Driving Diversity With Inclusion

Petrena Ferguson, SVP HR, Ribbon

Companies everywhere are searching for ways to attract diverse talent in order to benefit from the multiple points of view that make organizations stronger, more creative and more resilient, and we at Ribbon are no exception.
With a global presence including offices in 30 countries, we are exposed to multiple cultures but only 20% of our employees were women at the beginning of 2021. We committed to improve, and our first goal was for 25% of our new hires be women by the end of the year. This proved challenging in a tight labor market and in an industry where women are traditionally underrepresented.

Here are some of the ways we went about it.

Start with inclusion
The baseline for anyone to make a positive contribution is to feel valued and supported. Employees who report a sense of belonging are also comfortable being their authentic selves in the workplace, which helps foster psychological safety and positive employee engagement. Cultivating this environment of trust and respect, then, is a critical piece first step.

Look inside
Don’t just run out to hire diverse candidates without understanding how things stand within the company. Talk to your current employees to understand what’s working and where you need to improve inclusiveness and belonging. Employees must feel respected and valued if you want to become an employer of choice to a diverse workforce.

Expand your reach
If candidates aren’t looking for you, look for the candidates. We made a concerted effort to expand our networks to target more women, for example by joining women in technology groups, and connecting with leaders in the space around the globe.

“Build a regular cadence to share ongoing progress, demonstrate the value of your efforts, and how you plan to continue improving”

Rework that job description
Exclusionary language discourages potential applicants. Studies have shown that using terms like” develop” and “create” rather than “manage” and “build” encourages more women to apply. Ensuring that your job description sends the right message can go a long way, as does highlighting benefits like flexibility and work/life balance.

Showcase your employees
We’ve made a concerted effort to feature our diverse team on social media, focusing on tech-related channels. We’ve also coordinated with our comms function to make more blogs, awards, and other media opportunities available for the women in our company. Not only is it good for the employees themselves but it also gives potential applicants a sense of the kind of talent that is already working at Ribbon.

Leverage your ecosystem
Beyond your company itself your vendors, board members, affiliate groups, etc., may provide opportunities to connect with potential talent or showcase the opportunities you offer. In our case, we are partnering with one of our board members to design new programs and explore new pipelines.

Communicate and drive more transparency
Communicate why inclusivity is a core part of your culture, how it helps define your organization and how it relates to your values. Build a regular cadence to share ongoing progress, demonstrate the value of your efforts, and how you plan to continue improving.
I’m proud to report that we exceeded our goal, with nearly 30% of our new hires in 2021 being women. We have much more to do and while we’ll continue to build out our approach, I know that the above will continue to stand us in good stead.