Staff Recruitment Policy

last updated: 11 February 2021

1. Purpose
2. Scope
3. Core Principles
4. Recruitment & Selection Procedure
   1. Preparation Stage
   2. Job Description & Person Specification
   3. Advertising
5. Selection of Candidates
   1. Shortlisting
   2. Selection & Interview
   3. Referees
   4. Making the Appointment
   5. Induction
6. Purpose

• The Company recognises that its staff are fundamental to its success. The Company, therefore, needs to be able to attract and retain staff of the highest calibre and a strategic, professional approach to recruitment is essential to do this.
• The purpose of this policy is to provide a sound framework for the recruitment and selection of staff based upon the principles outlined below, which also meet the requirements of The Company Equal Opportunities Employment Policy, the Equality Act 2010 and all other relevant employment legislation.

1. Scope

This policy and procedure cover all activities that form part of the recruitment and selection process. It is applicable to all staff recruitment except casual staff. In order for the policy and procedure to be effective, it is essential that any employee who is involved in any aspect of the recruitment and/or selection of staff is aware of this document and follows it. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the senior management in The Company, including Heads of Departments, in conjunction with HR to ensure that this is the case.

1. Core Principles

• The Company has a principle of open competition in its approach to recruitment.
• The Company will seek to recruit the best candidate for the job based on merit. The recruitment and selection process should ensure the identification of the person best suited to the job and The Company.
• The Company wishes to encourage the recruitment of staff with disabilities and will make reasonable adjustments to all stages of the recruitment process and as required in order for a successful candidate with a disability to undertake the post.
• The Company will ensure that the recruitment and selection of staff is conducted in a professional, timely and responsive manner and in compliance with current employment legislation.
• The Company will provide appropriate training, development and support to those involved in recruitment and selection activities in order to meet this core principle. Any member of staff involved in the selection of staff should satisfy him or herself that he/she is appropriately trained and can comply with the requirements of this policy and procedure. As a minimum requirement, any member of staff who takes part in any activity under this policy and procedure must first have completed The Company Online Equality and Diversity training. 
• The Company will treat all candidates fairly, equitably and efficiently, with respect and courtesy, aiming to ensure that the candidate experience is positive, irrespective of the outcome.
• The Company will promote best practice in recruitment and selection. It will continuously develop its recruitment and selection practices to allow new ideas and approaches to be incorporated.
• The Company will ensure that its recruitment and selection process is cost-effective.
• If a member of staff involved in the recruitment process has a close personal or familial relationship with an applicant they must declare this as soon as they are aware of the individual’s application and avoid any involvement in the recruitment and selection decision-making process.
• All documentation relating to applicants will be treated confidentially in accordance with the Data Protection Act (DPA). Applicants will have the right to access any documentation held on them in accordance with the Data Protection Act (DPA).

1. Recruitment & Selection Procedure

There are a number of key stages in recruiting and selecting for a post. This procedure outlines the key stages. 

4.1 Preparation Stage

• The recruitment and selection process should not commence until a full evaluation of the need for the role against the area’s strategic plans and budget has been completed.
• The recruitment of staff will take into account The Company’s need for new ideas and approaches and additionally should support The Company’s commitment to ensuring a diverse workforce by proactively seeking to attract groups that are under-represented in The Company’s profile to maximise its ability to meet diverse customer requirements.
• Recruitment should form an integral part of the staffing strategy for the area and should take account of the need for any ‘positive action’ initiatives in process. ‘Positive Action’ is lawful under the Equality Act 2010 and refers to the steps that an employer can take to encourage applicants from people who share a protected characteristic (e.g. a certain gender or race) who under-represented in a particular area of the workforce, for example:
  • placing advertisements in the minority ethnic press, the women's press and any other publication which is targeted at groups which are under-represented.
  • including statements in advertisements that encourage individuals from under-represented groups to apply for the advertised position.
• All new or changed posts must be formally role reviewed and graded before they are advertised in order to help ensure equal pay for work of equal value.
• Formal authorisation to recruit to a post should be sought before commencing the recruitment process.

4.2 Job Description & Person Specification

• A job description and person specification must be produced or updated for any vacant post that is to be filled.
• The job description should accurately reflect the elements of the post.
• The person specification should state both the essential and desirable criteria in terms of skills, aptitudes, knowledge and experience for the job, all of which should be directly related to the job and applied equally to all applicants. Care should be taken when writing the person specification to ensure that criteria used do not indirectly discriminate against certain groups of applicants. 

4.3 Advertising

The post must be advertised in line with the following UKBA requirements.

