Staff Recruitment and Selection Policy

Version Version 1.0

Short Description A policy on recruiting and selecting staff at FitLife
Approving Authority Vice-Chancellor and Principal
Chief Operating Officer and Deputy Vice-Chancellor
Executive Director, Human Resources

Approval Date 01 June 2016

Next Scheduled Review 01 June 2017

Responsible Officer Director, Organisational and People Capability

Responsible Office Division, Human Resources

Category Human Resources – Recruitment and Selection

File Number HR-32-9

Policy Owner Executive Director, Human Resources

Scope and Application This policy applies to recruitment and selection of continuing and fixed term
positions. This policy must be read in conjunction with relevant legislation and
related documents listed as below.

Relevant Legislation  Fair Work Act 2009

 Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012
 WHS Act 2011
 Migration Act 1958
 Workplace Relations Amendment (Work Choices) Act 2005
 Privacy Act 1988
 Freedom of Information Act 1982
 Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 1988
 Anti-discrimination legislation including:
- Australian Human Rights Commission Act 1986
- Sex Discrimination Act 1984
- Age Discrimination Act 2004
- Disability Discrimination Act 1992
- Racial Discrimination Act 1975

Key Words recruitment, selection, policy, procedure, appointment, staff

Table of Contents
Policy Purpose and Objectives........................................................................................................................................1
Policy Statement.............................................................................................................................................................1
Related Documents.........................................................................................................................................................1
Procedures...................................................................................................................................................................... 2
1 Preparing to Recruit.................................................................................................................................................2
1.1 Identifying the Hiring Need...............................................................................................................................2
1.2 Job Analysis and Job Design...............................................................................................................................2
1.3 Recruitment Strategy........................................................................................................................................3
1.4 Approval to Recruit............................................................................................................................................3
2 Advertising............................................................................................................................................................... 3
3 Selection Procedures................................................................................................................................................4
3.1 Selection Panel..................................................................................................................................................4
3.2 Assessment and Selection.................................................................................................................................5
4 Offer and Appointment............................................................................................................................................8
5 Record Keeping........................................................................................................................................................8
6 Probation..................................................................................................................................................................9
7 Induction..................................................................................................................................................................9
Appendices.................................................................................................................................................................... 10
Appendix A – Position Description Template............................................................................................................10
Appendix B - Interview Question Preparation Template...........................................................................................11
Appendix C – Interview Notes Template...................................................................................................................12
Appendix D – Selection Outcome Report..................................................................................................................13
Policy Purpose and Objectives
FitLife aims to attract, select, and recruit the best possible quality staff in a timely and cost effective fashion. This
adds significant value on the organisation’s strategic plans and leverages organisational standards. This Staff
Recruitment and Selection Policy (“Policy”) supports the recruitment and selection of new staff and provides a
framework and practical advice to all staff involved in the recruitment and selection process.

Policy Statement
The organisation’s focus is to attract and recruit exceptionally talented staff members with the ability to
demonstrate uppermost standards that are consistent with its culture, who will conduce to our nationwide
reputation and maintain our image as Australia’s leading health and fitness club.
The organisation’s principles of recruitment and selection are to:

 appoint the best quality staff through sustaining open competition from an ample pool of candidates,
attracted internally and externally, whilst adhering to principles of equity and equal opportunity for each
applicant
 conform with relevant legislation (see above), the organisation’s Equity and Diversity Policy, mission, vision,
strategic and operational objectives, and priorities
 build quality workforce profile which represents the diversity and attributes of our community
 conduct ethical, consistent, prompt, and professional recruitment and selection process that preserves the
integrity of the process and maintains the confidentiality of applicants
 ensure recruitment and selection practices are undertaken carefully and all appointments are made based on
the principles of merit assessed against the Person Specification/Selection Criteria
 give opportunity to fixed term staff to apply for continuing positions ensuring they will be treated as equally as
other candidates
 eliminate any potential conflicts of interest that may be experienced by staff involved in the recruitment and
selection process
 promote the organisation as an employer of choice to internal and external candidates
 ensure each staff involved in the recruitment and selection process conducts professional business etiquettes,
practices the organisation’s relevant policy and procedures, follows relevant legislation (see above), preserves
confidentiality, and protects individual rights to privacy
 allow an internal member to appeal due to an unsuccessful application for promotion or reclassification of
position and address the appeal in accordance with the Staff Appeals Policy
 continuously improve the Policy and review options for technology to improve the efficiency and effectiveness
of the recruitment and selection process.

