New Ways to Recruit and Retain Staff in 2023

Description

You are invited to attend a free event for employers, organisations and charities to find out about alternative ways of recruiting and retaining staff. Join us for breakfast and lunch and network with other employers and our speakers, as well as our mini-market place with organisations that can help you get started with alternative ways of recruiting and retaining staff.

Speakers include:

• Helen Hart, LSIP Project Lead from Devon & Plymouth Chamber of Commerce - Find out about the Local Skills Improvement Partnership

• Mike Adams OBE, Founder of Purple Tuesday - Why Disability Matters: Top down. Bottom up. Inside out. Outside in. The approach to creating a disability inclusive organisation. What does this mean for the workplace and recruitment practice. Mike will share his own lived experience, and the practical hints, tips and must dos to enable all organisations to be accessible

• Dr Daniel Derbyshire, Behavioural Economics researcher working on the Inclusivity Project - Dr Daniel Derbyshire will present the results of his research measuring unconscious bias towards disabled people within the business community, with a focus on the South West and small- to medium-sized enterprises. The results shed light on the attitudinal barriers faced by disabled people in navigating the labour market and he will also reflect on the wider notion of unconscious bias in the workplace. Inclusivity Project.

• Jennifer Pulsford, Inclusive Board Recruitment at LiveWest

1. FULL - Workplace Culture – with Clodagh Murphy, CA Tech Talent and Cathedral Appointments | Workshop session focused on culture.  Post covid there is a heightened sense of awareness amongst employees about who they work with and for – this isn’t just in terms of brands, but also the values that organisations demonstrate and their environmental and social activity.  Candidates (from a recruitment perspective) are much more discerning and actively ask questions about the business, the culture and the ethos that sits in an organisation.  Culture isn’t changed, it develops over time through the ways of working within a business.  In this session, we’ll explore how a positive, inclusive culture can impact your ability to recruit and retain great candidates for your business.
2. Differences in our wiring: Flipping the narrative – with Alex Kelly from Way Makers |  What comes to mind when we think of neurodiverse differences such as autism, ADHD, dyslexia or dyspraxia? And when we look at how these differences are often described, do you see a person’s strengths and abilities more than their support needs? As long as neuro-differences remain framed in negative language, employers may not have the tools nor the enthusiasm to reach and welcome a neurodiverse workforce. This discussion group, led by an adult with ADHD, will encourage a healthy and open dialogue around some of the common strengths and abilities to be found in our neurodifferent population, and how we can best support some of the common needs that arise. We’ll be steered by what you bring to the room!
3. FULL - Reaching a wider jobs market: Inclusive recruitment – with Amanda Campbell, Supported Employment Consultant | The workshop will look at how you can make your recruitment process more inclusive from writing the job description through to the interview.  We will work together on ideas around each step on the inclusive pathway to employing new members of staff.
4. Being a mindful manager – with Andrea Adey from Mindful Employer | Are you keen to retain and support your valued employees with their mental health and wellbeing? Are you not sure exactly how to have those delicate conversations? Can you spot the signs and symptoms of poor mental health? Mindful employer (established 2004) has a long history of empowering employers across the nation to take the lead on matters of workplace mental health and wellbeing. As a part of Devon Partnership NHS Trust, mindful employer and its services are administered by a team of mental health and employment professionals. Come along to the session to find out more. 
5. Access to Work with Job Centre Plus Disability Advisors | Access to Work (A2W) is a Department for Work and Pension (DWP) grant scheme which provides money to help people with a disability or long term health condition stay in work to do their job. Because it is a grant it does not have to be paid back and can help employers meet the costs of reasonable adjustments if these are required.