Inclusive hiring sounds simple until you sit down and examine how your company actually hires people.

You may have a diversity statement on your careers page, use inclusive language in job advertisements and genuinely want to give every qualified applicant a fair chance. Yet candidates can still encounter barriers long before a hiring manager makes a final decision.

A job description may contain unnecessary requirements. An application form may be difficult to complete with assistive technology. An applicant tracking system may filter out qualified candidates before a human sees their application. An interview may reward confidence and familiarity with corporate culture rather than the skills required for the job. Even something as ordinary as an informal conversation between interviewers can introduce bias into the final decision.

That is why inclusive hiring is not simply about finding more diverse candidates.

It is about designing a recruitment process that gives qualified people a fair opportunity to demonstrate what they can do.

Canada’s Accessibility Standards, for example, recommend accessible recruitment processes, accurate job requirements, accessible application materials, clear accommodation procedures and objective interview scoring.

CIPD similarly recommends redesigning recruitment processes to reduce the influence of bias rather than relying only on awareness training. Its guidance highlights structured interviews, skills-based assessments, clear requirements, accessible scheduling and consistent evaluation as practical measures employers can implement.

So if your organization wants to make inclusive hiring more than a statement on a website, start with the process itself.

Here are 10 changes worth making—and acting on—now.

1. Rewrite Job Descriptions Around Essential Skills, Not an Ideal Candidate

One of the easiest places to introduce unnecessary barriers is the job description.

Hiring managers sometimes write advertisements describing the person they imagine succeeding in the role rather than the actual requirements of the job.

You may see phrases such as:

• “young and energetic”
• “native English speaker”
• “digital native”
• “perfect cultural fit”
• “must have excellent communication skills”
• “must be available at all times”
• “must have a university degree”
• “must have 10 years of experience”

Some of these requirements may be legitimate in particular circumstances. Others may simply have been copied from an old job description without anyone asking whether they are still necessary.

That distinction matters.

Start with the job, not the candidate

Before publishing a vacancy, separate requirements into three categories:

Essential: The person genuinely needs this capability to perform the job.

Useful: It would help the employee but can be learned after hiring.

Unnecessary: It has little meaningful connection to successful performance.

Only the first category should normally drive hard screening criteria.

Canada’s Accessibility Standards recommend that job postings list accurate requirements and focus on essential functions, while encouraging applicants with different abilities or alternative relevant expertise and experience.

CIPD also recommends describing requirements in terms of specific, observable behaviours and competencies rather than vague character traits.

Instead of this:

“We are looking for a natural-born leader with exceptional communication skills.”

Try:

“You will lead weekly project meetings, communicate project risks to senior stakeholders and provide written updates to cross-functional teams.”

The second version tells candidates what they will actually do.

It also gives the hiring team something concrete to evaluate.

What to change

Review every requirement and ask:

“If a candidate does not have this, can they still perform the essential functions of the job?”

If the answer is yes, consider removing it from the mandatory requirements.

2. Make Your Application Process Accessible Before You Advertise the Job

An inclusive job advertisement is not enough if the application process itself creates barriers.

Imagine a qualified candidate who can perform the job but struggles with:

• inaccessible PDF forms
• poorly labelled application fields
• complicated online assessments
• screen-reader incompatibility
• excessive time limits
• unclear instructions
• unnecessarily long application forms
• video-only application requirements
• technology that does not work with assistive devices

That candidate may never reach the interview stage.

Canada’s Accessibility Standards recommend accessible recruitment materials and application processes, including plain language, alternate formats, clearly identified mandatory fields and ways for applicants to request support.

Make accessibility part of recruitment design

Before publishing a position, test the application process.

Ask:

• Can someone using a screen reader complete it?
• Are form fields clearly labelled?
• Is the language straightforward?
• Are applicants told which fields are mandatory?
• Can candidates request accommodation?
• Are assessments compatible with accessibility needs?
• Is there an alternative format where appropriate?

Don’t wait until a candidate complains.

Build accessibility into the process from the beginning.

Add a clear accommodation statement

Your job advertisement should tell candidates how to request reasonable adjustments or accommodations during recruitment.

The message does not need to be complicated.

Something as straightforward as:

“If you require an accommodation during the recruitment process, please contact [recruitment contact].”

can make the process more transparent.

3. Stop Using “Culture Fit” as a Shortcut for Hiring Decisions

“Culture fit” sounds harmless.

It can also become one of the least objective phrases in recruitment.

