anti racism interview questions

If you are in HR or executive leadership, what are you doing to handle the current issues around Black Lives Matter, so it isnt spilling into your workplace and causing employee disagreements? Recently I worked with a Baby Boomer who is a VP of Diversity, who also happens to be Black. He had some keen insight. He stated, “companies need to do so much more. Organizations are not accepting that serious, and upsetting discussions and actions happen all the time at work. Racism is a prominent issue that needs to be addressed in the workplace.” We discussed the job interview process, and he replied that he believes all companies should be asking a few diversity questions before they make a hiring decision.

We can all agree that it is a very contentious time in our country with racial biases and “Black Lives Matter” in the news every day. Protests have happened in most cities across the US. If you spend five minutes on your personal Facebook page, youll see some people writing about support, others vocal about the message being lost amidst the looting and violence, with many wanting to defund the police, and still others supporting the police. Racism is a significant issue that companies cannot keep their blinders on about anymore. People are talking, and that means at work too.

I have several Fortune 500 companies as clients that have invested significantly in their Diversity program. Furthermore, research from McKinsey & Company shows that ethnically diverse companies are 35% more likely to outperform the national industry median for financial returns. Gender-diverse companies are 15% more likely to outperform. One Fortune 100 company requires the interviewing team to ask 2-3 diversity questions of all its job applicants, and they hire thousands each year. Diversity, acceptance, and inclusion is a top company value, and they state on their website they believe in a diverse workforce. They have found that it leads to new ideas and innovation.

Saying that you hire people and do not discriminate is not the same as having a formal plan that asks how well people play in your diverse employee sandbox. Formally, diversity is about acceptance and inclusion among employees and the company. It is embracing cultural differences such as someones sexual orientation, their race, their gender, or even their upbringing in that there can be significant differences among generations.

How do you make sure that social/political/racial turmoil present in the country is not causing internal struggles within your organization? Talk to your employees, including all minorities and women too. Women should be included regardless of how well represented they are as that doesnt stop the inherent biases, hassles, mommy track, or glass ceilings issues that many women face. Lunch and learns, or fireside chats, and even small based zoom webinars are an excellent way to start people talking. MORE FOR YOU

You must create a safe environment where people can express themselves. You must allow and encourage honest and open conversations without fear of retaliation. Ask employees if their needs are being met? Do they feel welcome at work? Have they found racism to be an issue for them? If so, in what why? How can the company make improvements to reduce bias and racism in the workplace?

Also, ask these employees about what questions the company should ask of new hires? You may be surprised by what they say.

Your goal is to develop an equitable, inclusive organizational environment. Start with every interview. Diversity questions are usually unexpected by job applicants if you are not working in the HR field. Are you asking a few diversity questions? Now is the right time to ask why arent you then?

Take the time necessary to work with your HR leaders to compile a few effective diversity questions to ask every applicant you will interview. Situational questions work best to uncover an individuals biases. You are evaluating how the person acted in the past, and it will also help predict future behavior. With these types of situational questions, you can hear how they respond to an actual workplace scenario. You must ask every candidate interviewing for the same job identical diversity questions. This enables you to compare and evaluate each candidates responses objectively.

· When you set out to hire candidates whose beliefs align with your department mission, how do you avoid disqualifying people from different backgrounds?

· When it comes to inclusion, how do you foster an environment where people who come from different backgrounds know you value their ideas?

· Give an example of how your background and experience has prepared you to be effective in an environment that holds diversity core to the companys mission and values?

· Can you give us an example of when a persons cultural background affected your approach to a work situation?

· How do you challenge stereotypes and promote sensitivity and inclusion? Please provide a specific example.

· Tell us how you work with people to create or foster diversity in the workplace.

· Give us an example of what you have done to create an environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and increasingly diverse?

· Tell us about a time when you have taken steps to ensure that everyone on your team or in your department felt included. Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome.

· What is your approach to dealing with discussions about potentially difficult topics, such as race, religion, politics, or sexual orientation? Please provide a specific example.

· Tell us about one or two specific things that you have done to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in your current (or last) job?

· In your experience, what are the challenges faced by members of historically underrepresented groups in the workplace? What strategies have you used to address these challenges, and how successful were those strategies?

· Tell us with a clear example of how you have fostered diversity and inclusion in the past?

· Tell me about a time that you adapted your style to work effectively with those who were different from you.

· Explain the kinds of experiences you have had in relating to people whose backgrounds are different than your own?

· Tell me about a time when you had to adapt to a wide variety of people by accepting/understanding their perspectives.

· Describe a specific situation in which you worked with a diverse group of people over a period of time. Based on this experience, what did you learn?

· Describe a situation in which you had to work within a culture different than your own.

· Describe how your career has been changed by exposure to diverse people, places, or experiences. Please provide a specific example.

· Describe a time when you needed to work cooperatively with someone that did not share the same ideas as you. Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome.

· Tell us about a time when you responded to a co-worker or student who made an insensitive remark. Describe the situation, the actions you took, and the outcome.

· Tell us about a time where you communicated a complex topic so that others without your background understood the meaning.

· What do you see as the most challenging aspect of a diverse working environment? What steps have you taken to meet this challenge?

· Can you offer some specific examples of the kinds of experiences you have had working with others with different backgrounds than your own?

· Tell me about a time you had to alter your work style to meet a diversity need or challenge?

· How have you handled a situation when a colleague was not accepting of others diversity?

Your job as an interviewer is to listen carefully and decided can the person sitting in front of you effectively blend into your companys culture. Some people will. Others will not.

