Recruitment and Selection

Policy and Procedure

Table of Contents

Leeds City Council Recruitment and Selection Policy

Leeds City Council recognises that good recruitment and selection practices that are fair and transparent are fundamental to building a talented, representative and committed workforce that is crucial to our success. This enables us to achieve ever-improving service standards for our community.

We also acknowledge that recruitment is a two way process. It is essential that all applicants have sufficient information about council jobs, are dealt with in a fair and courteous way and understand how our recruitment process works. Therefore, we set high standards in dealing with applications.

Recruitment and selection must:

Core Standards

The following core standards apply to all recruitment and selection activities to provide a consistent approach to quality recruitment and to reflect the council's values.

Through the clarity, fairness and courtesy shown to applicants at each stage of the process, all staff involved in recruitment and selection will promote the council as an attractive employer, concerned with excellent services.

All recruitment information will be up-to-date, in plain language and accessible.

All recruitment opportunities will be considered with a view to promote inclusion and diversity.

All selection decisions will be justifiable and based on the fair and objective assessment of applicants against clear job requirements.

The recruitment and selection process will be timely, efficient and proportionate to the jobs being filled.

The impact of recruitment and selection and compliance with the policy will be monitored to ensure all other standards apply.

The Aim of the Process

The success of any organisation depends on the quality of its workforce. To provide the best possible services to the people of Leeds, the council needs skilled, flexible, and motivated employees.

We have in place policies and methods for our recruitment and selection processes that are modern, efficient and effective and ensure we recruit individuals who demonstrate they are committed to working for us. The policy also takes account of relevant legislation and the council's policies on equal opportunities and for further information see the Brief guide to key legal provisions

This Policy outlines core procedures and best practice in recruitment and selection activity in the council and is supported by more detailed `How to Guides' on the following key areas:

These guidelines are written for all council staff involved in recruitment and selection and contain core and optional requirements.

Scope of the Procedure

The procedure applies to all employees of Leeds City Council with the exception of teachers, other staff employed by schools and those employed by Education Leeds.

Responsibility for reviewing this document

It will be the responsibility of the Chief Officer (HR) to formally review this policy and procedure after one year using the council's negotiating and consultation processes. Thereafter, it should be reviewed every three years although reviews at other times may be necessary in the light of changes to legislation and council policy.

Further Guidance

Anyone using this Policy and Procedure should have regard to the further guidance. Where appropriate the guidance document will direct the reader to other relevant council policies and procedures. The Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedure is not designed to operate in isolation.

Our Values

It is important that our values are embedded in the workforce and support the drive for excellence in service delivery. The values and their definitions are:

We are committed to improving the quality of life in Leeds and want to inspire pride in our city and communities. We will work with our partners, build on our successes and protect our city for future generations.

We will make sure our services meet the needs of our customers and communities. We will communicate clearly and work hard to find out and respond to our customers' needs. We are committed to providing excellent services that are value for money.

We value the diversity of our communities and strive to ensure that everyone shares in the city's success. We will tackle discrimination and improve access to our services, especially to those with the greatest need.

We know that the good work of our colleagues is key to providing excellent services. We will support colleagues and encourage them to work creatively.

The Recruitment Process and Core Procedures

This section lays out the key decisions and approaches to recruiting and selecting staff. Managers must adhere to these. Where relevant, decisions and approaches must be agreed with local HR teams; including appropriate local clearance processes.

Governance

When recruiting to posts where these have resulted from structural change, constitutional and procedural requirements must be followed in terms of the establishment of these posts in the first instance. Delegated powers give Directors specific responsibilities for structural change within certain limits, that is, to creating more of the same posts and for creating temporary posts for a limited period. Approvals for those posts outside of this scope remain with the Director of Resources and sub-delegated to the Chief Officer (HR), and prior to any recruitment exercise due process must have been followed and be fully documented.

Evaluating the Vacancy

Managers need to think about the job that has become vacant.

Before starting the process to fill any vacant post managers should carefully consider and make sure it is still required to meet organisational needs.

Some questions to consider

If there are significant changes in the job and / or grade, advice should be sought from HR. This is considered to be best practice and will be done where ever pay and grading issues apply.

Reviewing the Job Description and Person Specification

Where any changes are made to an existing job description or person specification, mangers must notify HR to ensure these are appropriate. Key issues are detailed below.

Job Description

Job descriptions describe the duties, role and core working arrangements of an employee.

In recruitment and selection, the job description is a very important tool for potential applicants. Job titles and descriptions should be presented in a concise way which positively reflects the council as an organisation and an employer.

Managers need to review existing job descriptions to ensure that they are accurate and reflect the job requirements. Care needs to be taken in describing the work, duties, pay and conditions which are specific to the post to ensure they match with pay and reward policies.

Job descriptions should:

The How to Guide - How to write job descriptions and person specifications provides a template, advice and examples to assist in producing quality job descriptions that reflect our requirements and values.

The Person Specification

The person specification sets down the knowledge skills, experience and behaviours, which enable a person to perform their job successfully and in accordance with our values. The person specification should be standard for jobs of a similar nature and simply written. It should also identify where qualifications are needed. Person specifications should show how applicants will be assessed against requirements and if these are essential or desirable.

Potential applicants can self-assess against the requirements and judge whether they should pursue the vacancy further. This decision can be influenced by the quality, tone and clarity of the person specification.

The How to Guide - How to write job descriptions and person specifications gives a template and detailed advice on how to develop a person specification that will reflect the skills, experience, values and commitment required for successful performance within the job.

Deciding How to Fill the Vacancy

Managers must consider the options available. A key consideration should be the cost of recruitment and selection. Advertising costs and staff resource should be assessed, and the costs of the recruitment should be considered in proportion to the role. Managers are asked to agree their approach with HR. This should also include consideration of how to improve workforce diversity.

Options for Filling the Vacancy

Redeployment

Redeployment must always be considered before looking at the other options for filling the vacancy. This is in line with legal and statutory obligations we have to members of staff who are displaced from their substantive posts following restructures and reorganisations.

Once Redeployment has been considered as well as standard advertising arrangements, managers can consider a number of alternatives as given below.

Maternity / Adoption

Those returning from Maternity or Adoption Leave have the right to return to work in the job in which they were employed under their original contract of employment, or to a suitable alternative vacancy if this is not reasonably practicable. This should be borne in mind when deciding on how to cover a post that becomes vacant because of Maternity or Adoption Leave.

