Do you ever think about how every hiring decision impacts the future of our organisations? Yet often, our own internal, involuntary judgments can unintentionally affect these important choices.  

In turn, they influence our workplace diversity.  

This is what’s known as unconscious bias. And in a world where most employers are now looking to increase their diversity, it can be a real hindrance for companies looking to make DE&I a priority. Research shows that 48% of HR managers admit bias affects which candidates they choose to hire. While Harvard University suggests that 70% of people exhibit unconscious biases, which are automatic, unintentional, often shaped by societal stereotypes.  

This blog explores unconscious bias within hiring practices. Because when your business recognises and takes steps towards removing these biases, you’ll undoubtedly reap the rewards of happy, loyal, and high-performing teams.  

Understanding Unconscious Bias 

If you’re not familiar with the term ‘unconscious bias’, let’s firstly explain what we mean by it. It’s a term that describes the automatic shortcuts our brains take to process information quickly; often we don’t even realise we’ve done it. These biases are deeply ingrained in us, and are triggered by things like our backgrounds, cultural environments, and personal experiences. They happen outside of our conscious awareness, so they can heavily influence the decisions we make and the interactions we have without us even knowing it. 

If we consider unconscious bias in everyday life, it can show up a lot of different ways. For instance, say you’re at a networking event, you might unconsciously gravitate towards someone who’s attended your old school or university. Or perhaps you’ll be more likely to approach people of a similar age to you, or who share your accent. These kinds of biases, although completely normal, can have an influence on who we trust, who we’re friendly with…and who we overlook. We typically don’t mean to – it’s just the way our brains work. 

So, when we apply the concept of unconscious bias to recruitment, it goes without saying that it can have a significant impact. Affinity bias, for example, is where we favour candidates who remind us of ourselves or share similar interests. Meanwhile we may potentially (and unintentionally) sideline those who come with different perspectives. Then there’s gender bias which can result in us preferring candidates of a specific gender, but the downside is we are disadvantaging individuals who are just as capable of carrying out a role. (Shockingly around 90% of people are thought to have at least one bias against gender equality due to deeply entrenched social natures.) Similarly, name bias can lead to the preferential treatment of candidates with names that we perceive as more familiar or easier to pronounce.  

There’s no getting away from them. But by understanding and acknowledging the presence of these biases, organisations can take steps to avoiding them and creating a more inclusive and diverse workforce. 

The Impact of Unconscious Bias on Hiring 

There’s still a lot of organisations that don’t fully understand the negative impact unconscious bias is having on their success. Think about it: they’re not just overlooking qualified candidates but also affecting the long-term performance of their business because without the wide range of experiences and perspectives that diversity brings, you’re lacking in innovation, problem-solving, and decision-making skills. 
 
If a workforce is homogeneous, it misses out on a creative streak that only comes to life when various backgrounds and ideas come together. Without it, workplaces can become stagnant. Yet with diversity, teams are far better equipped to understand and respond to a broad range of customer needs, drive innovation, and gain a competitive edge. Plus, productivity’s generally higher because employees feel more valued and motivated. 
 
But beyond the cultural and business impacts of unconscious bias, there are legal and ethical considerations to bear in mind too. Ethically, organisations have a responsibility to ensure their hiring processes promote inclusivity. And legally, many jurisdictions now have stringent laws against discriminatory hiring practices. If you fail to comply you risk damaging your company’s reputation and could even face legal repercussions. 

Identifying Unconscious Bias in Your Recruitment Process 

So, what’s the secret to avoiding unconscious bias in your recruitment process? It’s not really a secret at all – a lot of it is common sense and you should start with thinking about how you can make your workplace as diverse and inclusive as possible. Ask yourself, where might unconscious bias be present? Take a close look at your teams. Are certain departments overwhelmingly homogeneous? Is there a lack of variety when it comes to hiring? 

Alongside asking these questions, carry out an analysis of your interview processes as well. Could feedback be skewed? Look out for red flags like certain demographics being consistently favoured over others. Or very few diverse candidates reaching the advanced stages of the selection process.  

Like many other business areas, data has become key in helping us to eliminate unconscious bias. At Solutions Driven we regularly carry out data analysis with our clients, so be sure to speak to one of our experts should you need assistance in this area. This scientific approach is so important for allowing you to pinpoint specific stages in the hiring process where biases may be frequently showing up. 

And finally, don’t forget to seek feedback from employees too. Employees can provide valuable perspectives on where they feel bias is happening. It’s important to encourage open discussions about their feelings and observations, as you’ll learn a lot about where improvements could be made. Never overlook the power of combining data insights with employee feedback – it’s vital if you’re serious about improving your recruitment process. 

Strategies to Mitigate Unconscious Bias in Hiring 

If you want to get rid of unconscious bias from your hiring, you need to think strategically. Here are our suggestions:  

1.        Training 

One way to make a difference is to provide unconscious bias training to recruiters and hiring managers. This kind of training is designed specifically to raise awareness of personal biases, and it’ll give people the tools to recognise (and remove) them when hiring. If you’re able to increase individuals’ awareness, you’ll create a more inclusive environment – one where talent is assessed on merit rather than assumptions. 

2.        Structured interviews 

Structured interviews are another way to mitigate bias. Using standardised questions for every candidate in every interview is more likely to reduce judgments. And you’ll create a consistent evaluation process that allows interviewers to compare candidates fairly based on their responses rather than preconceived ideas. 

3.        Blind recruitment 

Blind recruitment techniques also play a crucial role. Try anonymising CVs and removing personal information like names, gender, or ethnicity. This means recruiters can focus solely on candidate skills and qualifications, levelling out the playing field and ensuring that everyone’s evaluated on their capabilities alone. 

4.        Diverse hiring panels  

Additionally, try to use diverse hiring panels as they can significantly reduce bias during the interviews. By involving interviewers from different backgrounds and perspectives, you’ll get a more comprehensive view of a candidate. And a diverse panel will challenge assumptions and promote a more balanced assessment of applicants. 

5.        Continuous tracking 

Finally, continuously monitoring and adapting your hiring practices is essential in making sure you’re continuously fair and inclusive. Work to regularly review your recruitment processes, gather data on outcomes, and get ready to adapt strategies as needed. This ongoing commitment to improvement will help to ensure that unconscious biases are continually addressed. 

Take some time out to think about unconscious bias. Could it be present in your organisation? And could it be impacting your hiring or hindering your performance?  

Identifying any biases within your recruitment process is so important – not just from a compliance or ethical viewpoint; but because it’s key in making you more innovative and productive. In short it can help you to unlock the full potential of your organisation.  

If you’d like help with putting some of the practices covered in this blog into place, speak to Solutions Driven today. We will help you to gain a holistic view of your recruitment processes to identify and remove potential biases that could be holding you back.