Inclusive hiring tips and tricks – where does your company land on the scale of inclusive hiring practices?
Diverse teams thrive! It’s a fact.
This blog showcase's practical ways to advance an inclusive hiring strategy that will help to build a welcoming workplace and attract talent from a wider resource pool.
We’re currently working with a Human Matters client in Derby to review their candidate attraction and hiring practices with a view to make them more inclusive. After our audit, we’ll provide a deep analysis of their current landscape with advice, proposing enhancements, and implementation support to help them increase quality applications from a wider talent pool.
Navigating the dynamic UK tech startup scene demands more than just innovative ideas; it requires a team as diverse as the technology itself. Inclusive hiring isn’t just a buzzword, it’s a strategic imperative. This blog delves into actionable strategies to cultivate a workplace where everyone thrives. You’ll gain insights into attracting diverse talent pools, fostering equitable interview practices, and building a company culture that champions inclusivity. Discover how to leverage UK-specific resources and legal frameworks, ensuring your startup not only complies but leads the way in creating a truly inclusive tech ecosystem.
As most of you know, I have worked within the tech and professional services space for a LONG time and as a global Talent Acquisition leader with extensive experience in numerous recruitment settings, I posted recently about the new NeuroNavigator programme that Jess Meredith and Differing Minds were launching.
Here are 6 top tips to make the recruitment process at each stage more inclusive, particularly from a neuroinclusive point of view:
When writing your advert, whey ahead of inviting anyone for an interview, make it known that you welcome applications from everyone and that you can make any necessary adjustments for those that require them. Remember too, that some applicants simply won’t or don’t want to share their status with you – and they don’t have too either. When writing your advert, be mindful of text colour, font size, length of paragraphs and a shopping list of skills too.
The candidate should be sent comprehensive details about the interview process – an infographic covering the entire process works well. The interview invite should include who will be interviewing, timings, where it will be and what to expect.
The interviewer should ask clear questions – some organisations now share these questions ahead of the interview – could your company do this? Ask one question at a time and prompt the candidate if they lose track of the question. Remember the tip of 2 ears and 1 mouth, as an interviewer use them in this ratio.
The interviewer should judge the candidate based solely on the needs of the role. Ahead of any interview ask yourself - does my conscious bias play a part during the interview either as a recruiter or a candidate?
The interview environment should be quiet, calm, free from distractions and interruptions – please don’t eat (yes, I saw this once when a senior leader sat and chomped on a bag of crisps!), answer your phone (Yep - SAW THIS TOO - unless in an emergency - advise the applicant at the start of the session you may have to answer a key call) or stare out of the window! Remember some applicants will not hold eye contact or will focus in and out of the screen or your face.
The candidate should be invited to and able to move and/or use fidgets/focus tools – highlight this when organising each stage of the interview process.
In the changing world of Recruitment every action you take as a recruiter or indeed as an applicant to shine and remain one step ahead is critical to your success. Interviews can be hard and unnerving at the best of times, so if you are a hiring manager or an applicant be prepared, take action and equip yourself with the tools to succeed.
As a Hiring Manager or an applicant, I also want to hear about your experiences as a neuroinclusive employer or a neurodivergent applicant. Together we are better so let’s share our lived experiences in the comments if you feel able and want to. Here at Human Matters we offer hiring manager coaching in line with people operations that shine a spotlight on inclusive hiring – get in touch for more information or book a call with me using this link.
