Like it or not, recruitment efforts can be hampered by unconscious biases. And that will lead to imbalances in the hiring process and hamper your company’s efforts at a diverse workforce. The evidence shows that diversity should be encouraged not only for the benefit of your employees but for your business’s success as a whole.
So, how can you eliminate bias in your hiring process? Here are five tips:
#1: Make your interviewers aware of bias.
The first step is to make the people involved in your interviewing and recruiting processes aware of bias dangers. By drawing attention to the problem of unconscious bias, you’re putting it out the open in order to eliminate it. Acknowledging that such problems exist is the first step toward making a difference.
#2: Standardize your interview process.
If you let interviewers ask candidates impromptu or spontaneous questions, there’s a good chance unconscious biases will slip in. That’s why standardizing your interviews is a good idea. This requires creating a set of standard interview questions that each candidate will be asked regardless of the situation. That way, every interviewer and every candidate is treated the same way, thereby eliminating bias.
#3: Diversify your hiring process.
If the team responsible for hiring candidates isn’t diverse, the candidate pool isn’t likely to be either. Remember: diversity attracts more diversity! Include people with as many different backgrounds and worldviews as possible in your recruitment and interview efforts. It’s a great way to make sure the candidates are diverse, too.
#4: Always use validated assessments.
If you use skill or personality assessments in your screening or hiring process, make sure they’re validated ones. Unvalidated assessments can be full of biases that will completely skew the process. On the other hand, validated assessments use a scientific approach to ensure that bias doesn’t play a role.
#5: Conduct blind resume reviews.
Bias can be a part of the hiring process even before interviews happen. That’s why a blind resume review might be a good idea. That means removing candidates’ names, ages, and other personal information — keeping only experience and skills — when screening resumes will remove the chance of unconscious bias.
Make sure you’re thinking about bias during your company’s hiring process. It’s the best way to attract and find the best candidates! And if you need help in the hiring department, consider partnering with High Profile Staffing. Contact us today to find out how we can help.