Companies are increasingly focused on building diverse, inclusive workplaces. Since that’s the case, ensuring unconscious bias doesn’t impact recruitment is necessary. Fortunately, there are several straightforward ways to reduce unconscious bias in recruiting. Here are some ways to get started.
Train Hiring Managers on Unconscious Bias
The biggest challenge surrounding unconscious bias is that it occurs without the person being fully aware that they’re acting that way. As a result, one of the most critical steps organizations can take is to train hiring managers to combat unconscious bias.
Often, increasing awareness allows hiring managers better to monitor their own actions, mindsets, and behaviors. It creates growth opportunities and encourages vigilance, making it less likely that unconscious bias will make its way into recruitment processes.
Create Inclusive Job Descriptions
Using gendered or racially insensitive language in job descriptions is often a product of unconscious bias or signals a lack of cultural sensitivity, and it can cause diverse candidates to turn away from a company’s job opportunities. Spend time reviewing job descriptions to identify potentially problematic language. That includes anything from referring to an ideal candidate in a gendered manner – such as using “he” or “she” in the content – or terms like “guru” or “ninja,” which have cultural connotations.
Adopt Blind Recruitment Practices
Blind recruitment practices remove all identifiable information from resumes that could indicate a candidate’s gender, age, race, or other background aspects. By doing so, it’s easier to evaluate applicants based solely on their skills and experience, leading to more equitable hiring and reducing the likelihood that unconscious bias is a factor in the decision-making equation.
Using resume screening technology can potentially support this approach. An applicant tracking system (ATS) with resume reviewing capabilities will focus entirely on finding resumes featuring the right skills and experience and identifying top contenders reasonably objectively.
Use Consistent Interview Questions
Before conducting any interviews, create a preset questions list that the hiring manager will follow during the meeting. By doing so, it ensures that all candidates face off against the exact same questions, making the interview process as equal and fair as possible.
Additionally, consider creating an accompanying scoring rubric for hiring managers to score the candidate’s answers. This approach makes the process more methodical and less subject to unconscious bias.
Have Diverse Hiring Panels
Using a diverse panel instead of a single interviewer can combat unconscious bias for candidate interviews. It ensures that multiple viewpoints make their way into the recruitment process, often preventing an individual’s biases – unconscious or otherwise – from impacting hiring decisions.
When developing a diverse panel, including members of different ages, genders, races, national origins, and other demographics. It’s also wise to include professionals with varying experience in their fields. That way, the panel is as well-rounded as possible.
Partner with a Staffing Firm in Austin, TX
Recruitment agencies prioritize fair, equitable hiring practices, ensuring unconscious bias doesn’t impact the process. If you want to ensure that unconscious bias doesn’t cause you to miss out on top talent, GSG Talent Solutions wants to hear from you. Contact us today.