How to conduct inclusive interviews

Inclusivity can be prioritised from preparation to feedback

With interviews being the first time that candidates and businesses meet face to face, having a particular focus on inclusive practices at this stage will help make the best impression.

According to Deloitte, 83% of candidates who have a negative experience in a job interview won’t be as attracted to a role or company that they had previously been interested in. In contrast, 87% say a good interview will make them more attracted to a role or company they hadn’t been sure about.

In short, interviews matter to candidates. And poor planning could result in organisations losing out on the best talent.

What is an inclusive interview?

An inclusive interview is one that is designed to help candidates perform at their best, no matter what their background, demographic, physical capabilities or neurodivergence. Inclusive interviews aim to treat each applicant equitably so they can successfully share and demonstrate their skills and expertise.

To ensure interviews are more inclusive, businesses can make reasonable adjustments based on a particular candidate’s needs. This could involve hosting a virtual meeting rather than a face-to-face one, sending guidance on how to prepare in a format that is suitable to the candidate, or sharing the conversation topics in advance.

As RICS membership diversity, equity and inclusion manager Tomi Laguda says: ‘Different stages should have different assessment criteria, and interesting tasks that relate to the role.’ This will give candidates an opportunity to show the breadth of their skill set and ability to do the job, over and above their capacity to perform well in formal interviews.

Inclusive interviews benefit firms and applicants

Switching to an inclusive interviewing approach may take time and effort. However, doing so can be advantageous to businesses that are hiring, as well as to candidates looking for work. It will also help to ensure that companies fulfil their legal requirements under the Equality Act 2010. 

Businesses tap into diverse talent and viewpoints

By making inclusivity a must-have when developing interview processes, businesses show they take diversity seriously.

This is an important factor for 66% of jobseekers when considering companies to work for and any job offers they receive, according to YouGov. As a result, businesses using inclusive interviews get an edge over their competitors when it comes to recruiting the best talent.

By treating every candidate equitably, interviewers will also get to see each one at their best. This won’t just help them hire the right person, but do so regardless of their demographic, background, physical capabilities and whether they are neurotypical or neurodivergent. Over time, this will help increase the diversity of employees in a team and, as a result, lead to better business performance.

‘The phrase I always go back to is: “If you always do what you’ve always done, then you’ll always get the same result,”’ explains RICS talent acquisition manager Daniel Shakespeare.

A 2023 survey by Action Sustainability shows that the built environment sector in the UK still demonstrates significant inequalities.

Applicants from an ethnically diverse background made up 52.5% of applicants to the sector, yet representation in the workforce declined to 13.6%, which is below the Office for National Statistics (ONS) UK average.

With 2.04% of employees identifying as part of the LGBTQ+ community, this was also below the ONS UK population average of 3.1%.

‘If you’re recruiting similar people,’ continues Daniel, ‘you’re not going to get another perspective on what your business is doing. By interviewing people from different backgrounds and with different traits, you’ll tap into new talent, viewpoints and ideas.’

Of course, the way jobs are advertised  will also help with inclusivity. If the only candidates who apply all share the same background and experience, inclusive interview practices will be redundant.

Candidates know what to expect

Inclusive interviews help candidates perform at their best. By having a meeting they’re prepared for, which they can access easily and feel comfortable in, they’ll be able to share their expertise, experience and skills more freely. This won’t just give them a better opportunity at securing the job but offer them a more positive experience overall.

As Oyster Recruitment senior consultant Annelies Kruidenier explains: ‘We try to encourage clients to be as flexible and transparent as possible. For example, if a business says they want a candidate to attend a meet-and-greet and the interview turns out to be formal, it puts them on the spot.

‘By giving applicants an idea of what to expect, they are able to prepare effectively and appropriately. The tone and environment of an interview should feel positive and safe rather than daunting and intimidating.’

Consideration and consistency make interviews more inclusive

Being more inclusive in interviews means having a set of processes that are adaptable to each candidate’s needs. From preparing the applicant then asking the right questions to sending feedback, treating them fairly and justly at each stage is key.

RICS diversity and inclusion training, which is part of the qualification and CPD support packages, also provides guidance on inclusive recruitment.

Clarify topics and tasks for candidates

Interviews are about testing a candidate’s knowledge, skills and experience. By giving prospective employees the time and information they need to put the best version of themselves forward, interviewers can tap into these qualities more effectively than they would by putting people on the spot.

