Not only is it the right thing to do, it’s good business to build a diverse team. If you want to build products that resonate deeply with your customers, it’s best to work with a team that can understand and represent whom you’re building for. 

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Diverse teams won’t happen organically when you’re working against systemic challenges in hiring. We won’t go down that rabbit hole, but it’s important to acknowledge it’s there. You have to be deliberate in how you build the team. Here were

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1. The baseline: open and inclusive hiring practices.
   These come straight from a former Monzo CTO and mentor/friend of mine. Make sure the language you use is transparent. Be clear in your hiring process. And please (please) list your salary from the get-go. These are table stakes.
   
   
2. Run a consistent but versatile process.
   You want every candidate to be judged fairly, while giving everyone enough of an opportunity to show you their best work. Make sure your team is trained up creating psychologically safe spaces.
   
   
3. Reach out (and add value) first.
   If you run a regular hiring process, you’ll find yourself with a “regular” hiring pipeline. To push for diversity, you have to switch up your recruiting practices. Reach out to professional communities of folks from different backgrounds. Work with specialised recruiters or platforms. 

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