The problem is that hiring managers may unconsciously interpret culture fit as:

“Would I enjoy working with this person?”

That is not necessarily the same as:

“Can this person successfully perform this job?”

A candidate who went to a similar university, worked in similar companies, speaks in the same way or shares the interviewer’s hobbies may feel like a better fit.

But those similarities may have nothing to do with job performance.

Replace culture fit with job-related behaviours

Instead of asking:

“Would this person fit into our culture?”

Ask:

• Can they collaborate effectively?
• Can they handle disagreement professionally?
• Can they communicate with the people this role serves?
• Can they solve the problems the job requires?
• Can they demonstrate the behaviours associated with your workplace values?

For example, if teamwork matters, test teamwork.

If problem-solving matters, test problem-solving.

If customer communication matters, assess customer communication.

That is much stronger than trying to determine whether someone “feels like us.”

A useful rule

Don’t hire people because they resemble your existing team. Hire people who can contribute effectively to the team.

4. Replace Unstructured Interviews With Structured Interviews

This may be one of the most valuable changes an employer can make.

An unstructured interview often looks like this:

“Tell me about yourself.”

Then:

“Interesting. I see you worked at Company X. How did you like it?”

Then the interviewer starts a conversation based on whatever interests them.

The problem is that candidates may receive completely different questions.

That makes comparisons difficult.

Structured interviews work differently.

Candidates receive a predefined set of questions, and responses are evaluated against predetermined criteria.

CIPD identifies structured interviews as an effective way to reduce bias and create a more level playing field because candidates can be compared against consistent criteria.

A practical structured interview

Suppose you are hiring a customer-support specialist.

Instead of asking candidates whatever comes to mind, prepare five core questions.

For example:

1. Tell us about a time you handled an angry customer.
2. How did you identify the customer’s actual problem?
3. Describe a situation where you had to explain something complicated simply.
4. Tell us about a mistake you made at work and how you handled it.
5. What would you do if three customers reported urgent problems at the same time?

Then establish scoring criteria before interviewing.

For example:

1 — Poor: Doesn’t demonstrate the required behaviour.

3 — Acceptable: Demonstrates the behaviour with some evidence.

5 — Strong: Provides a clear, relevant example and explains the reasoning and outcome.

The exact scale can vary.

The important thing is consistency.

5. Assess Skills Instead of Relying Too Heavily on Degrees and Previous Job Titles

A candidate’s previous job title does not always tell you what they can actually do.

Neither does a degree by itself.

This is particularly important when hiring people who may have taken non-traditional career paths.

You might have candidates who are:

• career changers
• immigrants
• returning to work
• self-taught professionals
• workers with non-traditional education
• people with career gaps
• people who developed skills outside formal employment
• candidates with international experience
• people whose previous job titles don’t match your organization’s terminology

A skills-based assessment can give those candidates another way to demonstrate capability.

CIPD recommends using realistic skills-based assessments, such as work samples, simulations and situational exercises, while cautioning that these assessments must themselves be designed carefully to avoid creating new disparities.

Example

Instead of asking a marketing candidate:

“Do you have five years of experience managing campaigns?”

Give them a short realistic exercise:

“Here is a fictional product and target audience. Explain how you would plan a four-week campaign.”

Now you can evaluate:

• strategic thinking
• audience understanding
• communication
• creativity
• measurement
• prioritization

The exercise is directly connected to the work.

Keep assessments proportionate

A major assessment can itself become a barrier.

Don’t ask candidates to complete six hours of unpaid work simply to prove they can perform a role.

The assessment should be:

• relevant
• reasonable
• accessible
• clearly explained
• proportionate to the position

6. Train Hiring Managers to Recognize Bias—and Give Them Better Tools

Bias training alone will not fix an inconsistent hiring system.

People can understand that bias exists and still make biased decisions.

That is why training should be connected to practical hiring tools.

CIPD specifically notes that awareness of bias is not enough by itself and recommends redesigning recruitment processes to reduce the influence of bias.

Train managers on practical behaviours

Hiring managers should understand:

• how to use structured interview questions
• how to score candidates consistently
• how to distinguish evidence from impressions
• how to avoid irrelevant questions
• how to evaluate transferable skills
• how to conduct accessible interviews
• how to handle accommodation requests
• how to avoid making decisions based on similarity or “gut feeling”

Teach managers to recognize common shortcuts

For example:

“They don’t seem confident.”

Ask:

What evidence shows they cannot perform the role?

“I’m not sure they’ll fit our team.”

Ask:

Which job-related behaviour are you evaluating?

