The path to genuine diversity and inclusion in the workplace begins with honest conversations about where we are now and where we need to be. At our Black History Month event, hosted in our La Fosse offices in partnership with Programme One, we gathered industry experts to explore the real challenges facing black talent in recruitment and discuss actionable strategies for creating lasting change.
The daytime event brought together recruitment professionals, hiring managers, and diversity advocates to share lived experiences, challenge established practices, and develop practical approaches to building more equitable and inclusive workplaces.
Why these conversations matter now more than ever
Recruitment sits at a critical intersection, with the power to either reinforce or disrupt existing inequalities in the workplace. As our panel highlighted, the challenges facing black talent aren’t limited to getting in the door – they extend to retention, progression, and leadership representation.
Jasmine Alexander, our expert panellist, pointed to the elusive notion of “cultural fit” as a particular concern: “From my perspective, what does that even mean, and how can somebody improve from that feedback?” This ambiguous terminology often masks unconscious bias and presents a significant barrier to diverse hiring.
The panel emphasised that addressing these issues requires moving beyond surface-level diversity initiatives to tackle systemic barriers, personal biases, and workplace cultures that may unintentionally exclude black talent from thriving.
Meet the panel: diverse insights, shared wisdom
Our daytime event featured a diverse panel of experts whose varied experiences demonstrate that creating inclusive workplaces requires multi-faceted approaches and honest self-reflection from organisations and individuals alike.
Eli Dingwall, Talent Development Lead at La Fosse, who moderated the panel, expertly guided the conversation through critical topics including retention strategies, mentorship opportunities, and how businesses often fall prey to their own biases in recruitment processes.
Jasmine Alexander, Lead Career Outreach Consultant at Programme One, challenged us to question vague rejection feedback like “not a good cultural fit,” urging recruiters to probe deeper: “What do you mean by that? How did you come to that conclusion? What would actually make them a good cultural fit?” Her insights highlight how recruitment professionals can become powerful advocates for fairer hiring processes.
Jennine Gibbs, Career Development Coach at Coaching with impact, emphasised the importance of authentic relationships in retaining black talent: “Get to know your staff. That’s number one.” She shared that genuine conversations help create environments where people feel safe to share their lived experiences, building the foundation for inclusion.
Glyn Blaize, COO at La Fosse, shared insights about the need to focus on building better businesses where inclusivity runs through everything, emphasising that this approach creates meaningful change rather than temporary initiatives that may ultimately fall away.
Arsema Fessehazion, Founder of the Black Recruiters Network, brought valuable perspectives on standing firm in one’s identity in the workplace, sharing her personal experience of being asked to change her name to make it “easier” for clients. Her powerful stance that “my name has so much meaning, identity, heritage, culture” highlighted the everyday challenges many face in bringing their authentic selves to work.
Together, the panellists explored how structured mentoring, sponsorship, and onboarding programmes can transform career trajectories and address the “revolving door” problem many organisations face with black talent.
Practical strategies for meaningful change
The panel moved beyond identifying problems to suggest concrete actions organisations can take to create more inclusive recruitment and retention practices:
Challenge biased language and feedback
Recruiters should actively question vague feedback like “not a good cultural fit” and help educate clients about their own biases. Standardised interview processes with set questions for all candidates can create fairer assessment opportunities.
Focus on retention and progression
As one panellist noted, “We have a big retention problem when it comes to black talent and recruitment.” Support from managers is crucial in helping talent progress into leadership roles. This requires proper onboarding that extends beyond the first week and can last up to 12 months.
Create authentic mentorship opportunities
Effective mentoring and sponsorship programmes play a vital role in supporting career progression. The panel emphasised that these relationships must be authentic rather than simply checking a box for diversity initiatives.
Celebrate progress honestly
When discussing how to balance celebrating progress with acknowledging remaining challenges, a panellist offered this wisdom: “It’s really not that difficult. Celebrate progress. Caveat that with ‘this is the journey that we’re on.'” Transparency about both achievements and continuing challenges creates trust and shared purpose.
Key takeaways for building inclusive recruitment practices
The daytime discussions highlighted several crucial insights:
Question established practices: Recruitment processes often contain hidden biases in language, expectations, and assessment criteria that need ongoing scrutiny and revision.
Invest in relationships: Getting to know team members as individuals builds the psychological safety needed for honest conversations about inclusion.
Extend support beyond hiring: Proper onboarding, mentoring, and career development pathways are essential for retaining black talent and supporting progression into leadership.
Balance honesty with optimism: Acknowledge challenges while celebrating real progress to maintain momentum and engagement in diversity initiatives.
Join the conversation
This event was just the beginning of an ongoing dialogue about creating more inclusive recruitment practices. We’re committed to continuing these conversations and turning insights into action.
If you’d like to learn more about future events or discuss how your organisation can build more inclusive recruitment practices, we’d love to hear from you.
Contact us at info@lafosse.com to continue the conversation.