Although discrimination in the recruitment process is illegal, it remains a significant issue. Your gender, race, religion, or social orientation may lead to you being overlooked for certain positions, even if you are a qualified candidate. How do you know if you are experiencing discrimination in your job search, and what approaches can you use to protect yourself?
In today’s episode, Tom Stenner-Evans, a Partner with Thrive Law, joins us to explore discrimination in recruitment. Tom specialises in Employment Law and HR and has particular experience working in the Education, F&I, Charity, and Retail sectors.
In this session, Tom shares why employers should be vigilant about discrimination laws, an ideal recruitment process, the risks of discrimination in the workplace as a recruiter, the impact of unconscious bias, and how to assess objectively. Tom also explains why interviewers should be educated about a fair process and offers tips to reduce the risk of discriminatory decisions.
Enjoyed this Live? Then watch the replay of our LinkedIn Live with Tom, where he tells us about our legal rights to flexible working and how to make a foolproof Flexible Working Request that your Employer will want to say yes to here!
Highlights From The Episode
[01:19] What is discrimination in recruitment
[03:02] What is a protected characteristic
[08:18] Why employers should be so mindful of discrimination laws in the recruitment process
[14:58] An ideal recruitment process from a legal perspective
[19:05] How to know if you’ve been discriminated against
[23:39] Data protection in job interviews
[26:46] Decision-making criteria in interviews
[28:36] The impact of setting up diverse job interview panels
[32:57] Whether it’s lawful to favour one group of people over another while recruiting
[36:41] Unconscious bias and assessing objectively
[41:59] Tips to reduce the risk of making discriminatory decisions
[43:25] Age discrimination in recruitment
[46:23] Approaches to securing employment while pregnant
[51:00] Cultural fit in recruitment
[52:09] To connect with Tom Stenner
Notable Quotes
- You are unlikely to be told that you are a bad fit for the team because you are of a certain religion or something else. Most employers are not that brave.
- Trust your gut if you feel like something doesn’t tally up. Take an objective and reflective view.
- It’s always good to have a form and to train our interviewers on how to elicit helpful feedback from candidates.
- Bias is just a tendency in how we see the world; we generally see it through our own lens, which is shaped by our life experiences and upbringing.
- Your bias doesn’t define you, but it can determine someone else’s career if you don’t address it.
- End-user clients may be responsible for the actions of their recruitment agents.
Resources
To connect with Tom Stenner-Evans:
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