As de Poel teams up with RIDI Awards to celebrate inclusivity in recruitment, Janice Henson, Managing Director of CSR arm de Poel Community, who has been appointed on to the RIDI Awards executive team, discusses the huge benefits to be capitalised on by agencies:
Recently, many companies have become heavily focused on their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) objectives. Whether this is through reviewing environmental policies, undergoing charity work or nurturing a diverse supply chain, businesses are increasingly looking at ways to update and advance their CSR initiatives.
Alongside these tactics, fostering an inclusive workforce is another avenue businesses are exploring, in order to develop their CSR strategy. Whilst a diverse workforce can indeed enhance any company’s CSR policy, there are a number of additional benefits to be had, that can actually impact the bottom line.
de Poel fully recognises and supports this drive to improve and promote CSR within businesses, however recent statistics indicate that there is still more which can be done.
Research commissioned by the Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative (RIDI); highlighted one in three jobseekers (37%) with disabilities have been discriminated against during the recruitment process. Whilst many organisations have a good intention to promote an inclusive workforce, often this is not enough. Disability confidence of recruiters is not only key, but also not difficult to achieve with the support and guidance available. In a study by The Clear Company, 79% of candidates ‘reported that a lack of disability awareness by recruiters remained their biggest barrier’, something recruiters have the power to do something about.
The Clear Company works with proactive organisations who value equality and diversity both internally and as part of their candidate recruitment methodologies, supporting them on their Clear Assured journey to foster and promote inclusive recruitment practices.
The Clear Company is committed to fully supporting organisations as they implement change and work towards 'Proud to be Clear Assured' status. Clear Company continues to share its experiences and compelling case studies with its community, as these companies progress.
If these statistics are, on the whole, a result of a lack of knowledge surrounding disability issues, as it is being perceived by many, then surely this should be seen as an opportunity by recruitment agencies to review their processes and gain better understanding surrounding worker’s physical and mental health. This is an opportunity to be seized by all recruitment agencies, large or small, to make inclusion and diversity part of their agenda.
Last year, de Poel, alongside other enlightened recruiters, celebrated the successes and progress of disability recruitment at the RIDI Awards. Now in its second year, the RIDI Awards celebrates those businesses that are committed to raising awareness of disability in recruitment and drive process changes within UK businesses.
As a neutral vendor within the temporary recruitment industry, and a company on the Clear Assured journey, de Poel understands the importance of having an inclusive and diverse workforce across a supply chain. So much so that de Poel Community, de Poel’s CSR arm, was founded under the ethos that everyone deserves to work and that when it comes to recruitment and employment, it should never be exclusive.
de Poel Community works with many visionary agencies and employers who are already harnessing this rich pool of talent, realising the benefits of an inclusive workforce, and demonstrating real initiatives in improving their recruitment processes and the workplace environment itself. From increased retention and loyalty to the company, as well as a higher productivity rate, a diverse workforce actually has real business benefits.
Whilst historically there may have been inertia surrounding this, with some employers and recruiters afraid of “getting it wrong”, we all share a common responsibility and opportunity to put this right. By sharing an aligned vision with RIDI Awards, de Poel Community continues to see some inspiring instances of companies that are pioneering the inclusion of people with disabilities, and leading by example.
Through initiatives such as RIDI Awards, de Poel is working to dispel these myths surrounding disability, in a mission to help agencies to realise the multiple business benefits that can be had from accessing this underutilised pool of talent. Moreover, it may even result in your agency securing a competitive edge over your rivals; you can take the lead and become a pioneer in the recruitment industry.
Inclusive recruitment is very simple; despite the common stereotypes, accommodating a person with a disability in the workplace does not result in lots of money being invested or extra time off work due to sickness or hospital appointments. The only thing that is required is an open mind and a commitment to change disability recruitment as we know it.
de Poel Community encourages employers and recruiters to share their stories; your achievements will inspire other organisations to focus on their own strategies to boost the diversity of talent.