Bias means prejudice for or against an individual or a group, which is usually unfair. It is a common problem, especially in the hiring process. As an employer, there are several tips important in trying to curb this issue. Read on for more information on how to remove bias from the hiring process.
Creation of Job Descriptions That Are Gender-Neutral.
There are specific descriptions of some jobs that may keep off qualified applicants, mainly if you use phrases or words skewing a particular gender. The opposite gender may feel discouraged and fail to send applications.
If you are an employer and need to be on the watch out for hiring bias, it is essential to scan your descriptions for the job position you are advertising. The scanning helps identify skewed terms and enables you to rectify them. For instance, a word like ‘tackle’ sounds tough and may scare the females, while ‘empathetic’ says soft and favours the female.
Blind Resumes’ Review.
Employers or the panel responsible for the recruitment process sometimes fall into traps while reviewing resumes. It is an instance of an unconscious bias that drives an unfair decision-making process. The most common types of this bias in a resume are names, age, demographic characteristics, talents, and nationality.
There is a particular blinding software for resumes recommended for use by hiring individuals and groups that hides or removes the features that lead to bias while reviewing resumes for hiring purposes. It is unfair to subject applicants to prejudice, especially for factors they are cannot control.
Creating Awareness Among Employees on Biasness.
Sometimes you may not realise when you are becoming biased towards others, and you cannot address an issue you are not conscious about. Most people do not realise when they are becoming biased. Therefore, it is essential to train your employees and the recruitment team to prepare them to challenge assumptions. This also prevents them from harbouring stereotypes.
There are a lot of ways to offer training. You can hold internal programs, pay for the services elsewhere, look for a professional online, and use information in Google. With the necessary knowledge on hiring bias, one can probably focus on first instinct responses before decision-making.
Diversifying Panels Involved in the Recruitment Process.
It is the easiest way of solving and avoiding hiring bias. By diversifying the panel, you are introducing different perspectives into the process. It reduces unconscious biases during the selection process.
It is also necessary that you include diversity goals that will ensure you maintain caution. The plans will always help the panel track their steps to select and see that they have overcome the set goals and achieved them.
Location for Advertising.
This point also connects to the one on diversity. You may have set diversity goals but not achieve any of them. It shows you also need to diversify the recruitment campaign. Below are some of the things you can do:
- Focusing on lower-level universities and colleges, sometimes the best learners fail to afford the best higher learning institutions.
- Consider different niche sites other than the specifics to your field of interest.
- Adjust the search perimeters to cater to all potential applicants, even those without the specific skill sets you to need. It is always possible to teach the least essential skills later.
Standardization of Interview Questions.
Standard questions ensure the hiring process is fair and consistent. It also makes it appropriate for all applicants regardless of how news of the advertisement reached them. They get to compete with the presentation of their qualification documents.
The standard question should not include anything relating to the interviewee’s details, such as religion and sexual orientation. Any questions asking for information that does not hinder the applicant from performing the required tasks are irrelevant.
