In response to an article on resistance to inclusive hiring policies, Ed Sketch, former director of HR for Ford's European sales division in the 1980s, shares a successful approach. He noted that graduate hiring in the UK was overwhelmingly white males and the selection process was unsatisfactory.
Improving Selection Processes
Instead of launching a diversity initiative, Sketch's team focused on enhancing the selection process, assuming talent is evenly distributed by gender and race. They interviewed successful hires to understand job requirements and performance, then devised a selection process to identify such abilities in future candidates.
Key Changes Implemented
- Redesigned application forms to target specific educational backgrounds and achievements.
- Introduced verbal and numeric reasoning tests mirroring actual job tasks.
- Restructured interviews and added group exercises based on typical job challenges.
- Retrained all line managers involved in selection.
The new approach yielded immediate results: the hiring profile matched the application rate. While female applicants were plentiful, ethnic minority representation was initially low, which was later addressed.
Line managers were amazed at the quality of candidates produced by the improved, objective, and job-related tests. Sketch suggests that professional HR managers could benefit from following this method.
Ed Sketch is former director of education, training, and development at Ford Motor Company.
