Embedding Inclusive Hiring at St Mary's
As part of our University commitments to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), as outlined in Vision 2030 and our People Strategy, we recognise the need to ensure all of our processes are as inclusive as possible - including hiring. This is also an essential part of our commitments as a Disability Confident Employer, whereby we are always seeking to ensure our recruitment practice is accessible, inclusive, and free from discrimination.
During AY 2-21-22, our HR team engaged in consultation with our Race Equity Network, Disability Confident Working Group, EDI Staff Board, and heads of academic areas to determine the best way for St Mary's to make every stage of our hiring process inclusion-focused.
The St Mary's Embedding Inclusive Hiring programme seeks to embed inclusive practice into all aspects of our hiring process, including:
- writing inclusive job descriptions
- advertising across a variety of channels, with some targeting underrepresented groups
- assembling diverse interview panels
- conducting accessible interviews free from bias (including reasonable adjustments)
- facilitating an inclusive selection process
- ensuring prospective applicants and new hires are aware of our EDI commitment, policies, and opportunities to get involved at each stage of the recruitment process, including onboarding.
This initiative seeks to create a culture of inclusive hiring at St Mary’s led by all members of staff: hiring managers, senior leaders, the HR team, and interview panellists. For more information, please email EDI.Team@stmarys.ac.uk.
The initiative has 3 key components.
- HR-led conversations with all hiring managers to review our new Inclusive Hiring Checklist and Inclusive Hiring Resources for Hiring Managers - which seek to empower and support inclusive practice at every hiring stage.
- New in-house inclusive hiring training for hiring managers and panellists seeking to uplevel understanding of inclusive hiring practices.
- Creating a pool of St Mary's staff trained as Inclusive Hiring Advisors, who:
- attend our Inclusive Hiring Training and take part in additional development activity throughout the year
- join a list of Advisors available to hiring managers when assembling their diverse recruitment panels, serving as a source of knowledge, experience, and expertise in inclusive hiring for the entire panel
- feed back to HR on our recruitment practices on an annual basis, helping to continuously improve and ensure our offering is fit for purpose.
For hiring managers
Whether you are recruiting for a role at present or looking to brush up on your inclusive hiring practices, please review our Inclusive Hiring Checklist and Resources. We have also created a useful guide for line managers as to how they can champion their Inclusive Hiring Advisor, once on board.
We encourage all hiring managers and panellists to join one of our inclusive hiring training sessions, held by our Learning and People Development team, quarterly. For more information about upcoming dates, please reach out to learninganddevelopment@stmarys.ac.uk.
For all members of staff
Our inclusive hiring training is open to all members of staff (including hiring managers and panellists), as attending this training is a prerequisite for becoming an Inclusive Hiring Advisor. For more information about upcoming dates, please reach out to learninganddevelopment@stmarys.ac.uk.
Interested in Becoming an Inclusive Hiring Advisor?
You will be a key player in supporting the University’s EDI ambitions and living out our values of Inclusion and Respect – an experience you can include in your appraisal, and your CV!
Inclusive Hiring Advisor responsibilities include to:
- serve as a source of knowledge, experience, and expertise for inclusive practice (and any of their own relevant additional existing areas) on recruitment panels
- encourage recruitment panels to reflect on potential biases that may reflect on potential biases that may be affecting their decision panels
- ensure Inclusive Language is used when discussing candidates, sharing any observations of missteps and suggested improvements with panel members (e.g. correct pronoun use)
- make themselves available to the Chair/Hiring manager, and other members of the panel, when they have questions or concerns about Inclusive Hiring and/or their role on the panel
- bolster the culture of EDI across St Mary's community, including for interview candidates.
You will also join a community of other Inclusive Hiring Advisors from across St Mary’s who will come together every 5-6 weeks for one hour of:
- CPD activities related to Inclusive Hiring practices
- time to debrief/discuss any experiences you have had on panels and receive support.
Please email EDI.Team@stmarys.ac.uk if you are interested in becoming one of our Inclusive Hiring Advisors for this academic year.