engage, and retain the best talent. Whether that’s through unique content, immersive events, or savvy social media management, we help businesses express their brand stories in ways that appeal with candidates.

As of 2024, of recruiters are already using AI in their recruitment process and hey, that’s a pretty impressive number! But are businesses utilizing AI to its fullest? Are they being mindful about AI implementation in their business where they do use it? AI has many use cases, and new ones pop up each day, but the connection between AI and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI, sometimes DEIB for Belonging) is woefully under-explored.

There’s already plenty of anxiety surrounding AI. Will it take away jobs? What kind of jobs are at risk? Will it take away all jobs eventually? Business leaders know AI will not be a replacement, but rather a resource and amplifier for human talent. AI is not a threat, but an ally, particularly when it comes to things that humans aren’t super good at, like unconscious bias.

For instance, AI can help automate the recruitment process from preparing onboarding checklists to sending timely reminders, but it can also make recruiting more accessible for candidates by making it easier for candidates to virtually access the information they need easier, and at their own pace. AI is making communication between teams better. Candidates and onboarding buddy coordination is now seamless. It is for this reason that more and more recruitment drives are now teaming up with AI for smarter hiring.

of businesses using AI also employ it in their onboarding protocol, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg that is employee experience!

AI has far more potential than we’ve unlocked so far, and of course, AI can play a crucial role in promoting DEIB within a business!

Here are some ways businesses can start with AI to drive employee satisfaction:

Employee engagement:

Workplaces can often feel uncomfortable and difficult to navigate for employees from marginalized communities and less-represented backgrounds, where they may not feel as confident or “important�� enough to speak up. A business that prioritizes DEIB understands that everyone is an equal stakeholder and important for the workplace ecosystem and takes the steps needed to make everyone feel supported.

AI can help! With the help of feedback collection and surveys, AI can collect and interpret data to map an employee’s sentiments, interests, discomforts, and even their pain points. This data can then be used to formulate strategies for a more inclusive workplace.

Removing bias:

Even in a business that prides itself upon inclusivity and diversity, human recruiters still carry a certain unconscious bias against names, race, age, or gender. AI can be programmed to overrule those biases and only filter out applications based on professional requirements. And that’s not all! The objective nature of AI can be used post-recruitment as well. Performance reviews and employee assessments passed via the filter of AI will also be free of subjective bias or personal preferences.

However �� it is important to note that the algorithm can develop a bias based on the data it has been trained on, which is why constant evaluation and updates are required to ensure AI and diversity and inclusion go hand in hand.

Got 30 minutes? Good! Join PowerToFly in this crisp and insightful discussion on the effect of AI on DEIB.

Personalized training:

Wondering how to include everyone on your team and grow as a unit? The answer may not lie in team spirit, but rather in seeing each individual for their own talents and methods. When looking to create a truly inclusive workspace, the learning and development modules meant for employees should be tailored for each talent and made to suit their unique style.

No surprises here �� this extent of personalization is possible with AI!

Not only does AI have the data required to help you make a plan on what works with who, AI can also help you gauge the efficiency of these plans and automate commands to make real-time changes in the output whenever an employee requests training.

Accessibility:

Truly want to make an inclusive work space for all? Start with creating a place where everyone is comfortable getting the information and resources they need. Accessibility covers a wide variety of topics: from font readability, to translators, to alt-text, design choices, availability of information...the list goes on!

Language shouldn’t be a barrier, nor should time zones or regions. AI-powered chatbots can bridge the gaps that exist when your only point of contact at a company is a human. Chatbots are accessible 24/7, and with AI, they can be dynamic, flexible, and highly accurate. Any query your employee has can be answered based on their preferred communication style at their own pace.

Leadership and succession planning:

AI can help foster more diverse workspaces as data learning gets more and more fine-tuned to remove bias and gets better at finding diverse talents for a role. AI can be trained to identify qualified candidates from diverse backgrounds, putting highly qualified candidates front and center, increasing their shot at career advancement.

Moreover, for your employees already within the company, AI will help evaluate your workforce and help find the right person for a leadership position, since AI doesn’t base its judgment on unconscious bias. Keep in mind, AI is rooted in hard data, previous performance reviews, skill assessments, and sentiment mapping, so you’ll probably want to supplement with some of the intangible observations too! Business leaders can also rely on AI insights and automation commands to make the business more future-ready.

Downsides? What downsides?

AI does seem to have a lot of points in its favor, but AI is far from perfect. Businesses need to consistently reevaluate the algorithm or tool they’re using to ensure it hasn’t developed a bias against certain keywords. Data privacy can also be another concern, so work with your IT and HR departments to ensure all the tools are secure. There is still a strong need for human touch to ensure that AI delivers as expected.

Read how human touch is indispensable as we begin leveraging AI in talent management.

AI and the human touch

Businesses can ally with AI to create an ecosystem for work like never before. However, they have to remember that transparency is inclusivity, and the usage of AI has to be purposefully communicated to their employees with appropriate discretion. Employees may particularly feel hesitant to incorporate AI, so it’s important to stress the potential of this technology and that it’s being used to augment processes in their favor, not replace them.

By informing their employees and maintaining full transparency over the usage of AI, businesses can build productivity as well as trust.

AI shows promise. AI is not just the future, it’s already the present. In fact, even some of the most commonly used tools like ChatGPT make a strong case for AI and diversity’s union. In our recent study on ChatGPT’s implication for workforce and DEIB, we found out areas that ChatGPT has positively transformed and also a few points that may still require human brains and amends. Curious? Check out ChatGPT and DEIB.

The job market changes quickly, and traditional talent acquisition strategies frequently fail to meet the dynamic needs of a business. Enter: the talent community, a game-changing technique that uses interconnected talent pools to network and recruit. Let’s take a look at the advantages of joining and engaging in talent communities, how they work, and how they may help you transform your talent acquisition strategy. We'll also share actionable tips on how to properly engage with these communities.

What is a talent community?

While they can take a variety of forms, loosely speaking we’re talking about a network of professionals who share similar interests, skills, or industries. These communities foster participation, knowledge sharing, and networking among their members. Unlike traditional recruitment approaches, talent communities focus on developing long-term relationships with potential applicants rather than filling immediate vacancies.

shows that referred candidates are 55% faster to hire, have higher retention rates, and can save you an average of $3,000 per hire.

The benefits of talent communities

1. Access to a diverse talent pool: Talent communities bring together people with diverse origins, experiences, and skill sets. Businesses can find candidates who not only satisfy the technical requirements of a position, but also bring fresh perspectives and ideas to the table.
2. Proactive talent acquisition: Traditional recruitment is reactive by nature, often driven by current hiring needs. Talent communities support strategies, because you can nurture relationships with candidates long before a position opens up, it’s easy to develop a pipeline of ready-to-hire talent!
3. Enhanced employer branding: Participating in talent communities can dramatically . Engaging with potential candidates in a non-recruitment setting demonstrates your company's dedication to industry engagement and professional growth, increasing your organization's desirability.
4. Improved candidate experience: Engaging in talent communities can improve the . Candidates appreciate when companies take the time to create relationships and understand their career goals, which leads to a more positive view of your organization.
5. Knowledge sharing and industry insights: Talent communities are a great of industry insights and trends. Keep your team up to date on the latest developments and best practices, all while supporting your talent acquisition strategy.

How talent communities work

Talent communities operate on a variety of platforms and styles, including online forums, social media groups, professional networks, and industry events. of 700 college students and grads found that one in every three respondents who had already taken a job had also been part of a talent community.

Here a few significant ways you can participate in talent communities:

• Social Media Groups: LinkedIn, Facebook, and other offer groups dedicated to specific sectors or professions, allowing members to interact and engage.
• Online Forums and Discussion Boards: Platforms such as Reddit, GitHub, and have active communities where professionals can discuss industry trends, share information, and connect.
• Professional Networks: Websites such as PowerToFly, Glassdoor, and provide specialized venues for professionals to network, find employment opportunities, and interact with potential employers.
• Industry Events: Conferences, webinars, and virtual job fairs (such as PowerToFly's upcoming Virtual Job Fair) are wonderful ways to network and interact with top talent in your profession.

Tips for engaging with talent communities effectively

1. Be authentic and genuine: Focus on developing genuine relationships and adding value to the community by sharing your thoughts, answering questions, and joining in debates.
2. Create value-added content: industry news, thought-leadership articles, and useful resources. Engaging with the community can establish your organization as a knowledgeable and trustworthy asset to the community.
3. Leverage polls and surveys: Participate in the community by creating polls or surveys on or other platforms. This not only gives you insightful data, but also promotes interaction and involvement!
4. Participate in forums and Q&A sessions: Join relevant forums and actively participate in the . This indicates your competence and willingness to assist others, which may attract prospective candidates.
5. Collaborate: Share the love with other businesses or entities to organize events, webinars, or workshops. This both increases your reach and credibility in the community (with some added networking bonuses!)
6. Highlight success stories: Share from employees recruited through talent communities, demonstrating the wins from your recruitment technique and it encourages others to participate.

Popular talent communities

Looking for a place to get started?

• PowerToFly: PowerToFly provides virtual job fairs, webinars, and community events, which provide countless networking and recruitment opportunities.
• LinkedIn Groups: LinkedIn hosts multiple from a variety of industries, making it an excellent venue for networking and engagement.
• GitHub: is well-known for its repository hosting service, but it also boasts an active developer community that works together on projects and exchanges knowledge.
• Reddit: With dedicated to various professions and sectors, Reddit provides a forum for profound discussions and knowledge sharing.
  

Action item: PowerToFly's virtual job fair

Ready to dive in? PowerToFly's Virtual Job Fair is a great example of how to use talent communities for recruitment. These fairs bring together companies and job seekers in a lively, interactive setting, where companies can promote their employer brand, interact with prospective employees, and even conduct preliminary interviews.

Benefits of participating in �ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s virtual job fair

1. Brand visibility: Sponsoring or participating in the job fair increases your company's visibility and reputation in the community.
2. Access to a targeted audience: PowerToFly's focus on diversity and equality in the workforce assures that you have access to a diversified and highly skilled talent pool.
3. Networking opportunities: The virtual format enables smooth networking and engagement with potential employees from around the globe!

Interested in becoming a sponsor?

We still have some sponsorship opportunities for our upcoming Virtual Job Fair. This is a perfect chance for businesses wishing to leverage the potential of talent communities in their talent acquisition strategies.

Go forth, and find top talent!

Incorporating talent communities into your talent acquisition strategies can transform how you attract and hire top talent. As an added bonus, you’ll strengthen your employer brand and talent pipeline by fostering genuine relationships, offering valuable insights, and actively participating in these groups. Don't miss out on the opportunity to participate in events like PowerToFly's Virtual Job Fair and start leveraging the benefits of these powerful talent communities now.

By harnessing the power of talent communities, you can improve your recruitment strategies and stay connected to the finest and brightest in your industry.

Amazon is on a learning and development mission to upskill one-third of its American workforce by 2025.

"Why is one of the world’s biggest companies spending so much on just training?" you might be asking. We get it! After all, Amazon could probably afford to just hire the best and brightest minds, right?

Two big reasons:

1. Recruitment is more expensive than retention.
2. ����’s all about the skill gap!

. The world is going through a talent shortage. There aren’t enough qualified takers for the jobs available, and that leaves us with only one option: Build.

How does learning and development close the 'skill gap?��

The skills-first approach is somewhat new. The constant churn of new technology renders older businesses and products irrelevant every day. These kinds of sudden disruptions make even the most well-trained employee susceptible to the skill gap.

This got us thinking, so we set out to conduct an independent study on the present as well as the future of the workforce—not just studying what the employers need but also what diverse talent wants in 2024.

The good news is that 91% of employees we surveyed said they are ready to learn; they want to level up.

The other good news is that we live in the age of remote learning and development. Virtual methods (live interactions, video tutorials, gamified learning, webinars, etc.) can enable your employees to learn at their own pace and place.

However, remote learning, much like remote workforce management, has some challenges.

Why is remote upskilling more complex?

1. Self-started and self-learned (mostly)

Online training, the primary method available for remote upskilling, really only works if the employee wants it to work because it requires a learner to hold themselves responsible and accountable.

Remote learning and development programs can incorporate milestones and frequent check-ins but it still boils down to the trainee’s initiative.

2. Requires technical proficiency and readily available support

COVID made the world more tech-savvy �� true!

But, even today, it can still be a struggle to execute a video call where everyone can hear everyone, no one’s video freezes, no one drops off, and everyone understands the assignment. (Relatable?)

Connection issues, software incompatibility, hardware malfunctions, and difficulty using the specific tool needed for learning can all hinder progress. To counter this problem, businesses need a dependable and proactive IT team with some fail safe measures to ensure as little disruption as possible.

3. Screen fatigue

There’s no getting around it �� remote learning and development programs increase the trainee’s exposure to screens, and prolonged fixation can lead to screen fatigue.

An important aspect of remote workforce management is ensuring your employees keep a sustainable pace to their learning and take frequent screen breaks to reduce fatigue.

4. Follow-ups and feedback

Employees typically have lots of options for feedback, but the catch is that online follow-ups aren’t quite as candid or prompt, which can result in delayed resolution.

On-site feedback is more efficient because of speed and ease, allowing for more one-on-one personalized guidance and attention. Follow-up queries and gaps can be resolved faster. Managers should make an effort to ensure remote employees still feel supported and heard during the training process.

5. Low networking

In-person learning allows direct interactions with your instructor and other learners. Learning opportunities can also be great team-building opportunities, and are important for the employee’s career progression. Online training can feel aloof and secluding �� but it doesn’t have to!

6. Scattered by default

By design, remote work isolates, and remote workforce management requires excellent communication, coordination, and structure.

Remote learning and development programs test those skills on an advanced level. ����’s already a challenge to get a hold of all the team members at the same time in different time zones, work environments, etc. Now imagine doing all that, across teams, for a company training!

A lot of coordination has to happen to ensure that everyone’s on the same page.

7. Impact on business productivity and work hours

Some managers complain that the time spent on training could have been spent on finishing work. Training sessions can indeed cause a temporary slowdown in your team’s productivity, or may temporarily increase the workload on the rest of the team.

However, upskilling is an investment that pays dividends fast!

of HR professionals already feel that their company faces moderate to severe skill gaps, so you can leverage that momentum and drive teamwork amidst employees so they can all upskill and support each other.

Upskilling seems even more important for remote employees when you realize that under skilled employees require more micromanagement. When you upskill your employees, you enable and empower them and foster self-sufficiency, which is key for remote setups to work.

How to make remote learning and development more efficient

1. Individualized development programs and parameters:

To make remote learning and development programs more effective, we have to deep dive into each employee’s skills, skill gaps, work schedules, and other commitments so we can chart out their Personal Development Plans (PDPs). Their mentor and manager can then use this plan to personalize the learning techniques and establish tangible metrics to measure the progress.

A well-mapped PDP structure will enable the employee and the employer to grow faster and more efficiently.

2. Keep it short and fun

Reality check �� attention spans are at an all-time low. How do you make lessons stick? Three words: short, knowledge-rich, and fun.

How do we make it fun? One way to break the monotony is to offer a blend of learning tools—videos, text, live webinars, and games. The more formats you can experiment with, the better it is. Some sessions can be instructor-led, others can be self-led. Just make sure you’re gathering feedback and adjusting accordingly!

3. Mentorship programs

Remote work can feel disconnected and isolating. You could upskill your employees using 100% virtual pre-recorded videos and pre-documented steps. But, we know human touch is still vital in all remote workforce management.

A mentor isn’t just the expert on-hand, but also acts as a guide for the employee. They will be the go-to person for all challenges and acts as the bridge that enables employees to engage with the training. Connected employees are more productive and stay longer!

4. Budget allocation specifically for learning and development

Employers need to step in and provide their teams with the right resources needed. You don’t have to be Amazon and dedicate $700 million,, but, on average, most American companies spend $1,500 per employee, per year, towards their learning and development.

