Recruitment of high performing staff in banking and sciences

The Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission (www.gov.uk/smcpc) is inviting proposals for qualitative research into the drivers of recruitment selection decisions in major banking and life sciences organisations. This research forms part of the Social Mobility & Child Poverty Commission’s role as an advocate for social mobility in the UK.

In early 2015 the Commission published ‘Non educational barriers to the elite professions’ which focused on hiring practices in the Law and Professional Services. This led to significant media and public interest and subsequent action by firms to broaden the pool of potential candidates.

As with the previous project, the aim is to understand better the ‘black box’ behind candidate selection and decisions around progression within the firm and how this helps –or hinders – social mobility. It should identify how firms think their recruitment processes ensure they get the highest performing staff, and the extent to which firms ensure this is what their recruitment process delivers.

It should identify how practices have changed over time and the potential barriers to changes in business practices to promote fair access. Evidence should be gathered via qualitative methods, primarily interviews with key human resources and management personnel.

Interviews would be expected to cover areas such as: the organisation’s recruitment approach and attitude towards social mobility within broader diversity considerations, organisational dynamics, client needs and perceptions of client needs, HR processes and the process of training recruiters. Quantitative analysis to support this would be welcome, for example data in relation to recruitment that firms can make available.

We would be keen to explore whether organisations have developed a business case to support social mobility activity or understand what drives businesses to promote social mobility friendly activities. The Commission seeks original, ambitious and robust proposals.

Bids will be judged primarily on the proposed approach, expertise of team and value for money. The Commission seeks original, ambitious and robust proposals. Bids will be judged primarily on the proposed approach, expertise of team and value for money.