Guide to inclusive recruitment
Ensure fair processes are set up, reducing bias and expanding candidate reach, to attract a more diverse talent pool.
Inclusive recruitment processes are key to building your workplace inclusivity and maximising opportunities to recruit the best candidates into your organisation. By viewing each recruitment stage through an inclusion lens you will design processes that are objective, remove the potential for bias, support more equal outcomes, and ensure that marginalised groups are not disadvantaged.
There are four main steps in the recruitment process to consider:
role design and job advert
role design and job advert
role design and job advert
reaching & attracting diverse candidates
reaching & attracting diverse candidates
reaching & attracting diverse candidates
the application
the application
the application
candidate selection
candidate selection
candidate selection
We have listed a few suggestions for you to consider when designing your inclusive recruitment process.
Role design and job advert
Job advert
Use inclusive language (including gender-neutral). Be explicit about family-friendly policies and other inclusive practices within your organisation.
Job advert
Use inclusive language (including gender-neutral). Be explicit about family-friendly policies and other inclusive practices within your organisation.
Job advert
Use inclusive language (including gender-neutral). Be explicit about family-friendly policies and other inclusive practices within your organisation.
Person requirements
Make role requirements clear, specific, and behaviour-based.
Person requirements
Make role requirements clear, specific, and behaviour-based.
Person requirements
Make role requirements clear, specific, and behaviour-based.
Job specification
Offer flexible working by default. Make salaries non-negotiable and include them in job adverts.
Job specification
Offer flexible working by default. Make salaries non-negotiable and include them in job adverts.
Job specification
Offer flexible working by default. Make salaries non-negotiable and include them in job adverts.
Reaching & attracting diverse candidates
Target marginalised groups
As well as your usual advertising locations, place job adverts where they are more likely to be seen by marginalised applicants. Focus outreach efforts on marginalised groups. Invite applications from underrepresented groups through your networks.
Target marginalised groups
As well as your usual advertising locations, place job adverts where they are more likely to be seen by marginalised applicants. Focus outreach efforts on marginalised groups. Invite applications from underrepresented groups through your networks.
Target marginalised groups
As well as your usual advertising locations, place job adverts where they are more likely to be seen by marginalised applicants. Focus outreach efforts on marginalised groups. Invite applications from underrepresented groups through your networks.
Making the recruitment experience inclusive
Provide candidates with clear expectations, timelines, and communications. Proactively ask applicants if they need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process (and do your best to accommodate).
Making the recruitment experience inclusive
Provide candidates with clear expectations, timelines, and communications. Proactively ask applicants if they need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process (and do your best to accommodate).
Making the recruitment experience inclusive
Provide candidates with clear expectations, timelines, and communications. Proactively ask applicants if they need reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process (and do your best to accommodate).
The application
Keep the process fully anonymous.
Keep the process fully anonymous.
Keep the process fully anonymous.
Focussing on the role you are recruiting to, build a series of short-listing questions that define whether the candidate meets the skills/experience/knowledge requirements to fulfil the role. These should be comprehensive and evidence-based and form the basis of the application.
Focussing on the role you are recruiting to, build a series of short-listing questions that define whether the candidate meets the skills/experience/knowledge requirements to fulfil the role. These should be comprehensive and evidence-based and form the basis of the application.
Focussing on the role you are recruiting to, build a series of short-listing questions that define whether the candidate meets the skills/experience/knowledge requirements to fulfil the role. These should be comprehensive and evidence-based and form the basis of the application.
Avoid asking candidates for the dates of their employment history.
Avoid asking candidates for the dates of their employment history.
Avoid asking candidates for the dates of their employment history.
Establish an objective scoring matrix for the answers to the short-listing questions.
Establish an objective scoring matrix for the answers to the short-listing questions.
Establish an objective scoring matrix for the answers to the short-listing questions.
Candidate selection
Shortlisting
If practical, ensure your selection panel is diverse, being mindful of over-burdening minoritised staff. Ideally use candidate cvs to establish eligibility (not to shortlist). An appropriate person outside the selection panel should be given this task. Each panel member should score the short-listing questions independently using the scoring matrix. Automate the process such that answers are scored by question, not by candidate. After all answers to Q1are scored, shuffle the order of answers for Q2, etc. This avoids candidate bias being established during the scoring process. Once the scoring is complete, calculate the score per candidate (still anonymous at this stage) and determine the cut-off for inviting to interview.
