Best Practice | Equitable Hiring and Selection Process in South Africa with PnS Group

This is just a snapshot of PnS' innovative best practice. You can find the entire practice in our HR Best Practices database, which is exclusively available to Top Employers. Get inspiration and insight into the approach, challenges and learnings experienced by certified Top Employers. Access it now via the Top Employers Programme if you are certified or learn more about it here!   

Why the practice was needed 

By hiring individuals with diverse backgrounds, PnS Group can better understand and meet the needs of its customers, clients, and stakeholders. Its value system and organisational mission statement emphasise fairness, social responsibility, and delivering a positive impact to all. Equitable hiring aligns with these values, fostering a culture of integrity, trust, and inclusivity. 

It is well established through research that diverse teams and organisations perform and deliver at a significantly higher level in all aspects of performance, including financial, operational, innovation, and social (both between employees and in community service), than those that are not diverse. The PnS Group believes equitable hiring practices are crucial to building and maintaining organisational diversity and supporting inclusion objectives. 

Their objectives are as follows: 

Promoting Fairness and Equal Opportunities: Equity in hiring ensures that all individuals, regardless of their background, have an equal opportunity to compete for job positions. It focuses on eliminating bias, discrimination, and unfair advantages, ensuring hiring decisions are based solely on merit and qualifications. 

Building a Positive Work Culture: A fair and equitable hiring process creates a positive work culture. Employees who believe they were selected based on their abilities and qualifications feel valued, engaged, and motivated. This, in turn, leads to increased productivity, employee satisfaction, and lower turnover rates. 

Enhancing Diversity and Inclusion: Equity in hiring is closely linked to fostering diversity and inclusion within the PnS Group. They can attract and retain diverse talents, perspectives, and experiences by removing barriers and biases. This diversity drives innovation, creativity, and better problem-solving within teams, ultimately leading to more successful and sustainable business. 

Reflecting their country’s population: Every workplace is a small-scale version of the society in which it is based. It is important to them that their organisation reflects the vibrancy of the diverse South African society at every level and across every function. 

How the practice was implemented: 

The PnS Group practice incorporates the following components: 

• Structured Hiring Process: They have established a structured hiring process that follows a standardised set of steps for all candidates. This helps to minimise bias and ensures that all applicants are evaluated consistently based on their qualifications and fit for the role. 
• Job Postings: They carefully craft job postings to attract diverse candidates. They use inclusive language and graphics and communicate their commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion. Job descriptions focus on essential job requirements, avoiding unnecessary or exclusionary criteria. 
• Diverse Interview Panels: They strive to have diverse interview panels representing different backgrounds and perspectives. This helps ensure that multiple viewpoints are considered during candidate evaluations and reduces the risk of unconscious bias. 
• Training and Awareness: PnS Group trains its hiring teams on unconscious bias, diversity, and inclusion. This training helps them recognise and address their biases, fostering a more equitable hiring process. PnS Group also encourages ongoing education and learning to stay informed about best practices in equitable hiring. 
• Partnerships and Outreach: PnS Group actively seeks partnerships with organisations focused on underrepresented talent. These collaborations help them expand their reach and source candidates from diverse backgrounds. PnS Group participates in career fairs, collaborates with diversity-focused organisations, and engages with communities to attract a broad range of qualified candidates. 
• Ongoing Review and Improvement: They believe ensuring equity in the hiring process is ongoing. PnS Group regularly reviews its practices, policies, and candidate feedback to identify areas where it can further enhance its approach. PnS Group actively seeks feedback and input from employees, candidates, and external experts to improve its hiring practices continuously. 

The key steps in their process include: 

• Job analysis 
• Job posting 
• Screening of applications 
• Structured interviews 
• Evaluation criteria 
• Panel interviews with people partner involvement 
• Candidate assessments 
• Decision-making and selection 
• Communication and feedback 

Results of the practice: 

PnS group saw an increase in representation from the following groups after implementing this practice: 

• Women in management and professional positions across the organisation. 
• People from previously disadvantaged groups in management and professional positions 
• People living with disabilities.