Good Practice
Inclusive Recruitment Guide
University of Leeds Business School
The Inclusive Recruitment Guide builds on existing University recruitment practices, recognising the diverse communities of Leeds and West Yorkshire as a key source of talent. As our staff and student populations become increasingly diverse across characteristics including ethnicity, nationality, disability, neurodiversity, race and gender, the guide aims to strengthen representation across all roles and grades.
Research shows that diverse workforces are more engaged, innovative and effective. The guide therefore sets out simple, practical principles and adaptations that help hiring managers attract a broader range of candidates and provide an inclusive, positive recruitment experience, underpinned by the University’s values of dignity and respect.
Developed collaboratively with colleagues across the University and Faculties, the guide promotes best practice in recruitment and advertising and is now embedded as part of our business-as-usual recruitment processes.
Helen Rook, Faculty Equity & Inclusion Project Officer
Key elements of the guide
- Both male and female contact details provided in the Job Description
- Simple English language, avoiding jargon in all candidate documents
- Candidate shortlists (where possible) and interview panels are of no single gender
- Interview themes, exact location and accessibility information shared with the invitation to interview
- Interview scheduling avoids cultural occasions and/ or large religious festivals
- A list of job boards specifically targeting diverse candidates is provided to all hiring managers
Download the summary of LUBS inclusive guide
Why these points are helpful to recruit migrants and refugees in particular
- Advertise through diverse networks allow employers to reach out to migrant and refugees.
- Use of simple, plain-English application forms helps to accommodate overseas qualifications and offer flexible application methods.
- Share interview themes/tasks in advance to support preparation help speakers of other languages.
- Ensure diverse interview panels to make the migrant candidates comfortable and signal the organisation’s commitment to diversity and inclusion
- Provide clear location/accessibility information helps new residents
- Invite requests for reasonable adjustments, including language and neurodiversity needs, to support migrants and refugees with hidden overlapping vulnerabilities
- Focus interview questions on strengths and competencies rather than cultural fit help to include new set of skills including of those with overseas experience.
- Avoid scheduling interviews on major religious or cultural observances include attendance rates from selected interviewees.
- Use plain English during interviews, allow clarification and candidate questions to improve the interview experience.
- Ensure human oversight in selection decisions and avoid AI bias help avoiding indirect discrimination
- Provide constructive feedback and discuss right-to-work requirements after job offers help avoid confusions over paperwork