Inclusive Recruitment Process > Job Design and Review

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Job Design and Review

Apply the Legal Framework[1-5]

  • It is illegal under employment law to discriminate against an applicant on the grounds of mental illness.
  • Employers have a responsibility to make reasonable accommodations for anyone with a disability, including a mental illness.
  • The exceptions are if there are legitimate safety concerns, or if accommodations are too difficult or disruptive to introduce.
  • Affirmative action (positive discrimination) is allowed under sections of the Human Rights Act and the New Zealand Bill of Rights Act.
Beware of Unconscious Bias[1, 5-7]
  • Reanalysing jobs helps to avoid assumptions and subtle stereotyping which indirectly exclude anyone.
  • Knowing what is essential and focusing on the outcomes allows flexibility to recruit based on talent.
  • Narrowing a definition of how a task should be done may exclude innovation and unexpected solutions.
  • Formal qualifications and previous work experience are not the only indicators of ability.

Demonstrate Inclusive Practice[1, 5-8]

  • Determine exactly what is needed through job analysis and description.
  • Determine what tasks and skills are essential to the job, and what are simply desirable.
  • Describe what needs to be done and the results required instead of how it needs to be done.
  • Be open to different methods of doing tasks.

Think about the mental and emotional elements required to perform the job, but don’t over-emphasise a certain personality type. For example, specify the need for “an effective networker” or a “team player” rather than an applicant who is “upbeat and sociable” or “friendly and outgoing”. [6]

References

  1. Equal Employment Opportunities Trust. Diversity Toolkits: Employing disabled people.  [cited 2014 October]; Available from: http://www.eeotrust.org.nz/toolkits/disability.cfm?cache=455701.
  2. Equal Employment Opportunities Trust, Employment legislation overview, Equal Employment Opportunities Trust, Editor.
  3. Gordon, S. and D. Peterson, What works: Positive experiences in open employment of mental health services users. 2014, Mental Health Foundation: Auckland, New Zealand.
  4. Working Women’s Resource Centre, One in Five: A Guide for Representing & Supporting Workers with Experience of Mental Illness. Working Women’s Resource Centre: New Zealand.
  5. Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. Workable: Recruiting new staff. 2013 2013; Available from: http://prod.dol.govt.nz/er/workable/recruiting/index.asp.
  6. Mind., Mental health in the workplace: an employers guide. 2010, Mind: London, England.
  7. Workbridge. Workbridge - Real jobs for people with disabilities. 2014; Available from: http://www.workbridge.co.nz/?page=1.
  8. Employers' Forum on Disability and Workbridge, Manager's guide: A best practice approach to working with disabled employees. 2007: Employers' Forum on Disability.

Job Design and Review

Review the job before you advertise. 

For the role think about: 

  • essential and preferred attributes
  • prioritising the knowledge and skills required
  • new possibilities of how the role could be performed
  • options of flexibility.

This iconis located in the top right-hand corner of the page. Click the icon to read more about Avoiding discrimination or bias in Job Design and Review.

Then answer the questions below.

 

 

     
  • 1:

    When is it legal to deny employment on the grounds of mental health problems?

    When the employer feels uncomfortable with the applicant.

    When an applicant refuses to discuss their mental health problems with the employer.

    When other employees object to an applicant with mental health problems.

    When there are legitimate safety concerns, or if accommodations would be too difficult or disruptive to introduce.
  • 2:

    When designing a job role, which statement is false?

    Job roles should specify the type of personality that will be the best “fit” with the business.
    The knowledge and skills required to perform the role should be prioritised.
    Employers should be aware that formal qualifications and previous work experience are not the only indicators of ability.
    Job roles should specify what tasks and skills are essential to the job, and what are simply desirable.
  • 3:Which of the following terms is a good inclusive term to use in describing a job role?
    An effective networker.
    Upbeat and sociable.
    Friendly and outgoing.
    Sunny disposition.
Mental Health Foundation
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