How Huntress can support your inclusive recruitment needs

As trusted recruitment partners for businesses within a wide variety of industries and sectors, Huntress can play a pivotal role in supporting companies interested in implementing inclusive recruitment practices. 

The working world is always evolving, and surveys have revealed that 57% of UK businesses regard equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) as a strategic priority when recruiting new staff. 

As a business, we are on our own EDI journey to adopt an environment where the diversity of our people is viewed as a strength and everyone’s contribution is valued.  Although, we have previously shared the importance of an inclusive workforce our teams are keen to assist you on your journey, whether you are only starting, or you have made progress and are now looking for a more robust ED&I-conscious recruitment partner. 

In this article, we will explore how we can support your business with inclusive recruitment through our assured processes and extended offerings. 

Our Assured Processes 

Writing gender-neutral job adverts 

Research reveals that gender neutral job adverts receive up to 42% more applications than their more biased counterparts, so writing gender-neutral job adverts for our clients not only ensures legal compliance, but also helps to attract a wider talent pool, and contributes to a more inclusive and equitable selection process. By removing unconscious bias associated with gender-specific language, you also create a welcoming and inclusive company culture from the outset of the recruitment process and can improve overall brand image by ensuring it aligns with your company values. 

Shortlisting candidates based on their skills and cultural fit 

We prioritise shortlisting candidates based on both their skills and culture fit as not only are skills fundamental for job performance and productivity, but having a skills-based approach helps us to focus on delivering candidates with the right competencies and qualifications, fostering inclusivity by recognising the value of candidates from diverse backgrounds and experiences. 

Forbes reported that “hiring for skills is five times more predictive of job performance than hiring for education and more than twice as predictive than hiring for work experience” with research showing that 92.5% of companies have seen a reduction in their mis-hire rate since adopting a skills-first approach. 

Our Extended Offerings 

Removing gender bias from job specifications 

We can review job specifications to eliminate bias by crafting job descriptions free from discriminatory language.   This is another method of attracting a wider pool of talent and increases the likelihood of finding highly qualified individuals. This approach enhances your company's reputation as an inclusive and progressive employer, attracting top talent and showing you value diversity. 

Blind CVs 

48% of HR Managers admit bias affects their candidate choice and the impact of blind CVs has shown to increase the likelihood that women will be hired by 25-46%, helping to close the gender gap and creating equal opportunities for all candidates. 

Blind CVs also reduce unconscious bias, promote diversity, and ensure fair and objective candidate assessment, so removing personally identifiable information, such as names and demographics, enable hiring managers and our consultants to evaluate candidates solely based on professional qualities, leading to more equitable and inclusive hiring decisions. 

Defining salaries in adverts 

Four in five jobseekers admit they are less likely to apply for a job if the advert doesn't specify a salary and being transparent with salary information fosters fairness and equity, building trust among employees and increasing job satisfaction in the long run. This approach contributes to improved retention rates, attracting top talent, motivating employees, whilst ensuring legal compliance.  

Transparent salary policies also help to align with principles of openness, reduce wage gaps, and actively address the gender pay gap, ultimately benefiting both the organisation and its workforce. 

Panel interviews 

Panel interviews can also enhance inclusive recruitment by involving a diverse group of interviewers, reducing bias, and promoting a holistic evaluation of candidates. This approach also demonstrates a commitment to diversity, creating a more positive recruitment experience for candidates which we are more than happy to support. 

Overall, inclusive hiring practices contribute to improved job satisfaction, employee retention, and innovation within the organisation and therefore opting for these services and collaborating with us can prove to be valuable in helping foster a more inclusive and diverse workforce. This not only has the potential to strengthen your employer brand but also contribute to a more equitable and welcoming workplace environment that candidates want to join. 

For more information about how we can support you with your inclusive recruitment needs please get in touch with our team of experts.