At InHerSight, our goal is to give you the insights you need to make the best decisions for your life and career, and our ratings data and scorecards for 65,000+ companies are a key piece of that equation. In this series, we're supplementing our cultural insights with answers to the important (and sometimes difficult to ask) questions women want answers to during the interview process.
This week we’re talking to Indeed, the most visited search engine for jobs in the world; it beat out Monster.com for highest traffic after only six years. Indeed is said to have been so successful due to its savvy, innovative SEO strategies, but what really drives the company is a passion for helping people find their dream jobs. At InHerSight, we strive to do the same, and job matching is a vested portion of what we do, so it makes perfect sense to us how this value has translated into Indeed's company policies. In fact, earlier this year we announced our new partnership to help all jobseekers find their ideal workplace -- you can read more here.) Not only does Indeed match its users with great jobs, but the company provides generous time off and benefits for parents, as well as an array of community organizations and activities that promote office culture and a desirable work-life balance to make sure their own employees have no need to take to search engines to find new jobs.
Indeed
Interviewee: Donna DeBerry, Director of Global Inclusion and Diversity
Headquarters: Austin, TX
Industry: Recruitment
Size: 5,001 - 10,000 employees
InHerSight:
Can you start by telling us a little bit about Indeed?
Donna:
Indeed was founded in 2004 as the first comprehensive search engine for jobs. Since then Indeed has grown to approximately 6,100 employees in 27 offices in 14 locations around the globe and is the #1 job site in the world.
We are committed to helping job seekers find the right job opportunities and to helping employers hire great talent and are proud to say that more than 200 million people, in over 60 countries and 28 languages, use Indeed each month to search for jobs, post resumes, and research companies.
InHerSight:
What are your favorite company values and what are some of the ways you exemplify them?
Donna:
Helping everyone find their dream job. As a global company, the job seekers we serve around the world are an enormously diverse group. We work hard to support and leverage the diversity of our workforce so that we can continue to create innovative products that take into account the diverse perspectives, experiences and backgrounds of the global workforce.
For me, as a leader, I want my team to feel comfortable, respected and valued. This is when they are able to be successful and do their best work. This goes across the organization. At Indeed, we want our employees to feel empowered and supported so that they can continue to positively contribute to our success. By creating an inclusive environment that is fair and respectful to people from different backgrounds we are not only able to make Indeed a great place to work but are also able to better serve job seekers and employers.
InHerSight:
What would you tell prospective female employees about why your company is a great place to work?
Donna:
Besides Indeed’s dedication to fostering a culture of inclusion; mentorship, work-life balance and work flexibility are just some of the benefits offered to employees. Indeed also has several internal groups, including Women at Indeed and Women in Tech, which provide a platform for advocacy, development, and support for women. And, Indeed frequently recognizes and hosts events which are aimed at celebrating women at Indeed.
For example, Indeed recently hosted a Girl Geek Dinner at our San Francisco office, which brought together women in the Bay Area to discuss their experience working in tech and advice for how women can succeed in the tech industry.
InHerSight:
Are there initiatives or support structures in place for minority groups?
Donna:
Indeed has a variety of employee resource groups (known as Inclusion Resource Groups). My team and I are responsible for ensuring that our employee population feels supported and that we are implementing programs that will impart meaningful change. Besides recruitment initiatives and internal policies and trainings, we partner with community organizations that promote inclusion and diversity.
InHerSight:
Does your company have executive level support for diversity?
Donna:
I focus specifically on developing and implementing initiatives that support the building and maintenance of a culture of inclusion across Indeed. Our senior leaders also actively support our Inclusion Resource Groups through advocacy, mentorship and sponsorship.
InHerSight:
What channels do you have in place for escalating issues like sexual harassment and how does the company ensure it is creating a safe work environment for all employees?
Donna:
Indeed is committed to making sure our employees work in a safe and supportive environment free of unethical or illegal behavior, harassment, discrimination, bullying, or retaliation. This has always been and will continue to be incredibly important to us. We have several policies, trainings, and resources to ensure we are creating a safe work environment for all employees. This includes dedicated ethics hotlines where employees can report any potential violations and an unconscious bias training program for managers which is designed to help participants better create a more inclusive workplace.
InHerSight:
Nearly 40% of women leave the workforce when they have children. How does your company support working moms?
Donna:
At Indeed we believe parental leave is important. In the United States besides giving primary caregivers 4 months of paid leave, we also provide 4 weeks of transition time where they are able to modify their work schedules to include half-days, work from home, and other flexible work arrangements. We also provide secondary caregivers with 6 weeks of paid leave.
Besides this, we provide access to other resources, including mother’s rooms and child care assistance to provide support to working mothers. Throughout the year we also host family-friendly events like our annual Family Day where employees can bring their children and other family members to their local office and participate in fun activities.
InHerSight:
What diversity, inclusion, and cultural competence training have your managers had?
Donna:
We have embedded inclusion education and best practices into all of our manager training materials. Our inclusion team has also developed several inclusion trainings specifically related to unconscious bias, cultural intelligence, and ally skills.
InHerSight:
How do your company's recruiting efforts support a diverse workforce?
Donna:
Besides our experienced group of recruiters and sourcers who are focused on this issue, Indeed partners with several academic institutions and universities and organizations to create a diverse pipeline of talent including StemConnectors, the Anita Borg Organization, and Grace Hopper. We continue to expand this list by identifying a variety of organizations that can help us meet our diversity goals.
---
Thank you, Donna, for answering our questions! If you're interested in learning more, check out Indeed's open positions, read about their benefits, and see ratings from the women who work there on the company's InHerSight profile .
Want your company to do a reverse interview? Send us an email at hello@inhersight or use our contact form to let us know.
