In the U.S. tech sector, more than 141,000 workers have been laid off since the beginning of 2023, with notable companies such as Amazon, Alphabet, Meta, and Microsoft having some of the most significant losses. However, we know that technology development isn’t going away. It is a part of every industry, and even when there are downturns, it will continue to grow, necessitating the eventual need for organizations to rebuild their teams. This provides an opportunity to be more thoughtful in hiring approaches moving forward and to implement DEI best practices that will help to achieve more diverse and effective teams in the future.
Taking Care With Hard Decisions
Layoffs happen due to companies having to make financial decisions based on a variety of factors. When they occur, it is essential to design for inclusion and use data to be more thoughtful about the process. For example, implement anonymous evaluation techniques that focus on performance and are reviewed for equity. This might include masking the identities of people to avoid bias influencing decision-making that could disproportionally impact underrepresented groups or choosing not to simply let go of recent hires who came through investing in DEI recruitment efforts or closing an office in a city that has a more diverse team. Keep track of internal demographics and whether the decisions you are planning to make will cause them to change so that you can be more thoughtful about the process.
Implementing Systems for Improved Recovery
Women Who Code Atlanta talk on Building a Resilient Career with Tara Walker, Principal Engineer at ... [+]
When a company starts to recover and think about adding new jobs again, you have an opportunity. You can improve diversity and inclusion initiatives into your processes to develop a team that attracts and retains diverse employees more naturally. You can build inclusion into every stage of the employee lifecycle, making it easier to continue implementing as you grow.
Begin with recruitment efforts. Use platforms like Textio help build more equity into the language used in job descriptions. Intentionally reach diverse talent by posting roles to job boards where diverse applicants will be more likely to see them, such as group-specific job boards for women and other underrepresented people in tech.
Implement anonymous evaluation processes where possible in hiring to reduce bias. Implement diverse hiring and interview teams, to allow more perspectives, but also to let the interviewee know they are more likely belong.
As new employees join, design for a culture of inclusion from the earliest stage possible. Platforms like Culture Amp and Peakon strive to create a better employee engagement. Organization wide training can be provided regularly to ensure that all employees understand the implications of microaggressions, unconscious bias, and cultural competency. Communication should ensure everyone feels comfortable talking to their leaders about issues and ideas.
Supporting and partnering outside organizations such as Ultranauts, Aspiritech, Lesbians Who Tech, Women Who Code, and People of Color in Tech helps to support the ecosystem that develops and supports a sense of belonging in the industry. Intentional career development planning can be developed to help diverse individuals see a path within your organization and gain insights on how to be considered for promotion and achieve career goals without leaving. When rebuilding teams to have greater diversity, you must constantly re-assess your efforts. Look at the data and the demographics as teams grow, and review your processes to determine where there is unconscious bias that may be overcome through intentional design.
