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The internet has transformed business marketing. No matter what you do, the internet is likely to be at the heart of your marketing strategy.

Social media is firmly established as a marketing tool. Having a presence opens up new lines of communication with existing and potential customers.

Good advertising puts the right marketing message in front of the right people at the right time, raising awareness of your business.

Customer care is at the heart of all successful companies. It can help you develop customer loyalty and improve relationships with your customers.

Sales bring in the money that enables your business to survive and grow. Your sales strategy will be driven by your sales objectives.

Market research exists to guide your business decisions by giving you insight into your market, competitors, products, marketing and your customers.

Exhibitions and events are valuable for businesses because they allow face-to-face communication and offer opportunities for networking.

One in four firms doing nothing to improve boardroom diversity

20 October 2020

A quarter of employers (24%) make no effort to attract and recruit more diverse candidates for top-level jobs, according to a new report.

The Resourcing and Talent Planning Survey 2020, published by recruitment specialists Omni RMS and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development (CIPD), has found that recent improvements in diversity in the workplace have happened "by accident rather than design".

The survey findings show that while 41% of employers have recruited a more diverse workforce in the past year, only 23% go beyond basic legislative requirements with regards to their recruitment and selection processes.

The poll of 660 employers also found that:

  • Only 37% monitor their recruitment to obtain data on protected characteristics;
  • 27% remove certain biographical details from initial selection process;
  • One third (33%) ensure they have a diverse interview panel or hiring team;
  • Just 23% check that recruitment tests used are valid, reliable and objective.

The use of technology during the recruitment and selection process - from chatbots to video CVs - is also explored in the report. The findings show that 28% of employers say it has helped to reduce unconscious bias to a large or moderate extent - and they are also more likely to report that technology has increased the diversity of their hires.

Claire McCartney, senior resourcing and inclusion adviser at the CIPD, said: "The findings of this report suggest that improvements in workforce diversity have happened by accident rather than design. We could be making quicker and considerable progress with a more strategic approach.

"It's particularly disappointing to find that a quarter of organisations are not doing anything to improve boardroom diversity. Not only is this where the problem is most acute … but achieving change here would have maximum impact. We need to have a broad range of diverse people in decision-making roles and be role models for future talent.

"Employers can't expect to make meaningful change through a leave-it-and-see policy. Improving diversity needs to be actively worked on and we'd encourage all employers to add much more rigour, consistency and challenge into their recruitment and selection processes."

Louise Shaw, director of resourcing transformation at Omni RMS, said: "Despite some positive findings, it's disappointing that little progress has been made since 2017. The #BlackLivesMatter protests brought the racial inequalities within our societies and workplaces into sharp focus, and we believe organisations must be held accountable for ensuring greater racial and, of course, broader diversity at the very top."

Written by Rachel Miller.

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