Forty-one years ago, Greyston did something radical. They pioneered open and inclusive hiring practices, becoming trailblazers in the U.S. by eliminating resumes, interviews and background checks. Fast forward to today, and variations of Greyston's once radical concept of "open hiring" are rapidly gaining traction. Greyston now boasts over 30 open hiring "replication partners" - ranging from major corporations to small businesses - all of whom have embraced these transformative practices.
The Body Shop is one of Greyston's replication partners. The company began its open hiring journey in 2019 when Greyson came in to present on the topic. Four years later, the beauty brand has hired over 5,000 people through open hiring practices at distribution centers and retail stores across the globe.
These initiatives aren't just about social impact; they deliver tangible business benefits. These practices have enhanced productivity, retention rates, diversity, conversion into new roles, employee engagement and talent acquisition - all while substantially reducing hiring costs.
In this episode, EFG's Alli Murphy is joined by The Body Shop's Global Director of Inclusion, Belonging & Wellbeing, Nykeba King, and Greyston's President & CEO, Joseph Kenner. Together, they delve into the pressing issue of more job openings than people available to fill them in the U.S. and how their open hiring practices aim to break down barriers to employment. These barriers often include individuals who are experiencing houselessness, were formerly incarcerated, are in recovery from addiction or have employment gaps on their resumes.
In today's episode, we'll explore:
- The remarkable story of how Greyston pioneered open hiring
- The Body Shop's incredible open hiring journey from 2019 to the present
- The business benefits both organizations have seen as a result of open & inclusive hiring
- The challenges and intricacies of these practices and how Joseph and Nykeba have overcome them
- Practical steps and insights on how to initiate open and inclusive hiring at your organization
Links & Notes
Elevate Your Social Impact
- (00:00) - Welcome to Engage for Good
- (02:37) - Introducing Joseph Kenner and Nykeba King
- (07:14) - What is Open Hiring?
- (12:47) - People Practices at The Body Shop
- (18:26) - Open Doors with Open Practices
- (24:16) - Challenging Bias
- (26:22) - Common Criticism
- (30:11) - Getting Started
- (32:56) - What's Coming at The Body Shop
- (36:12) - Taking Care of Self