DEI initiatives in the workplace are becoming increasingly common as more and more companies understand the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion. However, diversity and inclusion in the workplace need to be about more than just recognizing that someone is different for a singular identity &mdash; like their race or their gender &mdash; and figuring out how to include them. This is where intersectionality comes into play. 
Intersectionality is the latest buzzword on the topic of inclusion, and while many companies are realizing it&rsquo;s something they need to take note of, they don&rsquo;t fully understand what it is or what it means. 
<h2>What is Intersectionality?</h2>
Intersectionality is the idea that different social categorizations, as applied to an individual, often interconnect or overlap with other categorizations of other individuals or groups of people. In other words, no person can be identified by one single thing, and instead, they are often made up of multiple identities which they share with other people. 
In the context of diversity and inclusion, intersectionality is most often used about identities or social categorizations that are affected by systems of inequality or oppression, such as having a specific socio-economic status or being a woman, a person of color, or a member of the LGBTQ+ community. 
Intersectional feminism, for example, is often talked about regarding women&rsquo;s rights needing to include all women, not just white women. So to be an intersectional feminist means to be a feminist that fights for the rights of all women, not just the women with the same intersecting identities as you. This same concept applies to all identities or categorizations. For example, if you are going to be <a href="https://www.gettinghired.com/blog/3214/the-business-case-for-disability-inclusion-and-how-to-improve-your-dei-score" rel="noopener" target="_blank">inclusive of people with disabilities</a>, being intersectional means you would need to be inclusive of all people with disabilities, not just white people with disabilities or not just men with disabilities. 
<h2>Why Intersectionality in the Workplace Matters</h2>
Intersectionality matters, period &mdash; but it is especially important in the workplace. Many companies are already implementing DEI initiatives, but they are not doing so with intersectionality in mind. In other words, they are often only recognizing singular identities rather than how their employees are affected by multiple forms of inequity and discrimination. 
For example, companies that implement diversity initiatives that focus on racial diversity often end up being more inclusive of men of color, but not necessarily women of color. Or companies that are trying to be more inclusive of women only center on white women rather than women of all races. 
While these efforts are a start, they are often not 100% effective because they are not taking into account all of the other identities and how they overlap. Just because you are making your workplace more inclusive to people of color does not mean you are also taking into account the unique challenges that women of color specifically face compared to men of color. If your DEI initiatives do not include intersectionality, then you are still likely leaving certain identities out. You are failing to fully support your employees in the unique ways that they need to be supported and accomplish success in their roles. 
<h2>How To Integrate Intersectionality and Create a More Inclusive Workplace</h2>
Integrating intersectionality is not easy, but it is essential if you want to create a genuinely inclusive workplace for all. Your efforts must move past categorizing your employees through one-dimensional aspects and seek to take an intersectional approach in all areas of the workplace, from hiring practices and workplace culture to external-facing work, such as your marketing. 
<h4>1. Lead by Example</h4>
One way to start is to focus on those in leadership roles and how they interact with, communicate with, and treat your employees. Those in leadership and management roles essentially dictate how things work while setting an example. So you must ensure your leaders are being truly intersectional in their behaviors to set an example for how everyone else should act and treat others in the workplace. 
<h4>2. Provide More Opportunities for Education and Awareness</h4>
Integrating intersectionality is not achieved by hosting one meeting about DEI and intersectionality. You must take an ongoing approach by providing consistent opportunities for everyone on your staff to continue educating themselves and becoming more aware. This means ongoing training and creating safe spaces for everyday informed conversations. 
<h4>3. Update Your Policies</h4>
Of course, talking about intersectionality and teaching it to your staff is one thing. But to make this change more resolute, it often requires taking a hard look at your policies and making necessary changes. This can include changing your mission statement, strengthening anti-discrimination policies, and using more inclusive language. 
<h4>4. Learn From Other Organizations</h4>
If you aren&rsquo;t sure where to start, a great way to get ideas is to take a look at other organizations making big changes to integrate intersectionality. 
For example, there are a few tech companies today that are not only trying to be more inclusive of <a href="https://blog.domotz.com/fun-side-it/women-in-tech/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">women in tech</a> but especially of women of color in tech. Some of these companies include Girls Who Code, the NCWIT, and Women Who Code. The <a href="https://constructionblog.autodesk.com/better-construction-black-employees/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">construction industry</a>, which has often been behind in DEI efforts, is also taking bigger steps today to create more inclusive workplaces that integrate intersectionality. Instead of primarily hiring men, they are making efforts to hire people across various marginalized groups, such as women and people of color. 
<h2>Wrapping Up</h2>
As more companies take on DEI initiatives, these efforts must include intersectionality from the start. To truly transition from intent to action, bigger changes must be made, which can mean having some uncomfortable conversations. But the faster you integrate intersectionality, the quicker you can achieve a successful workplace where all employees can thrive. 
&nbsp; Our platform is designed to connect you with the best and brightest candidates who bring unique perspectives and experiences to your team. Inclusion is not just a buzzword, it's a competitive advantage in today's rapidly evolving business landscape. Companies that prioritize equity and inclusion enjoy increased innovation, creativity, and employee satisfaction. Contact us at gettinghired@careercircle.com. 
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Content Contributor:
Ainsley Lawrence is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. She is interested in better living through technology and education. She loves traveling to beautiful places and is frequently lost in a good book. <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/hLvFXRWzQ3mmPHNdkziS" width="232" height="232">

