HIRING FROM A DIVERSE POOL
Hiring is one of the most important processes for any business, and it can make the difference between a successful team, and one riddled with problems. As individuals, we’re often asked about our experience joining Human Made and although the experience is different for everyone and has changed throughout the years, we wanted to take some time to share what that experience looks like today.
We’ve recently reviewed and restructured our selection process to ensure it is fair, encourages diversity, and helps us find the best people. This is very important for us as a development agency working within the technology industry; an industry that receives constant media attention for its lack of diversity.
What are we doing about it?
We believe diversity is tackled in two areas;
- attracting a more diverse group of applicants
- having an inclusive company culture to ensure employees stay.
Attracting a more diverse group of applicants
Our hiring team isn’t comprised of a few members in ‘top-level management’. Everyone is encouraged to join, and we have a rotation period whereby people join the hiring team for 3 – 6 months and then rotate off the team to enable others to participate.
It’s very important the hiring team is made up of a wide range of people and genuinely represents the company; this is fundamental in ensuring that we’re attracting applicants from a range of backgrounds and experiences.
We’re also pretty strict about ensuring new applicants are processed quickly. We’re busy, but we’re not unattainable. And we’re never unapproachable. Getting back to applicants in a timely fashion helps them feel heard, and helps them feel that no matter how big we are, we’re listening and engaging.
Developing and Maintaining an Inclusive Company Culture
What is company culture? Does it come from the founders? Does it evolve as new people join?
We believe company culture isn’t the nice-sounding adjectives in the header of your website; company culture is in everything you do. From how you onboard new hires to how you negotiate deals with your clients. As Netflix’s ‘Culture‘ handbook puts it,
‘The real values of a firm are shown by who gets rewarded, promoted, and let go.’
We are welcoming and inclusive; from day one of a trial, people are formally introduced to the company in an internal P2 post, they’re invited to join any company event that happens during the trial (including our annual company retreat), and they’re given a trail buddy to provide 1-1 support during that time.
Everyone is responsible for maintaining company culture; not just the founders. New humans don’t just ‘fit in’; they bring something new and help develop a more positive and diverse company culture. They introduce us to interesting cultural concepts and ideas. They challenge any preconceptions we may have.
We’re not saying we’re doing it all; or even that we’re doing everything well. But we’re doing what feels right to us. Take a look at our full hiring process and read through the rest of our handbook to get a sense of our company culture and the values that embody who we are.
What kind of people do you hire?
People with genuine enthusiasm and grit; people who can tackle problems, both big and small, and people who have a spirit of open source collaboration.
We’re proud that collectively we speak over 12 languages, and live across five different continents. We believe diversity makes us better.
