Rain

Diversity in engineering means both technical diversity (frontend to embedded specialists) and personal diversity of backgrounds and lived experiences. Growing up in Flatbush, Brooklyn, diversity was my norm, teaching me that many 'established truths' are often just assumptions.

Research shows diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones in creativity and problem-solving, with diverse companies reporting higher innovation revenue. This happens through 'knowledge spillovers' when different mental models combine to create innovative solutions.

When diverse perspectives collaborate, solutions become more robust. Someone with accessibility experience might catch usability issues others miss, while different cultural contexts improve global relevance. Diversity prevents echo chambers by challenging assumptions and identifying blind spots.

It also creates a positive recruiting cycle — when candidates see people with similar backgrounds thriving, it reduces the stress of being 'different' and attracts broader talent, continuously strengthening our team with engineers from all backgrounds, which enhances collaboration and innovation.

Our approach combines organic and structured elements. Starting with a diverse team created a positive cycle where representation naturally attracts diverse candidates. We've implemented several intentional practices: embracing remote work and global hiring in the engineering team broadens our talent pool across regions and backgrounds.

We craft job descriptions with inclusive language, avoiding terms that might discourage certain groups, ensuring our requirements reflect actual job needs rather than creating barriers. Our interview process focuses specifically on job functions through skills-based assessment, evaluating candidates on their abilities rather than subjective factors that might introduce bias.

This combination of representation, inclusive practices and skills-based evaluation has made diversity an intentional part of our hiring. The result is an engineering team with different perspectives and experiences — which contributes to our ability to innovate and solve complex problems.

Critically examine your sourcing strategies — you cannot achieve more diversity than exists in your candidate pool. Expand beyond elite schools by partnering with coding bootcamps, community colleges and universities with diverse populations. Consider candidates with non-traditional backgrounds who demonstrate skills through open-source work and community tech initiatives.

Understand that diverse viewpoints won't always emerge willingly. Actively elevate and sponsor people to share their ideas. Create multiple forums beyond standard meetings — one-on-ones, casual conversations and lunch-and-learns provide safer spaces for different perspectives.

As a leader, solicit input from quieter team members and acknowledge their contributions. Create an environment where different perspectives are valued through inclusive communication and fair promotion processes that don't favor particular profiles.

Focus on retention through regular check-ins, mentorship and creating leadership opportunities for everyone. This work requires continuous commitment and willingness to adjust approaches as you learn what works best for your organization.