Most organisations say they want to bring in a wider mix of people. It’s a familiar discussion in meetings, and no one ever disagrees with it in principle. Yet, when you look at the applicants coming through the door, many teams realise, not without some frustration, that the pipeline hasn’t changed much. The reasons are rarely dramatic. It’s usually a collection of small, older habits lingering in the background: job ads written quickly, processes that haven’t been reviewed in a while, and assumptions about “what works” that hold on longer than expected.

Candidates notice these things long before you see their CV. They read tone, scan layout, spot hints about culture, and decide quietly whether the environment sounds open or closed. That judgment often happens in seconds. If the advert doesn’t feel inviting, or the process looks complicated or inconsistent, people who might have applied simply don’t. And you never know they were there.

Understanding that early moment, where candidates choose in or out, is at the heart of building a more inclusive pipeline.

 

Why Diversity Matters in Recruitment

There is now a great deal of evidence showing that diverse teams perform better, come up with broader ideas, and make steadier decisions. These advantages are regularly discussed, but their practical implications are sometimes overlooked. Diversity also brings a degree of realism to problem-solving; teams that reflect their customers and communities naturally understand a wider range of needs.

UK research has highlighted another truth: many jobseekers from underrepresented groups still find recruitment processes difficult to navigate or simply unwelcoming. The CIPD’s guidance on inclusive recruitment points out that clarity, structure, and interviewer preparation all make a measurable difference to who applies, and who stays in the process. A single unclear line in a job ad can nudge people away without anyone realising.

When organisations take this seriously, they tend to see a broader range of applicants, not because the market has changed, but because the invitation has.

 

How to Attract Diverse Candidates

There isn’t one master technique here. What works is a collection of practical adjustments made steadily over time. Below are steps that often have the clearest impact.

Rethink Job Descriptions

Job ads can unintentionally narrow the audience. They may include unnecessary requirements or rely on wording that appeals mainly to one type of applicant. Studies from Harvard and others show that masculine-coded phrasing, for example, reduces the likelihood that women will apply.

A good starting point is to:

• Remove outdated or “nice to have” requirements
• Write plainly, without internal jargon
• Sense-check the tone: does it sound welcoming or exclusive?

AI-assisted tools can help highlight phrasing that may be limiting, but the final judgement is down to human work. It’s often as simple as writing in everyday language rather than “internal” company voice.

 

Widen Your Reach Through Smarter Posting

Many teams rely on the same job boards every year. It’s familiar, but it also means you end up speaking to the same pool repeatedly.

Broadbean UK’s job distribution tools help employers post more widely and, crucially, understand which boards are bringing in which types of applicants. This gives you a clearer sense of whether your reach is too narrow, or perhaps missing specific communities entirely.

Small adjustments here make a noticeable difference. Posting in a slightly wider pattern often brings in candidates who wouldn’t otherwise have seen the advert at all.

 

Remove Barriers in the Application Stage

A fair number of promising candidates never complete their applications. Not because they aren’t interested, but because something in the process slows them down or feels discouraging.

The most common issues include:

• Long forms
• Unclear instructions
• Non-mobile-friendly layouts
• Uncertainty about next steps

Analytics tools can point out moments where candidates drop off. Once you know where the friction is, it becomes easier to redesign the process so that more people stay engaged.

 

Use Structured and Fair Screening Practices

Screening is where unintentional bias can creep in, often without anyone noticing. Consistent criteria and structured decision-making help keep the focus on skills and potential rather than assumptions.

Useful approaches include:

• Anonymised or partially anonymised CV reviews
• Clear frameworks for shortlisting
• Documentation for why decisions were made

Technology supports this by adding consistency and reducing human error, but the decision-making remains firmly human. A balanced combination of the two tends to produce the fairest outcomes.

 

Make Interviews Genuinely Inclusive

Even if the advert and application steps feel inclusive, interviews can undo that progress quickly if they lack structure or clarity.

A few good practices make a real difference:

• Training interviewers in objective evaluation
• Using structured interviews where all candidates are asked similar questions
• Ensuring the interview panel reflects a mix of perspectives
• Giving candidates an idea of what to expect and how they will be assessed

The CIPD notes that many UK employers still do not train all interviewers, which suggests an area with real potential for improvement. A well-run interview is often what convinces candidates that the organisation is somewhere they can thrive.

 

Measuring Progress

Efforts to improve diversity need to be measured, or they tend to plateau. The most helpful indicators usually include:

• The diversity of applicants at each hiring stage
• Conversion rates between application, interview, and offer
• Candidate feedback, especially from underrepresented groups

Differences between where candidates are sourced and who ultimately gets offers

Broadbean UK’s analytics can help teams see where their applicant pool is broadening—and where hidden barriers may still be slowing progress. The aim is not surveillance but clarity, so decisions can be guided by real evidence rather than assumptions.

 

Start Building a More Inclusive Hiring Strategy

Change in recruitment rarely comes from grand gestures. It comes from steady adjustments: clearer language, wider posting, fairer screening, and interviews that feel thoughtful rather than rushed. Organisations that review their processes regularly tend to see the biggest gains because they catch the small details, the wording, the layout, the assumptions, that shape who applies.

As hiring evolves and technology continues to develop, the most successful teams will be those that blend insight with humanity. The tools help, but the mindset matters more. A genuinely diverse pipeline grows when candidates can see themselves in the organisation and feel invited, not merely tolerated.

If you’d like support in understanding where your current process might unintentionally narrow your reach, Broadbean UK can help you explore the data behind your hiring patterns and highlight practical next steps for building a more inclusive pipeline.