Learn how to integrate intersectionality into DEI initiatives for a truly inclusive workplace. Tips and insights inside!

Intersectionality: What It Is and Why It Matters To Your Workplace | Getting Hired

Intersectionality: What It Is and Why It Matters To Your Workplace

As beneficial as a diverse sales team is, many businesses struggle to form one. The reasons why vary. But, a big one is there&rsquo;s a disconnect in the recruiting process, whether it&rsquo;s where they&rsquo;re recruiting, the language they use in their job ads, or something else entirely. 
&nbsp;
Fortunately, achieving more diversity on your sales team is much more straightforward with an intentional recruiting process. Six tips for recruiting a diverse group of talented sales professionals are just ahead. But first, let&rsquo;s discuss the value of a diverse sales team. 
<h3>The Value of a Diverse Sales Team</h3>
First and foremost, a <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/business/sales/blog/diversity-inclusion-belonging/how-to-hire-a-diverse-sales-team-best-practices" rel="noopener" target="_blank">diverse sales team is best positioned</a> to work with a diverse customer base. People are usually more comfortable with those they can identify with. A team with varying backgrounds, abilities, and experiences fuels that comfortability and leads to more closed deals. 
Diverse sales teams are also more innovative. You can understand the needs of more people and develop sales solutions for them that they can genuinely resonate with. Creativity runs deep in a diverse team. And that&rsquo;s critical for consistent results. 
<h3>Who&rsquo;s Underrepresented in Sales?</h3>
Recruiting a talented, diverse sales team starts with understanding who&rsquo;s underrepresented in the field. When you know who&rsquo;s underrepresented in sales, you can contribute to closing the gap by hiring individuals in these communities. 
Let&rsquo;s take <a href="https://www.pipedrive.com/en/blog/women-in-sales" rel="noopener" target="_blank">women in sales</a>, for example. While they represent just under half, 49%, of sales reps, they only make up 26% of sales managers. The climb to sales management and leadership seems much steeper for women than men. In addition, women are severely underrepresented in business-to-business (B2B) sales roles.&nbsp; They deal with gender biases. And despite outperforming men, they&rsquo;re paid 7% less than them. 
Continue to look into <a href="https://www.zippia.com/advice/sales-statistics/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">sales role statistics</a> like this. Understanding just how underrepresented and mistreated women and other groups are in sales gives you a recruiting starting point. 
<h3>Identify Talent and Skills Gaps </h3>
Aside from having people of different genders, races, and cultures, a diverse sales team has a range of talents and skill sets. Be sure you&rsquo;re recruiting individuals who can fill your current team's talent and skills gaps. 
Identify those talent and skills gaps first. Take inventory of your team and pinpoint where it could benefit from adding certain skills and talents to the mix. Prioritize the need for these skillsets by importance and start recruiting for the most critical. 
<h3>Recruit for Culture Fit Too</h3>
Technical skills are crucial, but they aren&rsquo;t everything. Not only do you need people on your team with essential skills, but you also need those who fit your company culture perfectly. They may not have the specialized skills you&rsquo;re looking for, but their personalities, values, and goals fit the company's vision. 
Any time you come across candidates who are a good culture fit, set their applications aside. Then, review these applications in more detail later to determine if they should advance to the interview stage. 
<h3>Ensure Job Postings Welcome a Range of Applicants </h3>
You can set out to recruit a diverse and inclusive team. If something as important as your job posting isn&rsquo;t reflective of that, your efforts are less likely to be successful. So, you must design job postings that are accessible and welcoming to everyone. 
Use gender-neutral language in your job descriptions. Stay away from an aggressive, competitive tone and adopt a softer one. Let candidates know your company accommodates all needs. And refrain from doing or saying anything that can be deemed offensive. 
<h3>Extend Your Recruitment Efforts to Social Media</h3>
Job search engines and your company website aren&rsquo;t the only places you can turn to for recruiting. Consider extending your recruitment efforts to social media. With millions of people using social media daily, you can bet many of them are looking for job opportunities. 
LinkedIn is one of the best social media platforms to recruit on. It&rsquo;s deemed the site for professionals. Also, businesses can create job postings and candidates can apply for them directly on the platform. 
You can reach a much bigger candidate pool on LinkedIn. Just make sure you&rsquo;re <a href="https://www.adobe.com/express/learn/blog/best-time-to-post-on-linkedin" rel="noopener" target="_blank">posting on LinkedIn at the best times</a> based on when the candidates you&rsquo;re after are on the platform the most. Even if you don&rsquo;t generate any interest in your jobs immediately, you can still compile a list of potential candidates to reach out to later. 
<h3>Have Accommodations in Place</h3>
If you really want people with varying abilities, backgrounds, and experiences on your sales team, you must show them your company is equipped to accommodate them. 
 For example, if you&rsquo;re hoping to successfully hire people with disabilities, you should have accommodations in place that can support them. This could be providing screen readers for the visually impaired. It could be providing mobility aids and ensuring your office is wheelchair accessible. Or it could be having an employee on board fluent in sign language to communicate with someone hearing-impaired. 
Accommodations for those living with a mental health condition in the workplace are vital too. These conditions can be &ldquo;invisible&rdquo; but are just as debilitating without proper support. So, ensure mental health resources are abundant and easy to access. Having accommodations already in place to support a diverse sales team will show candidates your efforts are genuine. 
<h3>Final Words </h3>
If you&rsquo;ve yet to prioritize diversity and inclusion on your sales team, you&rsquo;re missing out on some key advantages. Not only are diverse teams more innovative, but they&rsquo;re more equipped to connect and close deals with a diverse customer base. Let the above advice guide you in building an incredibly talented, diverse sales team. 

