1. Getting the culture right
Run an annual ex-offender perceptions survey
Running an annual ex-offender perceptions survey can benefit employers who want to consistently, safely and fairly recruit people with convictions. The survey can provide valuable insights into the experiences of ex-offenders when it comes to finding employment, which can help employers improve their recruitment processes and policies to better support this group of job seekers. This action can demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion, and help employers attract a wider pool of talent.
What does success look like?
A better understanding of how ex-offenders view your company's recruitment process.
Identification of areas where the recruitment process can be improved for ex-offenders.
Demonstrating the company's commitment to creating a safe, fair, and inclusive recruitment process for ex-offenders and building a more inclusive workplace culture.
Increased trust and positive reputation amongst ex-offenders.
Attraction of a wider pool of qualified job candidates.
Potential positive media coverage and recognition as a socially responsible employer.
How would Offploy do it?
Set a clear purpose for the survey:Â Determine what insights you want to gain from the survey, such as the effectiveness of your recruitment process, the company's reputation amongst ex-offenders, and what steps can be taken to improve the hiring process for people with convictions.
Identify the target group:Â Decide on the specific group you want to survey, such as ex-offenders who have applied for jobs in your company, or those who have been successful in securing a role. You may even choose to survey all colleagues, after all, some may have past convictions that did not have to be disclosed to you.
Draft survey questions:Â Develop questions that align with the purpose of the survey and gather information about the specific areas you want to investigate.
Test the survey:Â Before launching the survey, test it with a small group of individuals to check for any issues with wording or design.
Launch the survey:Â Send out the survey to the target group. You could create it in Microsoft platforms like "Forms" and send a link or QR code to save on admin and postage. Provide clear instructions on how to complete the survey and a deadline for responses.
Collect responses:Â Once the survey has closed, collate the responses and analyse the data to identify trends and key insights.
Share the results: Â Share the survey results with the relevant stakeholders, such as the HR and CSR teams. Consider creating an action plan to address any areas for improvement identified in the survey.
Take action:Â Implement the necessary changes based on the survey findings to improve the hiring process for ex-offenders. Report your findings and any consequent actions to the company as a whole. If you want people to complete the survey it is good to let them know that their responses have influenced your decision making and policies.
Repeat annually:Â Regularly run the survey on an annual basis to monitor progress and continue to improve the recruitment process for ex-offenders.
Examples in Practice
Offploy has several examples of Ex-Offender Awareness Surveys that we have developed. If you would like our help with developing one tailored to your company we would be pleased to help!
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