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Speciality in Human Resources
You may not have heard of the actual campaign, but as an employer it will definitely be something that you have had experience of – a job applicant who has a criminal conviction.
There is a huge number of job hunters with a criminal conviction, but they also have a wealth of work experience that can be a valuable asset to your business. Depending on your initial screening criteria you may be missing out by not giving these candidates the same consideration as others without a conviction.
It goes without saying (but we will say it anyway!) that there are some industries that simply can not consider an employee with a criminal conviction – working with children or vulnerable adults for example. Also, some companies have governing bodies that set the rules – you may be a regulated business or employ staff who are regulated by professional or regulatory body and you need to abide by their policies and procedures.
If this doesn’t apply, then the company can set its own policy, and its important to note that just because you can ask for details on criminal convictions and do a check, that you should. With the introduction of GPDR it is expected that there will be test cases about this information and how it is requested, used and handled.
The purpose of a fair recruitment policy is to employ the applicants who are the very best for the job. To do that the information that you request throughout the process should be relevant and you should be able to put into context any information that might need clarifying – and convictions can easily fall into this category.
By not requesting this information too early in the process, applicants with the right qualifications, experience and enthusiasm can be considered whether they have a conviction or not. Once initial screening is done, perhaps prior to the first face to face interview, the information can be included on an application form so it can be discussed during interview. This means it can be put in context within an environment that you can be assessing the candidate’s attitude, they can explain their rehabilitation and how they have personally developed from that time. The candidate can also demonstrate their suitability for the role with their positive attributes – experience, work ethic, team player, qualifications etc.
Be aware however that there are a few convictions might cause complications with employee insurance and might restrict international travel, if that is a requirement of the role.
With over 11 million people in the UK with a conviction of some sort, there is likely to be very experienced, qualified and motivated people who could be perfect to be part of your team.
Review your recruitment procedures to ensure you aren’t missing out!
More information on ‘Ban the Box’ can be found here:
http://recruit.unlock.org.uk/fair-chance-recruitment/ban-the-box/
