Enhancing Workplace Inclusion: A Guide by AbilityNet

Lizzie Green, a digital inclusion consultant at AbilityNet since 2016, shared insights on building inclusive workplace practices at our Recruitment in the Workplace Conference 2024. Passionate about making assistive technology accessible to all, Lizzie has progressed through various roles within the organisation and now leads the development and delivery of workplace inclusion services. The full presentation is available to watch above with the summary guide below.

About AbilityNet

AbilityNet is a technology charity dedicated to providing a range of free and paid services and resources for individuals at home, work, and in education. Their vision is a digital world accessible to everyone. Their services include digital accessibility consultancy, auditing, training, accessibility accreditation, diverse user testing, and workplace and higher education support. These efforts are bolstered by a team of nearly 450 volunteers across the UK, supporting elderly and disabled individuals.

Related Articles:

Coventry’s Leading Digital Inclusion Program: COV Connects

AI in Recruitment: Current Trends, Efficiency and Future Prospects

Implementing Diverse Recruitment Methods to Attract a Wide Pool of Applicants

Building Inclusive Practices

AbilityNet uses the analogy of acorns growing into oak trees to describe the journey towards inclusive practices.

Organisations may find themselves at different stages:

1. Acorn Stage: A one-size-fits-all approach to recruitment, lacking consideration for accessibility or disability inclusion.
2. Seedling Stage: Inviting candidates to disclose disabilities if they need interview support.
3. Sapling Stage: Proactively welcoming applications from disabled candidates and communicating available interview adjustments.
4. Oak Tree Stage: Offering flexibility in the application and interview process for everyone, without relying on disability disclosure.

Making Job Adverts and Applications Accessible

It’s crucial to ensure job adverts, descriptions, and application processes are accessible. This involves:

• Using accessibility checkers for documents and web pages.
• Testing websites for keyboard accessibility to ensure logical reading orders and focus indicators.
• Providing different formats and easy-read documents to support individuals with cognitive or learning disabilities, or those for whom English isn’t the first language.
• Ensuring videos have accurate captions or transcripts.

Anonymising and Fair Scoring in Recruitment

To avoid bias, consider anonymising candidates by removing information like names, ages, and disability status. Tools and techniques should be employed to ensure fair scoring and avoid overlooking candidates with “spiky profiles”—those with standout skills but also gaps in other areas. Avoid dismissing candidates as overqualified, especially if there are gaps in their CVs due to medical reasons.

Accessible Interview Processes

Highlight available tools during the interview process. Ensure online platforms like Zoom or Teams are fully accessible, including features like captions and interpreter pinning. Be mindful that candidates may use their own assistive technologies, providing sufficient time and space for their use.

Considering Different Interview Designs

Lizzie encourages organisations to consider different impairments when designing their interview processes, addressing hearing, vision, interaction, and comprehension needs. AbilityNet offers detailed online training and has a wealth of resources available. Lizzie emphasises that all the tools mentioned are free and encourages everyone to try them out to enhance their inclusion practices.

For further information and resources, visit AbilityNet’s website.

Inclusion, Diversity and Equality in the Workplace Conference

Why Attend?

• Gain Valuable Insights into the latest trends, best practices, and strategies for promoting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) in the workplace
• Learn from expert speakers and industry leaders who will share their experiences and expertise in implementing successful EDI initiatives
• Explore innovative approaches to creating inclusive work environments that foster belonging and respect for all employees
• Acquire practical tools and resources to develop and implement robust EDI policies and practices within your organisation
• Network with like-minded professionals and exchange ideas, experiences, and best-practices for advancing EDI in various industries and sectors.