Policy Guide and Template Recruitment and Selection Created 2008 Disclaimer: The information contained in this document is provided for information only and does not constitute advice. Neither the consultant nor People In Aid accepts any responsibility for how you use the information and strongly recommends seeking suitable (legal) advice before implementing employment policy, as there may be specific legal implications in the countries in which you operate. Table of Contents Foreword by People In Aid ……………………………………………………………………. Introduction to the Policy Guides ……………………………………………………………. 3 Acknowledgements………………………………………………………………………………. 4 Purpose of this guide ……………………………………………………………………………. 4 Link to People In Aid Code Principles and Indicators………………………………… 4 The stages of the recruitment and selection process………………………………… 5 Recruitment…………………………………………………………………………………………. Authority to recruit………………………………………………………………………………. 6 Role/job analysis………………………………………………………………………………… 6 Role profiling/job description writing ……………………………………………………… 6 Using competencies …………………………………………………………………………… 7 Attraction…………………………………………………………………………………………… 8 Internal ecruitment:……………………………………………………………………………. 8 External recruitment:…………………………………………………………………………… 8 Advertising ………………………………………………………………………………………… 9 Applications …………………………………………………………………………………….. 10 Selection …………………………………………………………………………………………… 2 Principles ………………………………………………………………………………………… 12 Short listing ……………………………………………………………………………………… 12 Assessment methods ……………………………………………………………………….. 13 Offer and due diligence checks: references, medical, child protection …….. 15 Overseas applications to the UK (work permit issues), International posts. 16 Expenses ………………………………………………………………………………………… 7 Induction …………………………………………………………………………………………. 17 Situations outside the normal R&S framework……………………………………… 17 Short term emergency appointments ………………………………………………….. 18 Monitoring and record keeping …………………………………………………………… 18 Policy implementation …………………………………………………………………………. 8 Further reading and resources …………………………………………………………….. 19 Appendix 1 – Sample Recruitment and Selection Policy ………………………….. 20 Foreword by People In Aid The ability to attract and select the best people for the work that needs to be done is critical to the overall success of all organisations and no more so than in the International Non Governmental Sector (INGO). Recruitment and selection is governed by legal compliance frameworks in most locations that aim to protect against discrimination and unfair treatment.
But designing a high quality recruitment and selection process that meets the needs of the organisation involves more than simply legal compliance. It is about understanding the business needs and how the resourcing strategy can meet these. Then it is about being creative and innovative in order to present an attractive employment proposition to a broad yet relevant target market and develop assessment and selection techniques that will maximise opportunities for success in finding the best fit between new recruit, their job and their working environment in the short and longer term.
People In Aid Introduction to the Policy Guides Since its inception, People In Aid has been bringing together agencies working in the aid and development sector, to enhance the impact they make through better management and support of staff and volunteers. This document is part of a People In Aid initiative, the ‘Policy Guidelines’, whereby agencies share their knowledge and experience of a particular issue in order to increase the quality of people management generally within the sector. It forms part of a bank of reference material on a range of people management themes.
The material is categorised in three levels: • • • Resource Sheets – one or two pages of references and sources of information Information Notes – slightly more detailed overview of a specific area of interest Policy Guidelines – more detailed documents offering guidelines on policy development For those agencies which have no established policy we hope this document both prompts and assists you. For those agencies which already have a policy, perhaps the document will encourage a re-think in one or two areas, or a complete revision.
The following notes are not intended to give you an ‘off the shelf’ policy which you can immediately use within your own organisation. They do, however, offer you the thinking and experiences of other agencies in our sector and prompt you to assess how your own organisation, with its unique mission, values and resources, can best respond to your organisational and staff needs in this important policy area. The People In Aid Code of Good Practice suggests that human resource policies benefit the organisation most when staff have been involved in their creation and are briefed on their use.
In addition, effective policies require managers to implement them and monitor their effects. We hope to be continually updating our policy guide documents. This relies on new knowledge and experience being relayed to us by you. Please e-mail us on info@peopleinaid. org with your contributions and comments. People In Aid Policy Guides – Recruitment and Selection – 2008 Page 3 of 24 Acknowledgements This document has benefited from the policies, suggestions or thinking of Christian Aid, Health Unlimited, MAF, Oxfam Australia, Plan International and Save the Children UK.
People In Aid would like to thank them for their input. Purpose of this guide This guide offers guidelines to those responsible for developing a recruitment and selection policy. It aims to provide a brief introduction to the subject and suggestions based on recognised good practice and the experience of organisations within the INGO community. The guide examines the various elements that might be included in a recruitment and selection framework and some of the questions that an organisation may wish to address as they develop their approach.
We do not aim to replace specific legal advice and all HR practitioners and managers involved in recruitment and selection are strongly advised to make sure they are aware of the legal frameworks within which they are working that relate to discrimination and the need for fair and equal treatment of candidates, asylum and immigration rules, data protection, employing persons with criminal records and anyone who will be working with children or vulnerable adults.
From : CIPD Recruitment factsheet, 2007
People In Aid Policy Guides – Recruitment and Selection – 2008 Page 5 of 24 Recruitment Authority to recruit Recruiting a new member of staff represents a major investment for an organisation. Nothing should happen in a recruitment process therefore, unless and until the appropriate authority to recruit is given. This usually involves the budget holder or suitably placed senior manager checking that a vacancy in the establishment does actually exist and that there are finances available to fill it, then authorising the recruitment to proceed.
Most organisations use a staff requisition request or similar form to request and grant authorisation to recruit. Levels of authorisation may vary depending on: • the size and nature of the organisation • the nature of the contract – long term or permanent contract or short term or emergency fixed term contract, or consultancy agreement • seniority of the post • location of the vacancy • whether the vacancy is a new job or replacing a leaver Question to consider when developing your approach: • What governance and authorisation process do we wish to put in place to authorise recruitment?
In some organisations the directors may be required to sign-off on recruitment spending, however, in larger or more geographically dispersed organisations this could slow down the process so a lower level of a sign-off may be more appropriate for some or all recruitments. Role/job analysis Role/job analysis is the process of figuring out what needs to be done and what skills, experience and competencies are required to do it.
It is more than simply drawing up a list of tasks or responsibilities, it is a critical stage in the recruitment processes where the purpose of the role and how it will contribute to the bigger picture in the organisation is determined and validated. Just because “we’ve always had someone doing this…” does not necessarily mean that we always will need to have someone doing it. Questions to consider when developing your approach: • What needs to be done?
– Recruitment and Selection – 2008 Page 21 of 24 accountabilities of the role, the essential and desirable skills and experience and the critical behaviours with reference to the Relief Aid competencies framework. For new jobs the grade should be agreed in collaboration with your HR support person in line with the Relief Aid job evaluation policy – see separate policy. 9. Advertising All vacancies must be advertised internally in compliance with Relief Aid’s equal opportunities policy. A decision will be made by the recruiting manager in consultation with their HR business partner whether to advertise externally at the same time.
In some instances, such as restructuring where staff are at risk of redundancy, it may be appropriate to restrict recruitment to internal candidates in the first instance. Equally, where there is a strong internal field of candidates or where the creation of internal development opportunities is desirable recruitment may be restricted. In all other instances vacancies will be advertised externally using one or more of the following methods: • Relief Aid website vacancy pages • External websites which are appropriate to the vacancy e. g. INGO specific sites, general website, charity sector websites. • Trade press • National press • Job centres • Via professional networks For external media such as national and trade press and for senior appointments our recruitment advertising agency
