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Untapped Talent: Attracting a Hidden Labour Force

Expanding your talent pool to find the top applicants is more crucial than ever in the current recruitment landscape, and there are one million people with disabilities in the UK who want to work but are not given the opportunity. 

Expanding your talent pool to find the top applicants is more crucial than ever in the current recruitment landscape, and there are one million people with disabilities in the UK who want to work but are not given the opportunity. The combined forces of COVID-19 and Brexit have accelerated the need for more candidates who can bring something new to the table given how quickly the employment market is evolving.

Employers should aim to bridge the unemployment gap between individuals with disabilities and non-disabled individuals, which currently stands at 6.4% of those with disabilities vs 3.1% of those without disabilities. Yet, some employers have hesitations when hiring people with disabilities, despite the very real benefits, such as better retention, additional skills, and more available applicants. Often a lack of awareness is the driver of such assumptions and getting a better understanding of the different types of disabilities is the first step. It is also important to note that 80% of disabilities are acquired between the ages of 18 and 64 so having an inclusive ethos can work to both attract and retain employees who have or may develop disabilities in the workplace.

How to Attract Candidates

Organisations that track the market movements and act on evolving employee priorities can outpace competitors and unlock untapped talent. Recruitment processes are becoming increasingly outdated and in order to be equally accessible for people with disabilities, they can require some tweaking. Adecco’s internal Research and Insights function provides ongoing support for its clients via monthly and quarterly updates on the labour market to help keep employers up to date. The ONS reports that 3 key barriers for individuals with disabilities include the physical design of an environment, the digital design of online services and the design of systems and processes , so by making a few changes to improve this, you could encourage more people with disabilities to apply for roles within your company.

As your business works to build a diverse workforce, here are four key steps to take to ensure you attract this untapped talent pool.

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Job Postings

A job posting is often the first point of contact you have with potential candidates, so it is critical to make these as accessible and inclusive as possible. Hidden disabilities such as autism, ADHD and dyslexia are thought to affect 10-15% of the UK population. but, teams with neurodivergent individuals may be 30% more productive than those without them. It’s important, therefore, to master your job postings to attract and not deter.

For example, excessive marketing jargon can be interpreted quite literally and by doing so, employers risk discouraging potentially well-suited candidates from even applying. Instead, in order to provide enough clarity, organisations should try to keep the job description clear and succinct, whilst separating it from the personal specification.

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Interview Process

For people with disabilities, traditional interviews can be challenging due to obstacles such as communication barriers and physical accessibility issues, especially when many positions require multiple interview stages.

Adecco recently attended a Portland Charity event on Unlocking the Hidden Labour Force and almost all panellists advocated for alternate assessment techniques that can be tweaked to allow candidates to showcase their skills. Within a typical interview setting, the purpose of open-ended questions is to provide the candidate with an opportunity to discuss prior experiences so that the panel can match them to desired skills. However, for some people with autism, for example, reading body language and tone of voice can be difficult , causing them to struggle within this setting. To address this, businesses could aim to provide candidates with a variety of assessment options that suit them, such as trial shifts for industrial positions, which would eliminate the requirement for these formal discussions that are uncommon for the role.

Communication is essential and employers should always disclose as much information as they can before the assessment stage and refrain from making last-minute changes.

For hiring managers, HR teams and D&I leaders who want to strengthen their understanding of neurological differences and the adjustments that can be made to support their existing teams and future talent, please download our Navigating Neurodiversity report.

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Our Guide for Employers: Navigating Neurodiversity

  • Learn what HR Professionals, DE&I Specialists, Engagement Managers, CEOs and Disability Champions should know about neurodiversity in order to create a truly inclusive team culture.

Download your free copy today

The Workplace

It’s crucial to strike a balance between being accommodating, but not overbearing when seeking to attract applicants with disabilities to your workplace. More practical adjustments will depend on the employee and the disability, but can include providing assistive equipment, appropriate seating arrangements, accessible toilets, adjustable lighting, and temperature.

Going a step further, since the pandemic, flexible work has become increasingly common for employees and has become a key priority for those looking for a new position. According to TUC, almost two thirds of people with disabilities said that home working had enabled them to have greater control over their working hours, with almost half saying that it had enabled them to change their work routines . Allowing flexibility over working hours and location to suit an employee’s needs can both draw in new hires and boost employee retention all whilst unlocking employment opportunities for around 600,000 people living with disabilities.

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Memberships

Companies may think about joining support groups and unions that offer ongoing disability assistance for both businesses and their employees.

• The Business Disability Forum gives companies access to expert support, resources, events, and self-assessment tools to help build on your organisation’s disability strategy. As a member or partner, your company may also use the logo in email signatures and job ads to highlight its inclusive ethos. Alongside Adecco , over 500 of the UK’s largest businesses are members, as well as public sector employers and SMEs.

• The government initiative, Disability Confident , aims to assist employers to recruit and retain individuals with disabilities and those who have medical issues. With over 20,000 employers, including Adecco, already enrolled , the scheme is a great statement to attract candidates.

• Access to Work is a publicly financed employment support programme which can financially and practically support hiring people with disabilities with the skills you need, as well as show that you value and support your employees by having good employment policies and practices.

Final Thoughts

While the competition for talent is a very real challenge for organisations, leveraging the strength in untapped talent pools can help in finding and developing a skilled workforce. Better strategies to attract such candidates also creates an inclusive culture that brings out the best in everyone.

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