Hidden barriers | The hard truth of social mobility and workplace belonging

Steve Collinson, Chief HR and Sustainability Officer at Zurich UK, spoke extensively to HR Grapevine about what the data tells us, Zurich’s own approach to social mobility, and the responsibility employers have to: challenge outdated assumptions, broaden access to opportunity, and ensure people are judged by their skills and ambition, not their background. 

Why do you feel there is such a disparity in current hiring practices between awareness of inequality, and the desire/action to rectify it? 

"While awareness of inequality in hiring has grown significantly and great work has been done in this space, translating that awareness into consistent action can be challenging because hiring decisions ultimately come down to individuals. Organisations can put robust processes, guidance and training in place, but real progress depends on helping managers to actively engage with resources, recognise any bias they may hold and use tools available to make fair and objective decisions.  

Closing the gap between intent and impact requires ongoing willingness to challenge assumptions and be self-aware throughout the hiring process. It’s critical too to think about where organisations look to source candidates – as doing what we’ve always done is likely to get us what we’ve always got."

Your data shows 24% refused an interview because of the travel cost, and 11% do not have a computer. In a fundamentally digital age, what changes can/should be made to diminish these barriers? 

"Employers need to consider whether their recruitment processes are genuinely accessible or if they may unintentionally exclude talented individuals from less advantaged backgrounds.