By Randi Zuckerberg.

I spent most of last week engaged in a topic that’s close to my heart: diversity in business. Lack of diversity, specifically in the tech world, is a well documented industry problem. Thankfully, big players like Google, LinkedIn, and Yahoo are owning up to the issue by making their workforce diversity data public and admitting that they need to do better. This was a powerful, respectable move. Hopefully it will inspire other companies to follow suit.

The trouble, of course, isn’t just in Silicon Valley. In the overall U.S. labor force, 80 percent of workers are white, 12 percent are African American, and 5 percent are Asian. And, as I said in my last newsletter, companies too frequently fail to recruit, promote, and retain women. Many businesses say things like, “We’re a meritocracy” or “There isn’t a pipeline of good candidates” to excuse a lack of diversity. But there just isn’t any excuse. Moreover, diversity of any kind—gender, racial, ethnic—isn’t just a box to be ticked off. Myriad studies show that different backgrounds and experiences breed more innovative, creative, and productive work environments.

This week, I hosted the brilliant Star Jones in Silicon Valley for some one-on-one meetings with tech companies and a roundtable event at Andreeson Horowitz on behalf of the Professional Diversity Network, which we’re both on the board of. The conversations we had reinforced our shared beliefs that diversity is key to moving our economy forward. Here are just a few of the great ideas we heard:

-Host more “blind” job interviews. Let’s evaluate candidates on their work before we see their names, genders, and ethnicities. The concept was implemented in professional orchestras across the country, in which musicians audition behind dark curtains so they’re judged on their performances and nothing else. You’ve probably seen the same idea on NBC’s The Voice! Think of the talent businesses would discover if they used this tactic for hiring.

-How can we hire based on a series of characteristics rather than just education or job experience, so we can give the biggest range of applicants a fair shot? For example, someone in another industry might have just the right skills required for a job, yet you’d never find them if you were only looking at candidates with a specific professional background. Recruiting from a diverse pool of candidates yields a more qualified workforce.

-Create a corporate culture where people feel they can talk freely about gender, race, and ethnicity without being penalized for it.

-Remember that there are more than just four or five great colleagues to recruit from. Of course it’s tempting to build a team with people you know and trust, but think of all the incredible talent you might be passing up when you stay inside the box.

What are your thoughts on diversity (or lack thereof) in business? Do you think it’s an insurmountable problem? What companies are making major strides? We love to hear from you. Tweet us @dotcomplicated or email us.

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