Significant research has shown that much of the recruitment cycle is dictated by bias, often unconsciously. This can hinder diversity, recruiting, promotion, and retention efforts, shaping a company or industry’s culture and norms. With this in mind, we’ve outlined some top tips on how to avoid bias in the hiring process, enabling employers to recruit more fairly when sourcing marcomms specialists.
The Importance of Diversity in Business
McKinsey & Company found that companies in the top quartile for ethnic and gender diversity were 36% more likely to outperform their peers. A Boston Consulting Group study showed that companies with more diverse leadership teams reported 19% higher innovation revenue. In an increasingly interconnected and multicultural society, mirroring your customer and client bases more effectively enables better understanding. This is crucial in marketing and communications teams who interact directly with audiences, requiring a diverse mix to build connections.
Even the most ethically-minded employer can inadvertently allow biases into their hiring activity, often hiring those similar to their existing workforce. So, what can organizations do to reduce subconscious prejudices?
Strategies to Avoid Bias in Hiring
The first step is creating inclusive job descriptions to encourage a diverse candidate pool. Avoid gender-specific wording and terms like ‘rockstar’ or ‘guru’ to prevent deterring applicants before they fully engage with the position.
For interviews, establish a blind interviewing process that removes personal information related to names, genders, and other identifying factors. Applicants should be reviewed alongside predefined criteria, evaluating them objectively based on skills, experience, and competencies. This approach is akin to a skills-first recruitment strategy, with an added layer to remove potential prejudices.
Extend this to the interview and assessment stages. Use predefined interview questions and a scoring matrix to review applicants on a level playing field. Interviewing by a panel of diverse employees can help balance different perspectives and viewpoints.
Education and Monitoring
This approach relies on education and development. Hiring teams need training to be aware of potential unconscious biases. Monitoring diversity data and metrics is crucial to identify patterns during recruitment and after appointments. Avoiding bias requires effort, and many employers make subconscious decisions unknowingly. However, the benefits of adopting this approach outweigh challenges, leading to less prejudiced processes and more diverse teams.
If you are looking to manage your organization’s ED&I strategy, VMA GROUP’s Advisory Services can support you in developing inclusive, fair, and unbiased recruitment practices. Get in touch with the team today to find out more. Read more of our blogs on LinkedIn.
