Recruiting and selecting the right people is fundamental to any organisation's success. How best to do it, however, remains a challenge. Behavioural science has a lot to say about the way in which people make decisions in these types of setting.

This report, A head for hiring: The behavioural science of recruitment and selection, written for the CIPD by the Behavioural Insights Team, outlines ways in which harnessing knowledge about how we actually behave can help those engaged in recruitment to improve outcomes for organisations.

The report examines existing evidence through a behavioural science lens to offer examples from the literature and practical tips for recruiters. It explores ways to attract candidates best suited to the job and the organisation's broader needs; the use of key selection and assessment tools, and the biases and errors of judgement that may occur when using these tools; and the experience of the candidate during the recruitment process, including the impact of stress and the knock-on effects of the candidate experience on the employer brand.

Download the report below

A head for hiring: the behavioural science of recruitment and selection

Download the PDF
PDF document 231.2 KB

More on this topic

CIPD Viewpoint
Age-diverse workforces

Explore the CIPD’s point of view on age diversity in the workplace, including recommendations for employers and actions for the UK Government

Factsheets
Employing overseas workers in the UK

This factsheet looks at recruiting overseas workers, the categories of non-UK nationals able to enter and work in the UK, and the legal framework involved.

Latest evidence reviews

Evidence review
Trust and psychological safety: An evidence review

Find out what the evidence says about building trust and psychological safety

Evidence review
Effective people managers: Evidence review

Research exploring how to develop people managers who drive organisational success

Evidence review
High-performing teams: An evidence review

Explore the latest research on how to create a positive environment to build and nurture effective teams

Evidence review
Productive meetings: An evidence review

This evidence review summarises the latest research on the effective management of meetings and offers recommendations to get the most out of them

All evidence reviews