Workstream 1: Rethinking Equitable Recruitment Practices
Lead: Alex Goddard, Data Officer: Fi Wood
The proportion of minority ethnic individuals drops from 60% at the undergraduate level to 47% at the postgraduate level and to 26% in staff positions, with even fewer at leadership roles.
Workstream 1 focuses on addressing the barriers to diverse recruitment for staff research positions. Its goal is to identify key “bottlenecks” in the recruitment process and explore inclusive recruitment practices that could be implemented to overcome them.
This includes expanding our focus beyond traditional groups and characteristics to better understand the complexities of individual experiences. Through this approach, we aim to develop new resources and guidance for applicants and hiring managers, as well as foster collaborations with other institutions and explore alternative recruitment strategies.
Workstream Outline:
Staff Diversity Data: Identify existing patterns within research population.
Recruitment Review: Review current processes, guidance, and tools, to identify potential improvements within research-related recruitment.
Pilot Activity: Implement identified improvements, disrupting current practices where relevant, with evaluation to determine validity and impact.
Interviews: Explore impacts of inclusivity, representation and research culture on decision-making for staff joining and leaving research roles at the University.
Retention and Satisfaction: Identify best practice and case studies for inclusive recruitment and fostering diversity among research groups.