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How Facebook: as Austin technology business creates more inclusive workplaces

How Facebook: as Austin technology business creates more inclusive workplaces

If devoid of action, energy, and cooperation, the concepts of diversity and inclusion can quickly descend into mere clichés in technology. In this context, Facebook expressed how it aims to enhance diversity and inclusion in the workplace.

Three years ago, Facebook set up the managing bias program, one of its initiatives toward promoting an open and tolerant workplace. This program, which welcomes other businesses, helps to understand the unconscious bias existing in the corporate world that companies can work to eliminate. Jeannine Carter, head of diversity engagement at Facebook, emphasises how they see the importance of diversity in the workforce.

What systems do you have that foster a sense of inclusion in the workforce?

One of the diversity hiring techniques that we adopt is the diversified slate strategy. That is, we provide recruiting managers with a minority candidate who can qualify for each horrendous vacancy available at all times. It encourages recruiters to look for more young, skilled people who offer more diversification and simultaneously enables hiring managers to choose a wide range of candidates during the interview stage. In addition, we partner with organisations that target recruiting students from HBCUs or Hispanic Serving Institutions or those that help students from underprivileged areas gain interest in computer science, such as Girls Who Code and Year Up.

How does Facebook strive to internalise the need for inclusivity in its policies and actions?

As a company, we are constantly striving to promote equity in management. We wanted to provide equal opportunity and a positive action employer while every employee is subject to the Company's code of conduct. There are also quite a lot of bias management training courses that are common to the majority of the organisation. A few years back, we made this training accessible rather than trying to charge other firms that wanted to adapt it for capacity building on managingbias.fb.com. Further training programs go a long way in creating a conducive environment for the minorities who are working with the organisation. Be the Ally ensures all employees work towards being a better ally. Managing inclusion helps people managers create a work environment that is inclusive to all their team members. Many companies proactively conduct annual salary surveys to remain competitive and culturally literate.

Which resources within the Company can be used for diversity and inclusion purposes?

We support various employee resource groups to assist Afro-Americans, Asian Americans, women, Latinos, LGBTQ, Veterans, Native Americans, interfaith, Differently Abled, and people of other diverse backgrounds. Facebook employees are also provided many opportunities for support and development through employee-led teams and for promoting mutual understanding among all people. An executive director sponsors every group team to support access at the Company's top level. Some employee-led teams advise having leadership days once a year when members from different positions and localities tackle community-building issues through events and presentations.

Does Facebook contemplate accessibility outreach initiatives offered by other organisations to ensure hiring diversification strategies are improved?

Like many others, such as the National Society of Black Engineers, Grace Hopper, and Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, we communicate and work with the United States Business Leadership Network. Our talents are sourced globally, with operations recruiting from over 300 institutions and colleges. Facebook is also active at several other recruiting events that are crucial for sourcing and getting people on board. We reach out to several Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Hispanic Serving Institutions, and other such institutions to attract a diverse workforce and create a long-term pipeline.