In this episode of The View, Neil Armstrong chats with Alison Golding and Jess Lyon from West Northamptonshire Council about the untapped potential in public sector recruitment. They dig into real challenges (they call them “the frightful four”) that hold public organisations back from diversity – and how to build momentum past rhetoric into real inclusion.
You’ll hear strategies around talent pooling, overcoming structural barriers, and shifting mindsets so that “diversity” is not just on paper but woven into how hiring works. For public sector leaders, HR teams, and recruitment strategists, this episode offers both urgency and actionable steps toward widening the lens of who gets seen, heard, and hired.
Below are approximate timestamps and topic highlights so you can jump to what’s most relevant:
00:00 – Sets the scene: public sector, diversity, and where things typically go wrong
02:45 – The “frightful four” challenges; Alison & Jess outline the four structural barriers to diverse hiring
08:20 – Talent pooling in practice; How they’ve designed and used talent pools to widen reach
13:10 – Internal culture & mindset shifts; Why changing hiring filters begins with changing belief systems
18:40 – Metrics, oversight & accountability; How to track success (and failure) in diversity efforts
23:15 – Recommendations & next steps; What public sector teams can do tomorrow – and over time
27:50 – Final thoughts and lessons learned
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