Recruit with Diversity and Inclusion in Mind
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A diverse workforce is important because it increases productivity and engagement and creates an organization that better represents the community it serves.
During the hiring process, understand the value of word choice, disseminate job postings to underrepresented communities, and assess potential areas of bias.
The interview process should emphasize the value that a candidate can add to an organization and not how a candidate would be a good cultural fit.
To recruit a diverse workforce, ensure that all qualified candidates will feel welcomed to apply for a job opening and have a clear understanding of all job expectations.
The US water workforce includes about 1.7 million people, according to a June 2018 Brookings Institution report, Renewing the Water Workforce (www.brookings.edu/research/water-workforce). Almost one-third of those workers will be eligible for retirement in the next 10 years. As the water industry addresses its expected loss of expertise and institutional knowledge, it must seek out and support diversity in recruiting and hiring so future water professionals fully represent the diversity found in the communities they serve.
