Alienating and Infuriating: The Problem With Woke Hiring

Overview

Woke Hiring: Refers to hiring practices focusing on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) which are causing controversy.
Current Debate: Global political focus on DEI in workplaces.

Invasive Questions: Job applications often ask questions related to gender identity, race, and socio-economic background.
- Required by the 2010 Equality Act.
- Used to monitor DEI efforts.
Controversy: Questions are seen as invasive and not necessarily linked to job competence.

Exclusivity in Opportunities:
- Some roles are exclusive to certain demographics, e.g., ethnic minorities, disabled individuals.
- Increase in diversity-specific opportunities across various sectors (teaching, law, TV, etc.).
Examples of Controversial Practices:
- MI5, MI6, and GCHQ barred white applicants from internships.
- Westminster City Council's positive discrimination practices favor Global Majority candidates.
- NHS advised to prioritize ethnic minorities in hiring.
Impact:
- Alienates majority population.
- Creates a new form of inequality.
- DEI hires questioned for merit vs. diversity targets.

Motivations Behind DEI:
- Companies appear inclusive but may not genuinely support all marginalized groups.
- Focus often on visibly underrepresented groups (BAME, physically disabled).
Political Implications:
- Allegations that the Labour government and others use DEI for self-promotion.
- Concerns about tokenism in political appointments.

Alternative Methods:
- Anonymization of applicants using unique numbers.
- Conducting phone interviews to judge candidates without appearance bias.
Goal: To ensure hiring based on skills and fit with company needs.

Author's Perspective: Critical of current woke hiring practices.
Concerns:
- Discrimination against 'privileged' candidates.
- Self-esteem issues for DEI hires.

Disclaimer: Views expressed are those of the author and not endorsed by Shout Out UK.