Related Documents
 Working with Children Policy
 Redeployment Policy
 Equity and Diversity Policy, and Anti-Discrimination Policy
 Visa and Working Rights Policy
 WHS Policy
 Staff Appeals Policy
 Conflict of Interest Policy
 Records Management Policy
 Privacy Policy

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Procedures
1 Preparing to Recruit
1.1 Identifying the Hiring Need
a. The Hiring Manager must review the need for the position with the Principal Officer and ensure that it fits with
the organisation’s:
 workforce plan
 strategic initiatives, objectives and operational plans
 current staffing structure and skills levels
 resources.
b. The Hiring Manager must complete a ‘Recruitment Request’ form which includes:
 reason for requisition
 position details
 category of employment
 remuneration
 other benefits
 proposed Selection Panel
 risk of not filling the position.
c. The Hiring Manager must get approval from the Delegated Authority to begin the recruitment process.
d. The Hiring Manager must be in contact with the Redeployment Unit to assess redeployment options prior
placing an external advertising. This is covered in detail in the Redeployment Policy.
1.2 Job Analysis and Job Design
a. The Hiring Manager must undertake a Job Analysis and prepare a Position Description for the position
required. The Position Description Template must contain the following:
 Job Description: maps a high-level view of a job including a list of key tasks to be performed
 Person Specification/Selection Criteria: provides the specific qualifications, skills, experience,
knowledge, and other attributes essential to successfully perform a job.
 Job Context: outlines specific conditions attached to the nature of a job.
b. The Hiring Manager must ensure that the Selection Criteria is:
 specific
 justifiable
 measurable
 non-discriminatory and aligned with the organisation’s Equity and Diversity Policy
 up-to-date with industry requirements
 structured by means of comparative assessment
 consistent with the organisation’s mission, vision and core values.
c. In case an old Position Description to be used, the Hiring Manager must review the old version and ensure if it
is still an accurate representation of the position requirements. The Hiring Manager must update the Position
Description accordingly and get approval from the Delegated Authority.
d. Where a new position to be created, the Hiring Manager must undertake a Job Design process for the position
required and create a Position Description accordingly.
1.3 Recruitment Strategy
The Hiring Manager must determine the most suitable recruitment strategy for the position, considering:
 sourcing methods which may include:
- internal transfer
- redeployment

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 - direct appointment
- external advertising
 costing
 screening
 material needs
 duration including date of commencement and closing
 total timeline for the recruitment process
1.4 Approval to Recruit
The Hiring Manager will start the recruitment process upon the receipt of approval from the Delegated Authority.
The approval must be in written format and include the following:
 Recruitment Request
 Position Description
 Recruitment Strategy including advertising preferences, selection methodology and activities
 budget and resources
 proposed Selection Panel
 timeline for the recruitment process
2 Advertising
a. Unless the organisation appoints an external recruitment agency to source a wide pool of talents, all positions
must be advertised in the organisation’s career page. The Hiring Manager must draft all advertisements and
obtain approval from the Executive Director, Human Resources. All advertisements must:
 include all the information in Position Description
 comply with relevant legislation and the organisation’s equity, diversity and discrimination policies
b. The Hiring Manager must determine the most appropriate advertising medium for the position which may
include:
 specialised reputable websites (Seek, Jobsearch.gov.au, CareerOne)
 print media (newspapers, magazines, journals)
 external recruitment agencies
 professional social media platforms such as LinkedIn
c. The organisation is committed to creating rewarding career opportunities to internal staff. Therefore,
positions must be initially advertised internally for a minimum duration of ten days prior advertising
externally. This is to ensure that the position is available to internal candidates only. The Delegated Officer
must assess all applications within five working days from the final date of internal advertising. If no successful
outcome is reached, the Delegated Officer will instruct the Hiring Manager to advertise externally.
d. The minimum duration for advertising a position is two weeks for all positions.
e. The Executive Director, Human Resources, in consultation with relevant Division/Authority, has the initiative
not to advertise a position.
f. The Hiring Manager has the initiative to accept late applications for an advertised position.

