5 tips for hiring inclusively, according to experts

Hiring young talent is a necessary part of being a nimble, successful company—and the future leaders of the workforce count themselves as part of generations Z and Alpha, born between 1997 and 2010 and 2010 and 2024, respectively. Appealing to these groups means prioritizing inclusivity both in the workplace and during the hiring process. Though Gen Alpha won’t be interviewing for a few more years, that work has to start now.

That’s because nearly one-third of Gen Z identifies as LGBTQIA+, according to a new study from PRRI's public opinion research. In comparison, 15% of millennials, 8% of Gen Xers, and 2% of baby boomers identify as queer. 

Intuit’s Trans+ Summit 2024, helping current and future leaders learn how to create a more trans-inclusive environment, broke down the steps for attracting diverse talent from younger generations. Eli Zitch, Intuit’s senior program manager of technology, culture, and engagement, moderated a panel at the summit about appealing to Gen Z and Gen Alpha candidates. Ahead, hear from Intuit hirers and the GenderCool Project’s Daniel Heumann about tips for hiring inclusively.

1. Begin within your existing workplace

The work of hiring inclusively starts with fostering an inclusive workplace to begin with. Teams across your company should feel a keen sense of inclusion and belonging so they can authentically represent that to future talent. Some of the most impactful ways to do this involve creating culture clubs and employee resource groups—in other words, creating spaces for employees to be themselves.

“One of my favorite parts about our org is that we have a culture club,” said Tia Bradley, Intuit’s staff program manager for talent programs. “It's a committee of folks that are assigned to not only amplifying cultural moments in time, but really celebrating our uniqueness and that diversity that is happening.”

Bradley is the leader of Intuit’s Global African Ancestry Network employee resource group, though there are dozens of groups supporting employees of different cultural and racial backgrounds, as well as LGBTQIA+ allyship groups. She explained that building community, creating social networks within the workplace, and offering resources to employees for professional development and beyond can only bolster an individual’s sense of belonging.

2. Equip recruiters with the right tools and resources

Talent acquisition team members are often a candidate’s first impression of any workplace. That makes it especially important to equip recruiters with helpful tools and resources to communicate with Gen Z and Gen Alpha. One such tool is unconscious bias training, which helps employees learn what biases exist for them, as well as how to identify and eliminate them from hiring processes going forward. 

Similarly, recruiters should hold space for both employees and prospective candidates to share their experiences and showcase their skills. 

“Creating an open environment where you can share stories and knowledge and come to some sort of understanding with each other is, I think, very important,” said Daniel Heumann, who works on a campaign to tell the stories of transgender youth as part of the GenderCool Project. “It’s going to help the incoming workforce feel very much supported and seen and accepted—like they have someone who is older than them to look up to and to learn from.”

3. Prioritize flexibility and work-life balance to attract—and maintain—top talent

Daniel Heumann pointed out that Gen Z and Gen Alpha value a workplace that lets them live a full life. That includes having flexible work hours from day to day. “There are studies that prove people are more productive when they work less,” Heumann said. “So once again, [you can] take this all into account to shift to a company and environment that fosters productivity and creativity.”

This idea of working smarter, not harder, provides mental health benefits for workers of all generations. ​​Small business owners who report positive mental wellness are more likely to own growing businesses. More than 7 in 10 small business owners who say they’re in a good or great place mentally also say their business is growing, according to a new Small Business Success Month survey commissioned by Intuit QuickBooks.

4. Design a welcoming physical environment, too

LGBTQIA+ candidates seek workplaces with diverse representation, and specifically for Gen Z and Gen Alpha, the space they walk into every day also plays a role in their decision-making. Incorporating color into an office—and even plants—creates a lively, welcoming environment in Heumann’s eyes. 

It’s also imperative to provide gender-neutral bathrooms for trans and nonbinary employees and guests. 

“I will not be working at a company that does not have gender-neutral bathrooms,” said Heumann. “I think it’s very important because it encourages and makes an area and environment where people feel like they have a safe place they can go if they need to.”

5. Foster an inclusive culture with intention and specificity

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion can’t just be highlighted during occasional events,” said David Graham, Intuit’s senior vice president of customer success. It should be intentionally embedded in everything your company does, ideally to create an environment with psychological safety for employees.

“I believe in creating spaces where you can be vulnerable with your team,” Graham said. “I do it regularly.”

It's crucial to make sure employees’ identities aren't just spoken about but are specifically celebrated, he said. Above all, inclusivity requires collective action from both companies and individuals.

“It is your job—all of our jobs—to create a diverse and inclusive culture. It is not a diversity, equity, and inclusion team’s job, a [people and places] job, or anyone else’s job,” Graham said. “It is our job every day. And the biggest piece of advice I have is you have to do that with intention.”