You ‘right�� number will be determined by evaluating the skill gap and the correct ‘course�� of action. (At , we like a good pun just as much as we like creating high-value trainings!)

5. Incentivize training

If you want your remote workforce to take upskilling more seriously, make it more rewarding for them to do so. Group quizzes or similar events could bring some friendly competitiveness back in the game and engage the learners better. You could also reward the top learners and winners with a bonus, gift vouchers, paid free time, or even a simple certificate. Encouraged employees are also empowered employees.

Conclusion

We are living in a rapidly changing skill-based economy, where skills are the most valuable currency. Efficient remote workforce management starts with effective remote learning and development.

Looking for a place to start? Set up a demo with PowerUp and close the skill gap.

Introduction

Since 2014, PowerToFly has been elevating underrepresented talent and helping organizations build inclusive, representative workplaces where this talent can thrive. That’s a decade’s worth of workplace diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) efforts, and a decade of witnessing both wins and losses in this space.

We’ve seen inequitable work cultures and policies held to account during #MeToo and after the 2020 murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Dominique Fells, Riah Milton, and far too many other Black Americans. We’ve seen major boons in salary transparency and “ban the box�� laws, as well as the increased adoption of DEIB trainings and initiatives covering , , age diversity, , and more.

We’ve also seen the outright removal of rights for many identity groups, and stalled progress for others. In the United States:

• The right of trans and gender non-confirming folks to simply exist is at risk.
• Workers in many states are reliant on things like their employers�� PTO policy in order to travel distances for needed and, at times, life-saving reproductive healthcare.
• And a probable nominee for president has his intention to begin mass deportations and reinstate a “Muslim ban�� if reelected.

Against this backdrop, and following the 2023 reversal of affirmative action and subsequent at some public universities, the has been called into question. So far, a between corporate leaders over the best way to shore up and protect DEIB is evident.

But the primary goal �� shoring up, protecting, and continuing with this work �� remains a securely shared one. In a September 2023 PowerToFly forum for executives, 56% said they were either maintaining or increasing DEIB spend in 2024, while just 9% said they were decreasing it.

To effectively continue with DEIB work amid sweeping social, legislative, and environmental changes, the same approach we’ve always advocated for is required....

If you want to understand how best to elevate underrepresented talent in the workplace, go to the source and ask them.

Data-driven decision-making is at the heart of business intelligence. Before we figure out where we’re going, we need to know where we are. Diverse professionals are facing new challenges in 2024, and it’s more important than ever to listen to what they have to say.

For �ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s fourth annual What Diverse Talent Wants report, we surveyed 600+ professionals across backgrounds and identities about what they need to see from their existing and prospective employers �� in terms of practices, benefits, professional development opportunities, work cultures, and more �� in 2024. We then analyzed and distilled that data into strategic, actionable recommendations that organizations can implement today.

From our reporting and analysis, we learned that diverse professionals want employers to do the following in 2024:

1. Invest more in learning and development.
   
2. Pay what you preach.
3. Don’t forsake flexibility.
4. Rethink the candidate experience.
5. Solve today’s employee connection crisis, for good.
6. Double down on DEIB.

Forget manual work and embrace efficiency with
PowerToFly's all-in-one diversity recruiting software.

Request a demo

Our data reveals a trend of increasing worker dissatisfaction.

A full 88% of all respondents to our survey (both employed and not employed) are actively job searching.

, we saw a decrease in workers�� intent-to-leave, indicating that the effects of the Great Resignation had attenuated. That rate is back up in 2024, with 59% of currently employed respondents actively considering quitting their job this year, compared to 49% in 2023. Another 24% aren't yet sure whether they'll consider quitting.

So, where is this worker dissatisfaction coming from?

In 2024, workers are facing challenging experiences in �� and out of �� the workplace.

We’re told the U.S. economy is stronger than it has been in years, and yet, Americans are stuck in a bad ��.�� In lieu of stronger social safety nets, navigating rising costs of living remains ultimately tied to workplace benefits and employer decision-making. And, as organizations rapidly change (and change again) the way they do business, workers are left feeling .

The led to a high in worker choice and autonomy, but major layoffs from top companies in 2023 have driven feelings of insecurity. Our 2024 survey found that only 44% of underrepresented workers feel confident in their job security, compared to 60% in 2023.

Notably, when breaking out our 2024 data according to gender identity, confidence in job security is still 60% for men. Meanwhile, only 43% of women and 0% of trans and non-binary respondents were confident in their job security.

And what about the fear of starting a new job only to lose it? Our survey found that nearly half (47%) of underrepresented workers have been laid off at some point in their career �� slightly higher than the national average of �� and 1-in-5 were laid off in 2023.

Other factors adding to today's environment of worker insecurity and dissatisfaction include:

• Positive economic gains, like a low unemployment rate and strong consumer spending, are overshadowed by long-term economic challenges, like growing inequality and housing and healthcare affordability, leaving workers about the economy now than they did in the depths of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Workplace policy has also driven dissatisfaction in the daily lives of employees. In 2023, a wave of led to significant pushback from workers. That battle ended in hybrid work arrangements that, in many cases, now skew more heavily toward in-office work. Given that PowerToFly started in 2014 with an emphasis on remote job opportunities, it wasn’t surprising that most of our survey respondents are still in fully remote (47%) or hybrid (29%) roles. However, our number of respondents who say they’re fully in-office has ticked up 8% since 2023, and there's concern over a loss of location flexibility in future roles.
• On top of that, employees are feeling overworked. The average worker today is responsible for the work of . Globally, U.S. employees work some of the �� more than Japan and in Europe.
• Meanwhile, Generative AI captured the world’s attention in 2023 �� and left many workers feeling underprepared and worried about future industry impacts. shows that while nearly all workers (95%) see value in working with AI technology, 60% are concerned that it could lead to job loss, burnout, and stress, and just 5% of organizations are providing relevant skills training.

Despite all this, worker engagement is actually high.

Dissatisfaction and intent-to-leave rates may be high, but our 2024 data showed that engagement levels among underrepresented workers are high, too. Some 76% of respondents report being either "somewhat" or "very" engaged at work, and just 4% say they’re "very disengaged."

This means the worker dissatisfaction we’re seeing is not burnout. ����’s distrust and discontentedness over “shouting into the wind.�� In other words: Despite high effort and engagement, workers aren’t feeling rewarded with the job security, advancement opportunities, and pay they desire in return.

These feelings of not being heard or cared for open several opportunities for organizations to step up and truly set underrepresented workers up for success, including by prioritizing:

• Upskilling and professional development, including on platforms like PowerUp
• Salary transparency
• Flexibility
• An improved candidate experience
• Rebuilt employee connection and relationships
• Strengthened DEIB

To arrive at these recommendations for the 2024 What Diverse Talent Wants report, we talked to a pool of 634 diverse professionals. Of that group:

Now, let’s focus on what the data shows us �� and what organizations can do about it.

Contents

• On learning and development
• On transparent pay (and more of it)
• On the candidate experience
• On connection
• On DEIB
• In their Words: Direct feedback from talent
• Next steps and recommended resources
• Methods

1. Invest in learning and development.

One of the most consistent takeaways from our survey data? Underrepresented workers want more professional development and learning opportunities at work this year, and lots of them. Consider: A full 91% of respondents said they want to see more upskilling from employers in 2024.

Also in respondents�� top five 2024 wants: Clearer career pathing and progression models, more leadership development opportunities, and more AI training and resources. These were all ranked above benefits like work-life balance and flexible scheduling, despite the fact our survey also found a downward trend year-over-year in work-life balance satisfaction. (More on that later.)

So, why the major emphasis on learning and development?

Our theory: After years of a pandemic, economic and legislative uncertainty, and pendulum-swinging disruptions to the way we work, people want to see their companies invest in them in a way that’s proven to provide security and upward mobility.

Bells-and-whistles benefits are great. But without clear, organized, and invested-in systems of support to help underrepresented professionals develop and grow in their fields, stability is hard to reach. That’s especially true as the widespread adoption of AI promises to disrupt the way work is done yet-further; it’s no coincidence that 78% of survey respondents want more AI training and resources this year.

Our survey also showed racial and gender identity-based trends in the value that workers place on upskilling and L&D.

While 88% of respondents who identified as men wanted more upskilling in 2024, 91% of women and 100% of non-binary respondents wanted it, as did 100% of trans respondents. Relatedly, when asked how likely they’d be to leave their current job for a position that afforded more L&D in 2024, 61% of White respondents said they would leave while 77% of Black, 81% of Latino, 73% of Asian, and 80% of Indigenous respondents would.

As you look to answer diverse talent’s call for more upskilling and development in 2024, what are the areas where workers today want to grow the most? We put it to our 600+ survey respondents. Below, check out which skills they wanted to grow the most in 2024, then read on for actionable strategies to bring more L&D into your workplace in 2024.

2024 action items

Create or revisit your ongoing education stipend.

Education stipends are a key resource for employee learning and professional development. Your stipend should be flexible so that an employee can apply it to a passion or interest of their choice. Federal tax allows a tax-free educational stipend of up to per year. Industry leaders like Google, Visa, T-Mobile, Chase, and many others offer the top range and beyond.

Start a mentorship program.

Mentorship is a working relationship that supports the professional and personal growth of both mentor and mentee. Many mentorships begin informally, which can leave people unsure of how to find a mentor and can also increase the odds of affinity bias between mentors and mentees. Having a formal, developed mentorship program at work gives every employee access to these powerful relationships. (Note: We’ve also seen the impact that can come from giving underrepresented workers outside of company-owned channels, too.) To get started with a mentorship initiative, define goals, outline your process, identify potential mentors and mentees, and match them.

Promote psychological safety in the workplace.

Psychological safety is the feeling that you can share your ideas, questions, or mistakes without punishment or humiliation. ����’s a key element of whether learning exists or can’t in a workplace. Provide training on psychological safety to managers and teams. Managers should demonstrate curiosity, frame work as a learning process, and respond positively to feedback from employees.

Explore online training and upskilling courses on PowerUp.

Subscribing to �ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s online learning and development platform, PowerUp, unlocks a library of self-paced, expert-led courses for you and your team. Check out the , which includes inclusive AI training, and gain SHRM and HRCI recertification credits for each course you complete. You’ll also get access to resources like crash-course videos on key DEIB subjects, templates, a 2024 DEIB calendar, trending news, and more!

2. Pay what you preach.

Remember that rise in worker dissatisfaction we talked about?

Dissatisfaction was up across a number of core areas for our 2024 survey, and salary tops the list. A full 50% of respondents were either "very" or "somewhat" dissatisfied with their salary in 2024, up from both and .

Tellingly, our survey data showed strong differences in salary sentiment when broken down by racial identity. While 44% of White respondents were either very or somewhat dissatisfied with their salary, the same was true for 64% of Black respondents, 54% of Asian respondents, and 46% of Latino respondents �� a pattern that makes sense when you consider ongoing .

Let’s reiterate the obvious: Underrepresented workers want to grow, advance, and, yes, be paid for it.

Pay may not be the only thing that matters, but let’s not undersell its importance �� it matters. That’s particularly true against a backdrop of rising costs of living, rising workloads, and a feeling that your company may not have a clear plan for how they’ll upskill and develop you, helping you to reach higher pay thresholds. Consider this related finding: 46% of our survey respondents were either very or somewhat dissatisfied with their company’s learning and development (L&D) opportunities.

Salary and L&D also both ranked high for reasons diverse talent would leave their current role to pursue a job with a new company.

In our survey, 98% of underrepresented workers said they’d be either somewhat or very likely to leave their existing job for better pay in 2024 �� up 7% from �� and 94% said they’d be somewhat or very likely to leave for better L&D, up 6% from 2023.

A need for more transparency was also a clear throughline of the survey, with a desire for more salary transparency �� something 79% of all respondents and 87% of LGBTQIA+ identifying respondents wanted �� fitting in alongside asks for more transparent career pathing and progression models.

Consider: For the diverse professionals who reported being “very dissatisfied�� with their job titles in our survey �� something that was true for 23% of Black, 16% of Asian, and 14% of Latino respondents, compared to 10% of White respondents �� clear career pathing offers a fixed, transparent template for upward mobility, rather than that mobility being left to the whim of a potentially biased manager who doesn’t share in your demographics.

2024 action items

Promote salary transparency from the start.

States like California, Colorado, and New York are now requiring that salary ranges be posted within job listings, and for good reason �� policies of salary transparency improve trust and lead to more efficient talent acquisition, better employee retention, and increased productivity. Embracing this policy will get you a lot more qualified applicants, especially the more specific you get. Include in job postings clear, detailed explanations behind your salary range’s different brackets, and share specific information about bonuses and/or variable compensation upfront, too.

Offer financial wellness benefits.

DEIB-backed employee benefits address the systemic inequities affecting diverse talent. Actions like covering 100% of healthcare premiums go a long way towards easing the “bad vibes�� surrounding today’s rising cost of living. Finance-specific initiatives focusing on financial inclusion can also give underrepresented talent access to the types of financial services usually very familiar to those in the highest socioeconomic brackets. Offer your employees quality financial counseling, advice, and education. This can include economics workshops, free investment consultations, annual contribution matching, and other financial health benefits that contribute to wealth building.

Conduct a pay equity audit.

An audit is a necessary first step to embracing salary transparency and ensuring equal pay. To get started, make a company-wide list of salaries according to work history, cross-referencing demographics information. Make note of any discrepancies that align with protected categories of talent and take immediate action to fairly compensate employees retroactively, based on their start date. When finished, transparently share your audit results with employees, and publish any updates to set salary ranges by level and position.

According to our survey, more people are unhappy with work-life balance than in years prior: 32% of respondents were either very or somewhat dissatisfied with their work-life integration in 2024 versus 24% in 2023 and 27% in 2022. Why mention this in regards to issues surrounding pay? Ultimately, a generous salary is a major factor in employees�� ability to enjoy their lives outside of work. Adequate compensation contributes to a balanced life, and a sense of “all work and no play�� can be tempered when free-time activities, like travel, are more financially within reach. And outside of taking vacations, being able to afford good childcare or eldercare for aging parents can hugely impact workers�� day-to-day work-life balance.

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3. Don’t forsake flexibility.

Salary and advancement potential aren’t all that diverse professionals are prioritizing. Job flexibility was identified by 91% of respondents as a key factor when searching for a new role. And in another question, respondents ranked a fully flexible 40-hour schedule as more popular (45%) than both a four-day work week (27%) and a five-hour workday (13%).

Meanwhile, where employees work �� remote, in-person, or hybrid �� had respondents divided, with 50% saying no remote option was a deal breaker and 50% saying it was not, undoubtedly following a trend of fully remote roles drying up.

At the height of COVID-19’s emergency transition to home offices, of Americans worked from home full-time. As of 2023, less than 10% of workers in the U.S. had a fully remote job. From March to November 2022 alone, all-remote jobs on LinkedIn fell from a high of 20.6% of job postings to less than 14%. A Stanford economist predicts that trend will continue, citing formerly remote positions getting outsourced abroad as well as replaced with AI.

But location and schedule flexibility still matter �� and may matter even more to less-represented talent groups.

Our own survey found that while 48% of White respondents were “satisfied as-is�� with their company’s flexible scheduling policy, that was true for just 38% of Latino, 37% of Black, 32% of Asian, and 0% of Indigenous respondents. Similarly, while 43% of White respondents were “satisfied as-is�� with their company’s work-from-home policy, only 35% of Black, 32% of Asian, 24% of Latino, and 0% of Indigenous respondents were.

How to explain this racial gap in workers' flexibility satisfaction?

To start with, the type of hybrid or fully in-office job that had temporarily converted to a remote position during COVID is distinct from the type of job that will continue to be remote. For example, according to a London-based economist, remote jobs in finance will . Labor market analysts at Lightcast report that remote jobs still make up of open roles in finance in 2023, down less than one percentage point from a year before. Add to that that 73.6% of finance professionals are men and 71.9% are White, and we may be able to pinpoint why those respondents would be more satisfied with the way things are than others.

