Diversity data — Unlocking inclusion for you and your future career

When you apply for a job, you will most likely, if not always be asked for some of your diversity data. Usually its gender, ethnicity, disability and maybe one other. I bet you’ve wondered, why does this data get collected? Do I benefit from this data capture? Its purpose is not always apparent or obvious.

In a digital world where data is spoken about continuously as an asset, its right for you as an applicant to want transparency in the collection and use of your data.

What is diversity data?

Diversity data is the different protected characteristics of how an individual identifies. CandidateX believes these should include ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability status, gender identity, veteran status, care responsibilities, mental health, age group, faith and socio-economic factors.

Understanding this data is strictly anonymized and is to never be used to identify one person but for viewing trends across various points and processes in an aggregated form.

So, what can you do with this data?

Analysis of your data can provide a better understanding as to how you identify as a human. Only you can inform how you identify, which communities you belong to, what matters to you and why. Intersecting this data by role, industry, equity, location etc creates insights that you as an applicant can utilise for your career benefit.

For companies the opportunity is there to provide a better service for job seekers in the use of this data. This is our aim. By contributing data you are comfortable to do so, our intention is to enable you insights that until now has only been available to companies. (In the CandidateX onboarding, anything you are not comfortable in providing, simply state “prefer not to say”).

Diversity data also helps businesses understand what groups are under-represented and underserved. It can shine light on what action is needed, measure impact of diversity initiatives and reveal new ones. It can also demonstrate where bias or inequality exists in processes.

Analysed diversity data could, for instance, tell you if some groups are not promoted at the same rate as other groups, or if certain groups do not breakthrough at different points in the recruitment process. — EW Group

Understanding you at the search and application stage provides opportunity for organisations to create initiatives and processes that reflect not only their current but also the future workforce enabling more equitable, equal and inclusive processes.

Trust

We believe in appropriate, responsible and complete transparency in the use of your data. The identity of your data will always remain private and confidential.

As an applicant you need to be able to trust the processing of your data and its intended use. A likely and understandable concern you may have is, whether your diversity data is used in conjunction with reviewing your application. CandidateX ensures at first review your application is considered for your skills and experiences only by allowing you to choose to submit applications in an anonymised form. As the applicant you have control of your data and how it’s being used for your job search at the screening stage.

Conclusion

Ethical use and understanding diversity data is the key to unlocking inclusion. Gathering this data enables visualisation and realisation of the spectrum of diversity in the workplace. With the right engagement, we can better appreciate the areas that fall short for members of different communities when it comes to inclusion, and whether they are represented across and in the areas that is required to ensure their needs are met and fought for.

Our processes have been designed with candidate centric engagement for these aims. The vision for our processes is to empower and for equality. We enable you to voice your views on organisational collateral such as job specs, for when you don’t apply and also to choose to apply anonymously to ensure fair review. In the future we want to enable you to centralise your diversity data for all your job applications. Enter it once, use for all, own your data with the CandidateX passport and engage relevant initiatives that champion the things that matter to you.

Diversity data enables all of us to learn more of the lived experiences we all have as humans and how better to engage one another, to collaborate, to empathise and empower. All crucial to unlocking inclusion.

Written by Man Wong, Cofounder at CandidateX

www.candidatex.co