When setting up an interview, it’s important to get a balance between your panel’s availability and an individual’s personal circumstances. This could include their childcare responsibilities, a neurodivergence that means they perform better at certain times of the day, or the fact they use public transport to get around.

Once an appropriate date and time are set, it’s important to send the candidate as much information as possible in a format that’s accessible to them. This could mean adapting your materials so they can be read by text-to-speech tools or supplying audio and video versions.

Included in this information should be the topics of any questions that will be asked and the details of any tasks you expect a candidate to complete before or at the interview.

This is particularly important for neurodivergent candidates, says Annelies. ‘I would always encourage clients to make interview question topics available to keep the tone of the interview positive and safe.

‘If a candidate is neurodivergent and goes into an interview not knowing what to expect, it may make them feel anxious. I understand people don’t want to share the exact questions in advance, especially those on areas of technical expertise. But sending five points that give clarity on the conversation topics will allow people to perform at their best.’

Similarly, if a task is being set as part of an interview, businesses need to give enough time and information for candidates to prepare adequately. ‘The amount of preparation time you give depends on the type of interview,’ Daniel explains. ‘If it’s an informal first chat with a recruiter or a manager then very little prep is required, and the sooner this can be offered after an application has gone in the better.

‘If you’re setting task-based scenarios for the final interview, though, candidates should be given at least a week’s notice, including the weekend, so they have time to put in an appropriate amount of effort.’

Apprise applicants about business culture and benefits

Alongside this, supplying information about your business will help a candidate research the role on offer. Heat Recruitment reports that 78% of candidates say they have difficulty finding information about a company if they apply through a jobs board.

You should send them an accessible candidate brochure that includes:

• your inclusive job description
• your corporate commitments to diversity
• your environmental, social and governance (ESG) policy
• your business values
• an interview with a member of staff who represents the business and gives a sense of your business culture
• benefits and perks of the role, including accessibility, learning and development opportunities, and parental leave details.

Take account of accessibility

In one recent YouGov survey of UK hiring managers, 54% said they didn’t account for physical accessibility in the hiring process.

For an interview process to be inclusive and equitable for all candidates, businesses need to give them what they need to perform well. Tomi explains that companies should have a reasonable adjustment policy in place to support this, to ensure the interview environment is as comfortable and encouraging as possible.

Maintain consistent processes

Although making reasonable adjustments may mean you need to change the format of or preparation for an interview, having a consistent process will ensure each candidate is treated equitably.

To do this, follow best practices such as:

• setting interview questions in advance, based on the skills set out in the job description
• making sure every candidate is being asked the same questions
• creating scorecards that objectively assess each candidate’s expertise and experience
• giving the same inclusivity and interview technique training to each panellist, so they’re all consistently following best practice guidelines.

Stay aware of bias

Keeping interviewer bias in check is key to ensuring each candidate is treated equitably. Using scorecards and a diverse interview panel can help call out any individual pre-judgements that lead applicants to be treated unfairly.

Panellists need to be given self-awareness training and support as well, to help them stay open-minded. Recognise that everyone has unconscious bias because everyone has a different lived experience.

Daniel also says that setting the right questions is essential in this respect. As he explains: ‘You want your questioning to be job-specific and not personal. If [the candidate] mentions their family life as part of the conversation that’s fine; but it’s not relevant to their career to ask them about it. It’s also important to be fairly open, so people can give background in their answers.’

Best practice for interviewers post-interview aftercare

Whether a candidate is successful or not, it’s important to give them feedback that is as detailed as possible.

Based on the results of the scorecard and panellists’ feedback, Annelies recommends sending between five and ten bullet points on why a person isn’t suitable for a business. ‘Saying a person is “just not right” isn’t good enough,’ she explains.

‘Feedback should offer clarity and closure and reflect the time and effort a candidate has put into the process. As a recruiter, my job is to make people feel positive and able to apply for future roles.

‘Giving constructive feedback will create a positive recruitment process, maintain your business’s reputation, and give candidates confidence when applying for other jobs.’

For the successful candidate, ensuring transparency and open communication is also key. That may mean allowing them to work their contractual notice period at their current employer, explaining the pay structure and proving that they are receiving equal pay to their peers in the business, or giving them the opportunity – without judgement – of being able to ask for part-time arrangements, compressed weeks or remote working.

When the candidate starts in the role, ensure your induction process is equitable to all, look to offer mentorships and clear career progression channels, as well as recognising that needs can change throughout employment.