“Their background is unusual.”

Ask:

Which essential requirement does their background fail to demonstrate?

“I just had a good feeling about the other candidate.”

Ask:

What evidence produced that conclusion?

That shift—from instinct to evidence—can make hiring decisions much more defensible.

7. Make Interview Scheduling Flexible and Give Candidates Clear Expectations

An inclusive hiring process should not unnecessarily penalize candidates for having different circumstances.

Candidates may have:

• caregiving responsibilities
• disabilities
• religious commitments
• different time-zone constraints
• transportation limitations
• medical appointments
• current employment
• unreliable internet access
• other responsibilities

CIPD recommends making interviews easy, accessible and flexible, including offering different dates or times and reasonable adjustments where required.

Don’t create unnecessary obstacles

Instead of:

“You must attend an interview tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.”

consider providing a reasonable range of options.

Also tell candidates what to expect.

For example:

Interview format: 45-minute video interview
Interviewers: Hiring manager and team lead
Questions: Five structured competency questions
Additional assessment: 20-minute work sample
Decision timeline: Within seven business days

That information reduces uncertainty.

It also makes the process feel more professional.

For remote recruitment

Make sure candidates know:

• which platform will be used
• whether cameras are required
• whether the interview will be recorded
• how long the interview will take
• whether an assessment is involved
• whether accommodations are available

Don’t make candidates guess.

8. Review Your AI and Applicant Tracking Systems Instead of Assuming They Are Neutral

Many companies now use technology to help manage recruitment.

That can improve efficiency.

It can also introduce new problems.

An applicant tracking system may filter resumes based on keywords. An automated assessment may rank candidates. An AI tool may summarize applications or recommend candidates.

The important question is not:

“Are we using AI?”

It is:

“What is the system actually doing to candidates?”

Canada’s Accessibility Standards specifically address AI and applicant-tracking systems, recommending transparency about AI use, accessible assessment tools and steps to mitigate bias, including when third-party tools are involved.

Audit your recruitment technology

Ask your HR and technology teams:

• What information does the system use?
• What candidates does it filter out?
• What criteria does it prioritize?
• Can candidates request accommodation?
• Is the system accessible?
• Can candidates understand how they are being evaluated?
• Is the vendor monitoring for discriminatory outcomes?
• Does the tool disadvantage candidates with non-traditional career histories?
• Are human recruiters reviewing rejected candidates where appropriate?

Don’t outsource responsibility

If an AI vendor says:

“Our system is unbiased.”

That should not end the conversation.

Your organization remains responsible for how the recruitment process affects applicants.

Technology should support good hiring decisions—not become an excuse for unexplained decisions.

9. Make the Final Hiring Decision Based on Evidence, Not the Loudest Interviewer

Imagine four interviewers evaluate a candidate.

Three give the candidate a score of 4 out of 5.

The most senior interviewer says:

“I don’t think they’re right for the role.”

Suddenly everyone starts reconsidering.

This is why the order of decision-making matters.

CIPD recommends that interviewers score candidates independently before discussing candidates as a group, reducing the risk that one person’s opinion influences everyone else’s evaluation.

Try this process

After the interview:

1. Each interviewer scores independently.
2. Each interviewer records evidence.
3. The panel compares scores.
4. Differences are discussed.
5. The team returns to the predetermined criteria.
6. The final decision is documented.

This is much stronger than:

“What did everyone think?”

The latter invites personality, seniority and first impressions to dominate.

Separate evidence from preference

Instead of:

“I liked Sarah more.”

Ask:

“What evidence did Sarah provide that demonstrates the required competency?”

That one change can improve the quality of hiring discussions.

10. Measure Whether Your Inclusive Hiring Strategy Is Actually Working

This is where many organizations stop too early.

They change the job description.

They add a diversity statement.

They conduct training.

Then they assume the problem is solved.

It isn’t.

If you want to know whether your hiring process is becoming more inclusive, measure what happens at each stage.

Look at the recruitment funnel

Track:

Applicants → Screened → Interviewed → Finalists → Offers → Hires → Retention

Then look for patterns.

For example:

• Are certain groups applying but rarely reaching interviews?
• Are they reaching interviews but rarely receiving offers?
• Are certain candidates disproportionately screened out?
• Are accommodation requests associated with negative outcomes?
• Are certain assessment methods producing different results?
• Are candidates abandoning the application process?

You should handle demographic and sensitive information carefully, lawfully and ethically. The purpose is to identify systemic barriers—not to expose individual applicants.

