Identifying the range of different talents needed to take your organization into the 21st century is an important part of strategic planning. A likely outcome is that you will find that your organization needs talented people from the widest range of backgrounds and identity groups to compete in the global marketplace.

Some companies are finding that this means re-recruiting talented people who are already on board in order to maintain a competitive edge. Here are some strategies to assist you in doing so:

1. Become a worthy organization in terms of diversity policies, practices, and leadership.

2. Be known and recognized as a leader in the organization’s field.

3. Treat all employees as though they are the talent for the future.

4. Assess the organization’s needs to determine how current employees see it in terms of trustworthiness.

5. Make certain that employees, especially women and employees of color, do not feel underutilized.

6. Make certain employees across identity groups feel that they can advance to the level desired.

7. Reduce turnover of gay/lesbian employees by removing obstacles to their expressions of their identities.

8. Commit to a company-wide diversity and inclusion policy.

9. Establish and support identity group networks and organizations within the company.

10. Have leaders that model diversity and inclusion.

Based in part on: Gardenswartz, Lee, and Anita Rowe. “Re-recruiting Your Key People” Cultural Diversity at Work 9:6 (July 1997) 1, 12.