Shortlisting
If practical, ensure your selection panel is diverse, being mindful of over-burdening minoritised staff. Ideally use candidate cvs to establish eligibility (not to shortlist). An appropriate person outside the selection panel should be given this task. Each panel member should score the short-listing questions independently using the scoring matrix. Automate the process such that answers are scored by question, not by candidate. After all answers to Q1are scored, shuffle the order of answers for Q2, etc. This avoids candidate bias being established during the scoring process. Once the scoring is complete, calculate the score per candidate (still anonymous at this stage) and determine the cut-off for inviting to interview.
Shortlisting
If practical, ensure your selection panel is diverse, being mindful of over-burdening minoritised staff. Ideally use candidate cvs to establish eligibility (not to shortlist). An appropriate person outside the selection panel should be given this task. Each panel member should score the short-listing questions independently using the scoring matrix. Automate the process such that answers are scored by question, not by candidate. After all answers to Q1are scored, shuffle the order of answers for Q2, etc. This avoids candidate bias being established during the scoring process. Once the scoring is complete, calculate the score per candidate (still anonymous at this stage) and determine the cut-off for inviting to interview.
Interview & assessment
Make scheduling interviews easy, accessible, and flexible. Consider adopting a non-standard interview method to be inclusive of those who are disadvantaged by being questioned under interview conditions (e.g. neuro-diverse). Consider creating a series of scenarios and/or challenges that candidates are given prior to the interview (say two weeks in advance). These should demonstrate relevant skills to the job. Candidates present their responses to the ’interview’ panel (e.g. as a Power Point) and answer any related questions. Candidates should be given the opportunity to ask questions of the panel.
Interview & assessment
Make scheduling interviews easy, accessible, and flexible. Consider adopting a non-standard interview method to be inclusive of those who are disadvantaged by being questioned under interview conditions (e.g. neuro-diverse). Consider creating a series of scenarios and/or challenges that candidates are given prior to the interview (say two weeks in advance). These should demonstrate relevant skills to the job. Candidates present their responses to the ’interview’ panel (e.g. as a Power Point) and answer any related questions. Candidates should be given the opportunity to ask questions of the panel.
Interview & assessment
Make scheduling interviews easy, accessible, and flexible. Consider adopting a non-standard interview method to be inclusive of those who are disadvantaged by being questioned under interview conditions (e.g. neuro-diverse). Consider creating a series of scenarios and/or challenges that candidates are given prior to the interview (say two weeks in advance). These should demonstrate relevant skills to the job. Candidates present their responses to the ’interview’ panel (e.g. as a Power Point) and answer any related questions. Candidates should be given the opportunity to ask questions of the panel.
Candidate evaluation
Make decisions about candidates in batches. Use calibrations for hiring decisions.
Candidate evaluation
Make decisions about candidates in batches. Use calibrations for hiring decisions.
Candidate evaluation
Make decisions about candidates in batches. Use calibrations for hiring decisions.
Post offer
Share and collect feedback from and to all candidates. Proactively offer reasonable adjustments to all new joiners. Encourage candidates to reapply.
Post offer
Share and collect feedback from and to all candidates. Proactively offer reasonable adjustments to all new joiners. Encourage candidates to reapply.
Post offer
Share and collect feedback from and to all candidates. Proactively offer reasonable adjustments to all new joiners. Encourage candidates to reapply.
Contact us to help you make your recruitment processes more inclusive
The toolkit:
Inclusive practice
Our toolkit will help you start your journey towards inclusion, developing a respectful and supportive working environment
The toolkit:
Inclusive practice
Our toolkit will help you start your journey towards inclusion, developing a respectful and supportive working environment
The toolkit:
Inclusive practice
Our toolkit will help you start your journey towards inclusion, developing a respectful and supportive working environment
Explore more toolkits
Explore our toolkits
Explore our toolkits
© 2025 Halsden Centre Limited. A company registered in England & Wales No 15730726
© 2025 Halsden Centre Limited. A company registered in England & Wales No 15730726
© 2025 Halsden Centre Limited. A company registered in England & Wales No 15730726