Values Based Recruitment

Our values define us. They influence who we are, what we believe is important in life, the way we live and how we treat people. In the workplace they are guiding principles linked to behaviours that help people deliver exceptional care and support.

Values-based recruitment is a method of getting to know people, understanding their motivations, passions, interests, and assessing whether they'll be a good fit for your organisation and for the roles you're recruiting to, so you can make the best possible recruitment choices for those who you provide care and support for.

Values-based recruitment gives organisations the ability to look wider than the usual pool of recruits to find people who may not have any previous experience in care but who have exactly the sorts of values and behaviours that would make them an asset to any care organisation.

Inspired to Care has an excellent values mapping tool (clone a care professional) which can help organisations to both identify their values and to map any existing values onto the values framework we developed with social care employers.

The important thing is to involve staff and people who you support. Ask them what they feel about your organisation, what your staff do that makes it such a special place to work and receive care, and what's important to them. Then you can develop values which have come from staff and people who you support and are meaningful to them.

Some of the key values relevant for social care employers which can be found in the framework are dignity and respect, working together, commitment to quality care and support, and learning and reflection.

We would recommend that social care providers look at Inspired to Care's values based interviewing resources below on how to get started. Be aware, there's no shortcuts, it's a journey but one that's well worth the effort in ensuring you get the right people for your organisation.

Job Description and Person Specification

Review your organisational values and behaviours to identify those most important for the role. Specify the values that are essential for success in the role and those behaviours that are undesirable. Include these details in the person specification.

Job Advert

Incorporate the organisation's values into all advertisements, emphasising that yours is a values-based organisation seeking individuals who share these values. Use this as a means to attract individuals who may not have previously considered a role in care and to discourage those who do not align with your values. Craft phrases encouraging applicants to connect their values with the organisation's, such as, "Do you aspire to work in an environment where teamwork contributes daily to making people smile and embrace their best selves through the care you provide?"

Application Process

Integrate the identified values into the application process, asking candidates to address them in their application materials. This can be achieved through a covering letter explaining the alignment of their values with the organisation's. Alternatively, on the application form, request a supporting statement that includes examples from their personal or professional life where they have demonstrated these values.

Interview and Tasks

Throughout the application and selection process, provide candidates opportunities to showcase their values and behaviours. This could involve values-based interviews, activities involving individuals receiving support, written exercises demonstrating decision-making or prioritisation based on values, and presentations discussing the candidate's understanding of the role and how they align with the organisation's values.

Job Offer

Ensure that job offers are conditional upon the completion of all relevant checks, including references. Utilise references to enquire about the character of the individual and their suitability for the role. Provide referees with a copy of the person specification and the organisation's values to facilitate an informed and relevant reference.

Post Job Offer

Maintain communication with candidates post-offer to keep them engaged, particularly in a competitive job market. Use values as a means to accomplish this, sharing information about the company culture, plans for their arrival, and any newsletters or relevant information that staff typically receive.

First Day and Induction

Incorporate values and behaviours as a fundamental part of the induction process to set expectations for desired staff behaviour. Include the organisation's values in the staff code of conduct. Offer training and workshops focused on values and behaviours, emphasising their application in daily conversations and providing the best care and service in line with the organisation's values.

Probation Period

During the probationary period, observe not only what staff do but also how they demonstrate the values and behaviours important to the organisation. Recognise and reinforce positive behaviour in line with the organisation's values, and address concerns by offering opportunities for development. If necessary, utilise the probationary period to exit unsuitable staff early on.

Ongoing

Embed the values of your organisation in every interaction and action. Encourage staff to discuss values in one-to-one meetings and everyday conversations. Utilise team meetings as a platform to acknowledge staff accomplishments aligned with the values. Establish team and individual awards linked to the values, and ensure values are integrated into more formal supervision and staff appraisals to motivate consistent alignment with organisational values in daily work.

Below you will find a sample 'Candidate Evaluation' form and an example set of interview questions you can use to tailor you own interview questions. Feel free to swap and change the values from the values displayed above, picking out those that you feel reflect the types of values you want to identify for your business.

The Candidate Evaluation form lets candidates self evaluate how much of each value they believe they possess. This is done before the interview and is used to steer the interview questions.

The interview questions is a template for you to use that asks them how they scored themselves and why, asks them to expand on each value by giving you an example of how they demonstrated that value, and finally, how it made them feel.

This exercise allows you to fully assess your preferences when looking for new care professionals to join you. We know that values are the building blocks of an individual but there are other aspects of a person which can make them a good fit!