Working with Sinéad and Tilting the Lens enabled publicjobs, the central recruiter for the civil and public sector in Ireland, to adopt a co-design approach, challenging our thinking and our delivery of accessible recruitment. In a short space of time, Sinéad helped us to reframe the narrative around disability, and to deliver an action plan for sustainable change, promoting a more equitable recruitment experience for our candidates.
Unlocking recruitment potential with publicjobs
Enhancing public sector employment for disabled talent in Ireland
Client
Public Jobs
Date
December 2024
Sectors
- Public Services
Project Team
- Sinéad Burke
- Orla McCann
- Rowena Neville (Blue Line Consulting)
Project overview
Tilting the Lens, in collaboration with Blue Line Consulting, was commissioned to co-design a blueprint aimed at transforming the State recruitment agency, publicjobs approach to supporting disabled employees at the assignment and onboarding stages. The project was funded by the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery, and Reform’s (DPENDR) Public Service Innovation Fund.
The challenge
Publicjobs serves as the central recruitment agency for the civil and public sector in Ireland, and they are responsible for helping ensure that the sector’s workforce reflects the diversity and inclusivity of Irish society.
In line with the Irish government’s Public Service Transformation Strategy and publicjobs’ own Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I) strategy, publicjobs recognised the urgent need to improve the recruitment, assignment, and onboarding processes for disabled candidates.
Statistics show that only 2.8% of applicants identify as disabled, and there is a significant employment gap between disabled and non-disabled individuals. Publicjobs set out to develop a comprehensive framework to enhance accessibility and support for disabled candidates during both the job placement and onboarding stages of the recruitment process.
The goals of the project were laid out as such:
Improve candidate and client experience
Use co-design and collaborative thinking and methodologies to address systemic barriers and support the unique needs of disabled people who are entering the public sector or being promoted to new roles, and who require reasonable accommodations.
Support public sector diversity goals
Contribute to the Irish government’s target of achieving a minimum of 6% disabled employment in the civil and public sectors by 2025.
Foster a culture of inclusion
Empower public sector recruiters, hiring managers, HR teams, and other stakeholders with the knowledge and tools necessary to support disabled candidates and employees effectively.
The approach
The project adopted a co-design and collaborative methodology, involving over 100 stakeholders, including disabled employees, HR managers, Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs), public sector recruitment experts, disabled people working in the private sector, and representatives from Disabled Persons Representative Organisations (DPROs).
The process included the following:
- Stakeholder engagement: Iterative group sessions, ideation workshops, and validation sessions ensured that the voices of disabled employees were central to the project.
- Knowledge transfer: A series of Town Hall events and accessible resources were developed to build disability awareness and allyship across the public service.
- Research and data analysis: Comprehensive research, data and benchmark information from publicjobs over the last number of years was analysed to understand current challenges and identify areas for improvement.
The particular challenges identified were:
- Inconsistent support across departments: There was a lack of a standardised approach to providing reasonable accommodations (RA), leading to poor onboarding experiences and low career expectations among disabled employees.
- Non-disclosure of disability: Many disabled employees were reluctant to disclose their disabilities due to fear of stigma, resulting in missed opportunities for appropriate support to advance their careers.
- Systemic barriers: The rigid application of the order of merit system in the recruitment process and lack of accessible information about job roles and office environments can sometimes mean disabled candidates are placed in positions which may be less suitable for those candidates.
Outcome and impact
A comprehensive report and blueprint developed by Tilting the Lens and Blue Line Consulting has set the stage for a transformative change in how disabled candidates are supported coming into and progressing within the Irish public sector.
Recommendations are listed under the pillars of People and Culture, Process and Systems, and Governance and Policy. They provide a roadmap for publicjobs, other public bodies, and the public sector as a whole, to create more inclusive and accessible recruitment processes and working environments, driving progress towards the government’s diversity and inclusion goals. The blueprint recommendations are being implemented by publicjobs, DPENDR, and by organisations across the civil service and public service.
Through this project, Tilting the Lens successfully delivered a comprehensive framework that not only addresses the immediate needs of disabled candidates in the public sector but also lays the groundwork for long-term cultural and systemic change. The collaboration has highlighted the importance of co-design and continuous dialogue with those most impacted, ensuring that the public sector can harness the full potential of an untapped resource – disabled employees.
