Diversity recruitment for staff: process, tools & resources
Planning for the Future
Onboarding (orientation) and retention of all University employees should be a major focus in the diversity recruitment process. If a department is investing resources in recruiting diverse candidates, it is in its best interest to have a plan in place to retain these employees at the institution to maintain high quality performance and productivity in the long term. A first step towards a successful retention plan is a comprehensive departmental orientation program for new employees as many are experiencing disappointment with either current environment (e.g. too short, too many ambassadors/mentors/coaches, not enough information) or lack of plans and decide to leave the institution. A comprehensive departmental orientation should include the following components to ensure high employee satisfaction:
- Introductions to the entire staff
- Tour of the department
- Assigned ambassador/mentor/coach with scheduled meetings and follow-up appointments
- Weekly 1:1 meetings with department manager for the first few weeks
- An enriching and fun environment
- A lunch or reception to welcome the new staff member
On top of a comprehensive departmental orientation program, additional components to a successful retention plan are:
- Annual performance reviews and follow-up
- Regular communication with employees about career growth
- Career-related training investments based on individual employee needs
The University Human Resources Retention Interview Toolkit uses the following framework to help managers and supervisors maintain high performance and productivity within their units and keep their best staff engaged.
A Place for You: Staff Perspectives on Diversity at Michigan