Resignation of a Job Share Partner

If one partner in the job share arrangement leaves, the vacancy should be offered to the remaining partner prior to advertising.

Recruitment and Training Programmes

The council works with partners to run recruitment schemes to help priority groups find employment. Managers should check with HR to see if there are any eligible schemes to use.

Previous Shortlists and Talent Pools

If a similar or the same job in the same work area at the same grade was filled in the last six months and there was more than one appointable applicant it is permissible to offer the job to the next ranked applicant from that recruitment process.

If appointable applicants who have applied for this vacancy in the past 6 months have agreed to have their names placed in a talent pool, then you may appoint directly from the list held. Suitable talent pool applicants can be approached for shortlisting without a need to advertise.

Talent pools will also be used to enable applicants to express an interest in work areas and `pre-apply for jobs' where there is a high volume of recruitment to common jobs.

High Volume Recruitment

At times there are very high volume recruitment requirements, or due to high turnover there is a constant need to recruit quickly and maximise the number of applicants coming forward. Managers are particularly encouraged in these instances to discuss with HR simplifying the process. The following may be considered:

Recruitment Campaigns and Jobs Fairs

It may be possible to introduce recruitment processes such as targeted recruitment events that seek to identify pools of potential applicants for vacancies that arise on a regular basis. Similarly databases of potential applicants can be held and accessed as vacancies arise. (Talent Pools see section above)

Fast Track to Interview

Interested jobseekers ring a telephone / text number provided in the advertisement, or enter their details on our website. They can then be invited directly to interview where an application form is also completed, with help if necessary. Support can also be given to help people apply for entry level jobs where an applicant's level of literacy or other barrier to completing forms may hinder the completion of the full application form.

Executive Search

Agencies can be engaged to help fill senior management positions or hard-to-fill professional occupations. The approval of the Chief Officer (HR) is necessary in all cases where executive searches are used.

Reorganisations and Restructuring

Procedures relating to the filling of posts following restructures and reorganisations are detailed in Appendix 1.

Secondments / Acting Up / Temporary Appointments

Where a vacancy is time limited, e.g., due to maternity leave, long term absence; funding limits or project length, the acting up or secondment of existing staff may be a more effective way of filling the job. When deciding if such an arrangement is suitable the following should be considered.

Whichever option is being considered these should be agreed with HR and posts filled in accordance with the provisions of this procedure. Appendix 2 contains detailed arrangements for recruiting in these circumstances.

Other Exceptional Options

In exceptional circumstances the need to recruit can also be met by:

Any such arrangements require approval from the Chief Officer (HR) and will only apply on a limited basis. Additionally such arrangements must be subject to Trade Union consultation with a view to reaching agreement. Reasons for agreeing this would include:

This process will be closely monitored to ensure there are no adverse effects on any other existing under-represented groups within the workforce. Any concerns will be reported to the relevant service areas and to the council's equality forums.

Convening a Recruitment Panel

The Role of the Panel

The recruitment panel will:

Training

When a recruitment panel is needed in order to fill a vacant post, it is desirable that all the panel are trained. As a minimum one person on the panel must have undertaken the council's standard Recruitment and Selection Training. This includes an understanding of equality and diversity issues.

Planning the Process

Good recruitment and selection requires good planning and this should be the first task of the panel. The time it takes to fill a vacancy can be significantly reduced by agreeing the timescales at the start. This includes such things as advert publishing date, closing dates, interview dates, desired start date, etc. This will affect the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the process and also enable applicants to organise their own plans accordingly.

Membership of the Panel

The Chair of the panel is a responsible person appointed to coordinate the process and ensure it is carried out fairly. Usually this will be the line manager of the post being filled.

The choice and number of panel members should be considered in relation to the vacancy and each member should add value to the process. The panel should consist of appropriate individuals who have an interest in the appointment and are able to make the decision on selection, e.g., the line manager or individuals with specific knowledge and skills in that particular field.

Panels must have at least two members. When deciding on the panel members, consideration should be given to having a panel which reflects the diversity of the council's workforce. Large panels should be avoided and any observers on panels should play no part in the decision making process.

Elected Member Panels

Within the Constitution there are specific requirements for Elected Members to determine the recruitment to Directors and Chief Officer posts. Elected Members may, however, be involved in some other appointments (e.g. for Political Assistants). If there are any circumstances where Elected Members are involved, recruiting managers must seek guidance from HR.

Declaring an interest

Panel members must declare an interest and / or withdraw from the process if a family member or close friend applies.

They should also do this if they feel there is a conflict of interest due to prior involvement which could be seen to affect their objectivity, e.g., handling disciplinary or grievance matters, and HR advice should be sought if there is any doubt.

Continuity

Wherever possible the same people should serve on the panel throughout the entire process. If a substitute is necessary then they need to become familiar with all the applications and receive a thorough briefing on the process to date.

Attracting Applicants

How should the job be advertised?

Advertisements are a first point of contact with potential applicants and managers need to think about creating a positive image of the council and the job on offer.

Good advertisements:

Often standard statements will be included in adverts, and HR will ensure these are applied where appropriate.

Managers should liaise with the Recruitment Service in the Business Support Centre to determine the choice of advertising media to maximise the number and quality of good applicants. All jobs will appear on our website and in the council's vacancy bulletin.

More detailed advice on producing a good advertisement, marketing your job and choosing publications can be found in the How to Guide - How to attract applicants

Information to Applicants

In response to adverts and enquiries applicants should be able to access or receive advice and information about the particular job. As a minimum this should include the job description and person specification, an application form and guidance about applying for jobs. Beyond this managers should consider what further information will help an applicant to decide whether to apply. This will vary depending on the job but care should be taken to promote professionalism and the image of the council as an employer by providing a `one organisation' approach.

Managers should also give details of a contact point or person who can discuss the position with interested applicants. Often the most suitable person to do this will be the manager themselves, although HR or others can assist.

Finally it is good practice to encourage applicants to register on our recruitment website, where they can access information about current vacancies and to make future job applications easier for them.

Methods of Assessment

How should the applicants be assessed?

The assessment methods to be used in the selection process should be carefully considered by the panel to determine whether, in addition to an interview, the use of other assessment methods would provide useful information. These should always be agreed with HR and linked to the person specification.

