Inclusive Recruitment
Creating opportunities for all | Supporting a diverse workforce | Embracing inclusivity
-By Lesley Dugan (Recruitment Specialist at Honeycomb Jobs)
It’s estimated that up to 20% of the global adult population is neurodivergent, meaning they have conditions such as Dyslexia, Autism or ADHD. Through life, neurodiverse conditions can also be acquired. For example, as a result of a brain-altering experience such as a traumatic brain injury, a stroke or tumour.
Neurodiversity is an area I have a particular interest in and have first-hand experience with having reasonable adjustments put in place during the recruitment process. If you have never considered requesting reasonable adjustments in an interview or perhaps you are unaware of what would be deemed ‘reasonable’, below is a list of common requests/arrangements that can be put in place.
- Changing the format of an application form
- Wheelchair access
- Additional time for an interview task
- Asking for interview questions in advance
- Having a printout of questions
- Computer assistance such as a larger screen or reading software to assist with a test/assessment
Due to stigma and a fear of being treated differently, many people do not feel comfortable disclosing if they are neurodivergent. My advice would be to be as transparent as possible from the beginning of the hiring process. Neurodivergent individuals think in ways that are truly unique! Being neurodivergent brings many advantages to the workplace, such as out-of-the-box thinking and creative solutions.
There are many benefits to creating environments that are inclusive of neurodiversity.
- Positive impact on business objectives
- Wider talent pool
- Extraordinary skills
- Loyal workforce
More and more businesses are creating workplaces that welcome neurodiversity and allow employees to understand and communicate in their own way. That means adjusting the workplace to suit the needs of diverse thinkers and providing tools to support different ways of working. Neurodivergent individuals bring many advantages to any workplace, and you should never feel that you are at a disadvantage. They bring unique perspectives and strengthen the success of projects and tasks.
At Honeycomb we are passionate about delivering excellent customer service by ensuring we deliver the best candidate experience and supporting our clients with their recruitment needs. As an agency, we are representing both our candidates and clients. To ensure we offer the best services, we take into consideration these three concepts; Inclusion Diversity, and Equality.
As a Recruitment Consultant, I am here to communicate with hiring managers on your behalf and to raise any concerns or changes that are necessary to ensure you have a fair opportunity to be assessed and work in an inclusive environment. When we register candidates, this is where we can explore how we can best support you in the process. Such as tailoring our searches for roles that fit with what you are looking for, company cultures, the working environment and ensuring you feel confident and prepared for your interview.
Inclusivity should start from recruitment and onboarding and follow through the entire employee lifecycle. Honeycomb is here to promote Inclusivity, Diversity and Equality right from the beginning with our candidates and clients.
