Key Elements of Successful Recruitment

Prohibited Grounds For Discrimination

Timeliness

In the previous section, we reviewed the importance of planning particularly with respect to providing enough lead-time to allow the process to work effectively. In the same sense, the recruitment function needs to be integrated with subsequent elements. Recruitment has to be timed such that candidates are available to go through selection, hiring and orientation without being rushed.

Planning allows you to complete selection, hiring and orientation without rushing and consequently hiring the wrong person.

Cost-effective

As will be outlined later in this section, there is a large number of techniques to recruit candidates stretching from walk-ins to job fairs and the use of professional recruiters. In the Introduction we talked about hiring as being the potential “million dollar decision.” With this knowledge in mind, it is important to review all of the various recruitment strategies available and decide on those that will produce the biggest “bang” for recruitment “buck.”

Potential Knowledge and Ability

Optimum Numbers - Sometimes More is Not Always Better.

The focus of the recruiting activities is to attract the “right” number of candidates. Too few in the candidate “pool” may result in the company being forced to select and hire candidates who do not meet all criteria. Too many candidates may act as a barrier to an effective selection process, putting too much of a strain on the company’s resources, or needlessly slowing the process.

The required “core” and “specialty” knowledge and abilities for bus operators are detailed in the National Occupational Standards. At the recruitment stage of the process we are trying to recruit candidates who either have, or have the potential to acquire, the knowledge and abilities described in the Standards. The existence of the National Occupational Standards is very beneficial for the development of advertising and recruitment activities because it allows for a more precise description of the job and improved “self-selection” by candidates.

National Occupational Standards offer a more precise description of the job and, therefore, enhance the matching of candidates. 

Human Rights Responsibilities

Although the recruitment process by its very nature invites screening/distinguishing between candidates’ skills and abilities for the purpose of selecting the best possible candidate, employers are forbidden to do so on the basis of various prohibited grounds of discrimination.6 Exhibit 6.1 is a profile of the prohibited grounds of discrimination for each of the provinces, the federal government and territories in Canada. It is important to note this legislation impacts the recruitment process in two ways:

a) Advertising Given that Human Rights Legislation in Canada is founded on the principle that the decision to offer employment to a particular candidate should only be based on the candidate’s ability to do the job rather than on factors that are unrelated to job requirements, qualifications or performance, job advertisements (including application forms) should not contain qualifications about any of the prohibited grounds of discrimination nor should advertising exclude any persons on the basis of a prohibited ground of discrimination.

Job advertisements should only highlight skills, competencies and other requirements that are reasonable, genuine and directly related to the safe performance of the job. The advertisement should be gender neutral. In other words, an invitation to apply for employment, an advertisement of opportunity, or an application for employment should not seek to classify or exclude potential applicants on the basis of any prohibited grounds of discrimination noted in Exhibit 6.1.

b) Recruitment Methods

The methods used to recruit and the reasons for granting or denying employment to a candidate must be free of discrimination on those grounds
noted in Exhibit 6.1.

Bona Fide Occupational Requirements

The easiest way to avoid a claim of discrimination is to base recruitment advertisements and job descriptions on the bona fide occupational requirements of the job and determine the minimal bona fide occupational qualifications the candidate needs to have to fulfill the requirements. These qualifications are best stated in terms of the knowledge, skills, abilities and other occupational requirements. These requirements, in the case of bus operators, are found in the National Occupational Standards and are described simply as knowledge and abilities - a term, consistently used throughout this Guide.

Workforce Diversity Commitments

Systemic Discrimination

Some methods of recruiting, by their very nature discriminate against certain groups in society. For example, using employee referrals can be tantamount to using an “old boys” network for hiring. Employees will tend to refer potential candidates who are in their social reference group which can be disproportionately made up of individuals from a certain race, creed, ethnic group, etc. That is why employee referrals, if used as a source, should be combined with other sources that will tap groups that are dissimilar to the current employee group.

The Canadian motor carrier passenger industry is committed to attract and retain candidates from all aspects and avenues of Canadian society and to equal opportunity of its employment applicants. The recruitment process and ultimate decision to hire a particular candidate is strictly based on a candidate’s skills and abilities to perform the duties of the job in a safe manner and for no other reasons.

Realizing these commitments allows the industry to reflect the community
it serves to address the needs of its customer base better. It is important to ensure diversity training is in place for the present workforce.

⁶ In the case of a bus driver, a question arises as to whether the candidate can be asked about his/her driving record, other than a record under the Criminal Code of Canada for which a candidate has not been pardoned. Notwithstanding the fact that a good driving record is a bona fide occupational qualification, questions about the driving record should not be asked on the application form but candidates should be notified when they are recruited they will be required to meet a certain standard of allowable driving infractions. The actual verification of this information is undertaken after a conditional offer of employment is made – see the section on Hiring for a further explanation.