Do your good employees always quit halfway through? High attrition rates despite implementing the best practices in the workplace? The answer could all be in the recruitment process.
When hiring, most companies strive to create a fair and equitable recruitment process that brings in the best talent. However, despite these good intentions, hiring managers and recruiters often bring their own biases and assumptions to the table. These biases can greatly affect the hiring process, make the workplace less diverse, and make it harder for qualified people to get their dream jobs.
In this article, we look at the psychology of hiring and how these biases and assumptions can lead to discrimination and inequalities.
We will also discuss some common hiring biases so that, as HR professionals, we can identify those characteristics and do our best to avoid them.
Some common hiring biases
Although there are many hiring biases, let’s zoom in on these eight common ones that HR professionals may unknowingly encounter.
Halo effect bias
This hiring prejudice is related to the expectation anchor bias in that it happens when a recruiter focuses too strongly on one favourable feature of an applicant, such as where they went to school or what sports they participate in, and relies on that one factor when making judgments.
We focus in and let that golden aura guide us and our assessment of the prospect. We disregard all other information about them and are astounded by this one characteristic that makes them exceptional. This information may then surprise the recruiter during the rest of the hiring process because they are sure that this candidate will do better than the rest. We might have high expectations for the candidate, ignoring any red signals on their résumé that plainly show they aren’t a good fit for the post. Yet it doesn’t matter since the halo effect extends far and wide, glittering the remainder of the resume.
Overconfidence bias
Overconfidence bias happens when a recruiter is so sure of their ability to pick a good applicant or leave out the ones they think are bad that they let confirmation bias in and use it to explain their decisions. The recruiter lets their subjective confidence cloud their objectivity, and they rely on so-called intuition—but we’ll come to that prejudice later.
Similarity attraction bias
It’s human nature to want to be among people we like and feel comfortable with, and the workplace is no exception. If you’re going to spend a third of your day with someone, you want to know that you’ll get along. Thus, the similarity attraction bias results from recruiters going too far and hiring individuals that look like them or have similar features or attributes, even though those factors aren’t connected with on-the-job success.
Affect heuristics
This is when a recruiter uses mental shortcuts to conclude a candidate’s capacity to accomplish the job without thoroughly reviewing all of the data. Simply put, you are assessing someone’s suitability for a position based on qualities that have no bearing on how they would carry out the work at hand. For example, you could decide that someone with noticeable tattoos, someone who is overweight, or someone named Pete (if your ex-boyfriend was named Pete) are all inept because you dislike that particular attribute or component of their nature.
According to evolutionary psychologists, our reliance on heuristics was a survival technique that aided early humans. Yet we are no longer primitive humans, and this type of hiring prejudice not only prevents you from employing potentially amazing individuals who just do not fit your model, but it also exposes you to a lawsuit if discovered.
Bias based on race
Commenting like, “Your eyes are very Asian.” Statements like these devalue a person’s racial, ethnic, and cultural identity, which may be a crucial element of their lived experience.
Capability bias
When you ask your coworkers to chip in money for something like a birthday party or a retirement gift, you assume that everyone has enough money to contribute. But this approach can make coworkers feel uncomfortable and under pressure, no matter how much money they have.
Sex Bias
Sex bias is a form of discrimination or prejudice that is based on a person’s sex or gender. One example of sex bias is the gender pay gap, where women are paid less than men for doing the same job. For instance, let’s say there are two employees —male and female—who work as software developers in the same company, have the same level of education and experience, and perform equally well in their jobs. Despite all these similarities, the male employee is paid a higher salary than the female employee solely because of his gender.
This is an example of sex bias because the female employee is being discriminated against based on her sex rather than being evaluated on her skills, abilities, and qualifications.
Bias towards LGBTQ+ people
LGBTQ+ bias is a form of discrimination or prejudice based on a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. An example of LGBTQ+ bias in the workplace could be denying someone a job or promotion simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. For instance, a company may pass over a highly qualified candidate for a promotion to a management position, despite their experience and skills, because they are openly gay.
This is an example of bias against LGBTQ+ people because the person is being judged based on their sexual orientation instead of their qualifications and performance alone. Another example could be making derogatory remarks or jokes about a colleague’s sexual orientation or gender identity, which can create a hostile work environment and contribute to LGBTQ+ bias.
Impacts of these biases
When it comes to hiring, biases can have far-reaching effects on both the individual and the organisation. Such biases can prevent highly qualified candidates from being selected, depriving the organisation of top talent. Additionally, they can create a homogenous work environment that stifles creativity and limits the scope of new ideas. The consequences of hiring biases extend beyond the hiring process itself. Unfair treatment can lead to a hostile work environment, prompting people to leave their jobs. This, in turn, can result in decreased productivity, lower morale, and damage to the organisation’s reputation.
To make the workplace more fair and open to everyone, it’s important to be aware of hiring biases and work to stop them. This can be done by putting in place policies and training employees so that all candidates have the same chance of success. By recognising and addressing these biases, organisations can create a work environment that is both diverse and productive.
Remote Hire’s insider recruitment tips when hiring talents
Here are some practical insider recruitment tips from Remote Hire on how to avoid both conscious and unconscious biases when hiring talent.
Cast a wider net
You want to make sure you’re giving yourself the best shot at finding the right candidate, and that means reaching out to a more diverse pool of applicants. Don’t just stick to one job posting or recruitment channel. Think about where your ideal candidate might be searching for jobs and try to meet them there.
Keep it objective
It’s important to focus on objective criteria when evaluating candidates. This means looking at their skills, experience, and qualifications, rather than making assumptions about what they might be like based on personal characteristics. Stay focused on the job requirements and how each candidate measures up.
Create a consistent interview process
If you want to be fair in your hiring process, it’s important to have a consistent interview process. This means that every candidate should be asked the same questions and evaluated using the same standards. By doing this, you’ll be able to avoid any personal biases that might sneak in and compare candidates in a more objective manner. Ultimately, this will help you make an informed decision and select the best candidate for the job.
Educate your team
Not everyone knows their biases, so it’s important to provide training on recognising and mitigating bias. Encourage your team to think critically about their assumptions and challenge any stereotypes they may hold. That way, everyone can work together to create a more inclusive recruitment process.
Check in with yourself
Regularly check in with yourself and your team to see how the recruitment process is going. Are you attracting a diverse pool of applicants? Are there any areas of the process where personal biases might be coming into play? By reflecting on the recruitment process, you can make changes and improve it over time.
The bottom line
Hiring biases can significantly impact the recruitment process and the workplace. Despite good intentions, hiring managers and recruiters often bring their own biases and assumptions to the table, making it harder for qualified candidates to get their dream jobs.
To address these biases, we must first identify them. After which, we can then develop actionable recruitment standards that best avoid these biases. You can use the five practical tips in Remote Hire to find new employees and lower your company’s turnover rate.