Data has repeatedly shown that flexible work policies, , are beneficial and outright necessary for many underrepresented groups at work.

Consider: Disabled people have about needing remote work opportunities. The advent of remote work options during the pandemic led to the highest employment rate in that demographic in . The “remote revolution�� also led to a in employee experience scores for Black knowledge workers, who reported a greater ��sense of belonging�� at work (up 24%), higher “value of relationships with coworkers�� (up 17%), and a stronger perception of “feeling fairly treated�� (up 21%).

Who reports wanting flexibility the most? According to our survey: 70% of primary caregivers want more flexible scheduling, compared to 56% of non-caregivers. Just 30% of caregivers were satisfied with their company’s current scheduling policy, versus 44% of non-caregivers.

Though not all women are caregivers and not all caregivers are women, our data does show overlapping attitudes between the two demographics: 74% of women said they would leave their job this year if it was for a company with better WFH policies, compared to 56% men. A UCSF legal scholar explains that the typical corporate work schedule, with its travel requirements and late hours, was not designed with women, or any other gender identity besides men, in mind. ����’s a meant for “men married to homemakers�� �� and not for anyone tasked with of housework and caregiving responsibilities, as well as a full-time paid job.

With the sea wave of reversals on WFH and remote policies, much of the relief for groups who flourished under these policies is disregarded. And companies that adopted �� then tossed aside �� flexible policies stand the risk of gaining a reputation for performative allyship over lasting inclusion.

2024 action items

Transition to flexible schedules.

In order to switch teams to flexible schedules without sacrificing productivity, Forbes recommends a . Start with a small team of high-performing employees and monitor success by gathering feedback �� and data �� from both the manager and team members. Starting out flex schedules on a trial basis allows you to work out any challenges that may arise in real-time.

Train your managers.

Forbes points out that without the skills and competencies to manage a remote workforce, managers could become the weak link that leads to reduced productivity or even . Don’t miss out on the opportunity for improved employee satisfaction and retention in 2024. Set up your managers for success. Seek out and provide managerial training that focuses on active engagement, accessibility accommodations, and . Managers that lead distributed teams with trust and evaluate employees based on performance (rather than on facetime, AKA ) will find the most success.

Retain core business hours.

One thing that could slow down with flexible work scheduling is communication �� but it doesn’t have to. Though it may differ based on geographic spread or local culture, take a look at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m as an example. Early morning is typically for catching up on emails. Late in the day, people are meeting deadlines, finishing projects, or beginning to be concerned with responsibilities outside of work. The middle of the day is when people are most available and attentive to live communication. By setting a mandatory window when everyone is on the clock, you ensure that your teams are still accessible for time-sensitive information while giving them freedom from the 9-to-5 workday.

Expand use of remote communication tools.

In the absence of real-time communication, it’s crucial to use platforms and tools that combine fluid communication with convenience. Take , a screen-capture extension in Google Chrome that gives you the ability to create and share screen-recorded videos with synced audio. Managers can send training videos to their teams when sharing a screen in real-time can’t happen. Another tool is the WhatsApp voice recording feature in chat mode, popular in Latin America but hardly utilized in the U.S. It allows information-rich audios to be sent and listened to at each user’s convenience and is especially great when typing out a message in Slack or email isn’t the most efficient use of time. ����’s also perfect for conveying the right tone for a sensitive message when a live conversation can’t be scheduled.

4. Rethink the candidate experience.

How potential candidates experience a job application process is critical. Candidate experience (CX) factors into not only whether someone applies to and accepts a job, but also their lasting impression of the company as an employer.

With 88% of our survey respondents actively job searching, CX is a key way that underrepresented talent experiences a company regardless of whether a job is taken there. When CX is overlooked, the results are lasting: About 64% of respondents had a negative candidate experience that hurt their relationship with a company long-term, with 27% going so far as to say they'd neither apply to that company again or be a customer of it, which is backed up by IBM .

What kinds of negative CX practices did our survey respondents report experiencing?

• Over 59% were ghosted by a recruiter or hiring manager
• Over 73% received an auto-reply rejection
• Over 34% were informed the role they interviewed for would no longer be filled
• Over 25% were asked to do unpaid work as part of the interview process
• Over 44% reported seeing inaccurate job descriptions for a role
• Over 38% felt an employer used a to falsely build candidate pipelines
• Over 55% reported seeing unreasonably low salary ranges in posts

Any one of these practices can easily lead to a negative employer reputation on the job market, permanently harming your employer branding efforts and ultimately hurting your bottom line. And with so many underrepresented workers finding themselves on the receiving end of these practices, it's hardly a surprise that attitudes about job searching are what they are. In our survey, 48% of respondents said that job searching today is "harder than ever."

Employers need to take considerable action now to improve and humanize their talent acquisition efforts, particularly as the emergence of GenAI heralds an era of increased automation in hiring.

2024 action items

Start with inclusion.

An inclusive talent acquisition strategy is your baseline for a positive CX. Incorporating DEIB-backed inclusive hiring practices and using the right KPIs throughout your talent-seeking and hiring processes will prevent exclusionary practices and help diversify your workforce. And avoiding the impersonal negative practices our survey respondents reported above will improve your employer brand among the talent pool of diverse backgrounds and identities you’re targeting. For help identifying more opportunities to embed inclusion into your hiring process, pull in DEIB consultancy services like the ones offered by PowerToFly.

Implement paid tests only.

Tests are a good way to focus on skills and competencies in an interview, but to a candidate, they’re also hours worked. Paying applicants for their assessment time will help your organization stand out in a crowded job market.

Banish the "application black hole."

In 2024, make every effort to make job searching feel like less of an impersonal process for diverse applicants. Don’t allow applicants to drift into a “black hole�� where the odds of being ghosted or getting auto-generated responses are high. To that end, be smart with technology. You can use platforms like PowerPro to help you track, manage, and move candidates along every stage of your recruitment funnel. Direct-message talent, leave notes and comments for your hiring team in one centralized place, and make sure no one falls through cracks.

Automate wisely.

Many companies have automated responses as part of their digital transformation. When it comes to moving people through an interview process, though, here’s a revolutionary concept: eliminate the auto-reply. As AI becomes more embedded in our talent acquisition and management efforts, we need to be mindful about the way we're applying automation in general, but especially where the candidate experience is concerned. Though it’s time consuming, invest in your employer brand by handling rejections with a humane and personalized email. Give applicants positive feedback as well as constructive suggestions for how they might improve in future applications �� with your company and others alike.

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5. Solve for today’s employee connection crisis.

Job insecurity, hybrid work, and wearing more hats than ever are just some of the trends that lead to employees feeling disconnected from one another. With 69% of respondents in 2024 feeling either only somewhat connected to colleagues or not connected to colleagues at all, there’s been no improvement to employee connection since we surveyed diverse talent .

We'll keep this short: This lack of connection is a crisis that simply cannot continue to be ignored. In fact, 73% respondents want more team building and camaraderie in 2024.

2024 action items

Socialize during work hours.

Avoid making employee networking yet another outside-of-work task by allowing teams some social time during their work hours. It prevents cutting into their personal time and breaks up the work routine to allow for pure fun and connection, two things that ultimately feed back into high productivity and engagement levels.

Join the metaverse.

The “metaverse�� is a concept where people can interact, conduct business, and socialize through virtual reality avatars. ����’s still in its early stages, but industry leaders like Meta, Microsoft, and Roblox have already created their own metaverses and experimented with using these virtual gathering places as .

Foster belonging through community engagement.

At PowerToFly, we define belonging as a person’s own perception of acceptance and whether they feel heard, seen, and recognized for their contributions. To foster belonging, helping workers to feel connected to their values within their work environment can go a long way, and wider represents a unique opportunity to make that connection real. Give employees paid time off to, for example, participate in a tutoring program for a local community college. If students have a positive experience, they may become future candidates or brand ambassadors in your target talent community. This builds . Plus, your current employees get the chance to give back, cross-pollinate teams, and socialize.

Launch Lunch & Learns.

Structured socializing can be a good way to motivate employees to engage with one another across demographics. Lunch & Learn events are a popular activity for a biweekly lunch hour. Whether held at work or even at a quiet cafe, they involve providing food and an educational video or presentation for a small group. After the learning portion, the group practices their new skill or offers reflections on what they learned. This can be anything from how to tie a balloon animal to crocheting a knitted cap to a cooking lesson focused on one culture’s cuisine �� which you then get to eat together! Check if any of your employees has a skill or talent that they would like to share, and show employees that their out-of-work personas are valued, too.

6. Double down on DEIB.

When it comes to DEIB, employees are struggling to see true impact, and they want more. Just 11% of survey respondents “strongly agree�� that they can see the effects of DEIB efforts at their organization. Meanwhile, respondents said they want to see more DEIB training (64% overall and 73% of LGBTQIA+ respondents), more diverse leadership (74%), and a more diverse workforce (67%) this year.

Simply put, underrepresented workers want to see results. Research shows that employees pay attention to DEIB goals, especially in regards to the success �� or lack thereof �� of those efforts. One study revealed that only of employees feel their company has made true progress, despite of HR leaders reporting attempts at progress.

Our survey revealed the same. Despite companies�� efforts, many workers say they continue to experience unfair treatment due to factors like their gender (something 35% of respondents have felt unfairly treated for), race (20% of respondents), age (36% of respondents), neurodivergent status (10% of respondents), and socioeconomic background (13% of respondents). Discrimination in the workplace continues to be a national and international problem. In the U.S., 61% of all people have witnessed or experienced discrimination based on age, race, gender, or sexual orientation in the workplace.

The professionals we heard from reported tangible negative outcomes as a result of discrimination.

Because of identities they hold, survey respondents said they’d received fewer professional development opportunities (39%), fewer promotions (37%), and fewer raises (31%), experienced microaggressions (37%), and faced general job insecurity (30%). As a result of these real impacts, underrepresented workers demand real action in order to build trust in their company.

Knowing that diverse workers still face discrimination, what’s being done about it?

Only 18% of our survey respondents were satisfied with the stances their company has taken on DEIB issues, with 44% wanting stronger stances on racism and ethnic discrimination, 37% on ageism, 34% on misogyny and gender based discrimination, and 21% on neurodiversity.

Relatedly, respondents wanted more safe spaces for tough conversations in 2024, with patterns emerging around racial identity and sexuality; while 68% of White and 63% of non-LGBTQIA+ respondents wanted this, 85% of Black, 78% of Latino, 78% of Asian, 100% of Indigenous, and 87% of LGBTQIA+ respondents did.

We know that high employee trust levels can reduce employee turnover by a staggering in a single company. Knowing that DEIB efforts that drive results build trust, what can be done to address the obstacles underrepresented workers are continuing to face?

2024 action items

Start with a DEIB assessment.

Do you have demographic and background data on your employees? How do they feel about your DEIB efforts so far? What are your levels of absenteeism and retention? How are your reviews on Glassdoor? You need the answers to all these questions before you move forward with your DEIB efforts in 2024 �� meaning, sending out a DEIB-informed employee survey should be a top priority.

Share what’s under the hood.

Transparency builds trust. Share your DEIB data publicly. Industry leaders like Salesforce publish their DEIB goals and metrics on their website. A publicly available diversity and inclusion statement is a definite starting point in making your anti-discrimination stance visible and strong.

Examine all your policies through a DEIB lens.

That means taking a look not just at , screening and hiring practices, and your onboarding procedure, but at all touchpoints in the employee lifecycle. Look at annual assessments, promotions, , work facilities, dress code, and internal and external communication to ensure you’re incorporating DEIB practices throughout all the ways your employees experience work.

Bring in an expert.

DEIB consultancy services, like the ones offered by PowerToFly, will help you grow and retain your talent by identifying challenges and approaching them with data-driven solutions and a long-term strategy. Explore more solutions, put together by DEIB industry veterans, in our recommended resources section.

In their words: Direct feedback from talent

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Next steps and recommended resources

The nature of work continues to adapt to the social, political, economic, and environmental changes that affect broader society. �ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s 2024 research shows that underrepresented workers are engaged and interested, but struggling to feel connected and heard. Organizations can step up to provide that connection.

Upskilling to meet the demands of AI in the workplace, implementing sound career paths, prioritizing professional development, and fostering connection with fellow employees are just a few messages that came through loud and clear from our data. To continue with this work, here are a few additional resources to power your DEIB talent attraction and engagement efforts in 2024.

• �ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s Resources for Employers. An extensive library of articles, reports, and white papers with expert advice and thought leadership on a broad range of HR and DEIB topics.
• PowerUp, a holistic learning platform with self-paced courses, resources, crash-course videos, trending DEI conversations, and SHRM and HRCI credits to improve your employer brand.
• PowerPro, the first all-in-one diversity recruiting software with 17 million+ diverse candidate profiles and AI Talent Match, helping you to pull a list of diverse candidates whose resumes most closely match each role you have open in seconds.
• A list of free diversity & inclusion training materials for 2024.
• 50 diversity & inclusion survey questions, to help inform your own employee engagement and experience surveys this year. (Want strategic, tailored support to help you implement effective and DEIB-backed employee surveys at your organization? Learn about our DEIB consulting services.)
• A list of 11 diversity & inclusion courses to drive employee retention, learning, and growth in 2024.
• Our and What Diverse Talent Want reports, for previous years�� insights, data, and recommendations.

Methods

Participants

We conducted a survey of 634 professionals in our community about their goals and wants for 2024. They were given the option to share self-identifying information.

Gender identity

441 participants opted to disclose their gender identity in a “check all that apply�� survey question: 80% identified as women, 14% identified as men, 2% identified as nonbinary, 1% identified as transgender, 6% identified as cisgender, and 1% identified as another gender identity. At 3%, our pool of respondents who identified as trans and nonbinary is nominally higher than the overall percentage of people with these two identities () in the U.S.

Race and ethnicity

441 participants opted to disclose their race/ethnicity in a “check all that apply�� survey question: 34% selected White or Caucasian, 22% selected Asian or Asian American, 21% selected Black or African American, 15% selected Hispanic or Latino, 7% selected “another race/ethnicity,�� 2% selected Indigenous or Native American (roughly in keeping with the United States�� population), and less than 1% selected Native Hawaiin or other Pacific Islander (roughly in keeping with the United States�� population).

Of those who selected “another race/ethnicity,�� free-form responses included: “African,�� “Black African,�� and “White African�� (multiple responses); “Indian�� (multiple responses); “Middle Eastern�� (multiple responses); “White/Slavic ethnicity;�� “Jewish;�� “Eastern European;�� and “Mixed Race�� and “Two or More Races (Not Hispanic or Latino).�� This points to the prevalence of individuals with these racial or ethnic identities not feeling well represented by the options included in many U.S. demographics surveys, and it may also indicate the benefit of including an explicit “Mixed Race�� option even on surveys with “check all that apply�� functionality.

Age

441 participants opted to disclose their age: 7% selected 18-24; 24% selected 25-34; 36% selected 35-44; 23% selected 45-54; 7% selected 55-64; and less than 1% selected 65+. Relatedly, when asked for their career stages, 441 participants answered that they are Entry Level (21%), Mid Level (41%), and Senior Level (34%).

LGBTQIA+

When asked whether they identified as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, 441 participants chose to answer. Of these, 12% said they identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community �� higher than the overall U.S. population of LGBTQIA+ identifying people �� and 81% said they do not. This may be reflective of our survey drawing a younger group of respondents compared to the overall U.S. population; 67% of our participants were aged 44 or under, and Gallup reports that a higher percentage of those generations (21% of Gen Z and 11% of Millennials) identify as LGBTQIA+ compared to older generations.

