The University has set high-level equality objectives to increase the proportion of women in senior roles, and to improve the recruitment and retention of BME staff, supported by the University’s Equality Policy. Each recruitment is an opportunity to identify and attract as diverse a pool of applicants as possible to meet the aims of recruiting the best people and increasing diversity. To achieve this, good practice needs to run all the way through the recruitment process, taking into account the following guidance:
- Chairs of recruitment panels have a leadership role to ensure that diversity and fairness are considered at every stage, that selection is made objectively against the advertised selection criteria and that bias is challenged.
- Chairs of selection panels will have completed 'Recruitment and Selection' and 'Implicit bias training every 4 years.
- It is strongly recommended that all staff involved in recruitment also complete the 'Recruitment and Selection' and briefings and training on 'Implicit bias'.
- Job descriptions on the most recent University template and objectively graded, are provided for all posts. Reach out to under-represented group through the advert and job description to position Oxford as a welcoming and inclusive place to work.
- Offering flexible working, such as part-time or a job share, signals a positive approach to equality and the participation of under-represented groups.
- Job qualifications or requirements should not be demanded without justification in terms of the job to be done.
- Job advertisements will be normally widely publicised to encourage applications from a broad range of suitable candidates from a wide talent pool.
- Candidates may declare personal circumstances either during a recruitment or after a job offer is made that could affect how and when they can perform the role. These circumstances could include maternity or family leave requirements, disability or illness. Note that, if a woman is on or about to go on maternity leave you may have to wait for her to start work and make interim arrangements to cover the role. It would be discriminatory if you rejected her, or withdrew a job offer, or insisted that she end her maternity leave earlier than intended to start work, unless she agreed.
- If disabled applicants identify themselves at application stage, reasonable adjustments to the application process should be offered such as accepting applications in alternative formats. All shortlisted applicants are offered reasonable adjustments at interview or in any practical tests (such as accessible interview rooms, the assistance of a sign language interpreter or additional time for a timed assessment exercise). The abilities of disabled candidates should be assessed assuming that appropriate reasonable adjustments will be provided in the workplace.
- Consideration should be given to achieving a diverse selection panel. There should be at least one member of each gender on a panel, with the aim of achieving at least one third representation of women wherever possible. The gender composition of selection panels will be monitored.
- When considering a candidate’s CV relative to the selection criteria, any career breaks should be taken into consideration. Circumstances such as caring responsibilities, ill health or disability may result in the quantity of applicants’ outputs being less than might otherwise be expected, but the quality of the outputs should be judged in the usual way. Candidates can be asked at the application stage to identify their best research outputs / significant achievements in terms of quality and/or impact. This will enable the selection committee to focus on key attainments in CVs and also enable those candidates who have taken career breaks or who have atypical careers for any reason to highlight their highest quality work.
- Recruitment monitoring is done anonymously in the central Equality and Diversity Unit and details of candidates are not provided to any member of the selection panel. Candidates are asked for details of sex, age, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, religion and belief and any disability of all candidates and of those shortlisted and appointed.
- Bias can occur if recruitments are hurried. Take time to shortlist and make decisions. If necessary, leave decision-making until the next day. The outcome of each recruitment could have an impact on the department for years to come; extra time invested in recruitment is never wasted.