Hays is a global recruitment company operating in 32 countries with more than 90 offices in UK&I. We are committed to improving local communities and utilising our unique position in the world of work to develop effective partnerships that join businesses, communities and charities by building measurable contributions that benefit the societies in which we are located.

I have worked in Hays for 13 years and, as a Senior Business Director, my role includes leading social value activities across our business. In the last few years, my focus has been on neuroinclusion. Personally, I co-founded a neurodivergent Community called SPARK. Neuroinclusion issues spill into many areas of DE&I focus for Hays, including poverty, social mobility and disability.

The 2021 Joint Inspectorate Evidence Review estimated that up to half of the adult prison population in the UK is neurodivergent. Therefore, there is a high chance that ex-offenders have undiagnosed and diagnosed neurodivergent conditions. If they had been supported in school and in the world of work their paths may have been different. There is a lack of awareness and services in Northern Ireland meaning many people have gone undiscovered and unsupported. This is an improving picture and, while the services are still underfunded, there is a strong desire in the UK&I landscape to support neurodiversity in the workplace. Additionally, with companies embracing technology changes and AI, the skills needed for the workplace are not measured in the same way as they used to be. Instead of neurodivergent conditions becoming a barrier, they can be seen more positively. Neurodivergent workplaces are proven to be more competitive. We see this evidenced in examples by SAP and autistic hires, and in EY as it utilises the skills of dyslexic individuals. The prevalence of ADHD in entrepreneurs is reported to be more likely; one study evidenced 29% of entrepreneurs reported having ADHD. Employers should not create additional barriers for ex-offenders and instead create environments that allow every individual the opportunity to thrive.

The Hays values are Build Partnerships, Think Beyond and Do the Right Thing. We place these values at the core of everything we do, so supporting Ban the Box was an easy decision to make. At Hays, we feel everyone should be allowed to thrive in work. Throughout our processes, we assess potential applicants’ skills for the role rather than their length of experience or their like-for-like experience. This means we can attract applicants from multiple backgrounds and industries, which results in a more diverse workforce that is representative of the communities in which we work and live.

Our processes are confidential. A criminal declaration will not instantly exclude an applicant from a process and we review each individual case. Our focus is walking the walk and ensuring an environment where ideally people would feel confident and comfortable sharing all parts of themselves.

My advice on Ban the Box is, we often think about crimes of violence and that causes fear, but many applicants might have a conviction due to something else that has happened in their lives – perhaps a driving offence. I believe everyone should practice empathy and compassion; focus on a person’s abilities and what they can contribute to the workplace rather than continuing to disadvantage individuals. With more people in work, we are likely to see people living fulfilled and valuable lives. In turn, we should see fewer social issues in our communities.

Unemployment in Northern Ireland is at 2% and the Economic Inactive rate is higher than any other UK&I region at 26.6%. I am convinced that we need to think bigger about our workforce, seeking out untapped talent pools and bringing onboard individuals who can add value. Employers can significantly change people’s lives and strengthen communities across Northern Ireland.

At Hays, we are proud of the work we do and are delighted to have received recognition across a number of areas, including:

• In 2024, Hays UK&I won REC AWARDS 2024 – Community Impact of the Year. This award acknowledges our investment in our staff and systems when improving social and environmental outcomes in our business operations and local communities.
• We were winners at the SOCIAL VALUE AWARDS 2024 – Creating Capability Award. This recognised the exciting work we have been doing as part of Project Flourish. Together we’re working with EveryYouth, a charity dedicated to ending youth homelessness through improving social mobility for some of the most disadvantaged young people in the UK. We launched Flourish, a pro-bono service for organisations that can help disadvantaged young people secure jobs with real future prospects.
• We were also highly commended at the INSIDEOUT AWARDS 2024 – Employer Initiative of the Year Award. This was for our achievements in improving mental health in the construction industry with Band of Builders.​