For many employers, 2022 marked the start of a return to a certain degree of normality after a tough two years. However, the post-pandemic employment landscape is bringing with it a fresh new challenge – finding and keeping talent.
Right now, the recruitment market is in a state of flux, with many commentators referring to this period as ‘the great resignation’. A recent report from recruitment firm Randstad UK revealed that almost a quarter of workers are actively planning to change employers in the next few months, and analysis by Deutsche Bank suggests that people are resigning at the highest rate since 2009.
Locked out of the recruitment process
With candidates most definitely having the upper hand, the search for talent is now increasingly competitive. And yet, many companies are effectively ‘locking out’ a significant proportion of the workforce due to their lack of investment in digital inclusivity.
In the UK, one in five working age adults has a disability and yet, research shows that just 20% of websites and mobile apps are accessible to everyone.
The past two years have undoubtedly accelerated digital progress, with the pandemic forcing changes that in ‘normal times’ could have taken months or even years to implement. Since March 2020, many of us have been ‘going to work’ in a virtual rather than a physical environment, and the reliance on new software platforms has been unprecedented to keep communication flowing and to nurture a sense of collaborative working. However, unfortunately, very little consideration has been given to ensuring this ‘digital office’ is open to those with accessibility needs.
When it comes to recruitment, digital platforms are now the common first step of the process. However, if organisations haven’t made the experience accessible to all, they could be both excluding – or treating less favourably - those with disabilities, as well as alienating those who only want to work for inclusive companies. This will rule out a wide range of talent before they have even started.
What does accessible recruitment look like in the virtual world?
When we think of disability, there is the tendency to focus on the physical. However, with applying for jobs online now the norm - as well as onboarding, induction and training -employers need to consider different conditions varying from sight and hearing impairment, to reading difficulties or fine motor difficulties which can make it harder to control a mouse.
Digital accessibility is about enabling inclusive web, technology and app experiences for everyone – by focussing on how people use the technology, not just the technology itself. From job boards to the selection process and testing formats, consideration must be given to every stage of the recruitment process to ensure it is accessible to all candidates.
Genuine digital inclusivity does require a change in mindset and can seem like a significant undertaking. However, rather than focussing on the ‘how’, I think it makes more sense to look at ‘why’ digital accessibility should be a top consideration for employers. If implemented correctly, there are huge benefits to a proactive approach to digital accessibility.
These include:
- Higher revenue: Research from Accenture showed that companies that make efforts to hire those with disabilities outperformed their peers, seeing, on average, 28% higher revenue over a four-year period
- More innovation: Disabled candidates provide a wealth of untapped talent and new perspectives. For example, neurodiverse employees are often creative thinkers and strategic problem solvers
- Greater inclusivity: By ensuring you embed digital accessibility across your organisation, you are naturally increasing inclusivity and raising awareness across your entire workforce. Having disabled employees makes it easier for you to understand disabled customers
- Less ‘churn’: Data has shown that disabled employees tend to stay with a company for longer
- Creating advocates: If an employer has demonstrated a proactive approach to accessibility, they will create long-term advocates, even if an employee leaves. This is not only great for recruitment, aligning with company values of equality, diversity and inclusion also have a positive reputational impact as well
- Positive reputation: Through our work, we have helped our clients win multiple awards for their digital inclusivity. Embedding digital accessibility demonstrates you align with the values of potential customers, employees and other stakeholders.
In today’s digital world, it is shocking that so many organisations aren’t focussed on creating accessible environments for their employees. Yet, most will say that inclusion is one of their values. If they are not implementing digital accessibility, they are not delivering on their promises.
A great place to start is aligning your approach with the international standard for digital accessibility - ISO 30071-1 – which we authored. We have also developed the Digital Maturity Scorecard, which is free tool that provides a review of your organisation around nine key areas of digital accessibility linked to the Standard, helping you identify gaps as well as providing guidance on where and how to make improvements.
If digital platforms are alienating a wide pool of the workforce at the application stage, then an organisation could really lose out when competition for talent is so fierce in this, the ‘great resignation’ era.
For more information about Hassell Inclusion, visit https://www.hassellinclusion.com/
