Recruiting disabled candidates

 

Targeted recruitment

Consider advertising vacancies with specific sites for disabled candidates:

• Disability Jobsite: Access to 32,000 candidates from £495
• Disabled Workers: Free to advertise to 70,000 candidates a month
• EmployAbility: Graduate and intern recruitment
• Evenbreak: Social enterprise offering adverts from £115
• The Ability People: Social enterprise

Barriers for disabled candidates

There can be many barriers for disabled candidates in the application process.

“Getting rejected again and again, you feel like it’s because of your impairment and that made me want to give up. I couldn’t explain Cerebral Palsy confidently and it made me feel like it was more of a weakness than a strength.

I had all the skills, but I felt like I was being judged. It seemed like employers were thinking there will be other people who aren’t disabled who can do the job better.”

Azar, Disability Advocate

Finding sustainable employment is 60% harder for disabled candidates than for non-disabled ones. Disabled candidates can experience more frequent or larger gaps in employment.

Some roles ask for qualifications or previous experience in the role or sector. Length of previous experience can be a barrier to disabled candidates. This can still be a barrier even if they hold the required qualification.

Education is more accessible today than ever before. But can still be harder for disabled people to access the qualifications they need.

Alternative ways to recruit

To reduce some barriers disabled people face, consider introducing a guaranteed interview scheme. This reduces the chances of discrimination during the selection process. It is not a promise of employment.

Here we look at ways to recruitment other than a standard interview. These methods are not suitable for all roles. But they can work for some types of roles.

Work trials

A work trial can be a paid or unpaid short period where the applicant works as an employee.

These are usually for 1 or 2 shifts. It gives an opportunity to see if the role is a suitable match for the applicant’s skills. Some more complex roles may need a week trial, but this should not be standard practice.

Work trials can damage your image if you use them incorrectly, as this example shows.

Aldi advertising 150 unpaid work trials for a new store opening (BBC)

ACAS states that a work trial must be part of a genuine recruitment process and not more than a few hours’ work. You may need longer for more complex roles. But the work trial should not to be excessive.

Only use the process to figure out if a specific applicant is suitable for the role. Do not use it to compare candidates.

A recent YouGov poll suggested that 65% of people believe unpaid work trials are unfair. It’s important to have a clear process if you use this recruitment method. Everyone should be clear from the start:

• how long the trial will last
• what is expected
• that the trial is unpaid

The trial should be the same for all applicants. If the applicant is not receiving benefits, you can pay them or cover their travel expenses.

If the applicant is on benefits, arrange the work trial with their local jobcentre. It’s important to make sure it does not affect their entitlements. In this case, you do not need to pay, as the applicant’s needs are met by their benefit payments.

For Jobcentre Plus to accept your work trial, the post should be:

• for at least 16 hours a week
• expected to last at least 13 weeks

In this case, a work trial can continue for up to 30 days. Keep this to the minimum needed to assess the skills needed for the job.

Learn more on work trials through your local Jobcentre Plus.

Working interviews

A working interview allows a candidate to show their ability to do the job. They complete actual tasks rather than talk about them in an interview.

Some roles need specific training or Health and Safety inductions. For example, in retail environments. For these roles candidates can talk through their understanding on the shop floor. This can be easier than in an interview room.

Working interviews give both parties the opportunity to see if the role is a suitable match. Use working interviews fairly and give feedback to unsuccessful candidates.

Traineeships

Traineeships are for young people between 16 and 24 years. They are a step to apprenticeships. Traineeships focus on:

• Maths
• English
• IT skills
• a high-quality work experience placement

Traineeships are usually up to 6 months. The government scheme Access to Work can support candidates on traineeships. The national apprenticeship service can support employers to prepare for traineeship programmes.

Traineeships (GOV.UK)

Apprenticeships

Apprenticeships last longer than traineeships and focus on job skills and industry training. They must last at least 1 year but can last up to 5 years.

There is funding available to organisations that take on apprentices. Some organisations pay into an apprenticeship levy and this can change the funding.

Pay apprenticeship levy (GOV.UK)

An apprentice should:

• work with experienced staff
• learn job-specific skills
• study during the working week either at college or with a training provider
• be paid at least national minimum wage

Contact the National Apprenticeship Service

Work experience

These options are generally part of student qualifications or study.

Internships

These are usually full-time in the workplace and take place outside of term time.

If the role is shadowing an existing employee, you do not have to pay national minimum wage.

It is good practice for the intern to do some duties independently, for their development.

Work experience or placements

Usually 1 day per week in the workplace during term time for 12 weeks.

The organisation does not have to pay the candidate.

Graduate schemes

Graduate schemes aim to develop the leaders of the future. They usually start at the end of the second study year in August or September.

Organisations are expected to pay the candidate in line with the sector they are working in. The candidate will be taking on responsibilities from the start.

Most employers look for a 2:1 degree or higher. It’s up to you how flexible you can be on this.

Graduates have to be flexible and work across different business functions and locations.

It’s common to make an offer of employment at the end of a graduate scheme but it’s not compulsory.

Job shares

Job sharing is another tool in flexible recruitment. It splits a role in various ways, for example:

• A full-time position where one person works 3 days a week and the other 2 days.
• A full-time position where one person may work mornings and one afternoons.
• 2 employees work alternate weeks.

There must be an effective handover between job sharers for business continuity. Some of the benefits of job sharing include:

• having 2 sets of skills and experience working together
• creating learning opportunities where employees support each other in developing new skills
• access to valuable talent that may not be able to work full time

Vocational training providers

Disabled candidates may benefit from vocational training. Disabled people do not always have access to further education to gain qualifications.

To support this, organisations can employ disabled candidates in more junior roles. Gaining qualifications while working, candidates can progress in their chosen sector.

Distance learning is available from many institutions. Employers should agree:

• what qualifications would be acceptable in supporting an individual’s career progression
• working patterns to support the individual achieve these qualifications while working

Inclusive employers recognise the value of mentoring and supporting the next generation. Internal time and resources can be a barrier to this for some organisations.

Career development through vocational training is a long term investment. Use vocational training providers to minimise the internal impact of training and mentoring.