Location

441 participants chose to disclose the country they live in in a free-form response field. A majority (60%) live in the U.S. The next most-common answer was India (8%), followed by: Canada and Nigeria (both 3%); Kenya and the U.K. (both 2%); France, Spain, Mexico, Australia, Colombia, Jamaica, South Africa, Germany, and Brazil (all 1%); and a wide range of other countries, from Peru to the Philippines, accounting respectively for less than 1%.

Caregiver status

441 participants chose to disclose whether they’re a primary caregiver (to biological, adopted, or foster children, to parents, or within a different context): 53% said they aren’t a primary caregiver, 41% said they are, and 6% selected “would rather not say.��

Immigrant status

441 participants chose to disclose whether they and/or their parents are immigrants in a “select all that apply�� survey question. Of these: 19% identified as immigrants themselves, 15% said their parents had immigrated, 9% said they live in a different country from the one they were born in but do not identify as an immigrant, and 46% said that multiple generations of their family had lived in the country they live in (which shouldn’t automatically be read as respondents who are neither immigrants nor first-generation immigrants).

Free-form responses included: “I don’t know all of my family history �� there isn’t a box for unknown or adopted;�� “political asylee;�� “history of family being slaves brought to South Carolina;�� “in Germany on a Job Seeker Visa;�� “I emigrated from another country to the U.S. with my parents at 1+ years old �� I am an American citizen;�� and “I am a descendant of chattel slavery �� my ancestors did not immigrate here.�� These responses show the value of including free-form response options in demographics surveys and point to the breadth and complexity of many people’s relationships to geographic identity and heritage.

Industry

Of the participants who said they’re either seriously or casually job searching, 445 chose to share which industries they’re looking for work in via a “select all that apply�� survey question. Below, see how they responded. For participants who selected “other,�� their free-form responses included: “Hospitality,�� “Engineering,�� “Information Technology,�� “Environmental Management,�� “Utility,�� “Energy,�� “Sustainability,�� “Greentech,�� “Management Consulting,�� Fintech, Supply Chain, Law, Automotive, Human Resources, Publishing, Healthcare Tech, “Gaming,�� “DEI,�� “Transportation,�� “Sports and Entertainment,�� “Emergency Management & Preparedness,�� “Customer Success,�� and “Procurement.��

Measures

Participants completed a 34-item online survey with an additional 7 optional demographics questions powered by SurveyMonkey. Participants were informed that their responses would be anonymous. The survey was advertised in our newsletters, on �ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s LinkedIn page and our other social channels (paid and organic), and in a PowerToFly staff email signature. The bulk of participation came from newsletter readers. A survey link was also shared with PowerToFly clients and external partners. Participants who completed the entire survey and shared their email were given the chance to win a free resume review with a PowerToFly hiring expert, awarded to five randomly selected participants. The survey was live between November 28, 2023 and January 16, 2024.

Limitations

This survey aimed to better understand the needs and wants of underrepresented talent by asking the diverse members of �ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s community to share their experiences. While the sample in our survey can be seen as generally representative of the PowerToFly community as a whole, the results of this survey are not automatically generalizable to the wider U.S. or global population. Individuals join PowerToFly in order to advance their careers and find organizations committed to DEIB; as such, their expectations for career development opportunities and DEIB initiatives are likely higher than those of the general population. Additionally, while we attempted to collect and report on response trends between different identity demographics where relevant, our choice to make demographic responses optional as well as our primary aim �� to speak to the needs of underrepresented talent as a whole in one report �� eclipsed certain opportunities to do targeted dives into the views and experiences of any one single identity group. We know that many groups, for example veterans, neurodivergent talent, and members of the LGTBQIA+ community, face unique challenges in the workforce, and future identity-specific reports from PowerToFly will aim to examine these.

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If you clicked on this article, it’s safe to assume you care a lot about your employees�� comfort. You want to make them feel included and heard right from day one, and you know that a good onboarding experience could make all the difference for a new employee.

If the onboarding experience isn’t optimal, everything that follows starts at a disadvantage. So, to nip the problem in the bud, the business world has to take a fresh look at how it onboards. Onboarding remote employees can get even trickier because distance brings new challenges.

Recruiters have to go beyond the standard offer letter, orientation checklist, and “get-you-started�� kits. Estimates show that by 2025, will be working remotely. As the workforce quickly adapts to remote work, the onboarding protocol needs to keep up, or else the glaring gaps will only get wider. We will soon be onboarding remote jobs more often than on-site jobs, and that comes with complications like: different time zones, communication preferences, availability, and potential technological gaps.

How to make remote onboarding better

1. Tech support:

Walking into an office that’s already set-up is far more convenient than setting it up yourself. And hey, on-site desk jobs have that advantage! You’ll get your desk, computer, and credentials right away. Should you need any help with it, the IT department is five feet away (or at least usually in the same building). In remote setups, the IT department is sometimes continents and time zones away, and it can be impossible to get your laptop in the same room as the support team.

So, how does one ensure an employee gets their tech ready to roll?

1. An internal checklist for everything they may need, so that if there’s a need to ship a few items out to them, it can be done before their joining. This list can help the new employee know what to expect, too!
2. Setting up all their accounts, email, and digital calendars in advance may seem like a no-brainer but is a huge help! You can also CC the new recruit on those set-up email threads to ensure no gaps.
3. Put them directly in touch with your remote or in-office IT team on day one, who can help them troubleshoot any issues on joining and afterward.
4. It is also important that you provide well-documented and comprehensive guides on how to use your company’s software and technology. It could be a learning curve for some candidates to get acquainted with new tools such as CRMs. Having a handy guide would shorten the curve.

2. Let there be doubts:

Your new employees are going to have questions �� and that’s okay! . They don’t know where to turn in case of doubts, payment queries, business SOPs, or other questions. While onboarding remote employees, it’s a good idea to make space for dedicated “get to know me�� sessions.

These sessions facilitate easy coordination between the point-of-contact from the company and the new hire. They may also plug-in spokespersons from other departments to make the new people feel more aware, included, and comfortable.

This is also where having an onboarding buddy (OB) comes in handy. An onboarding buddy will (virtually) be your go-to person for all questions. Typically, they can check-in with the recruits frequently, especially post-day one, to help the new hire feel comfortable and truly settled in.

A article reported that Microsoft recorded 23% higher satisfaction among the recruits who had an onboarding buddy. This satisfaction only increases with more frequent interactions with the OB. The study also found the frequency of these interactions to be directly proportionate to the new hire’s productivity.

3. Let there be fun:

No matter how remote the workplace gets, most humans still are social creatures. Traditional offices enable social interactions by design �� lunch hours, water cooler talks, or simply walking over to your favorite colleague.

In remote work, socialization takes a giant hit. At PowertoFly, we are always conducting research to help companies base good HR policies in proven data. For example, we found that 69% of employees do not feel connected enough with their colleagues. This is problem! A whopping 73% of them want more of a team spirit and camaraderie at work. (AG���˰ټ��� more surprising and research-backed insights in our extensive study: What diverse talent wants 2024.)

So how do we foster team spirit when working remotely?

Virtual team-building exercises!

Encourage team leads to organize a fun session at a pace that works for your team. This 15-20 minute slot should be all about getting to know the person behind the work on the other side of the screen. These exercises could be anything �� a simple question like “Who is your favorite superhero?�� can get the conversation flowing. The idea is to do great work, but also have great fun while getting to better understand each other.

4. Communication matters:

Why is getting to know a new recruit so important? Integrating a new employee brings opportunities for the company to elevate the new hire’s potential and performance. As team leaders engage with the recruits, they’ll also learn the way the recruit likes to work or communicate.

What is their preferred mode of communication, channel, and acceptable workload? These details can then be used to create an arrangement that works for everyone. However, this only addresses half the problem. What if the team lead and the executive’s communication styles differ? Not everyone talks, listens, and responds to the same thing in the same way.

We’ve created a handy quiz to help you figure out how your team communicates, identifying four major communication styles often seen in the workplace.

5. Structured and paced:

The onboarding process needs to streamline the employee handbook as much as possible. That’s an intuitive HR at play! An empathetic and compassionate approach would also give the new hire a gentler pace to ease into the workplace.

The 30-60-90 day plan is a great way to go about it, with milestones set for one month, two months, and three months, respectively, and measurable goalposts to ascertain whether the new employee is getting onboarded effectively.

6. Use real metrics:

Just like we can measure employee efficiency, we can also track remote onboarding efficacy. The parameters though should be tangible as well as time-bound. Employee satisfaction rating is an important metric, allowing new hires to rank and rate all the different areas involved, from tech induction to HR formalities, and so on. Time metrics such as response time to queries, adhering to onboarding protocol deadlines, and time lapses in resolving problems are also crucial numbers to consider.

7. Encourage feedback:

The quickest way to improve anything is to take feedback on it and reflect. If you want to improve the remote onboarding experience, your new hires could be a great place to start. They would be able to share insights in the greatest detail. After all, they have been through it.

Providing forms and surveys for feedback, opening the door for a formal review, or checking in with them from time to time are all good ways to collect feedback. Don’t forget �� once you collect the data, you have to make meaningful changes based on that information!

Inclusive remote onboarding made easy

Onboarding, and particularly remote onboarding, can be a tricky process with a lot of moving parts. Our inclusive onboarding course is the first step towards a more effective remote onboarding experience. PowertoFly has a that will take you there in six days: Check it out !

Would you say communication is a "soft" skill?

Think again �� research shows that poor communication costs some of the biggest American companies annually. This means that a company can be losing well over $15,000 per employee due to miscommunication.

So where does this misalignment lie? We believe mismatched communication styles are at the root of the issue, and great communication boils down to recognizing the communication style you’re dealing with.

Everyone communicates in their own unique way. When we acknowledge this difference in communication styles, we get closer to speaking with people in a language they understand. That is effective communication!

We at PowerToFly are here to help you do just that with a communication style survey that can provide a roadmap on how to go about assessing and harnessing your team’s communication style.

But first, let's talk about why communication should be at the forefront of your business considerations. It's not merely a "soft" skill, communication is actually a high-impact hardcore business skill. Here’s how:

Poor communication means losses

Alright, so we already know that communication errors can cost. A lot.

Think about��

• Time lost in meetings (This could have been an email!) or long email chains that could be resolved with a meeting
• Employees who resign because they feel disengaged and distressed
• Projects that could have been completed in five days instead took three times as long Improper expectation setting or wrong hires? (Hint: it’s ineffective communication!)
• Customers who never returned because of unsatisfactory customer support
• Million-dollar marketing campaigns that failed because communication failed

Companies are losing time, confidential assets, employee well-being, employees, leads, customers, and sales, all to one culprit.

Poor communication.

Employee engagement and productivity

McKinsey reports that productivity goes up by when employees feel heard and valued. A healthy flow of communication throughout the organization helps align each stakeholder with the business and its values. When that happens, team harmony and sync follow.

On the other hand, gatekeeping information and distancing (even accidentally) can lead to disengagement. In the past year, , but we also know that a motivated employee is .

Better risk mitigation

New government regulations, pandemics, and literal disasters can all be challenging for your business if you aren’t prepared well in advance. Good communication means better preparation. Businesses that establish fail-proof risk mitigation strategies and protocols before the problem strikes have a better shot at survival. However, even after the processes have been set up, good communication is needed to ensure that the whole organization has received the memo.

Information should flow from top to bottom, so that no employee feels cornered or excluded. Employees who feel left out tend to be the first to leave. Including everyone in the flow of information also gives you the advantage of quicker implementation. When everyone is in the loop and kept updated, it’s easier to process change as a unit.

Inter-departmental communication

No two departments in a business are truly independent. If the marketing team doesn't direct a lead to the sales team in time, the company may lose an opportunity. If the product development team fails to share knowledge effectively, the customer support team will fail to resolve queries. All the departments have to work in tandem with one another to make a successful unit. Yet, only between their teams.

Remote work

Post-pandemic, only wants a full-time on-site job. A whopping 54% of employees want to work remotely. 41% will prefer hybrid over on-site jobs. Working remote may shift from a perk or choice to being the de facto standard in the next few years. To manage a remote team, businesses should already start devising the sharpest remote work communication strategies.

Results

An important part of making the right communication strategy is understanding your audience. What communication style does your colleague fall under?

Most people we meet at work are likely to fall under one of these 4 groups:

1. The Energizers

This is the energy of the group, the go-getters. Focused on the goal, the Energizers are all about action and accomplishment. Quick, direct, and efficient, the Energizers can come across as impatient or insensitive. However, it’s important to remember that they are just trying to get the work done as soon as possible. So, when communicating with an Energizer, a team leader has to adapt to their agile and goal-oriented mindset.

Be brief; talk about important points first. Cut all the fluff out. State the goals before you state the process.

2. The Systemizers

A Systemizer is more about the journey and less about the destination. They want to understand and fine-tune each stage of the system. They are heavily interested in numbers, statistics, and facts. So, when you want to communicate with a Systemizer, you want to speak their language, and that’s the language of data. It's better to map out the journey as minutely and factually as possible for them to follow through seamlessly. The Systemizers have one thing in common with the Energizers: the love for brevity. Straight-to-the-point conversations are their preferred style.

3. The Associators

As you might guess from their name, Associators prefer an empathetic people-first approach. They want to understand the emotions, motivations and human needs that lie underneath a goal. Naturally, when communicating with them, you would want to focus on those attributes. Instead of numbers, case studies and testimonials would strike a chord here. Word-of-mouth is a real winner for them.

Unlike the Systemizer and Energizer groups, the associators enjoy small talk. ����’s better if you don't jump on the topic right at the start. Remember, the way to win them is via relationships �� be it in data or chats.

4. The Innovators

The Innovator is the idea factory of your team. They want to break the mold and be the pioneer. While their ideas may sometimes be seen as impractical, this is also where breakthrough innovations are born. The Innovators are likely to be sound on facts and data, and one way to strike a chord with them is to allow them to ideate and discuss at length at their own pace and time. Also, if you have to give an Innovator feedback, it helps to root it in data.

Want to know which group you fall in? Sign up below to take download our communication style quiz! You will also find info on how to work with each one of these different communication styles in more detail.

Good communication is the language of leadership, and the good thing about any language is that it can be learned anytime. With practice comes proficiency. Communication is no different; practice and perfect it with. Curated by communication coaches and business experts, our detailed course on inclusive communication is for leaders, who lead the way with compassion and set new benchmarks! Learn more about it.

Introduction

There’s been no end of buzz about the ways generative AI is already turning recruiting and talent acquisition (TA) on its head. A full of CHROs agree that GenAI has the potential to revolutionize talent management practices, according to a recent poll by Bain. And with innovations like unprecedented efficiency in resume screening, enhanced candidate matching, and predictive hiring analysis underway, it’s true that the potential for total TA transformation can’t be overstated.

Generative AI is artificial intelligence that generates content. This content may be fully original or curated and repurposed from multiple available sources. Learn the basics of this technology by downloading our .

While bringing technological advancement to non-tech roles, generative AI is also a disruptive technology. By making workers more efficient, the increased productivity it heralds for process-driven tasks has the potential to eliminate jobs. On the other hand, GenAI will increase career opportunities for professionals who are familiar with, and upskilled in, this technology. Altogether, within DEIB spaces, there’s a mixed reaction to AI adoption, especially at the pace we’ve seen in the past few years.

GenAI in talent acquisition is an area that has major possibilities and implications in particular, in part because TA is extremely process-driven work. Organizations concerned with DEIB should proactively focus on both the positive and negative impacts presented by this emerging technology. With a spectrum of implications in the workplace, let’s explore how to leverage generative AI for talent acquisition without sacrificing diversity and inclusion.

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Contents

• The state of generative AI in talent acquisition: An overview
• AI from a DEIB lens
• 7 ways to leverage generative AI in recruitment
• 3 key strategies to make AI more DEIB-friendly
• Recommended resources

The state of generative AI in talent acquisition: An overview

Generative AI is making waves in the business world, impacting everything from how our teams work on a daily basis to how organizations manage their talent acquisition processes. In the year following the release of ChatGPT in 2022, over of U.S. companies implemented AI in some way. At that time, expressed clear plans to expand its use. Since that initial boom, the use of generative AI has only grown �� and is expected to continue its upward trajectory.

