Focus on Asia

Inclusive Hiring Practices Breaking Barriers Across Asia

Asian companies are adopting diverse hiring strategies and leading the charge in global diversity efforts. Their initiatives are resonating around the world, contributing to the creation of a more equitable society. - BY Jill Motley
Asia continues to emerge as a global hub for business innovation and economic growth, a trend set to continue. With increasing globalization, the need for inclusive and diverse workplaces is more critical than ever. Many companies across Asia are embracing diversity in their recruitment processes, ensuring fair representation of underrepresented groups. These companies are leading the way in fostering diversity and creating equitable opportunities for all, demonstrating the many areas in the recruitment process where bias and discrimination can be eliminated.

From Blind Hiring to AI Recruiting Tools
In Asian businesses in many countries, underrepresented groups commonly include women, ethnic minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, people with disabilities, and migrant workers. There have been particular concerns around gender inequality in leadership positions, especially in countries like Japan and South Korea, where women are significantly underrepresented in senior roles. However, progress is being made, and changes to recruitment and hiring practices play a crucial role. Different strategies are used with the same goal: to increase underrepresented groups in the workforce and management.

Several Asian companies are using blind hiring techniques to eliminate unconscious bias. This method removes identifiable information—such as names, gender, age, and educational background—from job applications during initial screening. For example, the Japanese technology company Rakuten has adopted blind hiring for some positions to promote fair evaluations based on skills and experience.

The Indian company Infosys has over 300,000 employees working in more than 50 countries. The company is dedicated to ensuring bias and discrimination are not elements of its recruitment, hiring practices, or workplace. One success strategy the company used was revising job descriptions to incorporate inclusive language that appeals to a broad labor market. All employment decisions are based on merit and business needs and must adhere to a policy of no discrimination or harassment of any employee. That policy applies to all personnel actions, including recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, compensation, and so on.

Another strategy for recruiting and hiring qualified members of underrepresented groups is using structured interviews. For example, at Samsung, a South Korean firm, every candidate is asked the same questions, reducing bias and subjectivity in evaluations. The company uses a standardized test to measure candidate aptitude and potential instead of relying only on work experience or education.

Singtel, a Singapore-based telecommunications company, works with disability organizations to create accessible job opportunities and tailor recruitment to accommodate candidates with disabilities. The company was one of eight companies that founded the SBNoD (Singapore Business Network on Disability) to advance employment opportunities for people with disabilities. Singtel has also worked with The Valuable 500 to leverage its resources to increase disability inclusion locally and globally. The Valuable 500 is a global business partnership of 500 companies collaborating to end disability exclusion. Some of the recruitment and hiring practices that the two companies implemented were the elimination of barriers like mandatory driving licenses and traditional educational requirements.

Unsurprisingly, technology is playing a significant role in promoting inclusive hiring practices among Asian companies. Companies like Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in India are investing in AI-driven recruitment tools that analyze candidates’ skills without being influenced by demographic factors. These tools are instrumental in standardizing hiring decisions and minimizing human bias. Multinational firms such as HSBC Asia use data analytics to track diversity metrics throughout their recruitment pipelines, identifying gaps and implementing corrective strategies by continuously monitoring representation at each stage.

Partnering with universities is an important strategy for promoting increased representation of underrepresented groups in particular disciplines, creating a pool of job candidates. For example, Huawei collaborates with universities across Asia to promote STEM careers among women and minority students, providing scholarships and mentorship opportunities. Toyota in Japan offers vocational training programs aimed at underrepresented groups, providing technical skills and on-the-job training to prepare candidates for long-term careers in the industry. Toyota is a global company and offers vocational training opportunities around the world. A good example is the Toyota Kenya Academy in Africa, which offers technical and entrepreneurship training to develop service and machinery technicians. The Academy has trained over 7,000 youth, women, and refugees.

Many Asian companies have established diversity councils to oversee recruitment and workforce policies. These councils are a clear demonstration of the companies' commitment to ensuring that diversity goals are integrated into overall business strategies. They aim to recruit, hire, and retain persons in underrepresented groups, with a growing focus on the inclusion of women, people with different sexual identities, and disabilities.

Beyond Diversity Programs
BCG surveyed 6,000 employees in six countries in Southeast Asia. The results showed progress in implementing diversity programs for women, LGBTQ+, and ethnicity. Southeast Asia is a heterogeneous region with more than 1,500 ethnic groups and many people have intersectional identities. Overall, diversity programs increased from 36% to 43% between 2020 and 2023. Despite the progress, there is more work to be done. For example, programs for women have been highly effective, but 72% said they still face obstacles at work because of their gender.

The message is that establishing systems and processes for getting diverse people onboard and developing diversity programs are only part of the effort needed to achieve diversity and inclusion. Programs should be supplemented with efforts to create an inclusive culture supported by an equitable talent management system. It is the only way to take diversity and inclusion to the next level.

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