Hiring mistakes can be costly for any business. The same is valid for hiring diverse talent. Yet, if you are a travel and tourism company, this should be an immediate concern as the industry has been criticized for its lack of diversity in leadership positions. Many mistakes made during the recruitment process could lead to your company missing out on some fantastic candidates who would bring new perspectives, ideas, and innovations to the table. We will discuss these common hiring mistakes and how they affect your bottom line.

Focusing only on entry-level roles

We know that talent runs deep, but many organizations treat it as a series of shallow ponds. They look at entry-level roles only, focusing on traditional hiring routes—campus recruiting, trade and professional associations, and employee referrals.

This treats the talent supply chain like a single-use, restrictive funnel. Talent flows in at one end and out the other; it’s managed by a handful of people from just a few angles. As a result, it doesn’t look much different from managing physical product supply chains.

Thinking a linear job progression is best

People often assume there is a set career path within an organization, which affects how they treat others who don’t fit into those categories – or people trying to move up through different roles. If you support and reward the people who work into your expected career paths, you will miss out on a lot of potential talent that other means will identify.

Overlooking people with disabilities

Organizations often overlook the inclusion of people with disabilities in their hiring efforts. For example, 63% of companies state they are achieving diversity and inclusion goals for race/ethnicity/gender, but less than a quarter report success for disability. This oversight is significant, as it involves a segment of the population that makes up 19% of America’s working-age adults.

As an employer, you are legally required to provide reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities.

Conclusion

With all the benefits of diversity, it’s hard to understand how hiring mistakes could cause a lack of diverse employees. But they happen, and when you don’t actively work on building your team with an eye towards diversity, you are missing out. Avoid these pitfalls, and you will see success in your business!