Construction Inclusion Week: Working Towards Eliminating Unconscious Bias in Workplace Hiring Practices through Key Corrective Measures
While the concept of unconscious bias in the workplace is far from new, the results of current studies have really brought light to the severity of the issue. Here are some powerful statistics which corroborate this:
Common Biases in the Hiring Process
Gender Bias:
Applicants with male names have a 40% higher chance to be called in for an interview than their female counterparts
Racial Bias:
According to an article by Forbes, applicant names that appeared to be Caucasian or “European-sounding” generally have a:
75% higher likelihood to secure an interview than those with “Asian” sounding names
50% higher chance to get called in for an interview than individuals with “African American-sounding” names
25% higher likelihood to get an interview request than their counterparts with “Latino-sounding” names
Age Bias:
The results of a study by DICE showed that up to 68% of baby boomers were not comfortable applying for tech jobs, based on the presumption that their skills and knowledge are not as advanced, relative to their younger counterparts.
Religious Bias:
According to a study done by the University of Missouri-St. Louis, applicants that were identified as being Muslim or from an Arab background were less likely to get contacted for an interview.
How Organizations Can Identify and Address Unconscious Bias in Their Hiring Practices
Change and Update Key Hiring Practices:
When going through the hiring process, ensure that there is no:
Affinity bias
Age bias
Attribution bias
Appearance-focused bias
Confirmation bias
Gender bias
Racial bias
Religious bias
Practice “blind recruitment” processes where any background information about the applicant is not visible to the hiring team
Provide Additional Training to Recruiters and Hiring Managers:
Offer courses and programs to help recruiters and hiring managers identify potential biases they may have and find ways to ensure they are not applied
Enforce Accountability and Apply Corrective Measures:
Put corrective measures in place for employees who have applied unconscious bias
Ensure the HR Team is Diverse:
To ensure various perspectives are incorporated into hiring-related decision-making, build an HR team with different backgrounds (e.g. gender, ethnicity, age, etc.).
Establish a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Team and Assign a DEI Leader:
Establish a DEI team to help foster and champion a culture of commitment to DEI through education and events and establish quantifiable DEI targets to reach
Appoint a DEI leader who will be responsible for getting overall DEI leadership buy-in and for developing strategies, executing tactical plans and measuring outcomes
Increase Education and Awareness:
It’s critical to educate yourself on the different types of biases by conducting research online and contacting HR representatives or other professionals in the field
Looking Ahead
With greater awareness, training and measures in place, unconscious bias in workplace hiring practices can be reduced dramatically and ultimately become a relic of the past.
Sources:
Addressing Implicit Bias in the Hiring Process
10 WAYS HR CAN HELP TO TACKLE UNCONSCIOUS BIAS IN THE WORKPLACE
What is unconscious bias in the workplace, and how can we tackle it?