How to Conduct a DEI Interview

Have you got a DEI interview in the pipeline? DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) interviews are an important step towards encompassing these three values in your organization. The interview questions are designed to learn how candidates will contribute to an organization’s diversity and inclusivity goals. 

With Jobspage, you can track the progress of your candidates both before and after their DEI interview. This makes it easier to move the ones that have a good grasp of your DEI principles onto the next stage of the process. 

Today, we’re going to discuss DEI interviews and the questions you can ask to get the information you need. 

What are DEI Interview Questions?

DEI interview questions let employers see how well an applicant’s support of inclusivity aligns with the company’s. Now more than ever, employers want a diverse team to represent an increasingly diverse audience. 

34% of respondents to a 2021 Statista survey claimed that recruiting a diverse workforce was the most important factor in their DEI program. From the same survey, Statista concluded that for 32% of respondents, diversity strategies and policies were top priorities. 

To kickstart these programs and policies, employers need to conduct specialized interviews that incorporate DEI-focused questions. The interview questions will dig deep into each candidate’s knowledge and experience of inclusivity in the workplace. They will garner insights that you might not have been privy to at other stages in the recruitment process. 

How DEI Interview Questions Benefit the Workplace

DEI interview questions benefit the workplace by helping build a team with a diverse range of talents and experience. 

Here are three ways in which DEI interview questions benefit the workplace:

• Increase profits: A diverse team can help boost a company’s profits. According to Zippia, companies with a diverse workforce enjoy 35% more profits than their non-diverse counterparts. More still, each employee at inclusive companies generates 2.3 X more cash flow. These correlations strongly suggest that diversity can increase profitability. 

• Happier employees: Statistics show that diverse teams have, on average, a 10-point higher Happiness Index Score than those who think their companies are not diverse enough. Happy employees are more productive, creative, and efficient. They are also less likely to search for work elsewhere, which increases employee retention. 

• An innovative workforce: Diverse teams, with their unique perspectives, are more innovative. Each person’s life journey is unique. The more diverse a team is, the more perspectives, skills, and knowledge it can bring to the table. 

To get the most out of a diverse workforce, use flexible recruitment software like Jobspace. This software allows recruitment teams to create forms that include DEI-related questions. From the answers, recruiters can narrow in on the most promising candidates and invite them to a DEI interview. 

What is the difference between Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion?

While diversity, equity, and inclusion can be used interchangeably, it’s helpful to understand their key differences:

Diversity 

Diversity in this context refers to the differences between people in a group setting. It can include gender, race, age, sexual orientation, and class. Physical ability can also be a diverse factor. 

Equity

Equity means being fair and impartial to all your employees. It’s about providing them with equal opportunities to thrive. To promote equity, you must give support that is tailored to specific needs and circumstances. For example, by providing employees that have vision impairments with large-font training materials or dictations. 

Inclusion 

Inclusion means that everyone is included. To achieve inclusion, you must treat all your employees with respect and civility. Its purpose is to ensure everyone feels like they belong, regardless of their diverse background.

Manage Your Diverse Hires with Jobspage

Jobspage helps companies manage their diverse hires with a selection of tools. Collect the information you need to identify candidates with the right skills and attitudes. 

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Sign up for free and create a professional ‘Careers Page’ in just 5 minutes. This should highlight the importance of diversity to attract applicants with similar values to the company. 

Your job posting can also have a section dedicated to inclusivity and diversity. This will encourage people of all backgrounds to apply, regardless of race, gender, or age. Make it clear that as long as they have the right skills, they will be welcomed into the team. 

DEI Interview Questions

Now, we’re going to go through some DEI interview questions to help you sift through your candidates:

Diversity:

1. Tell me your thoughts on diversity.
2. What have you done to promote diversity throughout your career?
3. How would you approach a hiring process that emphasized diversity?
4. In what ways would you promote diversity if you were welcomed into the team?
5. What would you do if you encountered any diversity issues within your team?
6. What methods would you use to provide an equal level of training and development throughout the team?
7. Tell me about your approach to addressing cultural differences within teams. 
8. Do you have any ideas about how to develop a diverse leadership team?

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Equity:

1. What is your understanding of equity?
2. In what ways have you previously promoted equity in the workplace?
3. Do you have a specific approach to ensuring equitable pay?
4. What would you do to make sure all of a company’s policies are equitable?
5. What steps would you take to make benefits and company perks equitable? 
6. What methods would you use to promote equitable development opportunities?
7. What would be your approach to addressing past trauma in underrepresented colleagues?
8. How would you make recruitment and promotions equitable?

Inclusion:

1. What do you think of when I say the word ‘inclusion’?
2. In your past positions, have you had any experience with promoting inclusion?
3. How would you manage any microaggressions within a team? 
4. What methods would you use to promote a respectful and civil workplace culture?
5. Do you have suggestions on how to create an environment that supports people with DEI issues and ensures people are comfortable enough to ask for help in these situations?
6. How would you make well-being resources accessible to everyone?
7. What would your long-term, sustainable DEI strategy look like??
8. Do you have any suggestions on aligning DEI efforts with the company’s values and mission?

Quickfire best practices when asking DEI questions

Here are five quickfire best practices for asking DEI questions:

1. Show respect and sensitivity: DEI can be an emotional subject for some. Be respectful when asking your questions, and take a gentle approach. Don’t make any assumptions. Simply ask your questions and listen to the answers. 

2. Explain the purpose of the interview: Interviewers must be open about why the DEI interview is happening. Tell the candidates how the questions pertain to the job and how their answers might impact their decision. 

3. Ask open-ended questions: Where possible, ask open-ended questions that let candidates put their answers in their own words. 

4. Don’t ask questions that are discriminatory: Steer clear of questions that can be seen as referencing harmful stereotypes, biases, or prejudices. These could be questions related to race, gender, age, or religion.

5. Hold a bigger conversation: Incorporate DEI questions into a bigger conversation about improving company practices and attitudes. 

Wrapping Up

Holding a DEI interview is a little different from a traditional interview. It has different aims and helps you to gather different kinds of information about candidates. Follow the tips shared in this article and choose your questions carefully. 

To help you find the right fit for your DEI strategy, sign up to Jobspage for free today. Create your first Jobsite careers page in minutes.