Ola Kolade, employment and skills director at Business in the Community: "When it comes to recruiting for a role, employers need to ensure that they are making every effort to reach out to and attract diverse talent right from the beginning of the hiring process. To attract diverse talent, employers need to ensure that the recruitment process is as accessible as possible to all applicants.

“Not doing so could risk them missing out on untapped diverse talent that could bring vital skills and experience to their organisation, which might otherwise go overlooked. To effectively attract and recruit diverse talent, employers need to ensure that they are advertising jobs through a range of channels that cater to diverse applicants and working with organisations that help under-represented groups into work, providing training on inclusive recruitment, and hiring based on a person's suitability for a role, prioritising their skills rather than their formal qualifications and experience. Attracting and hiring diverse talent will enable employers to fill hard-to-fill vacancies and boost productivity."

Barbara Phillips, founder at Brownstone Communications: “[Creating] psychological safety is [important and] capable of attracting and retaining all groups into your organisation. And this should target everyone in the workplace including leaders, HR, ERGs and employees. It will enable those who feel isolated and unsupported or those who want to advocate or would benefit from learning about acceptable behaviours.

“You should also revisit PRCA REEB’s two Ethnicity Pay Gap Guides, the latest from October 2024. It’s best to get started on this before it becomes mandatory (currently working its way through Parliament).

“But specific elements of your culture will determine the quality of employees' experience. If you are following the theme of this piece on hiring from a broad talent pool, retention (i.e. what happens to those people when they are inside your organisation) must be part of your plan. The PRCA Census 2024 published last December stated that 49% of practitioners in 2024 reported experiencing some form of workplace discrimination or prejudice in the past 12 months. The most common factors cited were:

• age (19%),

• gender (18%),

• race/ethnicity (12%),

• followed by sexual orientation (7%),

• disability (5%),

• religion or belief (4%)

Phillips added, “perhaps start off 2025 by retiring the phrase 'diverse talent’. It presumes an all White, male, heteronormative, able-bodied talent pool is your organisation’s ideal and is a given. Meaning ‘diverse talent’ will be 'anybody else’ outside of this group. Lastly make sure your internal comms team is on board with engaging, genuine messaging. Or hire a specialist like Brownstone to help.”

Ishtar Schneider, global people, inclusion and diversity communications lead, Mars Petcare: "When we think about barriers to hiring diverse talent, there are a variety of systemic, organisational and industry-specific barriers across the entire talent journey to think about dismantling. From lack of awareness of the wide array of career opportunities in our industry and ingrained perceptions about PR and communications as a ‘soft’ career, to recruitment strategies that utilise the same homogeneous channels and networks, hiring for culture fit instead of needed skills and capability, which is often biased against minority talent, and a lack of diverse role models and representation. This is definitely starting to improve.

“It’s also critical to think about whether your organisation, teams and managers are also set up to welcome diverse talent – it’s one thing to get them through the door but if their experience in PR when they arrive makes them feel excluded, marginalised or undervalued the effort has been wasted. A key part of this is listening to what is needed – and if you don’t already have diverse talent within your organisation seeking this input and insight externally will help you shape policy and a culture that is truly inclusive. Ensuring diverse talent have mentorship, sponsorship and growth opportunities and keeping accountable by starting with your own data and understanding what is missing and regularly reviewing progress will help focus your efforts and intentionality. Ultimately addressing these barriers takes sustained efforts to adjust both behaviours and mindsets to see real progress."

Darain Faraz, co-founder at Braver and People Like Us: "The PR industry is trying, we really are. But in the whirlwind of pitches, tight deadlines, and the daily grind, it’s all too easy to slip back into old habits. The will to hire more diverse talent is there – no one’s disputing that – but knowing how to make it happen amid the chaos? That’s where things often get trickier.

“Let’s tackle the big one first that takes too long to hire diverse talent. Sure, it might feel like that when you’re juggling a million priorities, but this isn’t a problem you can solve with a quick fix. Building diverse pipelines and creating an employer brand that actually appeals to a wide range of candidates is a long game – and it’s one worth playing. When you’ve got a reputation for being inclusive, the talent will come to you. Think of it as futureproofing your hiring process rather than firefighting every time you need to fill a role.

“Then there’s the issue of transferable skills. We get it – in a crunch, it’s tempting to stick to what you know and hire the person with a CV that mirrors your own. But PR is all about creativity, adaptability, and building relationships – skills that aren’t exclusive to traditional career paths. At Braver, we found that some of the best hires come from unexpected places, and they’ll bring a perspective your team didn’t even know it needed.

“And let’s not ignore the elephant in the room: access. If you’re still fishing in the same pools, don’t be surprised when the same faces keep turning up. Partnering with organisations like People Like Us can help you tap into new networks and broaden your reach. It’s not rocket science – it’s about being intentional and proactive.

“The PR industry is making progress, but smashing these barriers requires a shift in mindset. It’s not about perfection, but about consistently doing better. Diversity isn’t just a nice-to-have – it’s the key to staying relevant and innovative in an ever-changing world. Let’s stop overcomplicating it and start making it happen."