Manchester City Council is leading the way in creating a workforce that reflects its diverse community. By incorporating Recite Me’s Assistive Toolbar to their careers website, they’ve made significant strides in opening up opportunities to all, resulting in a more diverse applicant pool and increase in applicants.
Manchester City Council’s Commitment to a Diverse Workforce
Manchester City Council is on a mission to build a workforce that reflects the vibrant diversity of its community. With over 200 languages spoken in Manchester – one of the highest figures in the world – and 22% of residents living with a disability, the council knows that an inclusive recruitment process is not just ideal but essential.
As a proud Disability Confident Leader, the council is committed to breaking down barriers that might hold people back from applying or thriving in their roles. In 2021, they introduced their award-winning Workforce Equality Strategy with two clear goals: building a workforce that mirrors the diversity of the city at every level and creating a workplace where everyone can thrive.
For Manchester City Council, diversity and inclusion are more than just values – they drive better results for everyone.
“Diversity is super important to achieving business outcomes. A diverse workforce has more perspectives, better decision-making, more cultural awareness, and ultimately, they can deliver better outcomes for our residents.”
Building an Inclusive Workforce with the Recite Me Toolbar
To bring their vision to life, the council integrated the Recite Me Assistive Toolbar into their Applicant Tracking System through Recite Me’s partnership with Eploy. The toolbar equips applicants with a range of features, including text-to-speech functionality, translations in over 100 languages, customisable text and colour settings, and reading aids. These enhancements make the application process more inclusive and user-friendly.
Increasing Applications and Attracting Diverse Talent
Since introducing the toolbar, the council has seen amazing results. It’s made the application process much easier for candidates, leading to fewer queries and calls for support.
Even better, the number of job applications has significantly increased, with a noticeable boost in diversity. In 2021 4.7% of Manchester City Council’s workforce identified as disabled, and 2024 it has risen to 8.7%.
“Since we started using the Recite Me tool, the number of job applications has increased. I can’t overemphasise the importance of this tool, it has been really useful for us.”
The proportion of staff earning over £50k who identify as disabled or from minority ethnic backgrounds has also doubled, reflecting real progress toward their goal of creating a workforce that mirrors the community they serve.
A Better Experience for Everyone
The Recite Me Toolbar isn’t just about making the recruitment process more inclusive; it improves the experience for all users. Simple adjustments like enhanced colour contrast and customisable text size make reading easier for everyone, reducing visual strain and improving comfort. Text-to-speech functionality helps busy applicants multitask, allowing them to engage with job postings while on the move – whether on a train, during a commute, or even while multitasking at home.
“When I’m on the train, I actually use text to speech quite a lot. It’s a really busy train, and you can read out a massive job advert while you’re looking at the scenery.”
Ready to Transform Your Recruitment Process?
Manchester City Council’s success shows how accessible technology can make a real difference in building a more diverse and welcoming workplace. By adding tools like Recite Me, your organisation can make recruitment easier and more inclusive for everyone, opening doors to more talent and better outcomes.
Interested in making your recruitment process more accessible and impactful? Reach out to Recite Me today to find out how we can support you in creating an environment where all candidates feel valued and included.
