Using ‘decision-making agreements’ within recruitment
Technique
Recruitment requires decisions to be made about what the role will entail; the capabilities to be demonstrated at the relevant job level, how and where to advertise, who to look for, how to shortlist, interview, select the right candidate and most importantly how to involve the relevant stakeholders in the process.
Quality decision-making often depends on the quality of thinking and conversation leading up to the decision itself. With a person-centred approach to recruitment this is not just about the decision-making of individuals supported by services, it is about how we ensure all relevant stakeholders are involved in the process in a way that works for them.
A decision-making agreement is used to clarify and capture how someone wants to be involved in significant decisions in their life or in this case decisions related to recruitment of staff. Within recruitment, clarifying decision-making serves as a way of defining what the important decisions within the process are to different stakeholders, how each person wants/needs to be involved and an understanding of who makes the final decision.
Use decision-making agreements with a variety of important stakeholders and create a simple decision-making matrix to clarify and capture:
- Who needs to be involved in different decisions relating to the recruitment process.
- The level of involvement each person will have and how this occurs i.e. how they want the information to be provided and how they will be involved in the process.
- Which stakeholder(s) will make the final decision and how they will consult with others?
- It is essential to have conversations with each stakeholder to identify what supports them to feel confident in decision-making.
Things to consider and elements to explore:
- How does each stakeholder prefer to be provided information (i.e. via an email, over the phone, etc.)?
- Who needs to discuss new information or elements of the decision as they arise?
- Who prefers to be able to have time to think things through for themselves first?
- Who likes all the detail?
- Who prefers to only receive information about the main points?
Having a conversation with each stakeholder ensures that moving forward everyone is clear on the best way to work together with these decisions.
Tips
Identify the areas of the recruitment process that will require input from others, and clarity around decision-making.
If you are working with an individual supported by your service, start by talking about the different decisions that need to be made across the recruitment process and find out which aspects they want to be involved in. Let the individual choose when and how they want to be involved.
Find out how the individual likes to provide and be provided information that will support them to feel confident in decision-making.
If you are involving an individual already supported by your service, check any current information they may have in their plan around decision-making and communication as a starting point.
You may not get this process right the first time. If it doesn’t work, reflect on what needs to be different next time and try again.
Check with staff involved in the process to see if they have their own one-page profile or if they have information that may be of use, captured within a team agreement relating to decision-making.
Download examples using the button above
Template
Download the "Decision-making agreement' template using the button above.
Additional resources:
- The Workforce Capability Framework.
- The disability career planner and capability framework implementation guide.
- Technique, tips and template – using one-page profiles in recruitment (employers)
- Technique, tips and template – using one-page profiles in recruitment (employees)
- Tips – involving individuals, their families and/or circles of support in the interview process
- Tips – supporting individuals, family members and/or circles of support to develop selection criteria when recruiting for a job role
Definitions:
The term individual(s) refers to an individual with a disability and their family and/or circle of support.
The terms staff/employee(s) refer to paid or unpaid members of the workforce regardless of their employment relationship with their employer i.e. permanent, casual, full-time, volunteer, etc.
Intellectual property rights are jointly owned by National Disability Services Ltd, PeopleAdvantage Pty Ltd and Helen Sanderson Associates respectively. ©This publication is copyright. All rights reserved.