• Staff subject to redeployment will be given access to vacancies before they are advertised more generally within The Company or externally.
• In certain circumstances, it may be more effective to use a recruitment agency. This should be discussed and agreed with senior management first. This will, however, not eliminate the need to advertise the position internally and any external agencies or consultants who assist in the process must act in accordance with this policy and with respect to our equal opportunities requirements.
• Applicants should be provided with sufficient information to make an informed decision regarding their suitability for the role. 
• Staff who have been in an acting position that subsequently becomes vacant will have to apply for the position when it is advertised, but in such cases, the position can be advertised, in exceptional circumstances on an internal basis only.
• Applicants are asked to provide equal opportunities details when making their application to enable a robust means of monitoring the success of recruitment in relation to our diversity aims. This information is separate from the job application and applicants are free to indicate that they do not want to provide these details.
• The Company has a legal obligation to comply fully with the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act.
• All advertised vacancies will be placed on The Company’s website.

1. Selection of Candidates

5.1 Shortlisting

• Shortlisting may involve the whole panel but must be carried out by a minimum of 2 people to avoid any possibility of bias, one of whom would normally be the direct line manager.
• Shortlisting and selection panels should be constituted with due consideration to the promotion of Equality and Diversity.
• Notes of the shortlisting decisions for each candidate should be recorded by each member of the panel. 
• The Form should be saved in the HR file directory.
• Shortlisted candidates should be provided with details of the selection process, including any tests, in writing giving as much prior notice as possible and a minimum of 5 working days before the interview. In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, they should also be asked to advise if there are any particular arrangements or reasonable adjustments that could be made so that they can participate fully in the selection process.
• All candidates (internal and external) should be assessed objectively against the selection criteria set out in the Person Specification, and only candidates who meet all the essential criteria should be short-listed. 
• Assumptions about the qualities of internal candidates should not be made.

5.2 Selection & Interview

• All redeployment candidates who meet the essential criteria for the post (as set out in the person specification) will be offered an interview.
• The interview should normally be carried out by a minimum of two people. 
• Selection is a two-way process: candidates are assessing the role and The Company. Those involved in recruitment should consider how best to convey a positive image.
• It is recommended that a range of selection methods, that are suitable for assessing both the essential and desirable criteria in the person specification are established as this will enhance objective decision making which is difficult through interview alone.
• Interview questions and the structure of the interview should be consistently applied to all candidates and should be based on the person specification.
• Notes recording the salient points of the interview should be taken, ideally by the interviewers, so that they can refer back to these when assessing candidates against the person specification and making decisions. Notes of the interview and any other notes on the candidate taken during the recruitment and selection process should be stored following the selection process and will be kept for a minimum of 6 months following the selection process.
• In situations where there is more than one candidate who is suitable for appointment, but one or more of the candidates requires The Company to sponsor them under the Tier 2 certificate of sponsorship (skilled worker) mechanism to obtain the right to work in the UK, the panel should give preference to any of the candidates who hold a continuing right to work in the UK ie. candidates who would require Tier 2 sponsorship should not be appointed where an individual who already holds the right to work is considered appointable by the panel.
• In the event that a candidate requests feedback about their performance in the selection process, this should be arranged.
• Unsuccessful interview candidates should be dealt with courteously and sensitively and will, as a minimum, receive telephone or written notification of the outcome of the selection process.

5.3 Referees

• Information sought from referees should be structured around the requirements of the job and the job description should be provided. It should be noted that many organisations have a policy of not providing personal references and therefore references provided may only confirm details of the current appointment. 
• If the appointment is urgent, we may seek to obtain a verbal/telephone reference for the successful candidate providing that standard procedures for doing so are followed.
• Referees should not be contacted without the candidate’s consent and the information provided should be treated as confidential.
• In certain circumstances a school or personal reference is acceptable.

5.4 Making the appointment

• It is recognised that in many cases it is desirable to make a verbal offer very shortly after the selection process to enhance The Company’s ability to recruit the selected candidate. In such cases the verbal offer will normally be made by a member of management, although he or she has the discretion to delegate this responsibility if felt appropriate.
• The Company recognises open contracts as the general form of the employment relationship between employers and employees and will appoint new and existing staff to indefinite contracts unless necessary and objective reasons justify the use of a fixed-term contract.
• Once a selection decision has been made the we will produce a written offer of employment (which includes salary recommendation), in line with agreed service standards. 
• Offers of employment are normally subject to satisfactory references, medical clearance, checks of qualifications and any other checks as appropriate, such as Asylum and Immigration checks, Criminal Records checks (for posts that are exempted from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act) 

5.5 Induction

• Induction is the final stage of the recruitment process. Once the successful candidate has accepted the offer of employment and a start date has been agreed the Head of Department is responsible for preparing a comprehensive induction programme for the new employee. (See The Company Induction Policy and Checklist for further details)