Why generative AI is important

In a 2019 AI episode of the TV news program 60 minutes, the so-called “Oracle of AI,�� Taiwanese businessman and computer scientist Kai-Fu Lee, explained plainly how AI will disrupt work as we know it.

While laying out his expectations for how AI affects global job markets, he said, "AI will increasingly replace repetitive jobs. Not just for blue collar work but a lot of white collar work�� Altogether in 15 years, that's going to displace about of jobs in the world." He cited everything from driving jobs (chauffeurs, taxis, tour guides) to web development (writing code) being affected by the advancements in automation.

That said, he expects tech markets to boom. His own venture capital firm has funded 140 AI startups and over 10 $1 billion companies �� including a few $10 billion companies. As detailed in his book , he expects growing pains but, eventually, dynamic adaptation of employees to a new AI-powered business world. He added:

"In some sense, there is the human wisdom that always overcomes these technology revolutions. The invention of the steam engine, the sewing machine, electricity…have all displaced jobs. And we've gotten over it. The challenge of AI is that this 40% [disruption], whether it's 15 or 25 years [away], is coming faster than the previous revolutions."

Why is this important for talent acquisition? It means that smart organizations will use generative AI not only to find candidates, but also to upskill, reskill, and pivot their current talent.

The current state of generative AI

We don’t yet know whether expansions to the tech market will fully cover expected disruptions to the number of people employed today. What we do know is that jobs involving this emerging technology �� roles like a generative AI prompt writer, for example �� will expand. We can also expect that GenAI expertise will be an in-demand skill for people in all industries, allowing talent to command higher pay the more AI experience they have. And we know, too, that talent acquisition leaders are already deploying AI at a rapid pace: of HR leaders from a June 2023 Gartner benchmarking session reported exploring potential use cases for generative AI.

In fact, according to Mercer, recruitment and hiring were among the where AI technology was applied. In a 2022 Eightfold AI survey of over 1,000 HR employees, already reported using AI for recruitment and hiring. The Chief People Experience Officer of Automation Anywhere quantified savings from their own use of 50 HR chatbots: an reduction in contract processing time and over freed up internally. Though a newly emergent field with little more than a few years of usage data, here is how the accessibility of generative AI is unfolding on the cutting-edge of TA.

Business intelligence:

points out that AI has quickly proven beneficial in data-driven decision-making across industries. Areas such as demand forecasting, product development, and supply chain optimization are more efficient when a bot can quickly assess large datasets, identify patterns, and spit out a recommendation.

“AI for all��:

Thanks to increased capacity from more advanced AI chips to improved dedicated infrastructure, Forbes also predicts exponentially for smaller organizations to industrial-grade generative AI.

Expanded options:

Where ChatGPT from was the only player at first, the options for generative AI platforms are increasing. Apple plans to integrate a proprietary generative AI called into Apple brand devices and platforms. Google has a similar program in (formerly Bard), a chat-based AI tool. Developed by the minds at , Gemini is currently available in 40+ languages and and growing.

Proprietary options:

What’s more, enterprise companies are integrating generative AI into their work platforms. This means providing staff with internal AI ‘sandboxes�� where employees can safely play with features without exposing their sensitive data to the parent AI company (or the entire internet).

4 ways AI is changing talent acquisition

As advanced generative algorithms reach new heights in accessibility and adoption, the use of these tools is transforming the current talent acquisition landscape in critical ways. Talent acquisition is about matching the right person to the right role in the right company (yours), right? GenAI is positioned to have an impact on each of these, including by powering:

1. Better matches, faster.

Generative AI can analyze a larger candidate pool than a human in less time. In the hands of an experienced TA professional, this technology can identify a better suited individual (or individuals) based on skills, experience, and even work culture so that a TA professional can find better matches quicker than ever.

2. Customized experiences.

AI tools can interact with candidates, provide tailored answers to questions, and enhance the overall candidate experience. Where custom interactions were clunky in the past and limited to candidate-provided data, like geographic identification or gender, today’s AI-powered chatbots can offer dynamic responses that adjust to candidate information in real time.

3. Upskilling and pivoting talent.

In our 2024 report on What Diverse Talent Wants, we pointed out that more L&D and upskilling are both top asks from diverse candidates today. Consider that a full 91% of the diverse workers we surveyed said they want to see more upskilling from employers in 2024, and 78% said they want more AI training and L&D resources specifically. Generative AI can be used to identify, outline, and enroll current talent in learning opportunities. It can also notify managers, based on predetermined checklists, to take on a mentorship role when necessary. Mitigating loss during restructuring by providing re-skill and pivot opportunities can go a long way towards improving internal TA, too.

91%

of diverse workers want more upskilling from employers in 2024

78%

want more AI training and upskilling specifically

4. More efficiency than ever.

If you haven’t noticed yet, the major bottom line for generative AI adoption is efficiency. Below you’ll find our list of seven ways to leverage generative AI in talent acquisition. Automating just one of the suggested processes in your organization can majorly reduce your company-wide spend on time.

The future is bright. While generative AI in talent acquisition will continue to evolve, looking at AI in talent acquisition while simultaneously being aware of will ensure that you don’t undercut your employer branding efforts in the organization or in your local community.

AI from a DEIB lens��

There are challenges and considerations to make when adopting generative AI. From a DEIB lens, talent acquisition is an especially sensitive field to fold AI into because it directly affects diversity in your organization. There are ethical concerns. Bias in AI training data can lead to unfair or even discriminatory outcomes. For inclusive talent acquisition, human expertise in diversity and inclusion is still fundamental. AI is meant to be used as a tool, not a replacement for human judgment. Why? Because we know that DEIB takes more than good intentions and following rules. Belonging (the ��B�� in DEIB) in TA work, as in other areas, still comes from a very human place of purpose-driven action.

Does AI actually reduce bias?

In short, yes, if implemented well and overseen correctly. The best argument for incorporating generative AI into TA processes is that generative AI follows directions. This makes reduced bias possible (but not automatic). By relying on algorithms, AI can remove or mitigate unconscious bias in the candidate selection process. In fact, AI can be instructed to remove biases. As a machine learning process, the bot will follow directions, perhaps better than a bias-ridden human can.

Advantages of AI in TA

The advantages of AI for enhancing DEIB best practices are seen in TA’s key applications. Using generative AI can do the following three things for your TA department:

1. Increase diversity in your pipeline.

AI scans multiple platforms and finds potential candidates for a more diverse pipeline amongst candidates who may not have applied to your company otherwise. You can even instruct it to ignore historic preferences �� for instance, degree requirements, an area of real concern given the �� and opt for more modern and inclusive profiles.

2. Grow your people-first TA tactics.

AI can generate offer letters, interview questions, and feedback report structures to cut down on busy work for TA professionals. This frees up recruiters�� time for strategic engagement that grows the company-candidate connection on a human level.

3. Reduce application timelines.

Recruiter.com reports that one major issue applicants have with the modern candidate process is that it’s . AI bots can schedule interviews, make scheduling changes, and pre-qualify candidates to cut down on time and complexity. This will be appreciated by both your teams and applicants. Plus, with a shorter timeline, quality candidates are more likely to stick with the application process.

Disadvantages of AI in TA

1. Letting your guard down can drive disaster.

A major disadvantage of using generative AI in TA is the belief that computers are infallible when it comes to DEIB. In general, technology should not be trusted until well understood and tested in the real world. As an emergent technology, trustworthy generative AI is not quite there yet in the DEIB field. To put it mildly, there . Even with a well-written prompt, generative AI has been shown to mirror biases such as gender bias, racial bias, education bias, and more. Without systems of governance defined at your organization and overseen by a specific accountable party (or parties), AI in TA has the potential to replicate and reinforce rather than remove bias. That’s especially true if your AI systems are drawing on past candidate data that’s never been reviewed or audited for potential biases and DEIB gaps and turning that flawed data into predictive hiring analyses.

"Without systems of governance defined at your organization and overseen by a specific accountable party (or parties), AI in TA has the potential to replicate and reinforce rather than remove bias."

2. There are AI hallucinations.

A hallucination is the term for AI generated information that is presented as fact, but is inaccurate or completely made up. For example, plug the following prompt into Gemini “give me statistics about AI usage in talent acquisition.��

Gemini returns the following:

The global AI in talent acquisition market is expected to reach $7.56 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 18.25% from 2023 to 2028. (Source: Verified Market Research)

Unfortunately, upon searching the , this information is nowhere to be found. The statistics might be buried in some inaccessible report. Or they may be completely fabricated. Be careful not to use uncorroborated information generated by AI without any human fact-checking guardrails.

3. Ease can tempt you not to walk the talk.

When it comes to a budget call, always go with the inclusive option. Let’s use a social impact project as an example. Imagine your company starts a women-led tutoring program in the local school, which happens to be a majority Southeast Asian community. You want to publicize the project and need an image of your tutors working with kids. You have two choices to produce this image. First, you can pay a local photographer to hold a photo shoot, hire representative models (or photograph your actual employees, being careful not to portray students' faces), and produce an image that accurately illustrates your true work in the community. Second, you could feed the image parameters into an generative AI tool that produces “�� art. Though the second option is certainly quicker, more efficient, and less expensive, consider how that choice defeats much of the entire purpose of inclusion. Support a local photographer and the local school, give free PR to the real-life community center, and celebrate your actual employees. For organizations concerned with DEIB, the expense of creating a more inclusive real-life demonstration is an important long-term investment in talent acquisition.

4. Data security dangers are real.

Check with your data security team before using web-based generative AI tools (like those linked in our report). When you feed the AI model, you may potentially leak sensitive data or competitive business information to either the AI developer or a larger cloud. Not all AI developers are transparent with the way they use the content their models are fed. As we have recommended before, find out as much as you can about where your data goes, if it is stored, for how long, if it is used to train other AI models, and the limitations of who and where that data is shared on the provider’s end. Have your team explore the option of an enclosed company-wide cloud so that you can safely play with this technology without risk exposure.

Finally, always review and edit AI-generated content before using or sharing it. This applies whether intended for internal or external circulation. After doing the work of investing in DEIB, don’t tarnish your employer brand over an hour of saved time.

7 ways to leverage generative AI in recruitment

Once data security is established, there are plenty of AI tools available to help recruiters and talent acquisition specialists develop strategies for, source, and communicate with potential talent. Some of these AI tools include:

These powerful tools are available to everyone and are often free of cost. Here are several ways these AI tools can be used by recruiters to streamline the recruitment process.

1. Creating recruitment strategies and proposals

AI tools like ChatGPT can function as a smart sounding board for ideas or concepts that you’re still flushing out. Below, we provide example prompts to understand how this technology works.

If you’re looking for a marketing director in Chicago but you’re based in Mexico, AI can help fill in gaps in local knowledge and strategize the search. Ask your AI tool:

“Create a list of strategies for recruiting a marketing director in Chicago.��

Read through the suggested strategies and ask to elaborate on those that interest you.

AI tools can help you develop a whole proposal for recruitment including budget, KPIs, and key stakeholders.

“Create a proposal for recruiting a 3-person marketing team for [xyz company] and include budget, KPIs, and key internal stakeholders.��

With luck, you’ll have a strong foundation for your recruitment process.

2. Job descriptions

ChatGPT and Merlin AI can help do the heavy-lifting of writing job descriptions for recruiters. Here, it helps to be as specific as possible so that the AI tool can generate a more personalized job description.

“Create a job description for a junior python developer at based in Denver, Colorado.��

It will return a decent starting point. If you ask an AI tool to “make it DEI-friendly�� it will make token mentions of DEI, but this is where a human must step in to ensure it is a truly inclusive job description. The job description will also need to be reviewed by the development team to make sure it has all the appropriate requirements and responsibilities.

3. Email communications

For recruiters doing passive sourcing �� i.e. recruiting candidates who aren’t actively job searching �� AI tools can be useful in drafting recruitment emails.

Recruiters can also draft email communications to local partners in order to recruit job positions. For example:

“Write an email to [xyz community college] to recruit 2 graphic design interns for a 6-month paid project from amazon music.��

These emails are drafts that will require editing, not just copy-and-paste. Email communications to candidates are important touchpoints that cannot sound generic. Consider this finding from our What Diverse Talent Wants in 2024 research: 73% of underrepresented professionals we surveyed counted “receiving an auto-reply rejection�� among negative candidate experiences they’d had. Sixty-four percent said that a negative candidate experience like this had hurt their relationship to a company long-term, and 27% said that after a negative candidate experience, they’d neither apply to that company again or be a customer of it.

4. Employer branding

Use AI tools to generate external-facing content on your website’s career and “about�� pages. Your career website should address why an employee should work for your particular company. Having this unique value proposition as an employer is a crucial part of your . Here, the prompt will need to be a specific as possible:

“Write a summary of why employees should work for xyz company. We offer 100% remote work, unlimited vacation days, free lunch, and a professional development education stipend.��

You can also use ChatGPT to create the foundation of your diversity and inclusion statement.

“Write a diversity statement for . Make it short and catchy.��

You should of course edit these statements and make them fit for your company’s values, but AI provides a great starting point.

5. Research

If there’s one thing that AI tools like ChatGPT excel at, it’s synthesizing information. Recruiters can use these tools to do recruitment research about locations, salary, competitors, and more. This is useful if you have a geographically dispersed recruitment team.

“What is a competitive salary for an executive assistant in San Diego?��

“List 5 companies similar to that are also hiring a marketing director. How much do they pay?��

“Where are the best places to find a diverse marketing director in Miami?��

“What are competitive benefits for python developers in Chicago?��

Remember to fact-check these answers with other sources like Indeed and Glassdoor.

6. Interview plans and questions

The interview process is another important responsibility of the recruitment professional, and one where AI can be of assistance. Ask your AI tool to:

“List a 5-stage interview process for a marketing director of a start-up CRM��

“What are 10 interview questions for this position?��

“Which of these questions should be asked at the above stages?��

In moments, you’ll have a solid foundation for conducting the interview process as well as specific questions. Remember to edit and verify these questions with the actual position and through the lens of inclusive hiring best practices.

7. Candidate search

AI is a powerful tool in the candidate search. Recruiters and talent acquisition professionals can input plain text descriptions of a job position and the GPT tool will churn out complex boolean search strings in seconds. These search strings can be dropped into search engines like Google or other platforms like LinkedIn to return resumes and contact information for potential candidates.

Basic boolean operators like AND, OR, and NOT are used in conjunction with the keywords of your job description to zero-in on the exact results you want. An “x-ray�� is a type of boolean search string that can be used in Google to search across various platforms.

“Create an x-ray boolean search string to find a senior marketing director based in the usa with experience in start-ups and CRM products.��

Copy and paste the resulting lines into Google for candidate results, and off you go.

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3 key strategies to make AI more DEIB-friendly

There are three straightforward strategies mindful organizations are implementing to ensure that GenAI technology works for both their organization and for the diverse teams they’re trying to build.

1. Transparency

The overall goal of transparency is to build trust. Research has shown that nearly half of Americans () are equally excited and concerned about AI. A commitment to transparency in the use of AI goes a long way in assuaging concerns and demonstrating accountability. Transparency also demonstrates fundamental respect for the clients, employees, and candidates who are interacting with or reading AI-generated content.

• Disclose when AI is or has been used. Use asterisks and footnotes at the bottom of emails or web pages identifying AI-generated content. Ensure chatbots identify themselves as a bot.
• Explain how AI is monitored and reviewed. Include a brief, one-sentence explanation on how AI-generated content is monitored, edited, or reviewed.

2. Create an AI policy in recruitment

There’s no ignoring it: Generative AI is here, and it’s being used in recruitment. The sooner your organization develops policies around its use, the better off you’ll be.

