Volume 8, Issue 22 — November 15, 2022

AV Buyers.Club — Volume 8, Issue 22

November 15, 2022 | Volume: 8 | Issue: 22

We talk about diversity in AV a lot, or the lack thereof. And we often ask the question: What can we do? How do we make it better? But there is no simple answer to that question. The best way to start, however, is by reading studies and learning more. I have some great resources for that: First, check out AVIXA’s report on the gender wage gap in AV. There is no secret that this exists, but it doesn’t reflect the rest of the U.S., where women are breadwinners in over 40% of households with children. Learn more here.

In our other column this time, you can learn more about how to hire diverse candidates. This can mean a lot of things, but you should take a look at a few ways to expand your applicant/candidate pool. What do you think of Scott’s methods to expand his?

Have a great rest of the week!

— Steph Beckett

COLUMNS

+ Diversity in Hiring [Scott Tiner]

I recently had a position open on my team, and decided that we were going to make recruiting a diverse talent pool a priority. As many have discussed over the years, IT tends to be a very homogenous area (high percentage of white men). This homogeneity leads to groupthink, customers not feeling like they are welcome or understood and a wide variety of other issues. Bringing in diverse experiences, thoughts and beliefs is clearly the best way to improve teams and the service they provide.

+ ProAV: Are Women Fully Welcome? [Peter Hansen & Joé Lloyd]

As our data shows, women have not necessarily found their forever home in this industry. With underrepresentation at the forefront, possible bias and a deficit in advancement may be the consequence. Everyone deserves to feel welcomed, a level playing field and the opportunity for progress that is not yet equally available to all.