Steps to Eliminate Bias During the Hiring Process

Companies that encourage a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion at all levels represent the future of work. These companies also know that having a diverse senior leadership team is one of the best ways to bring positive change to corporate hiring practices. While many organizations are starting to work hard to bring more diversity into their senior leadership ranks, there is still more work to do, and it is essential to get started now.

You’re a successful HR professional that’s enthusiastic, forward-looking, passionate, and filled with biases. Wait, what? As human beings, we’re all inclined to develop personal convictions. It’s natural. That said, recognizing your specific biases and how they impact your professional decision-making will allow you to make better hiring decisions Harvard Business School professor, Francesca Gino, describes hiring bias as a factor that influences us “in making decisions in favor of one person or group to the detriment of others.” When this occurs, creating the diverse culture needed to make today’s businesses succeed proves difficult.

The benefits of forming a diverse team include greater productivity, efficiency, innovation, employee happiness and increased revenue. Business leaders should analyze any conscious and unconscious bias existing within the senior leadership team, across hiring managers, and even throughout the broader organization.