• Create an AI Policy and Oversight Committee. This should be a cross-functional team that includes representatives from all departments, including HR, IT, Data Privacy, Legal, Marketing, and Operations. Don’t be afraid to bring in outside consultants and experts.
• Write a statement against the misuse of AI in the workplace. For now, you don’t have to define what the specific misuses are, but having a statement against the misuse of AI is an important ethical starting point.
• Define what uses of AI are acceptable within recruitment. Will you allow AI to write job descriptions? Will they be copy-and-paste, or are there specific reviewing requirements? These are all valid questions your team should discuss and document.

3. Verify, edit, and use human oversight

Most of the fear surrounding AI revolves around a lack of oversight and regulation. For example, in the case of driverless cars, of Americans want them to have higher testing standards than other vehicles. Organizations need to build-in a robust process of verification, editing, and human oversight in their use of AI within recruitment.

• Verify. Always take information and content generated from AI with a grain of salt. Use other sources such as Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn to verify key information you receive from generative AI tools.
• Edit. Don’t copy and paste AI-generated content into an email, onto a job description, or onto your website. Always take the time to edit AI-generated content, particularly through the perspective of DEIB. Remember to ask “who is missing?�� or “who is being left out?��
• Human oversight. Whether it’s editing AI-generated content, monitoring chatbots, or reviewing AI-based recruitment software, human oversight is essential. There should be designated individuals responsible for reviewing AI-based software, and those individuals should have detailed training and knowledge about how the AI algorithms work.

Next steps and recommended resources

The world of GenAI in talent acquisition is truly just opening up, and with more use (and as this technology continues to evolve), more learnings will continue to stack up. To deepen your understanding of GenAI’s opportunities and obstacles today, we’d recommend exploring:

• The library of recordings from �ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s Beyond Algorithms: AI’s Impact on Hiring, the Workplace, DEIB, and Beyond Summit
• PowerPro, the first all-in-one diversity recruiting software with 17 million+ diverse candidate profiles and AI Talent Match, helping you to pull a list of diverse candidates whose resumes most closely match each role you have open in seconds.
• Future of Privacy Forum’s �� for a framework on how to use AI in hiring and recruitment
• Centre for Information Policy Leadership’s �� on how to build AI governance into organizational policy
• �� a nonprofit organization, as well as a movement, focused on reducing unconscious bias in the development and use of artificial intelligence
• The U.S. Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission (EEOC)’s
• by Kai-Fu Lee

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What Diverse Talent Wants 2024 Report

Since 2014, PowerToFly has been elevating underrepresented talent and helping organizations build inclusive, representative workplaces where this talent can thrive. That’s a decade’s worth of workplace diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) efforts, and a decade of witnessing both wins and losses in this space.

We’ve seen inequitable work cultures and policies held to account, major boons in salary transparency, “ban the box�� laws, as well as the increased adoption of DEIB trainings and initiatives.

We’ve also seen the outright removal of rights for many identity groups, and stalled progress for others.

Against this backdrop, and following the 2023 reversal of affirmative action and subsequent at some public universities, the has been called into question.

Among all of this, our mission remains the same �� to create equitable opportunities for the workforce and our world.

If you want to understand how best to elevate underrepresented talent in the workplace, go to the source and ask them.

Before we figure out where we’re going, we need to know where we are. Diverse professionals are facing new challenges in 2024, and it’s more important than ever to listen to what they have to say.

For �ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s fourth annual What Diverse Talent Wants report, we surveyed 600+ professionals across backgrounds and identities about what they need to see from their existing and prospective employers �� in terms of practices, benefits, professional development opportunities, work cultures, and more �� in 2024. We then analyzed and distilled that data into strategic, actionable recommendations that organizations can implement today.

From our reporting and analysis, we learned that diverse professionals want employers to do the following in 2024:

1. Invest more in learning and development.
   
2. Pay what you preach.
3. Don’t forsake flexibility.
4. Rethink the candidate experience.
5. Solve today’s employee connection crisis, for good.
6. Double down on DEIB.

Download the full report for more insights

Here's a sneak peak of what you'll find

5. Solve for today’s employee connection crisis.

• �ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s Resources for Employers. An extensive library of articles, reports, and white papers with expert advice and thought leadership on a broad range of HR and DEIB topics.
• PowerUp, a holistic learning platform with self-paced courses, resources, crash-course videos, trending DEI conversations, and SHRM and HRCI credits to improve your employer brand.
• PowerPro, the first all-in-one diversity recruiting software with 17 million+ diverse candidate profiles and AI Talent Match, helping you to pull a list of diverse candidates whose resumes most closely match each role you have open in seconds.
• A list of free diversity & inclusion training materials for 2024.
• 50 diversity & inclusion survey questions, to help inform your own employee engagement and experience surveys this year. (Want strategic, tailored support to help you implement effective and DEIB-backed employee surveys at your organization? Learn about our DEIB consulting services.)
• A list of 11 diversity & inclusion courses to drive employee retention, learning, and growth in 2024.
• Our and What Diverse Talent Want reports, for previous years�� insights, data, and recommendations.

Where AI meets DEIB

According to Tech.co, since ChatGPT was released in late 2022, it’s been picked up by almost half of U.S. companies, and of these firms are looking to expand its use. But what are ChatGPT's implications regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB)?

From helpful DEIB use cases to, conversely, the biases that AI can carry, we’ve put together this timely guide to help you understand how innovators are approaching ChatGPT and other AI tools today. Browse key statistics, trends, impacts, and opportunities for AI implementation from PowerToFly thought leaders. With plenty of positive implications in the workplace, let’s explore what’s working for business leaders in the AI arena with a special focus on the possibilities �� and challenges �� that this fast-advancing technology brings to DEIB.

Contents

• What is ChatGPT? AI tools explained
• The state of AI adoption: An overview
• AI implementation: The philosophical question
• Real AI use cases in the news
• Concerns for companies to account for
• ChatGPT & DEIB poll results
• 3 key recommendations for AI usage

What is ChatGPT? AI tools explained

Artificial intelligence definitions & acronyms

Bots: Bots are software “robots�� that handle business process automation. They’re typically used in specific processes within a work management software platform. Customer service chatbots are one example of bot deployment.

Generative AI: Generative AI is artificial intelligence that generates content. This includes chat bots that respond with original content vs. pre-programmed or canned answers. This content may be fully original or it may be curated and repurposed from multiple available sources.

RPA: Robotic process automation (RPA) is the catch-all term for the work that bots do. RPA bots make up the digital workforce of AI by making yes/no decisions and following simple directions based on assigned inputs.

BPA: Business process automation refers to the digitization of business processes, including assignment, submission, evaluation, and approval, within a centralized information management platform. Popular platforms include Oracle and the open-source platform Alfresco.

LLM: A large language model (LLM) is a language-producing tool backed by the ensemble learning method. This technique combines multiple machine learning algorithms to accurately predict applicable responses. ChatGPT, Bloom, and PaLM are all considered technology backed by LLMs.

AI: Artificial intelligence is an area of computer science that studies and develops the ability of machines to problem solve. AI is anything that enables computers to function in ways that resemble cognitive human intelligence. When machines handle strategy development, human interaction, and autonomous activity without human aid, it is generally considered AI.

ML: Machine learning (ML) is a subset of AI that currently includes basic automation abilities and straightforward commands. An example of common ML technology in enterprise systems would be the use of optical character recognition (OCR) for data intake and digital organization. Efficiency-focused automation capabilities that don’t require predictions, environmental perceptions, or human interaction fall under the ML umbrella.

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ChatGPT

ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by the research lab . ChatGPT was launched in November 2022 to deliver “cutting-edge language (not just chat!) and speech-to-text capabilities.�� Generative pretrained transformer, or GPT, refers to models and related technologies that produce generative AI responses.

Essentially, ChatGPT is an LLM using AI to generate content. It is unique in its accessibility. The nature of handling human feedback via written prompts makes it accessible by users who are less technologically inclined. Input parameters can be described and revised in everyday language in a back-and-forth chat format.

To use ChatGPT, users need only to create an OpenAI account using their email, birthdate, and phone number.

Admittedly, OpenAI states that ChatGPT has . “The model is often excessively verbose and overuses certain phrases, such as restating that it’s a language model trained by OpenAI.�� In fact, this quirk has been the most obvious way ChatGPT content has been recognized when used (unethically) in academia.

93%

of the firms that picked up ChatGPT are looking to expand its use.

100 mil

ChatGPT users within its first two months.

Pricing of ChatGPT

During its research preview, the use of ChatGPT was free. Now, there is tiered pricing. Basic ChatGPT remains free. ChatGPT Plus has a monthly subscription fee of USD $20. ChatGPT Pro is in its testing phase but will presumably cost more. Motivation to pay for access is based on availability (basic users sometimes receive an “�� message during times of high demand) and speed in response to prompts.

First used as a standalone platform, OpenAI released integrations and “whisper�� versions via application programming interface (API) in .

The state of AI adoption: An overview

Now that we’ve clarified the top-line theoretical capabilities of AI technology, let’s see what role AI is playing in current global enterprise.

AI corporate use in general

Early implementation of AI solutions began with veteran software consulting firms in the tech industry working on heritage enterprise software solutions.

After that, we saw the rise of the digital transformation industry. This describes a trend towards significant demand for software consultants to implement automation at various work process levels. RPA developer Automation Anywhere, headquartered in San Jose, California, launched the in March 2018.

Widespread use of business process automation (BPA) grew in industries and markets regulated by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO standards). Software as a service (SaaS) with cloud-based hosting also became popular and revolutionized accessibility to digitization for small and medium-sized organizations. APIs allowed for integration of unique tools without excessive tech or budget requirements.

, , and other major companies have now adopted terminology that refers to the current state of digitization as Industry 4.0, describing maximum digitization of the manufacturing sector (along with other industries). Industry 4.0, or this fourth industrial revolution (4IR), is applicable to companies of all sizes.

ChatGPT corporate use: Specifics

According to Tech.co, here are 10 ways ChatGPT has been by companies thus far.

• Customer service �� chatbots manage inquiries and track customer data simultaneously.
• External communications �� to streamline content production for social media or blogs.
• Coding �� to code logic, syntax errors, and change from one coding language to another.
• Personal assistance �� administrative tasks, including data entry and email management.
• Email writing �� personalized cold emails and sales cadences.
• Copywriting �� SEO blogging, often without transparency about use of ChatGPT.
• Time management �� scheduling and prioritizing tasks.
• Presentation design �� original PowerPoint or Slides presentations.
• Keyword research �� link building efforts and populating content calendars.
• Meeting management �� transcripts of minutes and summarizing meeting notes.

Insight from PowerToFly's Executive Forum

On May 12th, 2023, PowerToFly held an executive forum on the intersection of ChatGPT and DEIB. Within that dialogue, the executives who joined us shared they’re not yet tasked with implementing ChatGPT as a tool, nor has it been planned for company-wide use at any of their organizations. Still, as individuals in charge of innovative projects, all were interested in the tool and its potential benefits. Some used it unofficially and/or on internal projects. Tasks mentioned by participants included:

• Scraping SERPs �� creating a defacto portal to find curated search engine results in an efficient manner.
• Internal communications �� using ChatGPT as a “copilot�� to create internal content, with additional editing and research to polish the final content.
• Recruiting �� drafting rejection emails with a professional standard of language.
• Coding �� on a data analysis team, opening up the possibility of a new job role as a Prompt Expert.

AI implementation: The philosophical question

More than anything, the executive forum brought forth comments and questions by participants looking to address the philosophical and ethical discussions surrounding the use of ChatGPT in the workplace. This discussion centered around whether AI eliminates bias or perpetuates inequality. As a tool, arguably, ChatGPT can do both �� it all depends on how it’s used.

ChatGPT is a technology that has been publicly criticized by both sides of the political spectrum. The forum’s subject matter expert, Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic �� Chief Innovation Officer at ManPowerGroup and author of I, Human: AI, Automation, and the Quest to Reclaim What Makes Us Unique �� pointed out that in the U.S., liberals have called out its sexist and racist tendencies. Meanwhile conservative celebrities like have attacked the chatbot for its seemingly “woke�� responses.

Does ChatGPT eliminate bias or perpetuate inequality? Let’s look at evidence for both arguments.

Eliminating bias with ChatGPT

DEIB done right will ensure that company processes and materials are as unbiased as possible.

• Blind evaluations. Job application reviews are typically quite subjective. Though you may tell a human recruiter or application reviewer to ignore a number of dynamic parameters, those data pieces can’t be erased. Gender, ethnicity (as deciphered by names), and well-reputed universities listed on a resume will likely remain in a person’s thoughts. Meanwhile, tell a machine to ignore any field, and it does.
• Revealing unintentional bias. Using ChatGPT to write or evaluate written materials has the ability to scrub unconscious bias from company processes. ChatGPT can be prompted to re-write job descriptions without mentioning key language, making them , as well as to reveal bias in things like training materials.
• Identifying the status quo. ChatGPT can be used as an objective observer. To an extent, it can mitigate bias by balancing out the human element in any task. When prompted to, it can make us more aware of our existing biases.

Perpetuating inequality with ChatGPT

DEIB best practices remind us over and over that in order to make progress towards equity, we must remove the historical biases that plague our societies and work culture. In many ways, ChatGPT doesn’t exist outside of those biases �� unchecked, it will regularly reflect the harmful status quo that exists in the body of material in any company and on the internet at large.

• Sexism. ChatGPT produces sexist responses. One response insisting that doctors are male and nurses are female .
• Reinforcing the gender binary. ChatGPT produced a response where it not only assumed a lawyer to be male and a paralegal to be female, but that a pregnant person . The technology does not recognize the possibility of pregnancy for gender nonbinary people, trans men, or others. In fact, ChatGPT responded by saying “pregnancy is not possible for men.�� This, despite a trans man making international headlines for giving birth in , a scenario which has since become much more commonplace.
• Job elimination. Though terms like “digital workforce�� are joining the lexicon, bots are not people. A bot works for free without the need for compensation, rest, or just treatment. The use of AI tools improves efficiency and revenue by eliminating work previously done by humans.

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Two sides of the same coin

The benefits and drawbacks of ChatGPT and other AI tools are two sides of the same coin. AI applied to business is an obvious way to improve the bottom line, but it’s also directly linked to layoffs and job elimination. According to a :

• 25% of companies using ChatGPT have saved over $75,000 already.
• 48% of companies using ChatGPT say it has already replaced workers.
• 63% of business leaders believe ChatGPT will lead to more layoffs within five years.

When applied to DEIB efforts, AI can be an effective and still human-centric way to address historical iniquities and remove potential bias without human contamination. The same LinkedIn survey reported:

• Despite concerns about job displacement, 90% of business leaders believe that experience with ChatGPT is a beneficial skill for job seekers.
• 49% of companies currently use ChatGPT, and an additional 30% plan to use it soon.
• 93% of companies using ChatGPT plan to expand its use.
• 85% of companies planning to use ChatGPT will start doing so within the next six months.

Benefits of AI implementation

The conversation surrounding AI is often framed as benefits vs. drawbacks. Let’s look at why everyone is excited about this technology.

Working faster. One benefit of all artificial intelligence in business is that it reduces the workload for the human workforce. While a human sorts one file at a time, bots give digital document management systems the ability to sort files by the tens of thousands. Work simply gets done faster.

Improving employee experience. Basic AI tech eliminates a monotonous slice of repetitive work, like data entry, from the human workload. Employees will enjoy their job more, be happy at work, and stay motivated. This is good for morale and reduces redundancy.

Working smarter. The guesswork of data collection is gone. Integrated AI can assess business intelligence with precision. Computers make it easy to record every small detail of activity. Using centralized systems, we can record every system-based interaction, from the CEO to the entry-level worker.