Where appropriate job simulation exercises and relevant ability tests can improve the quality and quantity of information available to help with selection decisions. They also allow applicants to demonstrate how they meet specific requirements in action, rather than simply relying on the application form and performance at interview.

Any assessment method should reflect the requirements of the job in question. It is inappropriate to create a complex assessment process for jobs requiring basic level skills. This would be unlikely to add substantially to the information needed by the panel to assist them in decision making, and may well put off potential applicants. Use of a range of assessment tools for senior management recruitment may well, however, prove a cost effective investment. In all cases, ensure that any proposed assessment methods are both relevant and reliable, and that:

A How to Guide - How to use assessment methods in recruitment is available to support Managers. It provides details of best practice assessment techniques, from basic `Interview Plus' approaches to full Assessment Centre techniques, setting out:

Shortlisting the Applicants

Which applicants should be considered further?

After the closing date, panel members must assess each applicant's suitability for further consideration. Normally the Panel then discuss their assessments and reach final agreement on the applicants who should be on a shortlist and invited for interview. It may be that there may be further assessment work needed to reduce a long list to a shortlist for final interview and / or assessment. This should all be based on an evaluation of how well the applicant meets criteria set out in the person specification.

Obtaining a manageable shortlist

In exceptional circumstances if the number of shortlistable applicants is more than can possibly be interviewed, the panel can use one of the options below:

Requests for Reasonable Adjustments

If a disabled applicant has requested an adjustment to the assessment process to overcome a disabling barrier to their application, the panel must take the request seriously and be open to all possibilities for achieving a reasonable adjustment. For example the application or assessment process could be modified in some way. Advice should be sought from HR regarding this.

Notifying the applicants

The Recruitment Service will work with panels to inform shortlisted applicants that they are invited to interview, giving the time, date and venue details. If additional assessment methods are to be used, details should be provided of the types of exercises and / or tests to be given and how long the process is likely to take. Applicants should also be asked if they have any special needs, e.g., regarding travel or disabilities.

Interviews

How will the interview work?

A structured interview should form a core part of every selection process. For some jobs this will be sufficient and appropriate as the only method of assessment. Where other assessment methods are used the interview is usually the last stage.

Good interviews have a clear structure which helps keep the panel objective and focused throughout. However, this must allow flexibility and the necessary freedom for probing, supplementary and additional questions as required.

An interview plan should cover:

This provides a framework for collecting examples and evidence against the job requirements.

More advice and guidance on interviewing are provided in the How to Guide - How to interview successfully.

The Process

Throughout the interview, the panel should focus on all the requirements being assessed. After each interview, panel members should consider all the evidence gathered from the applicant, referring to their notes as necessary.

Panels should use a scoring guide, where appropriate, to assist them in identifying how well the applicant demonstrated they met the requirements. A scoring and rating guide can be found in the How to Guide - How to interview successfully

When all the interviews are complete, along with the results of any additional evaluation methods used, the full panel should meet to discuss their assessments of the applicants. Any large discrepancies between different panel members should be fully discussed and resolved.

The panel should then identify which applicants are appointable, and have a score and rating for each applicant.

Appointments on merit

All council appointments must, and in accordance with the Local Government and Housing Act, be made on merit. This means jobs must only be offered to appointable applicants.

Pre-Employment Checks

What checks need to be undertaken before an offer can be confirmed?

All offers of appointment are conditional and subject to:

Using References

References should be obtained for preferred applicants. This means those that are assessed as appointable at interview and not all those applicants shortlisted, with two standard references being used. The panel should review reference information and seek clarification with referees if there are any concerns. If there and doubts remaining about the suitability of the applicant's reference this should be discussed with HR. If necessary, any offer of appointment will be withdrawn. Details of this must be recorded. No offer of employment should be made until references have been obtained.

Probationary Periods

The council has a Probationary Period Policy which is designed to help new starters, where applicable, to settle into their new role and to provide the relevant support and feedback during the early part of their career with the council.

Recruitment and Safeguarding - Children and Vulnerable People

There are a range of specified posts where employees who will work with children or vulnerable adults are subject to additional statutory and inspection requirements. These requirements are given in the Brief guide to key legal provisions and are required best practice against which our performance must be inspected. This includes various levels of CRB checking, taking references prior to interview and ensuring applicants are members of Registered Bodies.

Record-Keeping

What record keeping is required?

Panel member interview notes and assessment sheets should be retained for record keeping purposes. Accurate record-keeping is an essential part of recruitment for the following reasons:

The following documents are vital for achieving these objectives:

To meet the requirements of the Data Protection Act, documents should be stored in a place where confidentiality can be maintained and for a period of 6 months from the date of appointment of the successful applicant, or a longer specified period of time where necessary (i.e., if required as evidence for legal purposes), then destroyed.

Documentation in respect of the successful applicant should form part of the personal file.

Feedback to Unsuccessful Applicants

How will feedback be given to applicants on their performance?

Panels must agree how feedback will be given to all interviewed applicants. It is a very important part of good practice and can make a significant difference to the way applicants feel about the organisation, even if their application has been unsuccessful. Feedback should be given as quickly as possible.

This includes an overview of the results of any tests and exercises as well as assessments from the interview. The feedback should be accurate, factual and helpful. It is important to provide a balance between those areas where the applicant did well or showed strength, and areas of weakness, where the applicant needs to improve for the future. Where it is necessary to resolve issues such as potential grievances or complaints written feedback should be given where requested by the applicant. However, before feedback is given in writing check with HR first to ensure it is not discriminatory.

Existing Employees of Leeds City Council

Where a council employee feels they have been treated unfairly at any stage of the recruitment and selection process they may register a grievance. The grievance will be pursued under existing council procedures.

External Applicants

External applicants may also complain if they believe they have been treated unfairly. Any complaint must be raised using the Council's Compliments and Complaints Procedure and must be raised within three months of the act or event which gave rise to the complaint.

In those cases where a complaint is made by either an internal or an external applicant, the Chief Officer should immediately suspend any appointment for the position in question, provided no contractual obligation has been entered into with the selected applicant.

Appendix 1

Procedure for the Appointment of Staff Following Restructuring Exercises

1. Purpose of the Procedure

1.1 The purpose of this Procedure is to establish the principles and practices which are to be followed by Directorates of the council when making appointments to posts following a reorganisation of services and restructuring of a Directorate or service area.

