When you’re hiring a marketing manager, it can be easy to focus on the usual things. Creative ability, campaign management, digital know-how and commercial focus are often at the top of the list. But if you want your marketing function to perform at its best, there’s something else you should consider. That is diversity and inclusion.
This is not just a workplace trend. Building diverse and inclusive teams leads to better marketing outcomes. It helps you connect with more customers, build a trusted brand and create an environment where creative ideas thrive. Here’s why it matters and how you can make it part of your next hire.
Your marketing manager shapes how your business is seen
Marketing managers do more than run campaigns. They help define how your business communicates with the outside world. From messaging to social media, from who you target to how you position your brand, it all links back to the marketing team.
If your marketing leadership team all share the same background and experiences, you risk developing messaging that only speaks to a small section of your audience. That is a missed opportunity. A McKinsey study found that companies with greater ethnic and cultural diversity in leadership are 36% more likely to outperform competitors in profitability. This is because they better reflect and understand the communities they serve.
Diverse teams come up with better ideas
Marketing works best when it is collaborative and creative. But creative ideas only happen when people feel comfortable sharing their thoughts. If everyone in your team thinks the same way, you will not get the fresh ideas that drive successful campaigns.
A UK study by Ipsos and Diversio found that organisations with inclusive leadership report 29% higher innovation performance. Inclusive workplaces give people the confidence to speak up, suggest new approaches and challenge the usual ways of thinking. That is exactly what you need in a modern marketing team.
Inclusive marketing builds stronger customer connections
Customers expect to see themselves reflected in the brands they buy from. If your marketing team is not thinking about inclusion, your campaigns could miss the mark.
This is not about ticking boxes. It is about making sure your marketing genuinely represents the people you are trying to reach. According to Adobe research, 61% of UK consumers say they are more likely to trust brands that show diversity in their advertising. This is not just good for brand reputation. It helps you win and keep more customers.
Diversity helps you attract better talent
The best marketers want to work for businesses that align with their values. That includes a genuine commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Glassdoor research shows that 76% of job seekers consider diversity and inclusion important when deciding where to work. If you want to attract the best candidates, you need to show that you are serious about this.
How to bring diversity into your next marketing hire
Hiring for diversity is not about setting quotas or hiring someone just to tick a box. It is about broadening your search and removing bias from the process. That could include:
– Writing inclusive job adverts that appeal to a wider range of people
– Thinking beyond your usual networks and candidate pools
– Running structured interviews to avoid unconscious bias
– Looking at potential and mindset, not just past experience
Final thoughts
We know that finding the right marketing manager is about more than just technical skills. You need someone who can lead with creativity, connect with your audience and build a brand that is inclusive and authentic.
We help businesses across the UK hire marketing leaders who do exactly that. If you are looking for the right person to take your marketing function forward, get in touch with us today.
