Human Resources Manager Mock Interview
Master 40 HR Manager interview questions covering employee relations, compliance, and strategic workforce planning.
Question 39 of 40
From an HR perspective, what common mistakes do you often see in corporate Diversity & Inclusion plans?
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Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
Many organizations will have a well-organized Diversity & Inclusion plan (often referred to as D&I). However, having a plan is not an all-encompassing answer to addressing and fixing diversity and inclusion issues in the workplace. If you have not recognized any issues with the D&I plans of your previous companies or if you are newer to your HR career, here are a few common missteps that you may find:
- Treating D&I solely as a Human Resources issue versus a company-wide responsibility
- Creating a firm plan but falling short with training or putting the plan into action
- Having a one-sided approach expected to fit everyone
- Focusing on diversity (the 'what) but not inclusion (the 'how')
- Limiting the demographics included in the D&I program
- Leaving it up to employees to drive the D&I plan
- Rarely revising the D&I plan for tweaks and improvements
Talk to the interviewer about some common mistakes you have seen in a company's D&I plan. Be sure to include positive thoughts regarding potential solutions.
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"I believe there are many missteps that even a well-meaning company can make in their Diversity & Inclusion plan. The top three I have seen include not understanding the difference between diversity and inclusion, treating D&I as strictly an HR function, and insufficient training on D&I efforts. I believe that diversity addresses the 'what' and the 'who,' but it does not address the 'how.' This is where inclusion comes into play since it's the plan put into practice. Many organizations do not seem to understand the differentiation fully. When it comes to HR practices, the HR team needs to embrace the D&I plan fully; however, it does not stop there. HR should collaborate with all employees and all other functions to ensure that the plans are clear and put into place. When it comes to a D&I plan, a company should consider regular training versus a one-time event. These are a few common mistakes I have seen in diversity and inclusion plans, but luckily there are many resources to help an organization change and become better."
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