This is a guest blog from Kate Headley, Chair of Judging Panel at the Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative Awards (RIDI) & Director of Consulting at the Clear Company

With less than a week to go before the winners of this year’s Recruitment Industry Disability Initiative (RIDI) Awards are announced, I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate all the organisations that have been shortlisted.  

I think I speak for the entire panel when I say that, when reviewing entries on judging day, we were completely overwhelmed and incredibly impressed with the volume and quality of submissions. 

Entries across all categories have increased by 44 per cent year-on-year, with entries received from not only large multi-nationals, but also smaller companies, public sector organisations and not-for-profit groups.

This diversity in organisations getting involved is indicative of a shifting tide in attitudes towards disability across the employment spectrum, which is having an immediate and tangible effect on the experience for disabled candidates.  

With increasing support available, it is clear that workplace culture is changing. We are seeing the formation of effective partnerships that not only give organisations access to a more diverse talent pool, but also make a powerful difference at a personal level.

Reform lies in the power of collaboration, and although it feels daunting, the reality is that it is often simple changes in recruitment process and practice that make the most difference. This year’s awards showcase the power of small steps – and this should encourage people still nervous of the agenda to get involved. 

Once you’ve made the case for change – whether that be a need to widen your existing talent pool, become more reflective of your client base, or simply be ahead of the curve – go back to basics. Review each stage of the recruitment process – from job adverts to on-boarding – and strip it down. Make sure your recruiters are confident on disability, and then work in partnership with trusted and disability confident suppliers to seek out candidates. Finally, make reasonable adjustments. Be sure of what changes you should make, when these will need to be put in place, and how they will be funded. The Government’s Access to Work fund may be able to help employers cover costs of adjustments that remove barriers in recruitment and at work.

This year’s winners demonstrate real progress in removing barriers in even the most high-pressure recruitment environments, and their case studies show that they’re succeeding in becoming disability confident. I look forward to sharing the winning entries with you.