Unconscious Bias in Recruitment and How to Remove It? [6 easy methods]
If we think about it, the hiring process never really was built equally for everyone. Part of the problem is that it’s always relied on humans — and humans are notoriously biased.
We’re biased about what kind of names we expect to see on a CV, for example. We’re biased about the type of person we imagine in a role. We’re biased about physical appearance, someone’s university, or even the sports team that they like.
A lot of these biases operate at an unconscious level, so quickly that we’re barely even aware that they’re happening. But they can be immensely powerful in who gets the role, and can be a huge barrier to creating a more diverse and inclusive company.
In this post, Dr Ximena Hartsock, co-founder of BuildWithin, explains why organisations need to identify their unconscious biases in the recruitment process, and shares some strategies on how to overcome it.
How does unconscious bias show up in the recruitment process?
Before talking about the impact of unconscious bias in hiring, let's take a step back and cover the basics.
Unconscious bias, also known as implicit bias, refers to judgments, beliefs, or perceptions we have about individuals based on characteristics related to their identity. These biases operate below the level of awareness and can affect decision-making in ways that are not intentional or deliberate.
So, what is unconscious bias in hiring? It refers to the prejudices or stereotypes that individuals form about certain groups of people without realizing it, which can influence hiring decisions. These biases are often based on factors such as gender, race, age, socioeconomic background, education, and more.
But how does unconscious bias affect hiring? In the recruitment process, it can impact every phase, from who sees and engages with your job advert to who ends up in the interview room and wins the role. It can manifest in many different forms.
Some examples of unconscious bias in recruitment include:
- Resume screening: Dr. Ximena explains, "Unconscious bias can impact the screening of resumes, leading to the exclusion of candidates based on factors such as the absence of a college degree or the presence of a foreign last name, which might indicate membership in a minority group."
- Interview phase: "Gender bias emerges during the interview phase, where women are more likely to be questioned about their family and child-rearing responsibilities," Dr. Ximena continues.
- Age bias: "Age bias tends to surface in technical and social media roles, where individuals over the age of 60 may face closer scrutiny compared to younger counterparts who are presumed to possess greater technological aptitude."
These examples illustrate how unconscious bias can influence various stages of the hiring process, potentially leading to unfair and less diverse hiring outcomes.
What are the risks of implicit bias in the hiring process?
When unconscious bias runs unchecked in your hiring process, it means that you’re not able to offer an inclusive, equitable experience for all of the candidates in your hiring pipeline. But crucially, this has a huge impact on the outcomes of your hiring process, too:
- Limited ability to hire top talent: When unconscious bias shows up in the recruitment process, it has a direct impact on an organisation’s likelihood of hiring the right person for the role. “Unconscious bias can lead to biased decision-making during the recruitment process,” explains Dr Ximena. “Biases based on factors such as gender, race, age, or appearance can result in organisations overlooking qualified candidates.”
- Lower performance and profitability: If you’re unable to attract and retain top-performing talent due to bias in your hiring process, it’s likely to have a knock-on impact on your organisation’s long-term performance. High-performing teams lead to higher revenue and profitability — but if you’re not able to identify that talent in the first place, then you’re at a competitive disadvantage.
- Non-inclusive workplace culture: When candidates experience unconscious bias in the recruitment process, it communicates that you’re not creating an environment that is inclusive and fair. Over the longer term, this will result in higher levels of attrition in marginalised employee populations.
- Reputational damage: In the age of social media, we’re far more likely to share when we’ve had a bad experience with an organisation. “Candidates who have a negative recruitment experience due to unconscious bias may share their experiences with others, both online and offline,” says Dr Ximena. “This negative word-of-mouth can harm the organisation’s reputation, leading to difficulties in attracting top talent and potential customers who value diversity and inclusion.”
Unconscious bias not only impacts the hiring process but can have a lasting impact on the overall workplace. So, let's head over to the mitigation strategies.
6 practical strategies on how to remove unconscious bias in recruitment
When you’re trying to reduce the impact of unconscious bias in your organisation, your focus needs to be on changing processes and awareness, rather than people themselves. Here are 6 actionable strategies for mitigating unconscious bias in recruitment and hiring -
1. Rework Job Descriptions
Eliminate Rigid Requirements: Focus on skills rather than rigid qualifications like university degrees. “Eliminate rigid requirements like [university] degrees and focus on describing the skills needed for the role,” advises Dr. Ximena.
Avoid Vague Language: Use clear, specific language to describe job responsibilities and required skills. Avoid terms like “attention to detail” or “critical thinking.”
Use Inclusive Language: Avoid gendered language. Tools can help identify and replace biased terms with neutral alternatives. Consider rethinking job titles to emphasize teamwork, such as using ‘team lead’ instead.”
The thing is that if you think that bias training is enough to remove unconscious bias from hiring then you should think twice. Consider using an online checker like our platform to guide you in writing without unconscious bias.
2. Anonymise candidate CVs.
Anonymize Candidate Information: Remove names, locations, and educational details from resumes to prevent biases related to identity, socioeconomic background, and education. “Removing any identifying details that communicate identifying details about a candidate’s identity, socioeconomic background, education level, age, or other factors that may introduce bias, will allow for a more objective evaluation of how qualified they are to perform a role,” says Dr. Ximena.
Focus on Qualifications: Ensure that evaluation criteria are based on relevant job-related competencies and skills.
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3. Implement structured interview processes.
Standardize Questions and Evaluation: Use the same set of predefined questions and evaluation criteria for all candidates to ensure fairness. “Implement a structured interview process with standardized questions and evaluation criteria,” suggests Dr. Ximena.
Training for Hiring Managers: Equip hiring managers with training on conducting unbiased interviews and using structured processes.
An easy method of doing things here is by following a checklist for inclusive interviewing.
4. Implement diverse hiring panels.
Include Multiple Perspectives: Ensure interview panels are diverse in terms of socioeconomic, educational, and ethnic backgrounds. “Multiple perspectives can help counteract individual biases and provide a more comprehensive evaluation of candidates,” says Dr. Ximena.
Unbiased Interview Training: Train interviewers on how to conduct unbiased interviews and evaluate candidates based on merit.
5. Implement skills-based assessments.
Non-Technical Assessments: Use assessments that evaluate candidates’ skills and potential rather than relying solely on past experiences or qualifications. “Use non-technical assessments to assess candidates’ interests and skills,” suggests Dr. Ximena.
Realistic Task Simulations: Implement work sample tests that mimic job tasks to objectively compare candidates' performance.
6. Survey your candidates after the hiring process.
Track Diversity Goals: Set and monitor diversity goals throughout the hiring process to maintain accountability and prioritize inclusivity.
Survey Candidates: Collect anonymous feedback from candidates at each stage of the hiring process to understand their experience and identify areas for improvement. “Make it a practice to send an anonymous candidate experience survey at each phase of your hiring process that asks how well candidates feel represented, included, and welcomed during their experience,” advises Dr. Ximena.
Parting Words
Understanding the impact of implicit bias in recruitment, and taking actions to remove it from the hiring process, is crucial for the success of an organization. We believe by implementing the 6 strategies given by us, you can overcome this challenge.
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Global organisations including Maersk Tankers, Vestas, and Danske Bank all use Develop Diverse to help them identify and overcome unconscious bias in their recruitment process. Find out more by booking a demo.
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