How can you address implicit bias in your hiring process?

1 Recognize your own biases

The first step to addressing implicit bias is to acknowledge that you have it and that it can influence your judgments and actions. You can use online tools, such as the Implicit Association Test, to measure your implicit preferences and attitudes toward different social groups. You can also reflect on your own experiences, values, and beliefs, and how they might shape your perceptions of others. By becoming more aware of your own biases, you can start to challenge them and reduce their impact.

3 Standardize your screening and interviewing process

Another way to address implicit bias is to standardize your screening and interviewing process, so that you evaluate all candidates based on the same criteria and expectations. You can use structured interviews, where you ask the same questions to all candidates and rate them using a predefined scale or rubric. You can also use blind resumes, where you remove personal information, such as names, photos, or education, that might trigger bias. Additionally, you can use skills-based assessments, where you test the candidates' abilities and performance in relevant tasks or scenarios.

4 Diversify your hiring team

Having a diverse hiring team can help you reduce implicit bias and increase the diversity of perspectives and opinions in your decision-making process. You should involve people from different backgrounds, experiences, and roles in your hiring team, and ensure that they are trained and aware of the potential effects of implicit bias. You should also encourage open and constructive feedback and discussion among your hiring team, and avoid relying on gut feelings or first impressions.

5 Seek feedback and improvement

Finally, you should seek feedback and improvement on your hiring process and outcomes, and monitor how they affect the diversity and inclusion of your team and organization. You can collect data and metrics, such as the number and demographics of applicants, interviews, hires, and retention rates, and analyze them for any patterns or gaps. You can also solicit feedback from candidates, employees, and external stakeholders, and identify any areas of improvement or best practices. By doing so, you can continuously evaluate and improve your hiring process and address implicit bias.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?