1.2 Any restructuring proposals must be agreed by the Chief Officer (HR) and will include the requirement to consult with the appropriate trade unions. This consultation to include discussions on the arrangements for the appointment of staff.

1.3 In exceptional circumstances and in consultation with recognised trades unions representing the employee group affected, the arrangements set out in this Procedure may be varied to meet particular circumstances which the parties agree do not lend themselves fully to the application of the Procedure.

2. Scope of the Procedure

2.1 The procedure applies to all employees of Leeds City Council with the exception of teachers, other staff employed by schools and those employed by Education Leeds.

3. Preamble

3.1 Local Government is undergoing a period of radical and continuing change. It is subject to significant external influences and direction which affect the scale and delivery of services to the public. It is against this background and the continuing need to review operational and support services in order to develop and maintain an organisation which is flexible and responsive to public expectation and need that this document has been produced.

3.2 The council is committed to the provision of a high quality, efficient and user friendly service and to safeguarding employment levels and the interests of its employees.

3.3 The procedures set out in this document are intended to be consistent with these objectives and to facilitate changes in the organisational structure of the council in a manner which recognises the problems, for individuals, that change inevitably produces and seeks to address them in a structured and sensitive way.

3.4 The council re-affirms its commitment to equal opportunities and undertakes to maintain existing council policies and practices during the application of the procedures set out in this document.

3.5 In accordance with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 consideration must be given to any reasonable adjustments which may be appropriate for disabled employees being redeployed under this procedure.

3.6 Directorates will ensure that temporary contracts pending the outcome of restructuring exercises are used only when absolutely necessary. In addition, and in order to avoid having large numbers of staff on lengthy temporary contracts, Directorates will also ensure, as far as possible, that such contracts are not issued too far in advance of the completion of a restructuring exercise.

4. Arrangements Regarding Protection of Earnings

4.1 Where employees are appointed / assigned into posts which carry a lower level of earnings than their substantive grade then the current procedure covering this, at that time, will apply for so long as the council's policy of affording protection remains in force.

5. General Principles

5.1 Employees who wish to be considered for redeployment to posts in other areas of work within the Directorate concerned which are not directly affected by the restructuring proposals, will be given the opportunity to consider any possible options before the procedure for filling posts in the new structure begins. Any employee who accepts an offer of alternative employment will be excluded from further consideration under these procedures.

5.2 Employees who are Acting Up will be treated in accordance with the conditions applying to their substantive post.

5.3 Temporary employees will be excluded from Phase 1 (see paragraph 7.1 below) and Phase 2 (see paragraph 7.2) of these procedures. However, depending on the circumstances, they may be eligible to apply for posts under Phase 3 (see paragraph 7.3).

5.4 The procedure for the selection of employees for posts in any new organisation structure is essentially an exercise in assimilation, and relocation, having regard to the individual's skills, expertise, experience and qualifications. Whilst clearly in certain circumstances formal interviews will be appropriate for the filling of posts on any new structure such arrangements should be kept to a minimum, consistent with ensuring proper and fair consideration of applicants for positions.

5.5 Throughout the process of assimilating employees into the new structure, sympathetic consideration will be given to employees affected by the restructuring, who express an interest in leaving on voluntary early retirement or voluntary severance terms where it is in the interests of the efficiency of the service to do so. Management will make employees aware of voluntary early retirement / voluntary severance schemes.

6. Trades Union Consultation

6.1 The Chief Officers of the Directorate(s) concerned or a senior representative of the Chief Officer shall be nominated to exercise management control of the restructuring process and conduct any negotiations and consultations with the recognised trades unions.

6.2 In addition to the consultation which will have taken place in relation to the restructuring itself, consultation will take place with the relevant trades unions on the implementation of the reorganisation of the service or a restructuring of a Directorate or service area.

6.3 Information will be provided to the relevant trades unions regarding proposals for the slotting in of employees under Phase 1 (see paragraph 7.1). In addition the trades unions will be notified of the posts which will be subject to ring-fencing arrangements under Phase 2 (see paragraph 7.2) and Phase 3 (see paragraph 7.3) and of the appointments made at each stage of the process. The relevant trade unions will have the opportunity to make proposals regarding any aspect of the process.

6.4 The procedure for the filling of posts will be carried out in three separate but related phases. Exceptionally it will be open to Directorates to seek by negotiation with the recognised trade unions, a variation to these arrangements if there is a reason for doing so.

6.5 At the conclusion of Phase 3 the relevant trade unions will be provided with details of unplaced employees.

7. Procedure for the filling of Posts

7.1 (Phase 1 - Slotting In)

7.1.1 The Chief Officer, in association with line managers, will identify posts under the new structure which are substantially the same as posts in the existing structure. In these cases, the employees who occupy these posts should be slotted into the posts without recourse to any selection procedure (see paragraph 5.2). In determining whether current posts are equivalent to those on the new structure consideration should be given to the job content and the grade. In accordance with paragraph 6.2 above, the trade unions will be provided with details of the proposals and given the opportunity to comment prior to implementation.

7.1.2 Where the number of employees who would qualify for slotting-in in a particular area is greater than the number of posts in that area of work then these employees will not be slotted in but be subject to the ring fencing provisions of Phase 2 (see paragraph 7.2).

7.1.3 The employees who have been assimilated by slotting in will be informed of the post to which they have been allocated under the new structure.

7.2 Phase 2 - Ring Fencing

7.2.1 Posts which have not been filled by slotting in, either because they have changed under the new structure, or where there are more employees than posts in that area of work, will be advertised on a ring fenced basis, i.e., posts in a given area of work will be restricted, in the first instance, to staff currently engaged in that area of work. Details of these posts will be notified to the appropriate employees and should clearly state which staff groups are eligible to apply. This will include employees carrying out comparable duties who have not been slotted in under Phase 1 and supernumerary employees carrying out comparable duties.

7.2.2 In certain circumstances, where key posts are involved it may not be appropriate to fill specific jobs in accordance with the process set out in 7.2.1 above. It may be more appropriate to advertise such posts externally in the first instance.

7.2.3 Staff within the agreed ring fence arrangements will be required to complete one post preference form, providing details of current duties and responsibilities and other relevant experience, and detailing those posts within the ring fence in which they are interested.

7.2.4 The Chief Officer may also include in this process staff within the appropriate ring fence who have not expressed a direct preference.

