SmartRecruiters Appoints Chief Diversity Officer
December 2, 2020 – Competitive companies, organizations and government agencies know that diversity matters. Simply put, the demographics of the nation must mirror the workforce. Research shows that organizations that unleash the potential of diverse talent innovate faster and see better business results.
According to executive recruiters, it starts by attracting proven talent with diverse perspectives, experiences and contributions, then building and nurturing an environment where everyone can do their best work.
Diversity and inclusion efforts continue to gain traction at executive search firms, reflecting both their clients and the workplace they serve to populate. SmartRecruiters recently named Rocki Howard as chief diversity officer to drive the company’s plan to be an anti-discrimination, anti-racist force in the recruiting market.
Ms. Howard will help SmartRecruiters’ customers achieve better diversity outcomes, help under-represented candidates find jobs, as well as lead the company’s internal diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. One of her main initiatives will be developing SmartRecruiters’ model in diversity recruitment practices. This model will include its 10 principles of diversity hiring and serve as a way for Ms. Howard to partner with its customers to transform hiring practices, promote diversity at scale, the firm said.
2020 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Recruiting Report:
Building a Balanced and Diverse Workforce
Hunt Scanlon Media’s latest market intelligence recruiting report – this time focused on Diversity, Equity & Inclusion – will be available later this fall! The nation’s top executive recruiters are resetting expectations and looking for new ways forward to build balanced and diverse workforce teams for their clients.
According to executive recruiters, DE&I should not just be a priority, but an integrated part of every company’s leadership goals. Some companies have even tied DE&I metrics to executive compensation. But it’s more than that.
Part of building strong, diverse hiring teams means asking yourself: “Who is my company culture going to attract – and how will it engage people who are here?” This question can be very difficult to answer if you assume everyone feels welcome already just because you do. Fostering diversity, equity and inclusion within organizations is more than just the right ethical decision. “It is one of the best business decisions a company can make,” said Keri Gavin, a partner with Hanold Associates and leader of the search firm’s Global Diversity, Equity & Inclusion practice. Hanold Associates is a proud sponsor of this year’s report. This report will help organizations prioritize DE&I as a business imperative that drives greater competitiveness, innovation and business results. Get it now!
Ms. Howard’s team will also spearhead diversity innovations in partnership with the R&D team, releasing new products to help clients achieve better diversity outcomes, from sourcing to screening, interviewing and ultimately hiring a more diverse workforce.
Related: Search Firms Step Up Diversity Recruiting Initiatives
“With about one million hires a year on SmartRecruiters’ platform, partnering with our customers to help achieve better diversity outcomes results in real impact,” said Jerome Ternynck, founder and CEO at SmartRecruiters. “This is about driving change. We’re giving our customers a competitive advantage, a diversity advantage.”
Recognized Diversity Leader
Ms. Howard has over 20 years’ experience in multiple recruitment disciplines, including leading talent acquisition teams. In her most recent role for Resource Solutions, she led a global team where her responsibilities included: heading the U.S. operation, the North American global service center the global pre-employment screening team and the organization’s global diversity council. Earlier in her career, Ms. Howard was vice president of talent acquisition at Pontoon Solutions.
Korn Ferry Appoints Chief Diversity Officer
Korn Ferry has named Michael Hyter as the firm’s new chief diversity officer. He will report directly to CEO Gary Burnison and join the senior executive team. Mr. Hyter’s appointment elevates Korn Ferry’s ongoing focus on and commitment to D&I programs and initiatives, as he takes full responsibility for D&I globally, said the firm.
Ms. Howard’s commitment to diversity, leadership, people and mentorship has resulted in industry recognition including: a finalist for HROA Global Provider Executive of the Year, EMpower’s list of Global Top 100 Ethnic Minority Executives two years in a row and Involve/Yahoo Finance’s Top 100 HERoes Executives list.
SmartRecruiters is a global provider of enterprise recruitment software, offering a cloud-based global talent acquisition suite. Over 4,000 companies worldwide use SmartRecruiters including brands like Bosch, LinkedIn, Skechers, and Visa.
“We believe you are who you hire,” said Ms. Howard. “That’s why SmartRecruiters believes so passionately in being a disruptive force in the way our industry thinks about hiring diverse talent. We are taking a stand on being anti-racist and anti-discrimination and are committed to driving substantive and sustainable results for our candidates, clients and our industry.”
Related: Recruiters Up Their Game in Diversity
Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief; Dale M. Zupsansky, Managing Editor; and Stephen Sawicki, Managing Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
