From Ads to Onboarding: Kinly’s Journey to an Inclusive Workplace

In the ever-evolving job market, Kinly is stepping up with a new hiring strategy that’s all about diversity and inclusivity.

There’s no denying that diversity and inclusion should be essential factors when it comes to the hiring process. Not only because a focus on D&I results in a pool of colleagues with different perspectives to foster innovation and change, but because every applicant —whether they get the job or not — should have the same positive experience going through the recruitment process. 

To ensure Kinly is achieving equality for all applicants, we are making some simple but necessary changes.  

A fresh look at job ads 

It all starts with the job ad. These ads are the first thing that people engage with — the first representation of Kinly and what we stand for — so we want to make every word count. This means going beyond simply sharing a job spec paired with an eye-catching layout, and instead analysing how the content of the job advert may be perceived by the applicant. 

For example, did you know research has shown that women are significantly less likely to apply for a job unless they hit 90-100 per cent of the listed criteria? 

To remove this barrier for female applicants, we now delete qualification, length of service, and any other unnecessary requirements from our adverts. Knowing that the perfect applicant might be put off by having three-years’ experience instead of five is important insight to have as we consciously address the gender gap in our industry. 

We’ve also introduced a gender decoding platform, which analyses our recruitment ads to catch anything we might have missed. Kinly is also sure to promote that we are an equal opportunity organisation, offering reasonable adjustments for candidates applying and considering the flexibility of a role before it gets to the job advert stage. 

When hiring managers have a vacancy requisition form, they now have a variety of options they’re asked to consider. Can this role be part time? Can it be a job share? what flexible hours can we offer? We’re all about creating roles that fit into real people’s lives, not expecting everyone to be in the office five days a week. This approach allows us to open the doors to candidates who need to balance work with personal commitments, like parents or caregivers. 

Rethinking how we recruit 

When it comes to where we look for those new candidates, Kinly is exploring new channels and diverse advertising spaces. We’re branching out and forming partnerships with universities and government initiatives, including schemes that support long-term unemployed people looking to get back into work. By advertising in these new spaces, we can reach those who may not have considered a career in AV.  

Social mobility is central to attracting diverse talent, applicants might not be trained in this specific field, but can bring valuable experiences and perspectives. By meeting people where they are, as opposed to them coming to us, we can provide prospects who are ready and willing to learn with the training and tools to become future Kinly tech professionals.  

Inclusive interviews 

Revamping the way we recruit from the ground up means taking care at every step, and offering the right training for hiring managers is an important piece of the puzzle. 

At Kinly, we are making it mandatory for those involved in the recruitment process to learn inclusive interviewing skills. This includes best practices, unconscious bias training and neurodiversity awareness. 

A supportive start and beyond 

From my perspective, the hiring process doesn’t end when someone has accepted the offer or even after they’ve logged on for their first day. When a new hire joins the Kinly community, the recruitment process continues as we strive to create a welcoming environment for them to settle in smoothly. 

As part of the transition from applicant to employee, hiring managers will be fully prepped to onboard their new team member and help them with anything they might require. From setting up accessible workspaces and accommodations for neurodiversity needs through to respecting personal pronouns, ensuring access to prayer rooms, and more — we will make sure that any need expressed in the recruitment process is addressed so that expectations are met from day one. It’s implementing new measures like these that make employee’s feel valued from the start.  

Continuously raising the bar 

Despite making great strides, we know that the journey towards full diversity and inclusivity is a marathon, not a sprint. 

Kinly is constantly working to ensure our strategies are as inclusive as possible. This forward-thinking approach not only meets our current standards but helps to set new ones for the industry at large. We are the change we want to see in AV.