7.2.5 Appointments to posts which are ring fenced will be by the usual range of selection methods. This process will normally be carried out on a cascade basis, commencing with appointments to senior positions, and then in descending salary / pay levels.

7.2.6 Following appointment of applicants to each level the situation will be reviewed and any employee not assigned to a post at one level will be identified and automatically included with those under consideration at the next level below.

7.2.7 Because of the preferential treatment given to employees within a ring-fencing arrangement, care should be taken to ensure that restructuring exercises are not merely used as a means of obtaining promotion and excessive increases in grade, therefore, should be avoided.

7.3 Phase 3 - General Ring Fencing

7.3.1 At the conclusion of Phase 2 any posts remaining unfilled should be dealt with under a general ring fencing, within the Directorate. At this stage, staff not directly affected by the restructuring will be eligible to apply.

7.3.2 Posts will be filled by the usual range of selection methods.

7.3.3 Posts which are unfilled following this process should be submitted to the Chief Officer (HR) for authorisation to fill in the normal way.

8. Unplaced Employees

8.1 Any employees who have not been slotted in or appointed to a post under the new structure will be subject to review to consider possible options. These options may include voluntary early retirement, voluntary severance, retraining or redeployment. As an interim measure, employees will normally be held by the Directorate on a supernumerary basis but may be offered temporary placements which are within their range of skills, either within the Directorate or elsewhere in the council.

8.2 Directorates should endeavour to avoid staff being placed or remaining in supernumerary positions and should make every effort to find suitable alternative work in a substantive post.

9. Representations and Grievances

9.1 Representations regarding any stage of this procedure may be made by employees or their trade unions to the Directorate Chief Officer.

9.2 Any employee or their trade union representative may appeal to the Chief Officer of the Directorate regarding their assignment to a post under Phase 1 or their exclusion from the ring-fence arrangements in Phase 2 of this Procedure.

9.3 In the event of these representations/complaints not being resolved under paragraph 9.1 and 9.2 above, the matter may be pursued through the formal Grievance Procedure at Stage 3. Before Stage 3 is implemented, there must have been formal representation to and consideration by the Directorate Chief Officer.

Appendix 2

Procedures of filling posts via Acting Ups/ Secondments/Temporary arrangements

Under National and Local Conditions of Service provision is made for an employee, at the request of the Directorate Chief Officer, to undertake the full duties and responsibilities of a higher graded post and to receive additional payment where this will last for a continuous period of four weeks or more.

This arrangement should apply to acting up arrangements which are short term and will not normally last for longer than three months. The Directorate Chief Officer will ensure that all appropriate employees within the relevant work area will be considered for such acting up appointments.

However where a post becomes vacant (or it is envisaged it will be vacant) for a period of more than three months (e.g. cover for secondment, maternity leave etc) then the post should be advertised within the Directorate to provide other staff who have relevant experience with the opportunity to apply for the post and gain experience at a higher level.

In these situations the following procedure will apply:

i) An employee specification for the temporarily vacant post will be prepared to include, as an essential requirement, the immediate availability of appropriate employees to act up.

ii) All employees (including Job Sharers and temporary employees) within the relevant work area will be given an opportunity to be considered for the acting-up appointment. This will be done by a limited distribution advertisement.

iii) Interviews will be conducted by a minimum of two people and may cover the employee's performance in the present job and the final decision will have regard to the overall requirements of the Directorate.

iv) Where an individual employee within the constituent group applies but is not successful, the senior officer responsible for making the arrangements will explain the reasons why and offer counselling if requested.

There may be cases (for example, cover for sickness) where the length of absence is unknown. Arrangements to cover the absences may extend up to the 3 month period. Such cases should be reviewed, in conjunction with the Chief Officer (HR) when it becomes clear that the absence is to extend beyond 3 months.

Acting up arrangements may only continue for a period of 18 months, unless an extension is approved by the Chief Officer (HR).

Directorate Chief Officers also have authority to make temporary appointments within and above the approved establishment and up to grade PO6 to provide cover for situations such as staff absences, peaks in workload and to deal with any tasks which may arise which are outside of the normal workload of the Directorate. Such approvals are subject to their being budgetary provision available and a check being made with HR to find out whether the cover could be provided by either a redeployment or a secondment. Recruitment to such temporary posts will be undertaken in accordance with the Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedure. It should be noted that whilst appointments up to PO6 can be made it will be necessary to secure the approval of the Chief Officer (HR) in the following circumstances:

- temporary appointments up to PO6 which extend beyond twelve months duration but up to 2 years.

- extensions to temporary appointments the effect of which is to extend an appointment beyond twelve months and up to 2 years.

Any temporary appointments up to PO6 but beyond 2 years and all temporary appointments above PO6 will need the approval of the Chief Officer (HR).

When considering temporary contracts Directorate Chief Officers will also refer to the guidance and advice issued by the Chief Officer (HR).

Secondments

Secondments may be made available as follows:

Cover for a temporary vacancy

Where there is no suitable applicant within a Directorate for a temporary post, Directorates may at their discretion advertise the post as a secondment available to internal applicants only. Where a post is advertised as being available on this basis the full provisions of the Recruitment and Selection Code of Practice must be adhered to. The successful applicant will be appointed to cover the duties of the vacant post on a temporary basis and will be regarded as being "on loan" from their employing Directorate. It is a requirement of this provision that the `exporting' Directorate will have the authority to decide whether the applicant can be released on a secondment basis. The Directorate will not unreasonably refuse to release staff for secondment.

For Career Development Purposes or as part of a Positive Action Initiative

Secondments may also be seen as a way of encouraging career development and helping employees to gain experience in activities they would not normally be required to deal with. There are also general benefits to the Council in developing a more flexible and versatile workforce. At their discretion Directorates may wish to identify a limited number of posts as being available as secondments for career development purposes or in support of positive action initiatives aimed at extending training and development opportunities available to under-represented groups. Individual Chief Officers, therefore, have discretion to second members of staff to alternative posts within a grade/pay range (whichever fits with the new scheme) either within their own Directorate or by mutual agreement with another Chief Officer. However, where the secondment is to be made generally available it will be advertised internally and an appointment made in accordance with the Recruitment and Selection Policy and Procedure.

Where secondments are used for career development purposes or in support of positive action initiatives there should be a structured learning programme designed to enhance individual skills, knowledge and experience and also satisfy the overall aims of the Council's Corporate Workforce Development Strategy.

