Improving Diversity by Design at Brooks Macdonald

This case study shows how BeTalent partnered with Brooks Macdonald to transform its recruitment strategy with a strengths-based, diversity-focused framework. By tackling bias in hiring and embedding inclusive recruitment practices, the business expanded its talent reach, improved gender, ethnic and cognitive diversity, and created a fairer, more sustainable approach to recruitment. The result: a measurable boost in representation and long-term retention, setting a new benchmark for diversity and inclusion in financial services recruitment.

Challenge

Brooks Macdonald wanted to take a revolutionary approach to its recruitment programmes and address the gender, ethnic and cognitive diversity balance within the business as a priority. The objective was to actively recruit a strengths-based team that has varied cognitive diversity and make a measurable difference to the number of people employed, and retained, from minority groups.

Our Approach

BeTalent developed the ‘Improving Diversity by Design’ framework, a targeted, data-driven approach to reimagine the recruitment process, which included:

• C-Suite interviews, analysis and benchmarking

• Designing a Strengths-based blueprint for recruitment

• Defining collaborative behaviours

• Transforming the recruitment process: applications forms, interview questions and ratings

• Identifying and removing bias (written) as well as training of senior managers (assumed and spoken)

• Using BeTalent Strengths and Psychological Safety to identify individual strengths and measure psychological safety (ongoing for retention)

• Widening the net of advertising to increase the pool of applicants from different backgrounds

• Retention planning

Deployment and Impact

BeTalent’s ‘Improving Diversity by Design’ framework was deployed with the aim to:

• gain leadership engagement and buy-in

• identify essential qualities and collaborative behaviours in candidates

• tailor strengths-based recruitment to Brooks Macdonald’s needs

• create a fair and inclusive selection process

• expand recruitment efforts beyond traditional channels to reach underrepresented demographics

• create an inclusive environment where diverse perspectives are valued and supported

• embed retention planning into the recruitment process from the start.

During the assessment and selection process, key performance indicators across demographic (sex, race) and cognitive diversity (Interact, Lead, Deliver and Act) ranges exceeded the 50% target which was set at the outset.

The success of the programme was further used as a catapult to roll out the blueprint across the business and apply a similar approach to the recruitment of trainees, summer intern intakes - through to the most senior roles in the company.