AJ Richichi is the CEO of Sprockets, a hiring platform that connects millions of hourly workers with the world's most influential brands.
getty
Whether they're aware of it or not, every human is biased. That's why it’s important to recognize how unconscious bias can be extremely detrimental to those on the receiving end. For example, in the hiring process, unfair judgments create barriers that prevent millions of people from landing employment opportunities. Change is possible, but it requires us to take serious action as a society.
How Bias Can Creep Into Your Hiring Process
It’s way too easy for bias to occur at basically every stage of the hiring process today. Research has found 48% of HR managers admit bias affects which candidates they choose to hire. But it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact cause or determine the best solution.
Job Descriptions And Titles
One of the most common ways that bias appears in the recruitment stage is with gender-specific language in job descriptions and job titles. There’s the obvious inclusion of specific pronouns when describing the ideal candidate, but there are also more subtle gender-coded words that can make a difference. Job ads that use masculine-associated wording like "dominant" or "competitive" can discourage women from applying, while words like "interpersonal" or "support" may discourage men.
Résumé Evaluation
Bias also occurs when reviewing résumés. When employers only spend six to seven seconds looking at each résumé, it’s unlikely each person is being evaluated properly and fairly. Here are just a few of the examples that come to mind.
• Women are less likely to receive callbacks for interviews.
• Candidates whose names are perceived as Black get fewer callbacks than counterparts whose names are perceived as white.
• Older applicants receive 68% fewer responses than younger applicants.
• Employers tend to hire candidates with degrees from prestigious schools, even over those who have more experience.
Interviews
In-person interviews can be even more problematic. When people meet face-to-face, there’s a tendency to judge based on clothing, height, weight, the presence of tattoos and even the handshake. Research found that around 60% of hiring decisions are made within the first 15 minutes of an interview, and 25% are made within just five minutes. These tendencies also extend to video interviews where managers can see inside someone’s home and hear background noises.
Why Bias Is So Common In The Hourly Workforce
Industries that rely on an hourly workforce typically struggle with staffing issues, especially in the food service industry. Restaurants everywhere are understaffed, struggling to get by with managers covering shifts and paying overtime to workers willing to go the extra mile. But is there some unconscious bias behind these staffing challenges?
At Sprockets, we recently conducted a study of more than 540,000 applicants in the hourly workforce across 305 business locations, and we discovered that 82% of applications never get viewed. Why would hiring managers ignore so many potentially great candidates?
Well, the manager of an understaffed restaurant might not have the time or energy to review every résumé effectively and equally. They may quickly scan through résumés at the end of a long shift, allowing unconscious bias the opportunity to influence their decisions. In 2021, a study from Swiss research university ETH Zurich found recruiters' hiring bias increased by 20% just before lunchtime and near the end of the workday. This suggests factors like being tired might be linked to unconscious bias.
Luckily, there are groups like the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to help ensure businesses don’t discriminate against job applicants and employees. These organizations enforce federal laws, investigate charges, provide resources to those affected and educate the masses on fair hiring practices. Public businesses are also adopting in-house initiatives, like hiring DEI experts and requiring employees to complete DEI training courses.
What You Can Do To Avoid Hiring Bias
It’s going to take a collective effort from everyone to create an equitable hiring process. We can’t just watch from afar and hope the situation gets better. So here are a few ways to start addressing bias in your hiring practices.
• Educate Yourself: Gain a full understanding of the facts and fair hiring practices until you know them like the back of your hand. Take advantage of the educational resources available from organizations like the EEOC, the Society for Human Resource Management and LinkedIn.
• Implement Ethical Screening Tools: When considering hiring software, choose an EEOC-compliant platform that’s proven to be unbiased and undergoes regular audits.
• Write Job Postings Carefully: Use gender-neutral language in job descriptions and titles. Consider running your job description through online tools that monitor for gendered language.
• Review Interview Procedures: Consult a DEI expert to ensure your questions don't create unconscious bias. Ask every applicant the same questions in the same order.
• Hire A Chief Diversity Officer: It can be useful to have someone on staff who holds everyone, including yourself, accountable for upholding fair hiring practices and delivering on DEI initiatives.
• Audit Your Hiring Process Regularly: Don’t just review your process when an incident occurs. No process is perfect, and by auditing regularly, you can help mitigate or prevent unconscious bias.
Final Thoughts
Every single decision we make matters in the hiring process. It’s up to all of us to create a future where people are no longer judged unfairly and denied opportunities for arbitrary reasons. With plenty of access to tools and resources, everyone must take it upon themselves to combat their own unconscious biases and educate others. Progress is possible. Let’s all take steps to make it happen.
Forbes Human Resources Council is an invitation-only organization for HR executives across all industries. Do I qualify?
