Adopting a diversity policy does not just happen overnight. It requires the right tools, education, and sometimes technology to ensure that your company can follow through with its commitments at every level.

Diverse Talent Careers has put together 4 recommendations that are both effective and cost-efficient and most importantly, any company of any size can implement.

1. Removal of candidate personal data:

A simple and cost-effective process that will ensure that when a candidate’s CV is being reviewed by hiring managers, that only their skills and experience are acknowledged.

How does this help?

When reviewing a CV, it is extremely easy for our unconscious bias to play a part in shortlisting. Evidence from the British Academy in 2019, tells us that minority ethnic applicants and white applicants with non-English names, have to send on average 60 percent more applications to get a positive response from an employer, compared to a white person of British origin.

It is alarming that some individuals have been able to obtain employment purely based on their names. By accepting nameless applications or removing the following information from a CV prior to review, you will make a positive impact on your Diversity driven interview process.

How to do it?

Remove the below data from a candidate’s CV prior to it being sent to a hiring manager for shortlisting.

• Name

• Address

• Nationality

• School name

• Picture

• Age / DOB

2. Trained interview panel:

Investing in your companies interviewers is one significant measure you can take, this ensures that your interview panel is fully engaged in in your companies Diversity & Inclusion expectations, reducing unconscious bias and especially important if they find themselves interviewing neurodiverse candidates.

How to do this?

• Testing interview panel members on their knowledge of your companies Diversity & Inclusion policies

• Ensuring that panel members complete a CPD course in Diversity & Inclusion once a year

• We recommend the CIPD Level 3 HR course, which has a module dedicated to conducting interviews

• Random audits held throughout the year, reviewing a selection of candidate applications that were not selected

• Live assessments by peers, who sit within real interviews but solely to assess the interview panel members

• Ask candidates for their feedback and review findings regularly

Neurodiversity is something that on occasion cannot be easily identified, however more individuals are now informing recruiters and HR managers of their neuro elements when applying and now it is critical for hiring managers to have a better understanding of how to make reasonable adjustments.

Ensuring that your interview panel is aware of neurodiversity, whether it be ADHD, Autism, Asperger’s etc will significantly improve the experience and as proven, will often lead to hiring an exceptionally talented individual.

How to do this?

• Ask the candidate prior interview, is there anything they would like you to do?

• Avoid the use of complex language, use plain English, and match the tone of the candidate

• Be flexible with time, this candidate may perform better in a quieter office (maybe at lunchtime or after work)

• Keep the interview panel to only those who need to be there

• Manage the sensory impact, is the room too hot or too bright?

• Always encourage and reassure whilst the candidate is speaking/answering questions if needed allow for extra time

4. Include your external partners:

If you work with recruitment partners, like Diverse Talent, be sure to frequently check in and update them on any Diversity & Inclusion goals your company may have.

When we work with a new company, we ask them to complete an on boarding document, this helps us to better understand your Diversity & Inclusion and employee engagement policies. We always ask to review this every 6 months and to keep our team updated on any changes.

This is super important, not only does it help your recruitment partners to better promote you but will also help recruiters to source the right talent.