Every Candidate's Experience Matters: Easy Steps to Ensure Fairness in Recruitment

In many Western countries, laws and guidelines aim to ensure that everyone - regardless of gender, age, race, ethnicity, or neurodivergence - has an equal shot at landing a job. But for these measures to truly make a difference, we need to consider something crucial: how fair the selection process feels to candidates.  

Research has uncovered ways to measure this perception, and the results are eye-opening. A candidate’s sense of fairness can directly impact not only your organization’s reputation but also their willingness to accept a job offer.  

In this article, we’ll explore practical steps you can take to build a more fair and efficient recruitment process that benefits both applicants and your organization. 

What Does the Research Say?

Understanding Procedural Fairness

The Selection Procedural Justice Scale (SPJS), developed by Bauer et al. (2001), measures applicants’ perceptions of fairness during recruitment. The research highlights how fairness perceptions affect:

• Applicants’ trust in the organization.
• Willingness to accept offers or reapply for future roles.
• Reduced resistance to rejection and higher satisfaction, regardless of the outcome.

For example, Bauer et al. (2001) found that perceived fairness directly correlates with higher job satisfaction and a better perception of the company, even among rejected applicants.

Consistency Across Cultures

Further studies by Hoang et al. (2020) validated SPJS across cultural contexts, showing that fairness principles such as transparency, consistency, and respectful treatment are universally important in shaping applicants' perceptions.

Here’s how you can put their research into action:

1. Ensure Transparency in the Process

Transparency fosters trust and reduces ambiguity about what is being assessed.

Actionable Tip: Clearly communicate selection criteria and what is expected of applicants at each stage of the hiring process.

Example: Include details in job ads about how applicants will be assessed and the specific requirements for the position.

2. Maintain Consistency in Assessment

All applicants should face the same conditions and criteria during evaluations.

Actionable Tip: Use standardized interview questions, tests, and scoring rubrics to ensure uniformity - for example, don’t ask a senior applicant about their IT skills if you’re not asking younger applicants the same question.

Example: Develop structured interviews to prevent biases from influencing the assessment process.

3. Treat Applicants with Respect

How applicants are treated during recruitment matters as much as the outcome.

Actionable Tip: Treat all applicants with respect and courtesy, giving them the opportunity to ask questions and receive feedback.

Example: Provide applicants with constructive feedback on their interview or test results, so they feel they had a fair chance, regardless of the outcome.

4. Offer Opportunities for Feedback

Applicant feedback on their experience in the recruitment process helps organizations refine their processes while ensuring candidates feel heard.

Actionable Tip: Send anonymous surveys post-selection to gather feedback on fairness.

Example Questions:

• "Did you feel the selection process was transparent?"
• "Did you feel you were treated with respect throughout the process?"

5. Explain the Decision-Making Process

Once a hiring decision has been made, the organization should clearly explain how the decision was made to reduce frustration and increase understanding of the process.

Actionable Tip: Share the factors that influenced the final decision in an email or follow-up meeting.

Example: Provide personalized feedback on performance in interviews or assessments.

Measuring Fairness with SPJS

Implementing the Selection Procedural Justice Scale (SPJS) can help organizations gauge perceptions of fairness and identify areas for improvement. Here’s how:

1. Develop a Survey

Create a questionnaire focusing on the four SPJS dimensions:

• Transparency: "The organization clearly explained what was being assessed."
• Consistency: "All applicants were evaluated using the same criteria."
• Respectful Treatment: "I felt valued and respected throughout the process."
• Feedback: "I was informed about the factors influencing the hiring decision."

2. Use a Scale

Responses can range from 1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree, providing measurable data on perceived fairness.

3. Analyze Results

Review survey responses to identify trends and areas for improvement. For example, if scores for "feedback on decisions" are low, focus on improving communication with applicants post-selection.

Why Fairness Matters

Treating everyone fairly is the right thing to do—period. It’s a fundamental principle that, in recruitment, goes beyond compliance. Fairness creates a better candidate experience and delivers significant long-term benefits for your organization:

• Enhanced Employer Brand: Fair treatment improves how applicants perceive your organization, making it more attractive.
• Higher Re-Application Rates: Candidates who feel they were treated fairly are more likely to reapply and recommend your company to others.
• Reduced Complaints and Legal Risks: Transparency and consistency minimize the chances of disputes or lawsuits.

Takeaways 

1. Fairness in selection processes impacts both applicant satisfaction and organizational reputation. 
2. Transparency, consistency, respect, and feedback are key dimensions of procedural justice. 
3. Tools like SPJS provide actionable insights for improving fairness and candidate experience. 
4. Implementing these strategies fosters trust, reduces bias, and makes your recruitment process more effective. 

By following these guidelines, organizations can create a fairer and more efficient recruitment process, ensuring that every candidate feels valued and has an equal opportunity to succeed.

Sources: 

Bauer, T. N., Truxillo, D. M., Paronto, M. E., & Weekley, J. A. (2001). Development of the Selection Procedural Justice Scale (SPJS): A Tool for Measuring Applicant Reactions to the Selection Process. *Personnel Psychology*, 54(4), 761-787. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6570.2001.tb00221.x   

McLarty, B. A., & Whitman, D. S. (2015). A Dispositional Approach to Applicant Reactions: Examining Core Self-Evaluations, Behavioral Intentions, and Fairness Perceptions. *Journal of Business and Psychology*, 30(4), 649-662. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-015-9405-x   

Hoang, G. T., Kahn, W. A., & Wong, D. J. (2020). Procedural Justice in Selection from the Lens of Psychological Contract Theory. *Academia*. https://www.academia.edu/98062965/Procedural_Justice_in_Selection_from_the_Lens_of_Psychological_Contract_Theory