The report warned that “it is possible for that flexibility to be used improperly, either knowingly or unknowingly.”
When determining the area of consideration (to whom the job is open) for vacancy announcements, managers may legitimately consider limiting the recruitment pool to be able to efficiently manage the hiring process, it said. “Yet, they should not overly rely on restricted applicant pools when other hiring methods have a reasonable potential to attract quality candidates. A closed system not only appears unfair but may hinder the introduction of new thoughts and ideas into the workplace.
“Agencies also have the obligation to ensure that their workforce remains representative of society, which may not be possible if the applicant pool is routinely limited. There also is a strong business case for fair and open competition in hiring. The more agencies practice strong, fair, and open competition, the more engaged their workforce,” it said.
