While many organisations recognise the importance of building diverse teams, there's often a significant gap between intention and impact. True inclusive hiring isn't just about wanting to build diverse teams—it's about knowing how to do it effectively and sustainably. 

At our recent Evolution of Work Summit webinar, we brought together three industry leaders who are actively transforming inclusive hiring practices:

• Kate Parkinson, Talent Acquisition Lead at Microsoft EMEA
• Raj Gill, Talent Acquisition Lead at BT Business
• Reena Anand, award-winning global speaker and consultant on Neurodiversity, Race & Ethnicity

Understanding what matters: key priorities for diverse talent

Salary, flexibility and benefits are the most common preferences amongst underrepresented candidates

Across all groups, competitive pay and flexible working are at the top of the list. This will come as no surprise to anyone who has recently been in the market for a new job. But for underrepresented candidates in particular, fair compensation and adaptable work arrangements are an absolute necessity. In the UK in 2022, the disability pay gap was 17.2%, with non-disabled employees earning £2.35 more per hour on average. Black, African, Caribbean, or Black British employees earned £13.53 median gross hourly pay compared to £14.35 for White employees—a disparity unchanged since 2012.

Expert insights: key takeaways from our speakers

Our expert panel shared valuable, actionable insights that you can implement in your organisation. Here's a breakdown of the key learnings from each speaker:

Kate Parkinson, Microsoft EMEA: moving from compliance to culture

Kate shared how Microsoft has transformed their approach to inclusive hiring:

"We're focusing on building capability within our talent acquisition teams because they are our culture carriers - at every interaction with a hiring manager, they have a chance to influence behavior and culture."

Key Actions from Microsoft's Journey:

• Implement mandatory inclusive hiring training for all hiring managers, tracked through completion rates
• Create "daily pulse" feedback systems for real-time insights on inclusion efforts
• Embed DEI as a core cultural attribute, with every employee having a DEI priority
• Focus on representation at all levels, not just entry-level positions
• Use data transparency to drive accountability

You can find out more about Microsoft’s inclusive benefits here.

Raj, BT Group: reimagining traditional hiring

Raj shared practical insights from BT's transformation of their hiring practices:

"We've really challenged managers on what is essential versus desirable and what is trainable versus non-trainable... what we have seen is a broad range of candidates coming forward that are fully capable of performing the duties of the roles."

BT's Success Strategies:

• Implement "passport to recruit" training for hiring managers
• Create easily accessible, on-demand training videos within the ATS system
• Use video content to showcase authentic employee stories (their "Her Campaign" increased female applications by 4%)
• Challenge traditional qualification requirements
• Focus on transferable skills rather than specific experience

You can find out more about BT’s inclusive benefits here.

Reena Anand: creating neurodiversity-friendly practices

Reena emphasised the importance of creating truly inclusive environments for neurodivergent talent:

"Research shows that managers continue to be the number one source of support for neurodivergent employees, over and above HR, ERGs, and any other support mechanisms."

Key Recommendations for Neurodiversity Inclusion:

• Use clear, unambiguous language in job descriptions
• Offer alternative interview formats
• Provide interview questions in advance when requested
• Focus on strengths rather than deficits
• Create opportunities for workplace adjustments
• Build psychological safety before expecting disclosure

Spotlight: Mott MacDonald's inclusive hiring journey

We asked Mott Macdonald what strategies their organisation has implemented to make hiring practices more inclusive and attract a diverse talent pool.

“At Mott MacDonald we believe that true inclusivity attracts the brightest talent and empowers people to perform at their absolute best. We believe all our candidates should have the opportunity to shine during recruitment, so we’ve made sure every stage of our process is inclusive, supportive and fair. Over the last twelve months, we have been implementing several strategies, including reviewing and realigning job descriptions, adverts, and recruitment materials to ensure they use inclusive language, accurately reflect the skills and qualifications required for roles, and appeal to candidates from all backgrounds. We clearly showcase the benefits we offer, such as flexible working arrangements, enhanced parental leave, employee resource groups, and a commitment to work-life balance. Hiring managers and Talent Acquisition (TA) teams have undergone training focused on unconscious bias, inclusive interviewing techniques, and best practices for equitable candidate evaluation.

As we are a Disability Confident employer, our teams are also trained on how to support candidates through our process.  This training helps to build awareness and skills to foster fair treatment of applicants, providing transparency of our processes and thereby enabling a positive candidate experience. Furthermore, adopting tools for consistent and objective candidate assessment ensures that hiring decisions are based on merit and potential, minimising the impact of bias.  We have created and adopted new tools, such as structured interview guides and improved scoring criteria, to support fair and consistent selection processes.

The future of inclusive hiring & transforming organisational culture

Looking ahead, our experts identified several key trends that will shape the future of inclusive hiring. While AI and technology will play an increasingly important role, they emphasised the need to carefully use these tools to avoid perpetuating existing biases. The future will likely see a continued shift toward skills-based hiring, with organisations focusing more on capabilities than credentials.

They also highlighted the importance of building diverse talent pipelines early, engaging with potential candidates well before they enter the job market. This includes partnering with educational institutions and community organisations to create pathways for underrepresented groups.

Perhaps the most crucial insight from our discussion was about changing organisational mindsets. Our experts emphasised that successful inclusive hiring requires a cultural transformation, not just policy changes. This transformation needs to be led with compassion and understanding, recognising that people may be at different stages of their inclusion journey.