Measure candidate experience too

Numbers don’t tell the whole story.

Ask candidates:

• Was the application easy to understand?
• Did you know what to expect?
• Were interview instructions clear?
• Did you know how to request accommodation?
• Did you feel you were evaluated fairly?
• Did the process allow you to demonstrate your skills?
• What would you change?

CIPD recommends collecting candidate feedback and using it to identify inclusion problems that may not be obvious internally.

Sometimes the best evidence of an exclusionary process comes from the people who just experienced it.

What Inclusive Hiring Should Look Like From the Candidate’s Perspective

A useful way to test your recruitment process is to stop looking at it as an employer.

Look at it as an applicant.

Imagine you have never worked for your company before.

Can you understand:

• what the job actually involves?
• which requirements are essential?
• how to apply?
• how long the application will take?
• what happens after applying?
• what the interview will involve?
• how candidates are assessed?
• how to request accommodation?
• when a decision will be made?
• who to contact with questions?

If the answer to several of these is no, your process probably needs work.

Inclusive hiring should not feel like a secret test where candidates have to figure out the rules.

Inclusive Hiring Does Not Mean Lowering Standards

This is an important misconception.

Inclusive hiring does not mean hiring someone who cannot perform the job.

It means improving the process used to determine who can perform it.

There is a meaningful difference.

Lowering standards

“Let’s hire this person even though they don’t meet the essential requirements.”

Removing unnecessary barriers

“Do we actually need this requirement to perform the job?”

Lowering standards

“Let’s ignore the assessment.”

Removing unnecessary barriers

“Can we assess the actual skill in a more job-relevant and accessible way?”

Lowering standards

“Let’s give someone an unfair advantage.”

Removing unnecessary barriers

“Let’s give all candidates a consistent opportunity to demonstrate the required skills.”

The objective is not to make hiring less rigorous.

It is to make the rigor more relevant.

Common Inclusive Hiring Mistakes to Avoid

Even well-intentioned organizations can make mistakes.

Mistake 1: Treating diversity as a numbers exercise

A diverse applicant pool does not automatically mean an inclusive hiring process.

Look at where candidates are being lost.

Mistake 2: Relying on bias training alone

Training is useful, but recruitment systems need structural improvements too.

Mistake 3: Using vague requirements

Words like “dynamic,” “energetic” and “culture fit” can be difficult to evaluate objectively.

Mistake 4: Overloading the application

Long application processes can discourage qualified candidates before they ever reach an interview.

Mistake 5: Assuming technology is neutral

Automated systems can reproduce or amplify problems in the data, criteria or process they use.

Mistake 6: Making accommodation complicated

Candidates should not have to fight the recruitment system to obtain reasonable support.

Mistake 7: Letting one interviewer dominate

A senior person’s opinion should not automatically override evidence from the structured process.

Mistake 8: Ignoring candidates after interviews

Poor communication damages the candidate experience and can undermine trust in the employer.

Mistake 9: Copying old job descriptions

A requirement that appeared in last year’s vacancy may no longer be necessary.

Mistake 10: Declaring success too early

An inclusive hiring strategy should be reviewed continuously.

A Practical Inclusive Hiring Checklist for Employers

Before publishing your next vacancy, ask:

Job advertisement

• Are essential requirements clearly identified?

• Have unnecessary requirements been removed?

• Are requirements described in job-related terms?

• Is the language clear and understandable?

• Is the job title inclusive?

• Is accommodation information available?

Application

• Is the application accessible?

• Are mandatory fields clearly identified?

• Can candidates request support?

• Are alternative formats available where appropriate?

• Are assessments relevant to the job?

Interview

• Are questions prepared in advance?

• Are candidates assessed against consistent criteria?

• Are interviewers trained?

• Can candidates request reasonable adjustments?

• Are interviewers recording evidence rather than impressions?

Selection

• Are interviewers scoring independently?

• Is the final decision tied to job requirements?

• Are decisions documented?

• Are irrelevant personal characteristics excluded from the decision?

Technology

• Have ATS and AI tools been reviewed for accessibility?

• Do you understand how automated screening works?

• Are candidates told when AI is used where appropriate?

• Are there safeguards against discriminatory outcomes?

After hiring

• Is onboarding accessible?

• Are new employees told how to request adjustments?

• Are candidates given appropriate feedback?

• Is recruitment data reviewed for patterns and disparities?

A 30-Day Plan to Improve Your Inclusive Hiring Practices

You don’t need to redesign your entire recruitment department overnight.