Interested in being one of our partners? Contact us at gettinghired@careercircle.com.&nbsp; 
<hr>

Content Contributor:
Ainsley Lawrence is a freelance writer from the Pacific Northwest. She is interested in better living through technology and education. She loves traveling to beautiful places and is frequently lost in a good book. <img src="https://cdn.buttercms.com/xM3iVk1Q6Grl9AKaOJyl" width="278" height="278">

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Boost sales with a diverse team. Learn 6 tips for recruiting talented sales professionals and fostering inclusion.

Recruiting a Diverse Sales Team | Getting Hired

Recruiting a Diverse Sales Team

Taking care of ourselves physically, mentally, and emotionally can be a challenge for anyone managing work and home life. For employees with disabilities, the aim to successfully manage disability-related needs amid other responsibilities, including work, can make self-care even more challenging.
Employers can play a critical role to support self-care for employees with disabilities.&nbsp;<a href="https://warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/new_study_shows/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Research</a>&nbsp;proves employees are more productive and engaged when they&rsquo;re happy at work. Conversely, workplace stress generally produces higher turnover, higher healthcare costs, and lower productivity. As a result, employers who create a culture of self-care in the workplace are more likely to experience overall business growth as a result of having engaged, healthy employees.
Formal employee wellness/wellbeing programs are on the rise in businesses of all industries and sizes. In fact, they are consistently included as a part of some companies&rsquo; benefits packages. Strong programs provide tools, resources, support that can include activities focused on stress reduction, weight loss, and smoking cessation. Other common programs include health risk assessments, health screenings, exercise and nutrition activities, and vaccination clinics.
How can I establish an Inclusive Culture of Self-Care in the Workplace?
Whether you&rsquo;re planning to develop an extensive employee wellness program, or implement a few wellness strategies, here are a few ideas to help you establish and cultivate a culture of self-care within your workplace that&rsquo;s inclusive of employees with disabilities:
<ol>
<li>Encourage Mindfulness&nbsp;&ndash; Many companies are incorporating mindfulness into their employee wellness programs, as it has proven to help employees take a proactive approach to managing their mental health, stress, and emotions in the workplace. For some employers, this includes hosting mindfulness practices, such as meditation trainings, lunchtime chair massages, or yoga sessions, including&nbsp;<a href="http://www.yourowngentleapproach.com/what-is-adaptive-yoga/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">adaptive yoga</a>&nbsp;for employees with disabilities. Others encourage use of free meditation apps, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.headspace.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Headspace</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.calm.com/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Calm</a>. &nbsp;</li>
<li>Offer Flexible Work Schedules&nbsp;&ndash; Employees with flexible work schedules are often more satisfied, as this allows them to better control their overall schedules and manage emergencies. For employees with disabilities, there are typically even greater benefits. Opportunities for flexible work schedules eliminate the need for stressful commutes; allow the ability to plan around disability-related needs, including doctors&rsquo; appointments and medication; and provide freedom to live in locations that are more beneficial for their needs (i.e. warmer climates). &nbsp;</li>
<li>Promote Physical Health, Including Adequate Rest&nbsp;&ndash; Physically healthy employees, including those who get enough rest, generally experience less exhaustion, more productivity, and reduced healthcare costs. Employers can encourage physical health in a variety of ways, from providing healthy snacks in break rooms and vending machines, to offering in-house workout classes or discounts/reimbursements for gym memberships. Additionally, some employers host activity groups, such as exercise clubs. Employers should allow space for each employee, no matter their physical abilities, to participate in such groups in whatever capacity they are able. &nbsp;</li>
