Having a say

When someone new joins the team, they’re going to become part of everyday life for people they’ll be supporting. They’ll spend time together, build relationships and share some really important moments.

So when it came to recruiting a new deputy manager in Coventry, home manager Sandra wanted to make sure the people who live there got to have a say and help choose the right person for their home.

Three people who wanted to get involved were Sharon, Karen and Elliot. They thought about what they wanted to know and came up with questions for the candidates. The questions weren’t what you might expect in a typical interview, they reflected what was important to the people asking them.

“Can you cook?”, “I’m very shy. How would you get to know me?”, “I’d like to go on holiday, how can you help me make that happen?”, “How would you help me if my mental health wasn’t in a good place?”

There were also questions about medication, attending appointments and making sure staff had the support they needed to help people live the lives they wanted. They told potential new staff what mattered most to the people they’d be supporting.

The interviews took place around the dining table in their home, where everyone felt relaxed and comfortable. The people who live there proudly showed candidates around and introduced them to the team.

Sharon, Karen and Elliot said:

We really enjoyed being part of the interview process. It was great meeting them, showing them our home and telling them about ourselves, the support we want and what’s important to us. We liked asking our own questions and getting to know the people who could be supporting us. We’d love to do it again when we’re looking for new staff.

For Sandra, the experience showed why involving the people who live there makes such a difference. She said: “A CV can tell you about someone’s qualifications. An interview can tell you about their experience. But neither can show how naturally someone connects with the people they’ll be supporting.

“In fact, one candidate interviewed well but didn’t build the same connection with the people they met. Their involvement helped give a much fuller picture of who would be the right fit.

“Just as importantly, they weren’t simply told that someone new was joining the team, they were part of the decision. They could see the process and ask the questions that mattered to them.

I’d recommend this approach to everyone. It creates better conversations, better recruitment decisions and helps everyone feel more involved from the very beginning. It’s their home, their lives and their future and when they’get to help choose the people who will be part of that, everybody benefits.