Astriid, the UK charity which matches talented chronically ill people with inclusive work opportunities, has launched a dedicated consultancy service to help the UK’s employers champion diversity and inclusion within their recruitment processes and fill a growing number of vacancies with motivated, highly-educated candidates that they otherwise may not reach.

Around 15 million people in the UK are thought to have a long-term or chronic condition. Research carried out by Astriid earlier this year indicates that 89% of candidates feel that their health condition has had an impact on their career prospects. A growing number of businesses, meanwhile, appreciate the competitive edge that stronger inclusion and diversity offer and recognise the need to recruit from a wider pool of talented, capable people.

Astriid’s consultancy service is designed to bridge this gap, and will see its Invisible Talent Pool experts collaborate closely with businesses of any size or sector. The charity will assign a dedicated expert to each business, helping to attract candidates with chronic conditions, including long Covid, provide training and support to ensure inclusivity and remove unconscious bias in the recruitment process. In addition, Astriid will work closely with employers to identify suitable vacancies and help HR teams to identify where reasonable adjustments can be made to better support candidates living with chronic conditions.

Steve Shutts, Charity CEO said, “Covid has increased the rate at which candidates come to us for help; yet most businesses have made rapid progress in embedding flexible and remote working. Astriid wants to ensure that there is no reverting to type or slippage in this progress where individuals with energy limiting condition find it impossible to connect with the world of work, and what better way to do that than to put our expertise to use and work with businesses who need the skill set that the Invisible Talent Pool has to offer?.

“Those with an energy limiting condition or disability make up a staggering 37% of the UK’s workforce, according to the ONS, yet they frequently face discrimination from employers. Astriid bridges the gap between businesses and skilled professionals with long-term health issues. If you’re an organisation that wants to deliver on its D&I commitment, we understand that it can be hard to uncover and source the talent that exists. We have over 1,400 talented, professional candidates with bespoke skills, so it’s a win-win.”
Astriid has already been appointed to work with the software company Advanced, which employs more than 1,800 people across the country and 2,700 worldwide. Alex Arundale, chief people officer at Advanced, commented: “In England alone, 15 million people are living with one or more long-term health conditions. The consequence is an invisible talent pool of skilled professionals who have expertise and experience but may need some flexibility and an inclusive workplace to be able to contribute.

“Our partnership with Astriid is a further commitment on our journey to create an equitable and inclusive place where people can thrive. It will enable us to continue to improve our approach and benefit from the many years of experience and education that these candidates have to offer.”