Key Insights

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  Nearly 60% of HubSpot's UX hires came through employee referrals, reinforcing homogeneity and limiting diversity.

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  Slowing down hiring allowed the team to focus on thoughtful sourcing beyond referrals, increasing diversity in their funnel.

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  Design thinking methods, usually applied to customers, were effectively repurposed to understand and improve the hiring process internally.

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  Women and people of color often enter hiring processes with lower confidence due to factors like technical jargon and strict job requirements.

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  Providing universal interview prep guides helps all candidates, especially those with lower confidence, level the playing field.

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  An associate practitioner program enables hiring and developing junior talent who may lack direct experience but have high potential.

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  Belonging is more than diversity and inclusion; it is fostering an environment where everyone feels genuinely welcomed and can thrive.

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  Unseen diversity traits like neurodiversity and background can strongly impact employee belonging and retention.

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  Leadership openness about personal challenges, such as mental health, powerfully signals inclusivity and encourages trust among teams.

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  Remote and distributed teams face unique challenges in creating inclusivity, requiring intentional relationship-building and dedicated social time.

Notable Quotes