Diversity in the workplace is a hot topic, and with good reason: Diverse hiring benefits both companies and communities. However, a truly inclusive hiring approach requires dedication, hard work and creative thinking to reach a broad pool of candidates.
Strategic partnerships with other organizations are one great way to make hiring more diverse. In 2019, Indeed announced a collaboration with Goodwill Industries International to help one million job seekers find employment by the year 2024. This collaboration opens new doors by connecting employers with job seekers they might not otherwise meet.
Since the program’s launch, JPMorgan Chase & Co. has been a key ally, bringing their Indeed Hiring Events into Goodwill locations across the country as a way to connect with job seekers who are using Goodwill’s training and supportive services to overcome challenges they may face in finding employment. We spoke with Managing Director and Head of Consumer and Community Bank Recruiting at JPMorgan Chase, Connie Geiger, to learn how this partnership has expanded the boundaries of recruiting.
The case for inclusive hiring
Hiring diverse candidates isn’t only the right thing to do — it’s also good for business. For JPMorgan Chase, prioritizing diversity in the workplace aligns closely with the company’s mission and goals.
“We know that attracting people with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives aligns with our mission to provide the best service to our customers,” explains Geiger. “The more we’ve got variety in those experiences and backgrounds, the more we can really relate to the customers and build products that … meet their needs.”
Employers need to be intentional about reaching these candidates, she adds, since “diversity comes in all different shapes and sizes.” That’s where the Indeed-Goodwill collaboration comes in. Working together, these organizations partner with other employers, such as JPMorgan Chase, to host hiring events for need-to-fill roles. This program builds on Indeed Hiring Events’ success at hosting events across the U.S. to help companies fill high-volume positions, but with a twist — the partnership with local Goodwills and their communities.
Indeed Hiring Events that are hosted at Goodwill locations draw job seekers who have nontraditional backgrounds or face challenges finding a job. This includes people from marginalized areas, those with disabilities, those who have minor criminal records and those who have fallen on hard times.
Goodwill Industries International President and CEO Steven C. Preston is particularly excited about the impact of this partnership: “Job seekers with nontraditional backgrounds or life challenges need access to opportunities to interview with high quality employers like JPMorgan Chase. These hiring events provide a unique platform for them to demonstrate to hiring managers their skill sets, their full potential and their desire to be impactful and loyal employees.”
JPMorgan Chase has diversity programs aimed at a variety of additional talent pools,…