Attracting Diverse Talent: The Keys to Building a Stronger Finance Team

In today’s competitive business landscape, attracting and retaining top talent is crucial for the success of any organisation, and the finance sector is no exception. However, to truly thrive, it is essential to go beyond simply hiring the best individuals; companies must strive for diversity within their teams.

Embracing diversity not only promotes equality and inclusivity but also brings a myriad of benefits, such as increased creativity, innovation, and improved decision-making. As the finance industry continues to evolve, the need for diverse and inclusive teams becomes increasingly important.

In this blog post, we will delve into the significance of diversity within finance teams, explore the specific issues faced by the UK finance sector, and discuss strategies to foster a more inclusive environment that attracts diverse professionals.

Diversity is more than just a buzzword – it is essential for building a successful team. Diversity within a finance team brings together individuals with varied backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and skill sets. This diversity can be classified along multiple dimensions, including gender, ethnicity, age, socioeconomic background, and more.

By embracing this, companies can tap into a wealth of different viewpoints and insights that can drive innovation and enable better decision-making. In the financial world, where complex problems often require creative solutions, diverse teams are more likely to come up with innovative approaches to challenges.

Furthermore, diversity is essential for understanding and serving diverse customer bases. In a globalised economy, businesses must cater to a wide range of clients, and having a finance team that reflects the diversity of those clients can provide a significant competitive advantage. By building a diverse finance team, companies can better understand different market segments’ needs, preferences, and concerns, leading to more effective strategies and improved customer satisfaction.

The benefits of diversity extend beyond the workplace. Companies that prioritise diversity and inclusion are more attractive to job seekers, particularly younger generations who value these values in their workplace. In addition, diverse teams can help companies better understand and connect with their customers, leading to increased profitability and growth.

Several successful companies prioritise diversity and inclusion, including Google, which has made significant strides in improving the diversity of its workforce. Google has implemented several initiatives to attract and retain diverse talent, including unconscious bias training, diverse hiring committees, and partnerships with organisations that serve underrepresented communities.

As a result, Google has seen an increase in the number of women and underrepresented minorities in its workforce.

The UK finance sector faces specific challenges in attracting diverse talent. Historically, the sector has been characterized by a lack of diversity, with certain groups being underrepresented in senior positions. This lack of representation can deter individuals from diverse backgrounds from considering careers in finance, as they may perceive limited opportunities for advancement or face unconscious biases during the recruitment process.

Another challenge lies in the existing perception of the finance sector as lacking inclusivity and equal opportunities. This perception can be a barrier to attracting diverse talent, as individuals may feel their contributions and perspectives may not be valued or respected. Overcoming this perception requires a concerted effort to create an inclusive culture that supports and celebrates diversity.

Also, there are systemic barriers that prevent diverse candidates from entering the finance industry. For example, many finance roles require specific degrees or certifications that may be out of reach for individuals from underrepresented communities. In addition, finance teams may struggle to attract diverse candidates due to a lack of outreach efforts.

Many diverse candidates may not be aware of job opportunities in finance or may not feel welcome in the industry. Finance teams may also struggle with unconscious bias, which can lead to hiring decisions that favour candidates who are similar to existing team members.

Once diverse talent has been attracted and recruited, creating a culture of inclusion is important. This means providing opportunities for all employees to feel valued and included. These should include:

1. Creating an Inclusive Culture: Companies should prioritise building an inclusive culture that values and respects diversity. This can be achieved by fostering a safe and welcoming environment, promoting open dialogue, and implementing diversity training programs for employees at all levels. When potential candidates see a company actively promoting diversity and inclusion, they are more likely to consider joining the organization.
2. Revising Recruitment Practices: Companies should review their recruitment processes to eliminate biases and ensure fairness. This can include implementing blind recruitment techniques, where personal information such as name, gender, or ethnicity is removed from resumes during the initial screening process.
   Additionally, expanding recruitment efforts beyond traditional channels and engaging with diverse communities, universities, and professional networks can help reach a wider pool of talent.
3. Providing Mentorship and Development Opportunities: organisations should offer mentorship and development programs specifically designed for individuals from underrepresented groups. Pairing junior employees with mentors who share similar backgrounds can provide guidance, support, and opportunities for growth, thus increasing the chances of long-term success within the finance sector.
   Finance teams can also create mentorship programs and other initiatives that help to create a welcoming environment for diverse candidates. One example of a successful initiative is the BlackRock Founders Scholarship, which provides funding and mentorship for Black and Latinx entrepreneurs.
   The program is designed to help underrepresented communities overcome the barriers to entrepreneurship and increase diversity in the industry
4. Showcasing Diversity in Employer Branding: Companies should actively promote their commitment to diversity and inclusion in their employer branding efforts. This can be achieved through publicising success stories of diverse employees, showcasing diversity-focused initiatives, and highlighting the benefits of working in a diverse and inclusive environment.
   Such messaging can attract diverse talent who value these values and initiatives. Women in Finance Charter, a UK government initiative aims to increase gender diversity in the financial services industry by allowing companies to sign the charter and commit to several actions, including setting targets for gender diversity and reporting on progress.

Building a stronger finance team requires a proactive approach towards attracting and retaining diverse talent. The UK finance sector, like many others, faces challenges in achieving this goal, but the benefits of diversity are too significant to ignore.

By embracing diversity, finance organisations can foster innovation, enhance decision-making, and better serve their diverse customer base. By implementing inclusive policies, revising recruitment practices, providing mentorship opportunities, and emphasizing diversity in employer branding, the UK finance sector can take significant strides towards attracting and retaining diverse talent, thereby building stronger, more resilient teams that can thrive in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.

Here at Brook Street, we know that attracting diverse talent is essential for building a successful finance team and we are committed to helping our clients with professional talent for any position, across a wide variety of finance sector specialisations.

We take a proactive approach as we balance our best practices with your business practices and key objectives. This includes on-site management where we assume the full sourcing burden so you can focus on your core business.