SMEs seeking to employ new staff must make sure that they know what questions they can and cannot ask during interviews, one expert warns.
Victoria Winkler, an advisor for the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), said: "Aside from the fact that you don't want to get caught out breaking any of the legislation, in terms of getting access to the most diverse people within the work force … then it really is important that [SMEs] are familiar with the legislation."
She added that employing people from diverse backgrounds had been shown to make a positive impact on a businesses performance.
According to a recent study by Which? many employees are still unsure what questions a potential employer is allowed to ask.
Recent legislation means that what were once considered standard interview questions - such as age and religious views - were now illegal under discrimination laws.
