As an organisation, you may want to avoid unnecessary allegations due to hiring discrimination. Your hiring process must be inclusive of all the applicants. Candidates interviewing for the job must not be discriminated against in any way. In addition, the organisation should have policies to justify its hiring actions. This will prevent any false allegations and safeguard the company. Keep reading to know how to avoid discrimination when hiring.
Avoiding Hiring Discrimination UK
Here are some ways to avoid recruitment discrimination in the UK:
Learning about discrimination
The primary step is understanding how to identify discrimination. When you’ll be able to recognise unconscious bias and discrimination, you will be able to find loopholes in the hiring process. What may appear correct to one person may not be fair and appear as discrimination to a person.
That is why you need to focus on learning about prejudices and unintentional biases one may have towards someone. The Equality Act 2010 ensures discrimination is illegal in the workplace and may land you in legal trouble. It is ideal to educate yourself and the team not to discriminate against anyone based on gender, disability, religion, native country, marital status, ethnicity, age, or sexuality. Having such awareness in the workplace is extremely important.
Conducting fair recruitments
The most significant step to avoid discrimination is a fair selection process. With a fair process, you can offer the same opportunity to all diverse candidates. To be more honest, your organisation must advertise the job to all and not bar anyone from applying based on gender, ethnicity, background, and age.
Moreover, the interview must be conducted so that candidates feel included. There should be no biases when interviewing candidates as they may appear to be discriminatory behaviours. For instance, you cannot deny someone the job for personal reasons.
Update policies and interview procedures
If your organisation has been around for years or just started from scratch, reviewing the official policies and interview process is always advisable. Scan the old guidelines with a legal professional and edit them as needed.
Be aware of current policies and rules to ensure your company complies. Learning about policy gaps and adding better ones may help create a diverse work culture. Have a clear set of policies when conducting an interview, and avoid asking questions that may seem discriminatory. You may go for blind recruitment to avoid discrimination further.
Focus on the selection criteria.
Your primary focus must be on the skills and education of the candidate. The interview should aim to learn more about their experience and how they may contribute towards the collective organisation’s goal. Instead of having different questions for the same job for various candidates, it’s best to maintain consistency and not ask unconsciously biased questions.
Conduct meetings with the HR.
Your organisation will need to conduct meetings with HR and the hiring professionals. These may include seminars and discussions of best practices to reduce the risk of discrimination. As a result, the whole team will be able to maintain equality in the workplace right from the hiring process.
Offer feedback to all applicants.
Providing reasons for not hiring unsuccessful candidates may be crucial in ensuring your organisation cares about fairness. The feedback may be of great help to the candidate for future interviews. Moreover, they will appreciate your honesty and transparency in the process.
Parting Words
By following the above tips to avoid discrimination in hiring, you may be able to protect your company from unnecessary legal allegations. Moreover, your company will be seen as inclusive and ethical, attracting diverse candidates. To ensure your organisation supports equality and works to maintain it, you may hire a legal professional to look at the policies.
In addition, you may connect with an experienced attorney to represent your company in case of a discrimination claim. Get in touch with Lawyersorted.com to find the right solicitor for your needs.
Written By –
Omar Shams
CEO & Founder at Lawyersorted.com
