"By streamlining the process and making it more accessible to all, it’s allowed us to be more diverse and inclusive."
- Michelle Ransome, Lead Talent Acquisition Manager at Zurich Insurance
Earlier this year, the Buckland Review on Autism Employment championed by GAIN (Group for Autism, Insurance & Neurodiversity) Honorary President, Rt Hon, Sir Robert Buckland KC KBE MP, set out a vision for radically improving the employment prospects of neurodivergent individuals across all industries.
Liselle Appleby, Marketing & Communications Lead at GAIN, said it’s hoped that these recommendations will help “fill vacancies, encourage more neuroinclusive workplace practices, and grow the economy with dramatic quantities of unlocked potential.”
READ MORE: The time is now for embracing diversity of thought
Yesterday, Zurich Insurance announced it had formally adopted this report as part of its recruitment policy, first reported by Business Biscuit. Zurich has removed group exercises from the early careers application process, allowing individual skills to take priority over performance in group scenarios – which some may find intimidating.
Upon request, reasonable adjustments are made for candidates, including detailing what to expect from the interview. Zurich believes these adjustments can help reduce pre-interview anxiety. The provider has also pledged to continue with its use of ‘blind CVs’ during the recruitment process to tackle recruitment bias. Notably, since introducing blind CVs and simplifying the recruitment process, Zurich says the proportion of candidates from ethnically diverse backgrounds has remained constant from application to interview stage.
“We’re proud to use blind CVs, which allow managers to hire based on candidates’ strengths and skills, removing unconscious bias and encouraging social mobility. We’ve seen a strong increase in applicants for both graduates and internships,” said Michelle Ransome, Lead Talent Acquisition Manager at Zurich Insurance.
