Human Resource Management: Diversity in Job Advertisements Analysis

This essay examines the impact of including diversity statements in job advertisements on potential applicants. It defines workforce diversity and its importance in a globalized business environment, highlighting the benefits of a diverse workforce, such as enhanced problem-solving and competitiveness. The essay analyzes how diversity messages in job ads can positively influence candidates, especially under-represented groups, by fostering a perception of equal opportunity and reducing discrimination. It also discusses the importance of companies backing up their diversity claims with concrete initiatives and avoiding unconscious bias in the recruitment process to maintain credibility. The essay references several academic sources to support its arguments, emphasizing the strategic role of HRM in promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace.

HUMAN RESOURCE
MANAGEMENT – 940787

Inclusion of Diversity in Job Advertisements
Workforce diversity is defined as the differences that exists in the employees of a company in
terms of cast, culture, race, ethnicity, nations, etc. The spread of globalization has made it
difficult for business organizations to survive in the tough market situations and they are
striving to enter international business markets to achieve better competencies. One of the
most imperative concepts in international business is diversity management, where an
organization recruits a diverse workforce to make itself more competitive and also to comply
with local and international laws and regulation.
Having a diverse workforce can be helpful to a company in a number of ways. It can enable
them to perform its operations and processes more effectively because of presence of diverse
logical abilities, competencies, skills, experiences, problem solving techniques, etc. As a
result, business organizations give a lot of importance to the concept of workplace diversity.
To attract a greater pool of diverse applicants, business organizations mention about their
diversity initiatives in job openings, which can certainly have an impact on the candidates
(Martins & Parsons, 2007). The factors that influence job applicant’s reaction to such types of
job advertisements are discussed below:
First of all, sending out diversity as a message in job advertisements establishes a positive
image of the employer in the minds of the candidates, especially for the under-represented
groups. They become more likely to apply for such jobs believing that the process of
recruitment will be entirely free of discrimination in any form.
Secondly, the candidates become more likely to apply for such jobs as their chances of being
selected become as good as anybody else and will not be on the basis of their cast, creed,
color, culture or ethnicity. As a result, their reaction to such job advertisements is mostly
positive (Avery, 2003).
Thirdly, talking about diversity in job advertisements gives helps business organizations in
sharing their concern for the well-being of their employees and the importance that they give
to the management of their human resources. Most of the companies just talk about diversity
and have no initiatives to promote a healthy and diverse workplace environment (Blackman,
2017). A company that openly talks about its diversity initiatives will obviously receive a

positive reaction form the candidates and would also become a preferred choice as an
employer in the market.
Without a doubt, sharing diversity information and initiatives of a company in job
advertisements can help in achieving a positive reaction from the candidates but at the same
time, it also becomes necessary for business originations to avoid unconscious biasness and
assure that the recruitment and selection process is actually free of any type of biasness.
Making false claims in terms of diversity can lead to issues for the organization as it might
lose all of its reputation in the market as an employer (Forbes Human Resources Council,
2018).

References
Avery, D. R., 2003. Reactions to diversity in recruitment advertising--are differences black
and white?. Journal of Applied Psychology, 88(4), pp. 672-679.
Blackman, A., 2017. How to Ensure Diversity in Your Recruiting and Hiring Practices.
[Online] Available at: https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/how-to-ensure-diversity-in-your-
recruiting-and-hiring-practices--cms-28491[Accessed March 2019].
Forbes Human Resources Council, 2018. 12 Ways To Attract And Hire Diverse Job
Candidates. [Online] Available at:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbeshumanresourcescouncil/2018/04/27/12-ways-to-attract-
and-hire-diverse-job-candidates/#9b98ee03a7eb[Accessed March 2019].
Martins, L. L. & Parsons, C. K., 2007. Effects of gender diversity management on
perceptions of organizational attractiveness: The role of individual differences in attitudes
and beliefs. Journal of Applied Psychology, 92(3), pp. 865-875.