How to avoid bias in recruitment

Mac Donovan

Australian Spatial Analytics

James Wright

HIR Strength

Being unable to acknowledge and check your own biases can lead to making incorrect judgment calls on candidates who may otherwise be a great fit. Many recruiters will identify neurodivergent candidates as a poor fit, causing them to miss out on otherwise perfect opportunities. Neurodivergent individuals face some of the highest barriers to entry into the workforce in Australia (they face a 34% unemployment rate), which is why we take strides to be aware of and avoid bias in the recruitment process, as many of our staff, around 80%, are neurodivergent.

Bias in recruitment can lead to unfair hiring practices, excluding talented candidates from marginalised groups. This often results in a lack of diversity, innovation, and inclusion within the workplace, which can negatively affect team dynamics and overall company performance.

Biases manifest in multiple ways, especially bias against neurodivergent individuals. There is still a stigma surrounding neurodivergent candidates, which can lead to recruiters dismissing otherwise excellent candidates based on preconceived judgements. This leads to a recruitment process where some candidates are heavily disadvantaged and unable to secure work they may otherwise be a perfect fit for.

Bias can manifest in recruitment through unconscious prejudices, stereotypical thinking, and favouritism towards certain groups. This often shows up in the language of job postings, resume screening, interview questions, and subjective evaluation criteria, leading to unfair treatment of marginalised candidates.

A company can identify recruitment bias by reviewing hiring practices, workforce demographics, and candidate feedback. Unexplained homogeneity in the team or a lack of qualified, diverse applicants despite outreach efforts could indicate bias. Reviewing resumes with identifying information removed and analysing interview scores for patterns across demographics can also reveal hidden biases. It can be difficult to identify the biases of the system in which you operate, but by paying attention to recruitment outcomes, you can do so.

This can lead to the best candidate missing out on any given opportunity, meaning that entire teams are built from candidates who may not be the best fit. Over time, this can lead to a lower quality of work, a higher volume of work, and a lower level of performance from a team than would otherwise be possible without bias. Neurodivergent candidates are particularly at risk of this, where the recruiter’s biases can prevent a perfect fit from being considered.

Bias in recruitment can lead to homogenous teams, decreased employee morale, and lower retention rates. It stifles innovation and creativity, making the company less competitive. Moreover, it can damage the company’s reputation and limit its ability to attract diverse talent, ultimately affecting overall performance.

To reduce bias, companies can use strengths profile assessments to focus on candidates’ abilities and potential rather than personal characteristics. Implementing structured interviews, diverse hiring panels, and bias training for recruiters can also promote fairer employment outcomes for marginalised groups.