Working with departments
During the year, the Commissioners continued to look at how they could better support departments in their search for the best available people and ensure that the merit principle was vigorously applied in their assessment of candidates for the posts on offer.
Commissioners' working groups looked at the use of search consultants and at the merit principle.
They identified a number of concerns:
- adequate time was not always given to preparing for a recruitment exercise;
- assessment processes, in particular the current reliance on 45-minute panel interviews with shortlisted candidates, need to be developed and is being augmented for the most senior posts;
- there was sometimes a mismatch between a department's expectation of the candidate pool and the search consultant's ability to find candidates at the salary available. Sometimes the salary available appeared to be negotiated during the process, adding to our concern over transparency and fairness;
- longlists did not always reflect the diversity of the candidates thought to be available;
- Ministers were not always made aware of the possibility of involvement in the process.
As a result, Commissioners will in future:
- wish to be involved in the selection and briefing of search consultants;
- be proposing planning meetings at the start of each competition when the job and person specifications, the recruitment strategy and the assessment processes to be used can be agreed between all the interested parties at the outset;
- keep in closer touch with developments in assessment methods so as to be better placed to provide guidance and challenge;
- work with the Cabinet Office to develop best-practice guidance for departments on recruitment and on our requirements in respect of those competitions where we have to approve the appointment;
- look at ways we can better gather and share experience of recruitment competitions to help raise the performance of all those involved;
- ensure that for the most senior posts Ministers are able to give a view as to the skills and experience required of the postholder.