All secondments must have specific end dates and must not be allowed to continue as a permanent arrangement beyond 2 years unless approved by the Chief Officer (HR). Additionally the relationships between secondments and honoraria payments should be considered (see Appendix 34 of the council's Local Conditions of Service).

Brief Guide to Key Legal Provisions

This guide provides advice on the employment legislation that covers recruitment and selection.

Anyone involved in the recruitment and selection of staff for the council should be aware of their responsibilities under the relevant legislation. The following provides a summary of the core legislation that is relevant to the recruitment and selection process. Further advice is provided as part of Recruitment and Selection training.

Discrimination

Types of Discrimination

Direct discrimination

Direct Discrimination occurs when a person is treated less favourably than others would be in the same or similar circumstances on the grounds of age, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, disability, religion or belief or marital status.

Indirect discrimination

Indirect Discrimination occurs when a requirement or condition is used which applies equally to all applicants / employees, but has a disproportionately adverse effect on a group of people due to their gender, age, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation or disability. The fact that a person may not have intended to discriminate against someone would not be a defence. Examples of indirect discrimination may include:

Victimisation

Victimisation occurs when someone is discriminated against because they have brought discrimination proceedings or alleging that discrimination has occurred or given evidence in discrimination proceedings. For example, refusing to appoint someone because they have successfully brought an Employment Tribunal claim against the employing organisation would be victimisation.

Harassment

Harassment occurs when, for a reason which relates to a person's race, age, gender, disability, religion or belief or sexual orientation, another person engages in unwanted conduct which has the purpose or effect of violating the person's dignity or creates an intimidating, hostile, degrading, humiliating or offensive environment for that person.

Sex Discrimination Act 1975

Under the terms of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975, it is unlawful to discriminate (directly or indirectly) in employment, including recruitment, training and promotion, on the grounds of:

Examples of Direct Discrimination

Examples of Indirect Discrimination

Genuine Occupational Requirements (GORs)

As a general rule it is unlawful to specify that you require somebody of a particular sex, unless there is a genuine occupational requirement (GOR) for the position. An example of a genuine occupational requirement is where there is a need to provide privacy or decency, e.g., the requirement for a male care assistant whose job involves helping men dress or use the toilet. In the event of the GOR rule applying, this must be stated on the advertisement and job details.

GORs are always open to challenge and if an employer is challenged, the burden of proof lies with the employer to show that a GOR applies to the job. It is a matter for an Employment Tribunal to determine whether a GOR has been established.

Race Relations Act 1976

The Race Relations Act 1976 covers discrimination on the grounds of:

The Act places a duty on all public bodies to ensure the promotion of equality of opportunity, promotion of good relations between people of different racial groups; and the elimination of unlawful racial discrimination.

Examples of Direct Discrimination

Examples of Indirect Discrimination

Genuine Occupational Requirements (GORs)

It will be rare that a GOR will apply to discrimination on the grounds of someone's race. It would be very difficult to justify if it was to be challenged. An example may be the restriction of applicants to the Indian community for a position of a support worker based within the community and where they are dealing with clients who may only be comfortable confiding in someone of the same race.

Disability Discrimination Act 1995

Under the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 discrimination will arise if, for a reason which relates to the person's disability, the employer treats that person less favourably than it would others who are not disabled, unless there is a substantial and material justification.

Reasonable Adjustments

The council's policy, in keeping with legislation, requires a recruitment panel to consider all possibilities for making reasonable adjustments to any aspect of the selection process to remove any barriers to disabled applicants from applying / taking up an appointment . Adjustments could be to: methods of assessment; test conditions; venue; arrangements for interview; job requirements; terms and conditions of the job; the fabric of the building; workplace arrangements or equipment; the way the job is to be carried out and specific duties of the job.

Positive Discrimination

There is no GOR provision under the Disability Discrimination Act. However, the council is bound by the Local Government and Housing Act (1989), to appoint only on merit. (i.e., all sections of the community must be invited to apply).

Guaranteed Interviews

The Council offers guaranteed interviews for disabled applicants who meet the essential shortlisting criteria (taking account of any necessary reasonable adjustments), even if there are enough applicants to justify using the desirable criteria. Following this, appointments must be on merit (the best applicant for the job, taking account of necessary reasonable adjustments).

Advertisements

When advertising posts, organisations must avoid requirements which may exclude people with impairments unless this can be justified.

Example 1 

The advertisement requires that applicants can drive (although this is not strictly essential). If, due to the nature of an impairment, a disabled job seeker is unable to drive, he / she can claim to have been excluded from applying by the advertisement even before there has been any opportunity to explore reasonable adjustments to remove this barrier. In such cases the law will assume that the reason the person was not appointed was because of disability discrimination and the onus is then on the employer to show otherwise.

Example 2 

Job advertisements must not state or imply that certain disabled people will not be suitable or considered for a job. For example, stating that the workplace is not accessible for wheelchair users. Again, if this is done, and a wheelchair user complains that they have been specifically excluded from applying by the advertisement, thus denying an opportunity to pursue the possibilities of reasonable adjustments, it will again be assumed that discrimination in law did take place and the onus is then on the employer to show otherwise.

Decision-making stage

If there are more appointable applicants than jobs, then ranking must be used to establish the best applicant for the job (satisfying the merit requirement).

Where there are two or more applicants ranked equally, and one is disabled, the panel has then exhausted its responsibilities to identify an appointment on merit under the LGHA ('89), and is now in the same position as any other employer in applying the DDA. They can, therefore, lawfully offer the job to the disabled person.

This same action cannot be taken, however, to appoint a black / white person, or either a man or woman (which would constitute direct discrimination in law). In such cases the panel would have to use random selection.

Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003

The Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003 cover discrimination on the grounds of religion or belief. No job applicant should receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of his / her religion or belief. An employer should not apply a rule which puts people of a particular religion or belief at a disadvantage which cannot be shown to be a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

Examples of Direct Discrimination

Examples of Indirect Discrimination

Genuine Occupational Requirements (GORs)

It will be rare that a GOR will apply to discrimination on the grounds of someone's religion or belief. If a GOR was to be attached to the position it would be the responsibility of the council to prove that it was essential to the position should discrimination be claimed at an Employment Tribunal.

Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003

The Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003 protect applicants and employees from discrimination on the grounds of their sexual orientation.