With accurate and transparent information, companies using AI also work smarter using realtime analysis. What used to be done by human business analysts can now be assessed digitally. As the data piles up, bots can process it to provide a rich output regarding trends, mistakes, opportunities for improvement, and even predictions about the future. Executives can use this “big data�� to optimize the company’s opportunities for revenue �� and its opportunities within DEIB. When you consider that just of HR professionals say their organization establishes and measures DEIB analytics to a high or very high degree, the potential for improvement is considerable.

Drawbacks of AI implementation

What are the drawbacks of embracing AI for everyday tasks?

����’s ethically murky. The general public is still unsure about the ethics of AI. The world’s first AI supermodel Shudu is a Black woman, but her image is . Besides public controversy, the optics and the ethics of scenarios like this go in direct opposition to DEIB values. And the risk of AI perpetuating stereotypes is also a real danger. Consider: A scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, got ChatGPT that only White or Asian men make good scientists. ChatGPT culls language and information from the internet, and the internet is a plenty-biased place. Not only that, but ChatGPT has been known to put out what insiders call “AI hallucinations,�� or AI-invented information. Without human oversight and guardrails, ChatGPT could spread and reinforce stereotypes and mistruths about marginalized groups.

There’s liability. Due to its novelty and unanswered questions about the ethics of ChatGPT use, implementing ChatGPT or other AI tools may leave your company open to liability. This is a risk management issue. ����’s especially important for any company managing sensitive customer data and working in a highly regulated industry. There’s a danger factor to too early adoption. There’s also a potential for public scandal when implementing a tool that is currently buzzing in multiple industries and international news cycles.

It could be a race to the bottom. Using a tool like ChatGPT to write external (and internal) communications may represent a race to the bottom in terms of generic content and branding. Take writing your company’s DEIB statement for example. Best practices clearly state that a statement proclaiming your company’s values surrounding DEIB should be unique, customized to your mission, and specific in reference to your efforts and future vision. AI copy has the potential to dilute the human element behind a company’s vision in exchange for a generic, high-performance statement. And as we’ll see in the following misstep from Vanderbilt University’s DEIB office, insincere DEIB messaging, or even the perception of insincerity in this messaging, can be seriously harmful.

Real AI use cases in the news

Current news revolving around AI technology reflects the what-ifs, unknowns, skepticism, and incredible potential that surround AI at the moment. It also reflects some of the DEIB dilemmas that the adoption of AI creates. Let’s take a look at some recent examples.

WAG strike

The Writers Guild of America is , sending a lot of TV shows and movies into hiatus. Primary grievances revolve around compensation and working conditions �� and there’s an undercurrent related to ChatGPT.

While ChatGPT isn’t a particularly good nor funny writer at the moment, writers are concerned they could become mere script editors for AI. AI could come up with a basic story with a few inputs (Christmas rom com) and a writer would be hired for less pay to touch it up. AI has increasingly become a regular part of Hollywood. ����’s the reason a young Carrie Fisher could reprise her role in Star Wars�� Rogue One, or how actors can be replaced with convincing CGI characters.

Workday lawsuit

Workday, an enterprise management cloud, is in the midst of a lawsuit for discrimination in its AI technology. At the center of the case are the experiences of Derke Mobley, a Black man over 40 who is neurodiverse. Mobley applied to 80-100 jobs in which Workday was the software and he was rejected from all of them. Workday that the lawsuit doesn’t hold water and is “committed to trustworthy AI.��

This is not unlike Amazon’s situation in when they realized their AI recruitment algorithm didn’t like women. Amazon scrapped the project and insisted it never used the software, but it brought up questions about the reliability of AI. Still, AI supporters are quick to point out that algorithms merely reflect patterns of data we give it. It isn’t necessarily the AI that’s biased, but ourselves.

Vanderbilt’s school shooting gaffe

Vanderbilt University’s DEI department when it used ChatGPT to write a mass email to students following a shooting at another university. After reminding students to take care of each other, the email concluded with the asterisked line: “Paraphrase from OpenAI’s ChatGPT AI language model, personal communication, February 15, 2023.��

Accusations of the university being tone-deaf at best flew. Shaun Harper, a provost professor at the University of Southern California, summarized the relevance of a misstep like this to organizations well in a : “DEI communications from many CSuites are already plagued with authenticity problems. Statements from the CEO about the tragic police shootings of unarmed Black Americans, as well as the seemingly obligatory history/heritage month emails to celebrate LGBTQIA+ Pride and various ethnic groups each year, are typically written by someone else. Employees can sometimes detect the artificiality. Ghostwriting therefore undermines executive integrity on DEI. ChatGPT will exacerbate this.��

Concerns for companies to account for

Are people into ChatGPT and related content producers because AI is a shiny new tech toy, or because it actually serves a need in the industry? Is it a business tool or just a ? The answer depends on how AI tools are used. The Economist advises business leaders to ��.�� Since AI tech use is increasing, it’s important that business leaders know specific elements to be concerned about for risk reduction.

Data security

Make sure you know what’s happening to the information you’re feeding your AI model. Imagine you use AI to screen internal candidates for promotions. That means you’re providing training, performance, salary, and other sensitive information to the AI model.

Be especially protective of data that is highly regulated, such as private data and sensitive financial or medical information. Questions you need to ask and answer are:

• Where does that data go? Can you delete it?
• Is your data stored? For how long?
• Is the data used by the AI provider to train other AI models?
• Is the data shared with partners? Is it sold?
• Who has access to this data on the AI provider’s end?

Plagiarism

More visible in academia, a unique gray area of comes up with ChatGPT because of how it sources language. Take poetry for example. Copying a famous poem line-by-line is easily recognizable. Creating a poem by piecing together lines from five different poems may not be detectable by the average reader, but it will still ping with anti-plagiarism software. An AI that learns language and style based on a prompt and then generates a piece based on tens of thousands of sources will be virtually undetectable. Though not original, it is new. Does it fall under Russian playwright Anton Chekhov’s famous reference that “there is nothing new in art except talent��? Or is it merely plagiarism of many authors at once? Remember, ChatGPT does not cite references or sources.

Blurring of employment norms

VICE reports that an unknown number of individuals have leveraged the abilities of ChatGPT to take on multiple jobs (2-4) at once while their employers are none the wiser. These hustlers call themselves “�� and admit that ChatGPT does about 80% of certain jobs. Though a job description for an employee or contract worker may not state that the candidate can’t hold more than one full-time position, this assumption must now be made explicit.

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What jobs are affected?

The types of jobs affected by AI may be part of this negative perception. DEIB efforts are aimed at improving company diversity and building brands where people of all backgrounds and talents are valued.

Since we know that diversity is highest at the lowest level of a company, jobs eliminated by AI may cause a drop in diversity. Niche contractors hired to fill in DEIB knowledge gaps �� say, copywriters specializing in an LGBTQIA+ perspective �� will be those most affected by ChatGPT taking over copywriting tasks in a company.

The customer service field is another area where DEIB initiatives flourish. Today, 69% of reps are women and 44% are BIPOC. The ability to problem-solve in different languages and communication styles is a win for both customer experience and business outcomes.

The customer service representatives are those who bring cultural relevance to their work. Losing out on the advantages of staffing a diverse customer service team is another risk of ChatGPT.

Other DEIB-specific concerns

In May 2023, PowerToFly hundreds of professionals on LinkedIn about how they perceive the impact of this new technology for DEIB. Forty-four percent of respondents think ChatGPT will have a positive influence on DEIB at their company. Twenty-one percent disagree, and the remaining 35% are unsure.

The fact a clear majority of respondents (79%) either believed ChatGPT would indeed hurt DEIB or weren’t sure whether it would isn’t surprising given the real risks this technology carries. We’ve covered several in this report already. Here are three more DEIB-specific concerns that company leaders should pay attention to when implementing AI for business tasks.

Detecting AI bias. Organizations need to be able to explain the results of any AI models that they’re using. That means:

• Understanding exactly how the AI works.
• Developers should explain what technology and data sets are used to construct the model.
• Ensuring that data sets being fed to the AI are free from bias.

Increasingly user-friendly AI like ChatGPT means that organizations may begin using the technology without really understanding how the AI works. Consulting firms like offer AI bias audits.

Digital divide. The gap between employees who are tech-savvy and those who are not tends to fall along the same lines that cause marginalization. Income level, place of origin, and age are factors in whether a person has technology training. When addressing how to write inclusive job descriptions, two best practices are sticking to essential skills and remaining committed to DEIB. Be sure that familiarity with AI and ChatGPT prompt writing don’t creep onto job requirement lists where they don’t belong.

Cultural misappropriation. AI imaging appears to be heavy on cultural mishaps. Since many AI tools are developed in the United States, they tend towards U.S.-based cultural references. An reveals that AI puts a giant USA-style smile on the faces of people who do not often smile in this way. Smiling for portraits is inauthentic to many cultures such as Indigenous people, central and eastern Europeans, and some Asian and Latin American cultures. The effect of seeing these images is harmful because it erodes authentic culture.

ChatGPT & DEIB poll results

A l of nearly 12,000 workers found that 43% of them were using ChatGPT or other AI tools at work. Yet, of those using these AI tools are not disclosing their usage to their boss. How does that compare to �ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s partners?

During our Executive Forum, we polled participants about their ChatGPT and AI usage behavior and DEIB.

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3 key recommendations for AI usage

We should be careful not to judge new technology too quickly. As Chamorro-Premuzic pointed out in the forum, more than die each year in car accidents in the U.S. In four months of 2022, were killed in accidents involving self-driving cars. Should AI cars be judged as killers? Or do humans cause more harm than AI in certain cases?

Business leaders can see clear benefits to incorporating AI tools. Keeping an analytical eye towards positive and negative impacts, there are intelligent ways to implement AI and manage risk at the same time.

1. Implement AI tools for efficiency tasks

Scraping. Not everyone is an expert on Boolean Operators and effective search. Machines can “read�� and comb through information much faster than humans. SERP and other information scraping is an effective use of AI for research and reading tasks.

• Generate Boolean search strings.
• Save and reuse search parameters.
• Optical character recognition (OCR).
• AG���˰ټ���ing specific language or keywords.

Coding. AI code tools can help programmers create highquality code, generate code snippets, or translate from one programming language to another. AI tools are fast becoming standard practice among programmers. Some of the most popular AI code generators are:

• Codex.
• Copilot.
• ChatGPT.

Business Process Automation (BPA). Technology-based AI that builds project management into your work platform cuts down on some of the more boring management tasks in any job. ����’s no wonder that machine learning and AI tools have been applied to BPA for years.

• Assigning tasks.
• Managing progress.
• Revisions and follow-ups.
• Approvals.
• External audits.

2. Retain human writers for human content

Content expert Brooklin Nash demonstrates that there is a between ChatGPTgenerated content versus using a human writer.

Never forget your human audience. Remember that your readers are people and not machines. From a mission statement to an SEO blog post, the content that performs best is the content that people find educational and entertaining. To avoid alienating your target audience, be careful not to strip the human element from your brand �� especially when speaking to DEIB topics.

Edit, edit, edit. If you use AI to produce content and copy as a starting point, be sure to have the budget and timeline to cover a hefty editing process. Buzzfeed already made headlines for not following this practice, and the brand has suffered for it.

Stay honest with DEIB. In DEIB circles, we are familiar with the phrase “nothing for us without us.�� When your content or copy references any issue related to diversity, equity, inclusion, or belonging, you must make sure it is written by a person that can properly represent those interests. Looking for content about Juneteenth? Don’t run to ChatGPT. Hire a Black American writer. Give that writer the power of place to originate the message. Don’t limit diversity to a single revision or editing pass.

3. Increase transparency surrounding potential AI use

Disclosure of AI usage. Have an internal policy regarding disclosure of AI usage. If employees are using AI, their bosses and colleagues should be aware. Have a policy regarding AI usage for your third party supply chain and contractors and include this in your written contracts to manage risk. If suppliers and contractors use AI, you should be aware of that and require its disclosure to you.

Educate employees about AI algorithms. Explainable AI is transparent AI. When we don’t understand what AI is, our imagination can get carried away. Educate employees about basic AI functions and any specific AI technology they are using. When employees understand how the AI works, if it makes a mistake, they can jump in with human judgment. Back in the ��80s, computer classes still reviewed binary code. Foundational knowledge of AI is critical for its transparent usage.

Single role employment. Avoid “overemployment,�� which can lead to dependency on AI tools and single points of failure. If you expect an employee or full-time contractor to hold only one employment role for the duration of their hire, state this in both the job description and the work contract.

Recommended Resources

Participants shared these recommendations for further learning and exploration:

• - a nonprofit organization, as well as a movement, focused on reducing unconscious bias in the development and use of artificial intelligence.
• The U.S. Equal Employment and Opportunity Commission (EEOC)’s .
• �ʴǷɱ���մǹ����’s ChatGPT and the Future of Work summit.
• by Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic.

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Below is an article written by Eman Hassan, Senior Software Engineer, originally published on . Visit Slack's company page on PowerToFly to see their open positions and learn more.

Internships are a great opportunity for companies to invest in great talent and train future engineers. It is important to prepare a good mentorship plan for the interns so that they make the best use of their time and acquire experiences that will help make them full-time employees in the future.

The first step is to assign a mentor (or mentors) to onboard and support the intern. The mentor helps the intern to both grow and make progress on an impactful project. So the question is: What does a mentor need to do to make the internship a successful experience?

It is important to plan and be intentional about the internship. It only takes a few simple steps to make this mentor-intern process successful.

Planning

Planning ahead is the key to everything! It gives the intern a confidence boost when they see that their mentor has a solid plan for them. To come up with a good plan you need to answer the following questions:

1. What is the project that the intern will be working on?
   1. Is the project estimated to complete before the end of their internship?
   2. Does the project cover different learning opportunities for the intern?
   3. By the end of the project, what kind of experience is expected for the intern to have acquired? (E.g. full-stack, backend, or infrastructure)
2. What kind of learning and onboarding resources does the intern need to be able to start working on the assigned project?
3. How will you measure and evaluate the success of the intern?
4. If multiple mentors are going to support an intern, how will they sync with each other? How will they avoid confusion for the intern on how and when to communicate with each mentor?

Intern timeline

A helpful resource that �� if done properly ahead of time �� would make the process go more smoothly is to build an intern timeline. This timeline will include the expected milestones for the intern throughout their whole internship, from start to finish.

Chunk the timeline into milestones; for example, over a 12-week internship, you might have these milestones:

1. Milestone 1 (2 weeks): An onboarding and learning phase that could include some minor tasks to help the intern get comfortable with the flow of work.
2. Milestone 2 (1 week): Project handover and tasks discussion.
3. Milestone 3 (6 weeks): Project work completion.
4. Milestone 4 (2 weeks): Project review, bug fixes, and enhancements.
5. Milestone 5 (1 week): Demos, internship wrap-up, and evaluation.

Project breakdown

An intern is not expected to make major architectural design decisions or work on a project that is not already planned properly. That’s why a good project for interns needs to be:

1. Very well documented.
2. Broken down into tasks (especially for the core requirements).
3. Specified such that each task contains as many details as possible so that the intern has a good idea about how the implementation is expected to go.

Of course, some ambiguity will show up, and there will be discussions while working on the project. While this is a good experience for the intern, it’s a good idea to minimize this ambiguity as much as possible.

Execution and support

Throughout the entire internship, it is important to know how and when to support, while also giving the intern the chance to be creative and work independently. So how do you balance the support with autonomy? The answer is: phases of support.

1. Phase 1: Close monitoring and daily sync. This is the starting point with the intern until they are aligned with the plan and what is expected of them. This phase could encompass the first two milestones, and possibly extend to more than that depending on the intern and how proactive and comfortable they are with their current tasks. If they are able to ask questions and complete tasks without close guidance, they could be ready for phase 2.
2. Phase 2: Loose monitoring, and syncing every few days. This is where more trust is given to the intern, allowing them to do things independently.
3. Phase 3: Loose monitoring and syncing as needed. At this point, the intern knows when they are stuck and how to seek help. The intern should still send updates on the status of their work every week and attend necessary meetings as other engineers do.

