Advertising a Post
Once we’ve identified the need for a new team member, Tom and Vineeta (Wholegrain Directors) and our People and Office Manager get together to ensure there’s an up-to-date job description for the post. This should include:
- A brief description of Wholegrain, along with our mission
- A short summary of the role and level of seniority
- A list of responsibilities
- Employee specification, including suggested experience and required skills
- How to apply
We advertise all vacancies on the Wholegrain website, and also spread the word on Indeed, LinkedIn and across social media.
Current employees are encouraged to apply for vacant posts if they have the necessary qualifications, experience and skills. Our aim is always to appoint the person best suited for the role, although it’s company policy not to hire employees directly from any of our clients.
We’re also open to hearing from anybody who thinks they have what it takes to wow our clients and be part of our wholesome journey to design a better world. Unsurprisingly, we receive a huge number of speculative applications. We aim to reply to each of them, though bear with us as it can take some time to work through the pile. Our policy is simple: if the application is so good we do a little jig around the office, we want to hear more!
Equal Opportunities
It’s important to us that our company is diverse, so we encourage people from a broad range of backgrounds to apply to join Wholegrain. All job applicants will receive equal treatment throughout the job application process, regardless of disability, age, gender or gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.
We take note of any ‘Positive Action’ initiatives to encourage applications from people who share a protected characteristic (such as gender or race) that’s underrepresented in a particular area of the workforce. We’re also keen supporters of initiatives like Breaking Barriers, a charity dedicated to helping refugees find work and settle in the UK.
Read our Equal Opportunities Policy in full.
The Selection Process
The selection panel consists of our People and Office Manager and at least one of the Directors. We may also ask a specialist such as a developer or designer to take part if it’s relevant to the position.
The selection process happens in several stages:
1. Initial Review
We perform an initial sift of the applications to identify the candidates we’d like to look at in greater detail.
2. Thorough Review of Applications
We carry out a through review of all applications, request and review samples of applicants’ work, and ask about anything we need more information on.
3. Initial Conversation
An initial conversation takes place with our People and Office Manager. They will clarify any information we need, and also get a feel for the applicants’ personalities and whether they’ll be a good fit for our team.
4. Shortlist Candidates
The panel meets to discuss and shortlist the candidates, and invite them for interview. We prefer to interview face-to-face where possible, although we’ll carry out an online interview if necessary.
5. Interview
We ask each candidate the same initial questions to test specific criteria. After that, our questions may vary depending on their answers and anything specific we want to address from their application.
6. Select Candidate
The panel meets to discuss the interviews and select the candidate to join our team. We make a job offer, subject to references and documentation. We request two references, usually from the last three years, and ask for documentary proof of qualifications and the right to work in the UK.
7. Introductory Period
Our new Wholegrain team member joins the team on an introductory period, which is usually three months.
We contact all candidates who get to step 3 – the initial call with the People and Office Manager – to advise them whether or not they’ve been successful, and we provide feedback where requested. We always provide feedback to candidates who make it to the main interview stage.
Monitoring and Review
The People and Office Manager has overall responsibility for ensuring recruitment is carried out fairly, consistently, and in accordance with our Equal Opportunities Policy.
Their role includes updating and monitoring our procedures, placing adverts, obtaining references and documentation, issuing contracts, dealing with appeals, and anything else to do with the recruitment procedure.
Exceptions
Recruitment is usually planned, whether permanent or temporary, and carried out according to the above procedures. However, there may be times when we have to adapt these procedures to meet a specific need. These may include:
- Cover for unplanned absence
- When procedures have failed to result in an appointment
- An unpredicted increase in workload
- Where a job is under review
- Where the job is in a new, urgent area of work
- Posts of uncertain or short-term duration.
Temporary to Permanent
If a temporary post becomes permanent, the post holder will have the exclusive right to apply for the permanent position, if they’ve been in the post for two years or more.
Data Protection
All documentation relating to job applicants is treated confidentially in accordance with the Data Protection Act. Applicants have the right to access any documentation held on them in accordance with the Act. For further information, read our Data Protection Policy.