Recruitment hints and tips
Assisting people who cannot apply online: A manual fail-safe
It is important to provide other means by which applicants can apply, either throughout the process or at particular stages. This is a manual fail-safe, which should be used to back up a barrier-free e-recruitment system.
There will be some people, both disabled and non-disabled, who simply cannot apply online. Some cannot use computers (e.g. some people with light sensitive epilepsy), some lack confidence in using computers, and others may find it difficult to gain access to a computer due, for example to physically inaccessible computer premises.
Requirements for a manual fail-safe
- Advertise the fail-safe on the website - Clearly communicate you have a manual channel. Emphasise that it is a fail-safe and is intended only for candidates who cannot use the mainstream channel, or who are unreasonably disadvantaged by doing so
- Highlight the benefits to candidates of applying online (e.g. speed of response, ease of use, ability to track application etc.) while assuring them that if they cannot apply online they will not face discrimination
- Provide person-to-person communications - Train and equip HR personnel and 'web-help' team to communicate with people with disabilities (e.g. textphones, online instant message)
- Keep candidates in the main-stream - Feed candidates back into the mainstream process as quickly as possible. The manual fail-safe should be used as a back-up to a barrier-free e-recruitment process, not as a replacement
- Note: Automatically directing all candidates with disabilities to the manual channel is non-inclusive and reinforces negative assumptions and stigma
Speculative applications and job alerts
If you accept speculative applications or provide candidates with the option to receive email or text alerts about future vacancies, ensure disabled people who have applied offline also have access to this service. Employers who provide a lesser service to someone for a reason related to their disability are at risk of discriminating against an applicant.