Sexual orientation is defined as having an orientation to: 

Sexual orientation has nothing to do with sexual practices, which are not covered by these Regulations.

Examples of Direct Discrimination

Examples of Indirect Discrimination

Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006

The Employment Equality (Age) Regulations 2006 cover discrimination on the grounds of age. No applicant should receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of his or her age.

Examples of Direct Discrimination

Examples of Indirect Discrimination

Other Employment Legislation

Equal Pay Act 1970

The Equal Pay Act 1970 means that men and women in the same employment have the right to equality in the terms of their employment contract. This applies where the person is engaged on like work, work rated as equivalent work or work of equal value with a comparator of the opposite sex. However, the equality clause will not apply where the employer shows that the variation is genuinely due to a material factor not related to gender.

The act allows parity on a term by term basis of the contract, which includes basic pay, allowances bonuses / honoraria and annual leave entitlement.

Claims are brought in an Employment Tribunal and can be made at any time during employment and within six months of leaving employment.

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 concerns the employment of people with a criminal record. If a person has been convicted of an offence, provided they have not been re-convicted for a further offence during a specified period, his / her conviction becomes spent (should be treated as though it had never existed) for the purpose of employment. A prison sentence of more than 30 months can never become spent, therefore, the person will always be required to disclose it, if asked by an employer.

There are a number of areas of employment to which the terms of the Act do not apply. This means that those with a criminal record must disclose the details of all their convictions including those which are 'spent'.

The employment, occupation and professions which are exempt fall into the following areas:- Work involving matters of national security, e.g., some civil service posts, work that brings the person into contact with vulnerable groups, e.g., the disabled, the elderly, mentally ill and young people under 18 years of age and certain professions with legal protection, e.g., lawyers and accountants.

Data Protection Act 1998

The Data Protection Act 1998 applies to personal data held in a structured way in any format (paper, computer, microfiche, tape, etc). To comply with the Act, information must be collected and used fairly, stored safely and not disclosed to anyone unlawfully. The Council adheres to the eight Data Protection principles set out in the Act. In summary, these state that personal data shall be:

The Employment Practices Data Protection Code Part 1: Recruitment and Selection

This Code is intended to assist employers in complying with the Act and to establish good practice for handling personal data in the workplace. The benchmarks develop and apply the Act in the context of recruitment practices and are the Information Commissioner's recommendations as to how the legal requirements of the Act can be met.

The code covers the following key areas: - 

The Code states that there is no general exemption from the Act's subject access rights in respect of notes or references about applicants. This means that when an individual makes a request for access to the notes about them, or their references, it must be granted. There is, however, a special exemption from the right of access to a confidential reference when in the hands of the organisation which gave it. This exemption does not apply once the reference is in the hands of the person or organisation to which the reference has been given. The recipient is, though, entitled to take steps to withhold information that reveals the identity of other individuals such as the author of the reference or other third parties. The Code also states that employers should only carry out pre-employment vetting on an applicant (e.g. references) at an appropriate point in the recruitment process, and comprehensive vetting should only be conducted on a successful applicant.

Asylum and Immigration Act 1996

Under the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 the Council could be guilty of a criminal offence if we employ someone who does not have permission to work in the UK. The Act applies to all temporary, permanent and casual appointments.

The Fixed - Term Employees (Prevention of Less Favourable Treatment) Regulations 2002

The Regulations on Fixed-Term Employees came into effect from 1 October 2002. The regulations are intended to protect employees engaged on fixed-term contracts from being treated less favourably than comparable employees on indefinite contracts. The main provisions of the Act are listed below:

The use of successive fixed term contracts will be limited to four years, unless the use of further fixed term contracts can be justified on objective grounds.

Safer recruitment

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 provides the legal framework for a new Independent Safeguarding Authority, (ISA).

The overriding aim of the new scheme will be to help avoid harm, or risk of harm, to children and vulnerable adults. It aims to do this by preventing those who are deemed unsuitable to work with children and vulnerable adults from gaining access to them through their work.

How to attract applicants

The `How to Guides' on Recruitment are designed to provide Managers with practical advice on how to recruit to posts within their teams in accordance with the Recruitment and Selection Policy. This particular guide provides advice on how to attract the best candidates to the post and to make the most of the options available with regards to advertising.

Core Requirements

Recruiting Managers must comply with the following:

All jobs must be advertised, unless exceptional arrangements covered in the policy apply.

Recruitment advertising must be non-discriminatory and comply with the council's equal opportunities aims and legislation.

Best Practice Requirements

Recruiting Managers should consider the following:

Adverts should normally be structured and designed so that the following core information is given;

The Organisation - Make this relevant to the job, e.g., You do not necessarily need to include information about Leeds `the City' if you are aiming at recruiting people from Leeds.

Post Title - Where possible make it simple so that at first glance applicants know what it is they are applying for as some of our current job titles are not immediately self explanatory to external applicants.

Pay - This is normally shown as a salary range but if in doubt as to the best way to show this, if you are proposing something different, speak to your HR team or the Recruitment Service.

Hours - If the post holder will have to work shifts or weekends you should make clear what hours and working pattern will be needed.

The person, role, key responsibilities, unique selling points, essential qualifications, skills and experience required - This is your opportunity to sell the post but avoid overloading applicants with too much information. Focus on the key elements of the role and the benefits of working for the council. Use relevant messages as opposed to wordy complicated explanations. The e-recruitment site has lots of information about the council and the city so you do not need to repeat this, just refer people to it.

The closing date for applications to be received - Give at least two weeks from the date of your advert to ensure that as many people as possible have an opportunity to apply. Remember that it can take some people longer than others to complete an application form.

Contact details - Only include a contact number if it is a specialist role that may benefit from an informal discussion.

Tips and Helpful Hints

Planning is the key to successful advertising. Unless properly planned, drafted and carefully targeted, any recruitment advertisements will waste time and money and may result in inappropriate responses which will reflect negatively on the council as a whole.

Summary of tips

Further Help

The Recruitment Service can provide professional and specialist advice and help on the following:

Your contacts in the Recruitment Service

Recruitment Supervisor Tel: 0113 39 52126

Recruitment Assistant Tel: 0113 24 74174

Please contact us at: [email address] for general enquiries

How to Interview Successfully

The `How To' guides on Recruitment are designed to provide Managers with practical advice on how to recruit to posts within their teams in accordance with the Recruitment and Selection Policy. This particular guide provides advice on how to successfully interview applicants for a post and to ensure that you get the best applicant for the job.