Start with one hiring cycle.

Week 1: Audit

Choose one recent vacancy and examine the complete process.

Review:

• job description
• application
• screening
• assessments
• interviews
• scoring
• final decision
• candidate communication

Identify where unnecessary barriers appeared.

Week 2: Redesign

Rewrite the job advertisement.

Remove unnecessary requirements.

Create structured interview questions.

Create a scoring rubric.

Review accessibility.

Week 3: Train

Brief everyone involved in the hiring process.

Explain:

• the interview structure
• scoring criteria
• acceptable questions
• accommodation procedures
• how to record evidence
• how to avoid irrelevant personal judgments

Week 4: Measure

After the hiring round, review:

• applicant numbers
• screening outcomes
• interview outcomes
• offer outcomes
• candidate feedback
• accommodation requests
• time-to-hire
• candidate drop-off

Then decide what needs to change in the next hiring cycle.

This turns inclusive hiring from a one-time HR initiative into an operating process.

The Bigger Goal: Build a Hiring System That Does Not Depend on Perfect Humans

Hiring managers will always be human.

They will have preferences, experiences and unconscious assumptions.

You cannot simply tell people:

“Don’t be biased.”

and expect the problem to disappear.

A stronger approach is to build a recruitment system that makes good decisions easier.

That means:

• clear job requirements
• accessible applications
• structured interviews
• relevant assessments
• consistent scoring
• trained interviewers
• transparent processes
• appropriate use of technology
• meaningful candidate feedback
• regular measurement

CIPD’s current guidance makes a similar point: because nobody is completely immune to bias, recruitment processes should be redesigned to reduce opportunities for bias rather than relying solely on awareness.

That is the real value of inclusive hiring.

It is not about making recruitment softer.

It is about making it clearer, fairer, more accessible and more closely connected to the work people are actually being hired to do.

Frequently Asked Questions About Inclusive Hiring Practices

What are inclusive hiring practices?

Inclusive hiring practices are recruitment methods designed to give qualified candidates a fair opportunity to apply, demonstrate their abilities and be evaluated against relevant job requirements. They can include accessible job advertisements, skills-based assessments, structured interviews, reasonable accommodations and consistent scoring.

Why is inclusive hiring important?

Inclusive hiring can help employers remove unnecessary barriers, reach a wider talent pool and make selection decisions more consistently. It can also improve the candidate experience and help employers identify qualified people who may be overlooked by traditional hiring practices.

What is the most important change to make in inclusive hiring?

There is no single change that works for every organization. However, moving from informal, subjective hiring toward clearly defined requirements, structured interviews and consistent evaluation is a strong starting point. Structured interviews are specifically recommended by CIPD as a way to reduce bias and improve comparability between candidates.

How can employers make job descriptions more inclusive?

Focus on essential skills, knowledge and outcomes rather than vague personality traits or unnecessary credentials. Use clear language and explain what the successful candidate will actually do. Canada’s Accessibility Standards also recommend accurate requirements and job postings that do not unnecessarily exclude people with disabilities.

Does inclusive hiring mean lowering employment standards?

No. The goal is to remove unnecessary barriers while maintaining the requirements genuinely needed to perform the job. A rigorous hiring process can be inclusive when candidates are assessed consistently against relevant job criteria.

How can interviews be made more inclusive?

Use structured questions, establish scoring criteria before interviews, ask candidates the same core questions and assess responses against job-related evidence. Provide clear information about the interview and allow candidates to request appropriate accommodations.

How can companies make AI hiring more inclusive?

Start by understanding how the AI or ATS evaluates candidates. Check whether the technology is accessible, review screening criteria for job relevance, monitor outcomes for potential bias and ensure appropriate human oversight. Canada’s Accessibility Standards specifically address transparency, accessibility and bias mitigation when AI is used in recruitment.

Should employers remove degree requirements?

Not automatically. A degree may be genuinely necessary for some regulated or specialized roles. But employers should question whether a degree is actually required for the specific position or whether the underlying skill can be demonstrated another way.

How do you measure whether inclusive hiring is working?

Track the recruitment funnel from application through hiring, examine where candidates are being screened out, review candidate feedback and assess whether particular recruitment methods create unexpected barriers. Use the information to improve the process rather than simply producing a diversity report.

What is the difference between diversity hiring and inclusive hiring?

Diversity hiring generally focuses on the composition of the workforce or applicant pool. Inclusive hiring focuses more directly on the recruitment process itself—whether people have a fair and accessible opportunity to enter and progress through that process.