Recruiters need to dramatically rethink the way they advertise for staff if Londonís workforce is to reflect its diverse communities, argues Mike Rowley, Classified & Digital Advertisement Director at the Evening Standard.
During a recent presentation to senior staff of Londonís top recruitment advertising agencies, Rowley issued a rallying cry for championing best practice, and challenged traditional buying decisions. Rowley highlighted the need to start working with audited audiences rather than the customary marketplace-driven approach.
Mike Rowley said: ìWith 46% of all adults from ethnic minorities currently living in the Capital, London has the highest concentration of adults from ethnic minorities in the country. Engaging these communities has to be reflected in recruitment strategies, or we will face the consequences of excluding access. I feel this isnít happening currently, with some advertising decisions derived from habit-buying rather than an actual appraisal of the complex London marketplace.î
He continued: ìDiversity is good for business and employers need to feel confident that their message is delivered to a fair and comprehensive audience. With our multi-channel advertising platform, RecruitLondon, we can help organisations both engage and recruit from the Capitalís diverse labour pool. Our two newspaper brands alone ñ Evening Standard and Metro ñ provide greater coverage of adults from ethnic minorities in London than any other national newspaper, whilst our online brand, londonjobs.co.uk, covers a more diverse candidate base than London average*î.
James Lancaster, Head of Media, TMP, commented: ìRecruitLondon represents a welcome simplification of the Evening Standard offering that is now being replicated by metropolitan titles throughout the U.K. Clients can now be reassured their advert is seen by an audience as diverse as London itself, whilst the easy access to online completes what looks to be a formidable combination of media channels. Early results show measurable success in a marketplace where good news is currently rare.î
Rowley concluded with a reference to the 2012 Olympics, set to have a profound effect on the London job market: ìLondonís diversity is one of the key reasons we have won the Games. It is time to ensure our workforce reflected that.î
London workforce needs to better reflect its diversity
Recruiters need to dramatically rethink the way they advertise for staff if Londonís workforce is to reflect its diverse communities, argues Mike Rowley, Classified & Digital Advertisement Director at the Evening Standard
