Putting the spotlight on inclusive recruitment

The construction industry has a known challenge on its hands when it comes to improving the diversity of the workforce. Adopting an inclusive recruitment strategy is a great place to start when it comes to attracting more talent from underrepresented and marginalised groups. 

Inclusive recruitment focuses on practices and processes that are more likely to bring in employees from a wider range of backgrounds, with a broader range of skills and characteristics. 

While this can seem like an overwhelming task, there are some practical areas that all employers can work on to ensure that all prospective employees feel welcome and included.

Where possible, jobs should be designed in a flexible manner – ranging from skills and experience required, through to day-to-day working practices. 

The value of transferable skills should not be overlooked, as there is huge untapped potential from applicants who may have not previously thought of the construction sector. 

Flexible working options should ideally be offered from day one (it’s worth bearing in mind that the new Labour government intends to create a day one right to flexible working) and these could include flexitime, compressed hours or elements of homeworking. 

Flexible working will make the job more accessible to those with caring responsibilities and disabilities, as well as attract a more diverse group of applicants.

The job advertisement will likely be the first touchpoint that an applicant has to evaluate an employer’s approach – make it a positive one! 

The behaviours and competencies needed for the role should be listed clearly, but adverts should avoid expressing preferred character traits (for example, "a decisive, natural leader") or using unnecessary jargon. 

Instead, they should refer to skills and experience that it will be possible for a range of candidates to evidence – such as having had people management responsibilities. 

Any technical requirements or qualifications should be absolutely necessary for the role and care should be taken around references to things like "cultural fit", which may deter non-typical applicants. 

The inclusion of transparent salary information is usually welcome, as is mention of key benefits such as family leave and pay, annual leave allowance and pension contributions. 

Although well intentioned, there’s growing caution about the use of sweeping "diversity statements" in adverts, as they are unlikely to be effective unless backed by tangible evidence. And they can often ring hollow for applicants from underrepresented groups.

Getting the job specification and advertisement right will be wasted effort if no thought is given to where and how to reach out to candidates.

Job adverts should be placed so that they can be seen by a wide range of possible applicants, particularly those from underrepresented and marginalised groups. 

Websites, networking groups and membership societies that work with specific groups and demographics can often be a fruitful and low-cost route.

There are also social media pages, groups and job boards that focus on protected characteristics such as ethnicity, disability and sexuality. 

Another way to reach out to a wider range of candidates is to consider developing an education or outreach programme, whether standalone or with other employers from the sector. 

Partnerships with local training providers and community organisations, hosting events and offering mentoring, paid work experience or inclusive apprenticeships can be a fantastic platform to promote career opportunities and insights.

The Equality Act 2010 allows employers to take positive action in recruitment where they reasonably think that people with certain protected characteristics – for example, sex, race and age – either suffer a disadvantage connected to that characteristic or have disproportionately low participation in an activity.  

Looking at recruitment practices, this may mean employers shortlisting a certain percentage of candidates from specific underrepresented or marginalised groups or using job adverts that encourage those with particular protected characteristics to apply. 

It is also possible to use positive action to appoint a candidate with a particular characteristic in preference to another candidate who does not, but only where candidate A (from the target group) is as qualified as candidate B to be recruited. The positive action is essentially the "final step".

However, this has to be justified in each case and can’t be used to, for example, only consider candidates from a particular group. 

The Government Equalities Office has published guidance for employers who want to find out more about using positive action in the workplace, including recruitment.

Developing an inclusive recruitment strategy takes time and the steps outlined here are just the first piece of the puzzle. 

Employers who truly want to be more inclusive will need to consider many more issues along the way – what does the interview process look and feel like, what training may be needed internally to reduce issues like unconscious bias and stereotyping, what are current employees saying externally about the culture of the organisation? 

However, the recruitment process is a great place to start when trying to attract a wider pool of talent who may thrive in a career in construction.

Danielle Ingham is a partner at Trowers & Hamlins.