Including an equal employment opportunity statement (EEO) in your job ad can help you attract more candidates when hiring. 70% of job seekers value an organisation’s commitment to diversity when considering prospective employers. But if you are going to include an EEO statement, you want to ensure its not a box-ticking exercise. If the message is not authentic, you’ll put people off and detract from your goal of attracting new talent. We’ve reviewed many EEO statements and found the most effective ones had three things in common.
Three top tips for writing an equal employment opportunity statement
- Use plain English and human-centred rather than legalistic language.
- Incorporate your organisational values and goals.
- Talk about why a diverse and inclusive culture is important to your company.
Examples of sincere and compelling EEO statements
AwareSuper
At Aware Super, we believe that diversity of thought, background and experience creates better outcomes for our people, members, and communities. Our people are focused on creating a diverse and dynamic environment that embraces and values differences and enables our team to bring their whole selves to work. We are proud to be consistently recognised as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality and our CEO, Deanne Stewart, is a Pay Equity Ambassador. Our members are at the heart of everything we do, and we CARE deeply, DELIVER honourably, and LEAD bravely.
Canva
At Canva, we celebrate diversity. We deeply believe that bringing together diversity of thoughts, perspectives and expression is key to building the best product, team and company. We look for many different skills and abilities, as well as how you can enhance Canva and our culture. So, even if you don’t think you quite meet all of the skills listed or tick all the boxes, we’d still love to hear from you!
Koala
There’s no such thing as a ‘perfect’ candidate, Koala is a place where everyone has opportunity. So however you identify and whatever background you bring with you, please apply if this is a role that would make you excited to come into work every day. We’re an equal opportunity employer, and recognise that a diverse workforce is crucial to our success as a business.
University of Melbourne
We value the unique backgrounds, experiences and contributions that each person brings to our community and encourage and celebrate diversity. First Nations people, those identifying as LGBTQIA+, females, people of all ages, with disabilities and culturally and linguistically diverse people are encouraged to apply. Our aim is to create a workforce that reflects the community in which we live.
Whispir
Whispir places a high value on inclusion. Those from under represented communities are encouraged to apply. This includes, but is definitely not limited to, people with a lived-experience of mental ill health, culturally and linguistically diverse people, LGBTQIA+ people, and people with disabilities.
We take our core values seriously and work hard to create an environment where you feel welcomed. Teams who reflect a diversity of experience, identity, perspective, and background help us to create a healthy & inclusive working culture.
A well-crafted EEO statement is an easy way to attract more candidates and amplify your employer brand.
We hope these tips and examples help you craft an authentic message.
Clicks has trusted partnerships with Australia’s most effective diversity enterprises. So, whether your goals include more female, neurodiverse, LGBTIQA+, or indigenous workers, we have a partner network to guarantee an appropriate and culturally sensitive recruitment experience.