Diversity questions likely will catch the person off guard. Allow them to think and answer the question completely. Do not help them; only repeat a question if needed. Do not expect to hear the same answers from a minority or underrepresented person. Their experiences are likely very different as they are often on the receiving end of racism or bias.

Generations view diversity differently. As an interviewing expert, I know that Baby Boomers did not grow up in a world of acceptance. They lived through segregation, busing, race riots, and may have parents who practiced discrimination. Their upbringing may shape them, but it is unfair to assume that they have not overcome it. Racism is not a generational thing — every person, young or old, can be a racist. Changing the way your company interviews, and asking a few diversity questions, can help you foster a more inclusive workplace.

DIVERSITY Interview Questions & Answers! (Diversity in the WORKPLACE Interview Tips & Answers!)

The anti-racist job interview question

Throughout its website, Fractured Atlas notes the companys ongoing work of making sure its employee base and the artists in their membership accurately reflect the diversity of the arts community and society as a whole. Additionally, every job description includes the companys value statement of anti-racism and anti-oppression.

Applicants should be prepared to have a conversation about diversity, equity and inclusion by the time they get to an interview, says Ruffin. Thats why, often during the initial phone screen, job candidates will be asked: “Without using the word different, whats your definition of diversity?”

“Its such a simple question,” Ruffin says, though “as a Black queer woman whos hiring, Im always astounded by the responses I get.”

Ruffin and Cynova explain that when they ask the diversity question, theyre really trying to gauge whether the candidate has done proper research on the company, its values and how it shows up in their work. Sometimes, the candidate will push back and say theyre asking the wrong question about diversity, which Cynova says could actually be a sign of a good culture fit. For example, instead of simply defining diversity, the candidate may instead want to discuss how diversity is actively suppressed through existing social systems, and the work it takes to actively promote diversity across race and ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation and disability.

A candidate who gives a vague answer or a response filled with “alphabet soup” probably hasnt done their research on the company or doesnt have a grasp of diversity as a concept, Ruffin says.

Now and then, even if a candidate gives a weak answer but still shows promise as an employee in general, theyll advance to second-round interviews.

In these more formal conversations, hiring managers will ask how the candidate has promoted equity, sensitivity and inclusion through their previous work experiences. If they still cant discuss how theyve worked to break down systems of oppression or even acknowledge its existence, whether through their job history or in their own personal lives, Cynova says its usually a sign of a bad culture fit.

What the question reveals about employers and job seekers

Employers may be reticent to bring up racial inequity in the workplace because it requires the other party to acknowledge its very existence and how they benefit from the disadvantages of others, which can be uncomfortable.

When an employer starts talking about racism and oppression in the workplace, Cynova says, they have “changed the unwritten employer-employee contract. People will say, I signed up to work for an innovative arts organization, and now theyre requiring mandatory meetings to talk about racism and White fragility.”

This could cause job seekers to not apply, and it can make existing employees feel like theyre being asked to take on values in the workplace that they dont personally feel are right.

The risk is that , “youll lose employees, donors and board members,” Cynova says, “but you were already losing amazing people doing the work who want to see those [equity] efforts and want to be a part of that.”

“That attrition of staff leaving is probably good attrition,” Ruffin adds. “Someone who cant step out of their own shoes to empathize with others is probably a bad colleague.”

How to Answer

If you really want to score points with the interviewer, make sure you address how each term—diversity, equity, and inclusion—has its own distinct definition and importance to you. Acknowledge that diversity doesn’t just refer to race and gender, but also encompasses categories such as age, sexual orientation, religion, military service, people with disabilities, and other traits and experiences that are reflected in a company’s workforce.

Ultimately, you want to make it clear to your future employer that you not only have a clear understanding of what diversity, equity, and inclusion mean, but also that you’re a champion for those concepts. Beyond that, your relationship to DEI is just that: yours. So don’t be afraid to find your own language to talk about how and why it’s important to you.

Your answer might sound something like this:

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion are three very important topics to me. I believe that diversity means representation across a wide range of traits, backgrounds, and experiences. When we can connect and engage with coworkers with different perspectives than our own, we can more successfully achieve our overall goals. Inclusion refers to a sense of belonging in any environment. For a company to really achieve the benefits of diversity, it has to work to be inclusive in recruiting, hiring, retention, and promotions. Employees in inclusive workplaces feel more comfortable sharing their unique ideas and perspectives because they can sense that their differences are genuinely respected and appreciated.

“Finally, equity is important for making sure that every employee’s voice is included in the decision-making process, that everyone feels fairly compensated for their work, and that everyone has access to the same opportunities. It’s very important to me that everyone I work with feels safe, accepted, and valued and has an equal opportunity to grow and succeed. Together, the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion help create a workplace culture that drives the business forward.”

Why aren’t there any people who look like me on the interview panel?

Almost every Black or brown person I know has walked into an interview room and seen a sea of white faces staring back at them. It can be overwhelming, especially if you get the double take at the start that lets you know you don’t fit in.

Related reading: The Double Take

FAQ

What are discriminatory interview questions?

• How diverse is your executive team?
• Do you think our promotion and evaluation process is diverse?
• Do you think our company celebrates diverse ideas and people?
• How well does HR work towards hiring candidates from underrepresented groups?

How do you answer interview question about diversity?

• Age.
• Race.
• Ethnicity.
• Color.
• Gender.
• Sex.
• Sexual orientation or gender identity.
• Country of origin.

How do you ask about diversity in an interview?