Motivation and feedback

The mentor should help motivate the intern, and provide feedback to ensure they keep developing:

• An intern is at the start of their career, and they need all the positive push and guidance to help them grow and become great future engineers.
• Failing to motivate the intern or recognize their strengths and achievements could affect their confidence in what is potentially their first experience with a work environment.

That’s why it is important to set points after each milestone to recognize their accomplishments and give them constructive feedback that could help them do better in the next milestone. The key is to make sure recognitions are public, while constructive feedback is private.

Wrap-up and lessons learned

Whether the intern’s project was completed or not, it’s important to wrap up their work in a way that provides closure and to have them review what they’ve learned. ����’s also a good idea to get feedback from the intern, to help the mentor to improve and to make the experience better for future interns.

How would a successful internship benefit the mentor?

When a mentor is able to give a successful experience to interns, it will not only benefit the intern but also benefit the mentor:

• The mentor will be able to strengthen their leadership skills and be more aware of usual and unusual situations that could come up when mentoring different types of people.
• The mentor will be able to get a better sense of time-management skills and how to calibrate time according to the engineer’s experience level and productivity.
• A successful mentorship benefits the whole team, and everyone becomes more productive.

In conclusion, mentoring an intern is a great opportunity. If planned and supported well, these interns will become great engineers. Make sure this process is as smooth and rewarding for both the intern and the mentor.

Each year, PowerToFly invites our team to express gratitude for one another through an equitable, pay-it-forward style, Secret Snowflake gift exchange.

We ask that each of our team members donate to an organization that is near and dear to the heart of their “Secret Snowflake.�� We love this holiday tradition because it offers our remote-first, international team the opportunity to learn more about each other on a personal level. It also feels good to do good on behalf of the passions of your colleagues.

In 2022, our team donated to 100 organizations!

If you are looking for great organizations to support this year, we invite you to utilize and share the PowerToFly Team's top 100 organizations to donate to in 2023:

As we get ready to wrap up this year and plan for 2023, it’s time to re-envision the commitment to DEIB in our organizations. DEIB is an ever changing and evolving sector of HR and Leadership as a whole, so how will it look different in 2023?

Join PowerToFly's Senior Director of DEIB Sienna Brown and 15five's Cara Pelletier, Senior Director of Employee Experience as they explore this question and discuss how you can lead your organization to greater levels of equity and inclusion while still supporting your own wellbeing as a people leader.

• Understanding how to navigate wellness and work-life balance in an increasingly dynamic world
• Supporting the wellbeing of DEIB professionals and mitigating their emotional labor while also leading your organization to greater levels of equity & inclusion
• Elevating DEIB as a cornerstone and the impact of proactive vs reactive DEIB in 2023
• What would commitment BOTH to the health of yourself and your organization look like?

Do you need some ideas to make a memorable holiday celebration for your team?

As the year winds down, companies are gearing up to celebrate the holidays and their team’s many achievements this year.

If you’re looking for creative ways to spice things up this year, read on to get an inside look at the unique ways that our partner companies are celebrating the holiday season, virtually and in-person.

Skedulo’s got talent (...and prizes, and more)

“With a globally distributed team, Skedulo is approaching the holiday season through a variety of in-person events. To name a few, we will host activities such as a rooftop gathering, Escape Room, and a lunch cruise.

Our Vietnam office is doing something special this year, with their own “Skedulo’s Got Talent�� competition show.

Both our London and Brisbane offices are giving back to the community through volunteering/fundraising efforts. For our remote employees in the US, we will have regional hub gatherings and offer gift cards to anyone who is unable to attend an in-person gathering.��

Learn more about Skedulo, here.

Elastic’s team is cooking-up ways to pay-it-forward

“Elastic is holding , its annual virtual holiday celebration, to bring together Elasticians from around the world to Fest their Best. In addition, we have local celebrations Elasticians can attend, with the option to order a festive hoodie for those who cannot.

To celebrate the season of giving, Elastic is also hosting local donation drives and giving employees $50 to donate to their charity of choice. And for a bit of fun, Elasticians can compete in a Gingerbread House competition and contribute to Elastic’s Holiday Cookbook.��

Learn more about Elastic, here.

Autodesk loses for a week �� R&R is the gift that keeps on giving

“We’ll be hosting fun year-end events for employees at each of our offices to reflect on, and celebrate, our accomplishments over the past year.

After that, our offices will be closed globally from December 19-23 to give everyone time to relax and recharge. This is one of the many ways we ensure Autodeskers take time away from work throughout the year to meaningfully disconnect, so we can come back fully rested and ready to show up as our best selves!��

Learn more about Autodesk, here.

ServiceNow knows that sharing is caring

“A�� , we’ll be recognizing and celebrating our teams around the world for all their hard work and commitment to helping our company become the defining enterprise software company of the 21st century. We’ll be hosting digital and in-person celebrations for our teams globally. Additionally, as a diverse and inclusive company with employees from all backgrounds, faiths, and traditions, we enjoy learning and seeing how our team members celebrate during the end-of-year holiday season.

We’d love to be a part of your holiday moments, too—today, tomorrow, and always.

Check out our community here.��

Learn more about ServiceNow, here.

Workiva makes time for fun and gives back big time

“The holidays are a season of giving at Workiva. Along with celebrating a successful Annual Giving Campaign where employees made financial donations to over 650 charities, many also use their eight hours of annual employer-sponsored volunteer time off to give back to their local communities in ways that are meaningful to them.

The end of the year is also a time to reflect on our accomplishments. Our annual Year in Review video is a fun way to celebrate our success as a company as we look ahead and set goals for the new year.��

Learn more about Workiva, here.

ASM shares thanks through the New Year

“����’s that time of the year to reflect, celebrate, and say "Thank You"! Especially to our ASM team in Phoenix! They lead ASM’s holiday kick-off by hosting a Thanksgiving feast filled with lots of laughs, and full stomachs. At ASM we carve out time to share thanks, connect, and reflect during the Holiday season.

Happy Holidays to everyone who celebrated and will continue to spread joy through connection this holiday season.

We send ‘thanks�� to you, and all of our colleagues around the world!

"

Learn more about ASM, here.

Shopify celebrates with support, recognition, and R&R this year

“A�� Shopify Logistics, we’re celebrating the holidays by giving employees the last week of December off and celebrating our warehouse and operations teams with special recognition of their work over the holidays to support our organization!��

Learn more about Shopify, here.

Arch Insurance rejoices in the wake of a big announcement

“Exciting things are happening at Arch. Arch Capital Group Ltd. (ACGL) has been added to the Standard & Poor’s 500 index. The S&P 500 index is the most broadly tracked investment benchmark with $13.5 trillion invested in the United States and around the world.

‘This is a significant moment in our company’s history. This external validation of the incredible job done by the talented people here at Arch should make us all proud. ����’s a great thing to be able to say that you work for a S&P 500 company.’�� �� CEO Marc Grandisson

Learn more about Arch Insurance, here.

GoTo Gives �� The true spirit of the season

“A�� GoTo, we celebrate the holiday season through our philanthropy and volunteering program, GoTo Gives. The holidays are a time for giving back and our GoTo Gives volunteers across the globe fill the season with actions to support their local communities �� whether that is using VTO (Volunteer Time Off) or participating in our charitable match program through WeSpire. Many sites and offices also hold giving drives supporting non-profit organizations that are helping children and families with supplies during the holiday season.�� �� Amy Wendel, Senior Director, Head of Corporate Responsibility

Learn more about GoTo, here.

RTB House celebrates together

“We kicked off the holiday season with a gathering of the U.S. RTB House team in Savannah. We are fully remote so for many, this was the first in-person meeting with the team! Holiday-themed trivia was a collective favorite!

We’re now looking forward to next year as we plan to double our team. With travel back in full swing, we have a full schedule of amazing events and activities planned for RTB’ers and their clients. Looking ahead into 2023, we have many new product features coming, new clients onboarding, and more teammates joining. The future is truly exciting here at RTB House.��

Learn more about RTB House, here.

UnitedHealth Group wants you to take care of your mind, body, and more

“In the final weeks of the year, we’re taking time to reflect on our people’s contributions in helping communities worldwide access the care they need to feel their best. As a leader in health care, we strive to help our team members feel their best too.

As we take time to reflect on our achievements this holiday season, we want to support our team members in closing out the year strong by connecting them to resources such as our Stride program, giving them access to exercise and mindfulness apps, wellness coaching, financial counseling, and more.

View our benefits here.��

Learn more about UnitedHealth Group, here.

Collective Insights and the Empty Stocking Fund

“A�� Collective Insights, our calendars are brimming with holiday events.

An annual favorite is the Empty Stocking Fund, where we help provide gifts to economically disadvantaged children during the holiday season. We’re also excited to host the holiday dinner at The King Plow Arts Center this year.

From festive attire to spirited games, it’s a great way to mix and mingle with the Collective Insights team and their guests. And then we’re starting the new year off with our Company Kick-Off event, where we talk strategy, vision, and goals for 2023—followed by a happy hour (or two).��

Learn more about Collective Insights, here.

Aurora Solar is spreading holiday joy

“We’d like to express our gratitude for every Auroran during this holiday season. We are so grateful for the work each team member puts in on a daily basis to bring us closer to our mission of creating a future of solar energy for all.

This holiday season, we will be celebrating with a favorite tradition of ours, holiday card making. This event not only serves our but also gives Aurorans the opportunity to share stories and grow deeper connections with each other.

With the New Year, comes opportunities for growing our community, elevating employees, and sharing our Mission.�� �� Tiffany Harris, Workplace Experience Program Manager

Learn more about Aurora Solar, here.

Stem is getting together in L.A. and there will be awards

“This year, Stem will be celebrating the holiday season with a virtual awards ceremony and company holiday party on December 13th. The holiday party will allow our employees from all over the world (Japan, England, Brazil, and more) to be able to celebrate our wins and reflect on memories made in 2022.

The Stem team is excited to set goals for the new year, through a series of team meetings held in Los Angeles.��

Learn more about Stem, here.

Zapier believes in balance and teamwork

“Zapier is an international team that celebrates holidays unique to each person. For that reason, there are no official holidays. Instead, we’re encouraged to request time off for holidays that are meaningful to us. Many Zapiens reserve the last two weeks of the year to be with family and friends, travel, and more. Marta Mierzejewska, Recruiting Lead, is traveling to Spain and Poland to celebrate Christmas with her family.

Our customers are always top of mind, so time off around the holidays varies depending on each role. We collect our teammates' preferences and try to schedule time off as transparently and as fairly as possible.��

Equinix believes pauses in the name of gratitude

"The end of the year is the perfect time for reflection. At Equinix, we will be pausing to take stock, share gratitude for one another, and celebrate the holiday season. Employees will be having meaningful end-of-the-year conversations with their managers to discuss achievements and make plans for growth and development.

Our company-wide newsletter, Love, Equinix, is coming out in December and it will contain messages of gratitude, including from leaders, thanking our employees. And, of course, across our many locations, employees will be coming together to mark a successful past year and toast the new one to come."

Learn more about Equinix, here.

PagerDuty is on hibernation duty for the season

"At PagerDuty, we celebrate the holiday season with HibernationDuty, a week when everyone will be asked to take a much needed break. We feel that HibernationDuty is an effective way to ensure that Dutonians get the rest they need and an opportunity to spend time with their loved ones.

As part of the Performance Experience at PagerDuty, we kick off the New Year by aligning on goals at 3 levels: company-wide goals, functional organization goals, and individual goals. This provides our Dutonians with an understanding of what they should be doing to grow, develop, and be successful."

Learn more about PagerDuty, here.

When articles calling quiet quitting a toxic trend began to circulate, my immediate thought was: they’re missing the point entirely (and this is clearly sponsored content). , in case you missed it, is doing the work that you’re being paid for and not participating in ‘hustle�� culture.

From my side of TikTok, it’s clear that quiet quitting is a .

����’s not the crisis or trend of apathy that some would have you believe, but rather it’s a collective reevaluation of priorities and the . Quiet quitting is an assessment of the give and take of work dynamics and a remembering of our inherent value as people.

We spend most of our lives at work �� why would we not develop similar boundaries and healthy habits in our work life as we do at home?

Work at one time in my life was a replacement for addiction.

When I became sober in the first few months of the pandemic (great timing, right?), my accountability process began with naming the differences between my sobriety and my recovery.

What I mean by that is:

My sobriety is the list of things that I’m not doing.

My recovery is the list of things that I am doing.

Sobriety is all about boundary setting and recovery is having an active presence in your own life. The same can be said for quiet quitting.

Taking control of your sobriety requires the resetting of power dynamics - in your relationship with yourself, and others. As someone who worked a year into the pandemic before considering setting Do Not Disturb hours on my work apps, I can tell you that forming and holding boundaries in my sobriety has helped me to better navigate workplace boundaries.

Boundaries are often a novel concept for folks who are in recovery �� my boundaries were more like a sieve and less like a wall.

Those in recovery very often have traumatic experiences that have skewed our understanding of healthy relationship dynamics in the first place. And what is quiet quitting if not understanding and executing healthy boundaries effectively? When those in recovery find themselves in work situations that closely mirror our already abusive experiences, it’s hard to know how to navigate them in a healthy way.

Take a personal inventory. Ask yourself, what sort of environment is your employer creating for you?

What would need to change for you to want to stick around?

The world has changed and we have the power to rethink what a healthy, sustainable, and efficient workplace looks like �� we are, after all, the experts of our experience. Quiet quitting is a reprioritization of people and well-being that ultimately benefits employers who center their workforce in the decision-making process.

So what does a healthy approach to quiet quitting look like in real life?

If you’re already considering quiet quitting:

• Determine clear lines between what is and isn’t within your job description (what are you NOT getting paid to do that you are doing?)
  • If you’ve taken on additional responsibilities, have a conversation with your supervisor or HR about equitable compensation or a title change to reflect the work that you’re doing. Not sure what that looks like? Do some market research with a platform like .
  • If you’re a person of a marginalized identity, think about the ways that your lived experience is being utilized to drive company DEIB efforts. This sort of labor often goes unrecognized in the form of compensation and can be exceptionally draining.
• Talk to your team (if it’s safe to do so) about the challenges you’re facing. Chances are, you aren’t the only one.
  • If you don’t have a supportive relationship with your supervisor or HR, this is a perfect opportunity to organize with your coworkers. Be open with one another about the ways in which work is bleeding into the rest of your life. Discuss your salaries/pay rates (yes, this is legal), the expectations around your workload, and your schedules to suss out inequities.
• Hold your ground on work hours and utilize Do Not Disturb settings. Set DnD hours (for all you dungeon masters out there, not that DnD) and establish the expectation that you will not be answering work messages after hours.

If you’re entering a new workplace, this is an excellent opportunity to:

• Pay attention to your gut �� it will identify red flags of toxic culture if you let it.
• Ask yourself, does my workplace value me as an individual and allow me to bring all parts of myself to the table, or does it value assimilation?
• Have open conversations with your team about practices you implement to protect your life outside the workplace. It could even help your coworkers create healthier boundaries for themselves.
• Set clear expectations and communicate. Communicating your expectations and boundaries early on can help you avoid issues down the road.

Something that you learn rather abruptly in recovery is that not everyone wants to respect the boundaries you set to protect your peace.

If someone in your life has benefited from your squishy boundaries in the past, they will likely feel the disruption of new change. The same is true of the workplace. If someone, a team, or even the company has benefited from you prioritizing work over your own life and health, the likelihood of a negative response to clearly defined boundaries is higher.

Sometimes, setting new boundaries is healthier than rebuilding. There are organizations that want you to find a new role that better aligns with your values, brings you peace, and prioritizes you as the unique human that you are.

Are you ready to make a change? Explore open career opportunities at /.