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3 Selection Procedures
3.1 Selection Panel
a. The Hiring Manager must put together a Selection Panel during the preparation for the recruitment process
(refer to 1.1 Identifying the Hiring Need) and obtain approval from the Delegated Authority prior shortlisting.
b. The Selection Panel is responsible for providing selection recommendations to the Hiring Manager using
various selection methods, which may include:
 review of resumes and work samples
 interviews
- individual and/or group interviews
- behavioural interviews
- panel interviews
 assessment centres
 assessments
- presentations
- demonstration of skills
- psychometric assessments
c. The Hiring Manager must make the final decision on the selection outcome considering the recommendations
provided by the Selection Panel.
d. The Selection Panel must include members who are more experienced than the position they are proposed for
to reach quality outcomes. At a minimum, the Selection Panel must have the following members:
 The Selection Panel Chair
 Supervisor of the position; if not available, a staff who is senior for the position
 Independent peer representative
e. The Hiring Manager must ensure that the Selection Panel includes a balanced number of both genders with a
minimum of 40% of each gender to maintain gender diversity. Where possible, the Hiring Manager shall aim
to include members from diverse racial, cultural and ethnic backgrounds to support the organisation’s diverse
community.
f. The Hiring Manager must ensure that there is no conflict of interest in the selection process. This will be
achieved by receiving a written declaration from each member of the Selection Panel. In case of a potential
conflict of interest, the member of the Selection Panel must fill the ‘Conflict of Interest Form’ and the Hiring
Manager must exclude the corresponding member from the Selection Panel, then replace them with another
member who has no risk of conflict of interest (refer to the Conflict of Interest Policy). The replacement must
be approved by the Delegated Authority who approved the Recruitment Request.
g. The Selection Panel must practice professional business etiquettes at all times following the Organisation’s
confidentiality principles and protecting individual rights to privacy. The Selection Panel must neither disclose
any information, verbally and/or in written, communicated during the selection process or procedures, nor
discuss outside of the meeting.
h. If possible, the Hiring Manager shall include a senior Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander member for Aboriginal
or Torres Strait Islander positions where this member can either be a community member or an internal staff.
i. For top-management positions, the Hiring Manager must arrange a relevant senior member.
j. Where the Hiring Manager is unable to form the Selection Panel with the requirements prescribed above, the
Hiring Manager must halt the recruitment process and seek for alternative members. In case the Hiring
Manager cannot find substitute members and constitute the Selection Panel, the issue must be escalated to
the Delegated Authority for resolution.

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3.2 Assessment and Selection
a. The Panel Chair must send an email to each short-listed candidate inviting to interview, ensuring a minimum
of five working days prior to interview. The Panel Chair must also call each short-listed candidate by telephone
to confirm the receipt of the email. The details of the invitation email will be based on type of an applicant
(local, international) and the medium (face-to-face, telephone, teleconference) to be used accordingly. The
email invitation must include the following details at a minimum:
 interview date, time and duration
 interview location attaching a snapshot using Google Maps
 the Selection Panel – names and titles of each member
 documents or any other evidence required (such as work samples, qualification copies, etc.)
 the format of the interview
 requesting reasonable adjustments
b. The Selection Panel must conduct structured interviews, including second interviews where required. Not all
candidates, internal or external, need to be interviewed, only the short-listed applicants. The Selection Panel
must interview each short-listed candidate based on the selection criteria.
c. The Selection Panel must prepare interview questions that are aligned to the selection criteria. The questions
must comply with relevant anti-discrimination legislation and the organisation’s equity, diversity and anti-
discrimination policies. The questions must be agreed by each member to avoid overlap or repetition during
the interview which may distract the candidate. The questions must be worded in a way to eliminate any
potential favouritism to applicants.
d. Each candidate must be directed the same pool of questions in a fair manner, however, the Selection Panel
has the initiative to ask additional questions based on the flow of the interview emerging from an applicant’s
response. The Selection Panel must and record the candidate’s responses.
e. The Panel Chair is responsible for leading and recording the interview process. All notes taken during the
interview and decisions made must be recorded according to the Records Management procedures (see
below Records Management). This is to provide feedback to applicants and ensure compliance in case of an
appeal against a decision made.
4 Record Keeping
a. The Hiring Manager must retain the following records upon the finalisation of the recruitment process:
 Position Description
 Conflict of Interest Form
 Selection Report
 Interview questions, notes and planning
 Selection Outcome Report
 Referee Reports
 Notification email for appointment
 All shortlisted applicants’ supporting documents.
b. All records must be retained in Secured PDF format and stored in the HR Database for a minimum of two
years. The HRD will manage the records disposal process, which includes the retention, deletion and
destruction of records, in accordance with the Organisation’s Records Management Policy.

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