Inclusive recruitment
This interactive workshop is designed to help employers, hiring managers, and HR professionals attract, recruit, and retain more women (and people from other underrepresented groups) in STEM roles.
Drawing on research and proven strategies, the session explores how bias and stereotypes can impact recruitment processes and how organisations can actively build more equitable hiring practices.
Participants will examine the full recruitment cycle and learn how to identify and avoid exclusionary practices. The workshop will also provide tools to support participants understand how to engage diverse talent pools, create inclusive job adverts, and ensure equitable shortlisting and interview processes.
Through real-life examples, case studies and practical exercises, attendees will leave equipped with actionable steps to remove barriers and support a more diverse STEM workforce.
The importance of inclusive recruitment
The first section of the workshop focuses on the critical importance of inclusive recruitment, not only as a moral imperative but also as a legal requirement under the Equality Act 2010.
Participants will dive into the data and key insights that can guide the creation of a recruitment process that is both equitable and compliant.
Additionally, by understanding the various forms of recruitment bias participants will gain a deeper appreciation for how these biases impact every stage of the recruitment process.
The inclusive recruitment cycle
This section takes a detailed look at all the stages of the recruitment cycle. Starting from the preparation stage, we will cover good practices for creating inclusive job descriptions and person specifications that attract diverse talent.
Moving through each stage of the recruitment cycle - advertising, shortlisting, interviewing, selection, and finally onboarding - we’ll explore strategies for embedding inclusivity at every step.
Key topics will include:
• Using inclusive language
• Enhancing accessibility
• The need for meaningful EDI statements
• Establishing clear, unbiased criteria and scoring systems
• Ensuring transparency throughout the process.
Strategies and tools for action
This session is designed to be highly interactive, encouraging participants to engage in hands-on activities and collaborate closely with their peers.
Through practical exercises tailored to your organisation’s specific identity and needs, this interactive approach ensures that everyone walks away with a clear understanding of what inclusive recruitment looks like in practice and how to implement it effectively within the workplace.
This session is developed and delivered by our team of experts including:
Dr Athina Frantzana – WISE Training & Delivery Manager
Athina has over a decade of experience in Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) in STEM fields. With a background in STEM, Athina’s PhD thesis was a pioneering study that laid the groundwork for understanding the representation and experiences of women within the advanced computing community.
Throughout her career, Athina has served as a trusted EDI consultant, designing and delivering impactful training programmes across a wide range of organisations in industry, academia, and the public sector. Her expertise spans data analysis, research, EDI policy and strategy development, and HR/leadership coaching, positioning her as WISE’s go-to expert on all services and products, ensuring their evidence-based consistent excellence and relevance.