Tangible effortscould have a domino effect in improving workplace diversity, as well as employee morale and a strong ability to attract new talent, the Hired report suggests: 64% of respondents said a company's commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion has a strong impact on their decision to take a job. Additionally, the two biggest red flags that dissuade candidates from accepting an offer include a bad company reputation or poor company culture.
Job candidates say they would like to see companies be transparent about pay equity, publish annual diversity reports and hire more women and people of color to C-suite and board positions in order to make a difference. And as companies embrace remote staffers, they'll also have to reconfigure what a company's values look like when they aren't on display in an office.
After salary, job candidates say they care most about the opportunity to learn new skills, company culture and leadership when they join an organization. Employers can demonstrate these values by committing a greater share of work hours and performance goals to career development training, or providing workers a stipend to attend conferences throughout the year, Patel says.
"You're seeing companies step up and show how this is a culture that invests in you and develops your skills," Patel says.