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Motability Operations
Motability Operations has developed an objective staff selection method, which places greater emphasis on individual skills and less on formal qualifications. This enables individuals to demonstrate their ability to do the job. Selection criteria contained within the role profiles are regularly reviewed to ensure they are essential for the effective performance of the job.
Interviewers and assessors attend a training course (designed and delivered in partnership with disability consultants Minty & Friend) to give them confidence in recruiting the right person for the job. The company monitors the proportion of recruiting leaders who have attended these courses; over the last year 61 per cent of new leaders have attended.
Plymouth Teaching Primary Care Trust
Plymouth Teaching Primary Care Trust uses a range of outlets to advertise its vacancies, including the Routeways one-stop job shop for disabled people, Plymouth Disability Action Network and Sun International, a network for people with mental health issues. All the trust’s advertisements include an equal opportunities statement and the ‘two ticks’ symbol.
Through encouraging disabled people to volunteer at a coffee shop at its local care centre, the trust is helping service users maximise their potential and the opportunities offer “a stepping stone into paid employment”. It was highly commended by South West based disability and employment specialist PLUSS in its Employer of the Year 2006 competition.
The impact has “built the confidence of disabled people, increased our recruitment for disabled people, and is helping us to become an employer of choice”.
West Midlands Police
West Midlands Police has a close partnership with Shaw Trust and has a full time Workstep officer seconded to the force to place Shaw Trust clients into suitable vacancies.
To attract clients, Shaw Trust runs independent marketing campaigns that include leaflet drops, events and adverts. The Workstep officer also attends launches and meetings representing Shaw Trust in a West Midlands Police capacity.
Shaw Trust attracts clients to the force through speaking to disability employment advisors, other Workstep case workers and partners. Over the last financial year approximately 25 disabled people joined the force on the 12-month, fixed- term Workstep contract. Twenty-two clients have entered substantive posts with Workstep support; 10 have attained substantive posts and no longer need any type of support. The budget allows for similar numbers of Shaw Trust clients to work at West Midlands Police this year.
InterContinental Hotels Group
IHG (InterContinental Hotels Group) conducted a targeted recruitment initiative with RNIB Scotland and Jobcentre Plus, which resulted in nine new employees in IHG hotels in Edinburgh. This was organised by IHG’s training manager, UK and Ireland, and its area human resources and development officer, North and Ireland.
Holiday Inn Edinburgh hosted a recruitment open day in January 2006. In preparation, various disability organisations were invited to attend an awareness event to familiarise themselves with an IHG hotel as well as current vacancies, and also encourage their clients to attend the open day. The open day was attended by more than 70 people, 30 of whom went straight to the interview stage, and 12 were accepted to attend the 10-day pre-employment training course which started a week later and was run by RNIB Scotland.
As well as addressing IHG’s specific needs, the course equipped these with transferable skills. The 12 jobseekers were interviewed after completing the course, and four secured employment. The remaining jobseekers were offered a six-week work placement at Holiday Inn Edinburgh; one went on to secure permanent employment.
Business benefits include the widening of skill sets, development for line managers, and reduced absenteeism and staff turnover. IHG says the key to this success was “the breaking down and elimination of barriers towards disability recruitment and gaining support and commitment from managers and employees in the hotel to embrace the initiative”.
Based on the success of this project, a similar initiative has been rolled out in the London and south east area.
Luton and Dunstable Hospital NHS Trust
1. Job adverts assessed to ensure that they do not discriminate against disabled applicants. Wide variety of applicants.
2. Job descriptions and Job specifications are also assessed to ensure they do not discriminate.
3. Guaranteed Interview Scheme where by any job applicant who considers themselves disabled is guaranteed an interview. Interview facilities and times are changed to accommodate disabled applicants as necessary.
4. Reasonable adjustments can be considered prior to interview, during the interview and once employed. This has led to some pre interview visits. Employees have been increasingly confident in requesting assessment and adjustment. All managers are aware of Access to Work.
5. Disability Employment Group and the work with REMPLOY, Luton Job Centre and Access to Work which allows suitable applicants to trial jobs and voluntary work within the hospital to ascertain suitability on both sides.
6. Disability two tick award renewed. Awarded by REMPLOY for good recruitment practice for people with disabilities.
7. Increase in the number of disabled people working in the voluntary services at the hospital, some of whom have gone on to full time employment.
8. Our contacts and work with community groups increases our standing in the community and gives confidence to disabled persons to apply for jobs.
9. Commitment to Improving Working Lives and flexibility in employment means that part time and job share employment opportunities are available throughout the hospital for those who would find full time employment difficult. Redeployment for people becoming disabled whilst at work is included in our Sickness Absence Policy. Those who have not previously disclosed a disability are declaring themselves disabled. Staff Disability Network Group established.
10. All personnel used in recruitment must complete the recruitment and selection training. Managers are aware of reasonable adjustments, better staff attitudes from increase in understanding.
11. Occupational Health Screening questionnaire is the same for every applicant and does not discriminate due to disability. Staff and applicants do not feel they are at a disadvantage during recruitment process. New sickness absence recording much more efficient and able to alert Occupational Health to potential disability related absence.