This Guide provides support to panels in planning and running effective interviews, either as the sole method of assessment or as part of a wider evaluation process. This includes interview questioning techniques.

Specifically, the following guidelines aim to provide managers with handy hints and tips about interviewing including how to conduct the most effective interview and how to ensure that you abide by the relevant legislation.

Core Requirements

Recruiting Managers must comply with the following:

Best Practice Requirements

Managing the process

Quality selection processes are well planned and structured to ensure:

Preparation should include:

Prior to the Interview

Panel members should have:

Conducting the interviews

The Chair is responsible for making sure the interviews flow smoothly. You should introduce and close the interview and co-ordinate the process throughout.

At the outset, try to put the applicant at ease. Structured interviews are fairly formal but try to present a human face and develop a level of rapport with the applicant. This will help you gain better responses. The following will help:

Other Hints and Tips

Interviewing Skills

Effective Interviewing

The interviewer's job is to make sure sufficient information is collected to assess the applicant against the selection criteria.

The panel may have a different line of questions for one applicant from those for another based, for example, on information supplied in the application which needs to be explored.

Never follow a line of questions mechanically about issues already covered by the applicant in previous answers. However, all applicants must have an opportunity to answer questions on all the selection criteria.

Be prepared to follow up your initial questions with supplementary questions to establish what the applicant is really saying. Remember, interview evidence is entirely reliant on self-report from the applicant, so you need to judge when to probe, check facts, delve deeper on specific areas. 

Questioning Techniques

Evidence from the past is a fairly reliable predictor of future behaviour. Ask questions which relate to previous experiences, such as:

Use appropriate questions, outlined below, to help make the process as meaningful and complete as possible.  Avoid making subjective judgements and gather sufficient information on which to base your assessment.

Closed Questions: use only when you require a yes or no answer. For example: "was this your own work?", or for checking facts, e.g. "Do you supervise staff?".

Open Questions: use to get the applicant talking and to cover the topic in depth: "why do you think that situation arose?", "how did you deal with it?", "what did you do next?" Open questions usually begin with what, why, how and when.

Probing: A good plan is to start with an open question. Follow this with a more specific open probing question to get more detail. Follow with further open probing as you explore the topic in more depth and get further under the surface. Keep digging deeper until you are satisfied the topic and related issues have been thoroughly explored.

This approach is helpful for exploring not only applicant's technical skills and knowledge, but also their behavioural styles, e.g., concern for service quality, personal responsiveness, enthusiasm, proactivity, innovation, how concerned they are with interpersonal relationships, how they respond to challenging situations, etc. Ask closed questions to check facts and move between closed questions and open probing questions as required. Finish with a final question to close the subject.

Panel members need the flexibility to develop appropriate questions as the interview progresses and depending on applicant responses. Sticking to a rigid script is not an effective way to run a good interview. The example below helps to illustrate the process.

Panel members need to consider the degree to which probing helps gain understanding of the applicant. Probing does not mean applicants are necessarily unaware of issues and need coaxing. Instead some applicants may be nervous or unable to immediately understand issues, especially if they have less direct experience.

Open: Introduce Subject

Open Probe: Dig Deeper

Closed: Check Facts

Close Subject

A line of questioning like that above is likely to gain a lot of information for an attentive panel about, for example, the applicant's enthusiasm, their approach to relationship and team working, their concern for quality and how proactive they are. The questioner needs to be ready to pick up on particular issues of relevance to the job requirements and pursue further as required.

Use silence after a question

Use silence after a question to give the applicants time to think and again after the initial answer to encourage them to say more.

Summarise

If in answering a question the applicant digresses or talks in more detail than necessary, gently stop them and summarise back the main point(s) of their response.

Move on

Move on if, having been given sufficient opportunity, the applicant does not demonstrate the required depth of knowledge or competence on a particular question or range of questions.

Reflective Techniques

These can be useful if the issue is sensitive or emotionally charged. For example, if in the course of probing you discover that the person left a previous job because of what she / he describes as bullying, avoid saying "it sounds like you were treated badly". Rather, reflect their statement back to them: "So you feel that you were not treated fairly."

Questions to avoid

Hypothetical questions

Asking applicant's how they would deal with a certain situation will tell you more about how well they can `think on their feet' and how good they are at judging the kinds of response you are seeking, than the way they actually behave at work. They also tend to help people who are good at remembering theory, but do not have actual experience. The answers will be how they think they will act in a situation, rather that how they actually handle it.

Multiple Questions

These are usually long, complex questions with several parts and show the interviewer has not thought about exactly what she / he wants to ask, for example "when did you do the project, how long did it take and what was your personal contribution to achieving it's goals?". In response, the applicant may focus on only one part of the question, or talk about the project in vague and general terms, or give a very long and complicated response. Avoid confusion, keep questions simple and be clear what it is you are trying to find out.

Leading Questions

These prompt the interviewee with the expected response. For example, "You enjoy working with budgets, don't you?" or, "You get on well in a team don't you?"

Evaluative Questions

These ask the applicant to make a general assessment of their abilities and will tell you little or nothing about their real capabilities. For example, "How good are you at problem solving?" will probably get a result like "quite good" or "Yes, I do a lot of problem solving in my current job and this is something I enjoy". You are none the wiser.

Personal questions

Avoid asking personal questions unless this is strictly relevant to the job, for example, whether the applicant can move to take up warden accommodation.

Questions about the nature of a person's disability or how they would overcome an impairment cannot form any part of the interview. Disabled applicants should be assessed against the requirements of the person specification only. Exploring how reasonable adjustments can be made to remove disabling barriers should be done only after the decision, based on merit, has been reached.

Feedback

Panels must agree how feedback will be given to all interviewed applicants. It is a very important part of good practice and can make a significant difference to the way applicants feel about the organisation, even if their application has been unsuccessful. Feedback should be given as quickly as possible.

This includes an overview of the results of any tests and exercises as well as assessments from the interview. The feedback should be accurate, factual and helpful. It is important to provide a balance between those areas where the applicant did well or showed strength, and areas of weakness, where the applicant needs to improve for the future. Where it is necessary to resolve issues such as potential grievances or complaints written feedback should be given where requested by the applicant. However, before feedback is given in writing check with HR first to ensure this is not discriminatory.