Overcoming bias: How to foster inclusive hiring practices

In today’s evolving workplace, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) are more than just buzzwords—they are essential to a thriving and competitive organisation. However, despite the importance of an authentic commitment to DE&I to employees, and some significant strides for DE&I in the workplace over the last few years, bias in hiring processes remains a critical challenge.

According to our 2024 Hays Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Report, almost six out of ten professionals have felt their chances of being selected for a job have been lowered in the past due to identifying characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity, or disability.

Read on to discover practical tips and expert insights, bolstered by key findings from our latest research, that can help your organisation overcome bias and improve inclusive hiring practices. 

At a glance: DE&I in the hiring process 

This year’s Hays DE&I Report provides a detailed look at the current state of diversity and inclusion in the workplace, revealing what professionals value most when it comes to DE&I. These findings reflect the current state of DE&I in the workplace and what employers and employees alike feel are the most important factors for an inclusive workplace. Here are some of the key statistics, pulled direct the report: 

• 57% of professionals believe their chances of being selected for a job have been lowered in the past due to identifying characteristics, an increase from 52% in 2019. 

• 43% of respondents feel that leaders in their organisation have a bias towards selecting and hiring people who look, think, or act like them. 

• 49% of organisations now capture the demographic diversity data of applicants, a 10% increase from 2019. 

• 72% of organisations use a structured interview process, up from 66% in 2019. 

• 54% provide unconscious bias training to hiring managers and interviewers, an increase from 34% in 2019. 

• 45% have introduced anonymised recruitment into stages of the selection process to mitigate bias, compared to 23% in 2019. 

These findings highlight the ongoing challenges alongside the progress being made in creating more inclusive hiring plans. Organisations must be aware of how inclusive hiring practices can help applicants feel valued and enhance the hiring experience and outcome overall. Read on for practical tips to help maximise recruitment potential in the future. 

Practical strategies to improve inclusive hiring 

To effectively mitigate bias and foster an inclusive hiring process, organisations can implement the following strategies to better develop their talent attraction and retention and ultimately build a more diverse and inclusive future for all.

1. Invest in training for hiring managers

Bias affects us all and can have a detrimental impact on hiring decisions. Implementing regular training sessions for hiring managers and interviewers can help them recognise and challenge their biases. This type of training should be ongoing to keep up with evolving best practices, as the world of work continues to develop at a rapid pace.

Promisingly, our research highlights that more than half (54%) of organisations currently do provide unconscious bias training to hiring managers and interviewers, up from 34% in 2019.

2. Implement structured interviews 

Having a structured approach to interviews and using a standardised set of questions for all candidates ensures that each applicant is evaluated based on the same criteria, regardless of their background, in turn reducing the influence of unconscious bias.

According to our research, 72% of organisations now use a structured interview process, an increase from 66% in 2019. This approach ensures consistency and fairness in evaluating candidates, ensuring everyone is on a level playing field.

3. Have diverse interview panels

Diversity in interview panels helps bring different viewpoints to the hiring process and reduces the risk of potential new employees falling into the same category. Our research shows this is slowly getting onto organisations’ radars, with nearly half (49%) ensuring their interview panels are diverse, compared to 43% in 2019. 

Including a diverse group of interviewers can provide multiple perspectives and reduce the likelihood of bias influencing hiring decisions. 

4. Consider anonymised recruitment 

Anonymised recruitment involves removing identifying information from CVs and applications, which can ensure that candidates are evaluated based on their skills and experience rather than personal characteristics. This practice helps to focus on candidates’ academic achievements, professional experience and transferable skills, once again, reducing the potential for bias. Our data shows that almost six out of ten employees would feel more confident they’d be fairly considered for a new job if they knew an employer used anonymised recruitment practices.

As it stands, 45% of organisations have introduced anonymised recruitment into stages of the selection process, a significant increase from just 23% in 2019.

5. Capture diversity data from applicants

Capturing diversity data is an essential step to help organisations and those involved with hiring make informed decisions about DE&I initiatives. Our research shows that almost half (49%) of organisations now capture the demographic diversity data of applicants, up from 39% in 2019.

Collecting and analysing the demographic data of both potential new employees and current staff can help organisations understand their current diversity landscape and, crucially, identify areas for improvement. 

6. Set diversity targets

Having attainable diversity targets are key to help organisations develop their DE&I outputs. Establishing clear diversity recruitment targets can help organisations stay focused on their DE&I goals and measure progress over time, for example, are these targets being met? If not, what hurdles do you need to overcome in order to reach these targets?

Over a third (35%) of organisations currently set targets for diversity in recruitment, an increase from 22% in 2019, which helps to ensure that diversity remains a priority in the recruitment process. 

To overcome bias and improve inclusive hiring practices, organisations need a committed and strategic approach. With the tips outlined throughout our 2024 DE&I report and this article, organisations can create a more diverse, equitable and inclusive workplace by implementing practical and effective strategies. Ongoing training, diversity data-driven decision-making, and a genuine commitment to DE&I are essential for long-term success. 

For more insights and support on your DE&I journey, consider partnering with experts like Hays and FAIRER Consulting. Together, we can build workplaces where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Find out how we can support your organisation through our DE&I advisory service.