What is unconscious bias?
Unconscious bias is the process of unknowingly favouring specific groups of people based on inherited beliefs concerning gender, race, age, religion, and ethnicity. In organisations, unconscious bias can show up in a number of key areas including recruitment, retention, and promotion.
Why is fixing unconscious bias important?
On a human level, removing unconscious bias is important – the right thing to do in a fair society. If the majority of the UK public feel that everybody should be given an equal chance, this should be reflected in the organisations they work for.
There are also benefits on an organisational level. Many studies have shown that having a diverse workforce increases the bottom line, fosters innovation, and enhances the reputation of the company. With a reputation for fair hiring and promotion practices, organisations will become an attractive Employee Value Proposition (EVP), bringing a wider pool of talent to the table.
With more talent to choose from, housing sector organisations can go some way to plug the gaps in skills currently faced by many in the industry. With particular shortages in the areas of construction, cyber security, and digital skills, housing associations and private providers will benefit significantly from creating a more inclusive people strategy.
What can the housing sector to do fix unconscious bias?
Review DE&I policy
First, organisations should look at their current Diversity, Equality & Inclusion policy (DE&I). Has the policy been updated recently? Are employees at all levels of the organisation aware of the policy and its importance? If not, it is important to set aside training provision to get all staff up to speed.
Recruit for diversity
Next, senior leaders should ensure HR teams place an emphasis on diversity in the recruitment phase. Recruitment agencies can be directed to longlist an equal number of male and female candidates, for example, and HR teams can be encouraged to use a range of job boards when advertising vacancies.
Redact information on CVs
When shortlisting candidate for interview, HR personnel should redact information on name, age, ethnicity, and gender. When presented with redacted CVs showcasing only the skills and achievements of each candidate, hiring teams are more likely to make unbiased decisions.
Create diverse hiring teams
Another advisable step is to form a diverse hiring team. This makes it less likely for individual biases to influence the hiring outcome. With a diverse and balanced set of perspectives, hiring teams should find that their final assessments are more objective.
Separate feedback
Post-interview, it is natural for hiring members to influence other members of the team. If a team member (particularly in a senior role) leads with their opinion, this can influence the opinions of those who follow. Where possible, it is better to write feedback down without sharing, and revisit the feedback objectively at the end of the interview process.
Senior leaders and decision makers: don’t miss the One Advanced Housing Summit in London on 19 September, 2024 – free for those in the public sector. Spaces are limited, register today.