<li>Celebrate Employees&rsquo; Work&nbsp;&ndash; Simply taking time to acknowledge employees work and accomplishments can significantly boost morale. Whether it&rsquo;s hitting a big milestone or managing a customer conflict, managers should seek out opportunities to affirm their employees for a job well-done. Not only does this prompt greater employee loyalty, but it also helps employees view their supervisors as trustworthy and feel more satisfied in their jobs. Even still, some employers set aside specific celebration days, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lisaquast/2017/02/27/5-ways-to-celebrate-employee-appreciation-day-friday-march-3rd/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Employee Appreciation Day</a>&nbsp;in March or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iaap-hq.org/page/AdminProDay" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Administrative Professionals Week</a>&nbsp;in April, to purposefully plan something for their employees. &nbsp;</li>
<li>Encourage Breaks, Including PTO&nbsp;&ndash; Taking regular breaks, ideally away from the work environment, can provide much needed rejuvenation. This includes taking a full lunch break away from the computer, along with mid-morning/afternoon breaks to refocus. Additionally, employers should foster a culture that encourages employees to take time off. Whether this is a longer vacation that&rsquo;s been planned, or a &ldquo;mental health day,&rdquo; employees should feel comfortable taking earned leave, and expectations regarding checking email and phone messages while taking leave should be communicated. &nbsp;</li>
<li>Set Realistic Expectations Around Technology Use&nbsp;&ndash; Constant access to technology often creates unspoken expectations regarding employee response times to emails and other messages. Employers should clearly communicate expectations about the types of circumstances that should warrant immediate response (i.e. an emergency), especially after work hours. Ideally, employees should be given opportunities to set their own communication boundaries that support their work styles. For some, this may mean immediately responding to emails at any time to help reduce their overall tasks. For others, this could mean setting strict time boundaries around when they will and will not respond to messages. This is especially helpful for employees with neurocognitive disabilities that perform best with structure and schedules. &nbsp;</li>
<li>Provide Social Support&nbsp;&ndash; Employees who are a part of a supportive work environment also prove to be happier and more productive. Employers should facilitate opportunities for employees to build relationships among their coworkers, including creating collaborative work spaces, hosting in- and out-of-office bonding activities, and developing internal mentorship programs. Workplace mentoring proves especially beneficial for employees with disabilities. Among other benefits, receiving guidance and support from mentors can help employees with disabilities navigate new work environments and relationships, identify and request appropriate accommodations to help ensure their success, and provide ideas to help with career growth. </li>
</ol>
In addition to incorporating wellness programs, some companies are partnering with consulting firms like&nbsp;<a href="https://theenergyproject.com/about/" rel="noopener" target="_blank">The Energy Project</a>&nbsp;to help them assess their practices and support employee growth through a scientifically-based approach to energizing people, ultimately helping employees perform at their best.
Companies that desire to retain employees and ensure overall employee satisfaction should make employee self-care a priority. For more ideas on how to incorporate self-care practices for employees with disabilities in your workplace, or to learn how you can better support your own self-care,&nbsp;contact the Getting Hired team.
Contributions to this blog were made by Andra&eacute;a LaVant of Solutions Marketing Group.&nbsp;

Support self-care for employees with disabilities to boost productivity and engagement. Learn how to create an inclusive culture.

7 Tips for Employers to Support Self-Care for Employees with Disabilities

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Staff Writer

144 Articles

Intersectionality: What It Is and Why It Matters To Your Workplace

Recruiting a Diverse Sales Team

7 Tips for Employers to Support Self-Care for Employees with Disabilities