Unconscious biases, diversity and inclusion are common buzzwords floating around on LinkedIn and other social media platforms today. But does that mean we always practise what we preach? Maybe not!
Biases - whether implicit or explicit - often subtly influence our decisions and interactions with others, especially during important business processes like hiring and interviewing. Yes, this includes leadership positions too! Can we cover up this discrepancy between values and practices by implementing inclusive processes? Yes, but not without two significant catalysts - Awareness and Sensitisation!
Understanding the Problem at the Root Level
The first step in addressing our biased behaviours is being aware of them. Even the most well-intentioned recruiters, influenced by unconscious biases, may ask questions like “Is a woman suitable for this role?” and “Are you planning to get married soon?”. These familiar assumptions reveal how deeply ingrained biases can shape perceptions, despite best interests.
Not just women, but even people from other communities like LGBTQ and different socio-economic backgrounds may be subject to such subtle discrimination. For example, LGBTQ candidates may be asked intrusive questions about their personal lives and those from minority social groups may be rejected as not being suitable “culture fits”. These tendencies reflect faulty connections between someone’s personal/social characteristics and their suitability for a role.
Of course, not every HR professional displaying these behaviours does so with malice. Because more often than not, these biases are driven by deep-seated conditioning. This is why recognising and addressing these unconscious biases is crucial in building a truly inclusive hiring process.
Fuelling Practices With Sensitisation
For change to be truly meaningful, awareness must precede it. Sensitisation then translates this understanding into the right kind of action. Together, both these strategies work in tandem to create an inclusive environment that fosters respect, fairness and empathy for everyone.
Introspection is the key to building awareness, which organisations can kickstart by:
Conducting unconscious bias workshops (where facilitators can be trained to recognise signs of bias and address them)
Rolling out self-report bias assessments (which can bring unconscious tendencies to conscious awareness)
Analysing hiring and interviewing data to identify any hidden trends or patterns of exclusion or discrimination.
For example, one can analyse the ratio of female to male leaders hired to gauge the representativeness of the workforce. Hiring data can also be analysed to check for pay parity or how many women compared to men successfully convert into permanent positions.
Sensitisation can substantiate this awareness and help convert it into inclusive practices, whether it is through inclusive communication training like using bias-free language in hiring processes), generating discussions on the personal and professional roadblocks faced by minorities, or providing safe spaces to discuss feedback about interview/hiring experiences.
From Intention to Action: What Do Truly Inclusive Practices Look Like?
The final mile to successfully bridge the gap between ideals and practices lies in strategically implementing inclusive processes.
One approach can be to standardise interview processes by using prewritten skill-based questions for all applicants, like those related to logical and critical thinking. The interviewer can take a step further by not asking candidates for any personal details like marital status or religious affiliations to keep evaluations fair. After interviews, candidates’ performance can be assessed against objective criteria rather than subjective judgement.
A second step is to diversify hiring and interview panels. For example, organisations can include interviewers from multiple minority groups and communities. This helps ensure that interviewers don't unconsciously favour candidates who share similar backgrounds or experiences, a phenomenon known as affinity bias. Also, HR professionals can be trained to identify and openly address instances of bias during interviews and selection.
During the selection process, any test or assessment given should be crafted to be universally understood, regardless of a candidate's social, economic or cultural background. For example, situational judgement tests may not resonate equally across diverse candidates, so a greater emphasis can be placed on skills such as visual or spatial reasoning.
Finally, it’s important to audit and monitor hiring trends to sustain progress towards inclusivity and address areas of improvement. This practice also provides an opportunity to evaluate existing policies and processes, ensuring they evolve as needed.
A ‘Fair’ Conclusion
Implementing inclusive practices in an organisation, especially in hiring and recruitment, doesn’t happen overnight. Merely preaching isn’t enough. There needs to be commitment and conscious efforts to foster empathy, fairness and inclusivity towards everyone. What makes this effort possible? Sensitising everyone, including HR professionals, and empowering them to create lasting change the right way.
It’s high time we move beyond social media buzzwords, towards real-time change to build workplaces that ensure that everyone feels valued and welcomed. After all, diversity, equity and inclusion are more than just abstract values and they’re certainly incomplete without the intentional efforts that bring them to life!
Psst! This blog was created after a lot of thought by a real person. #NoGenerativeAI
