5 Ways of Crafting Inclusive Hiring Processes | Gartner

Organizations continue to prioritize diversity initiatives, such as hiring more diverse candidates. But as noted in this Gartner paper, increasing the number of diversity hires in a firm requires more than sourcing from a diverse talent pool. It also demands they remove hidden barriers that restrict candidates from underrepresented talent groups from completing the hiring process. This article shares five strategies HR leaders can use to remove these barriers. The strategies range from 1) Define Job Requirements Based on Work Outcomes, Not Credentials, 2) Create More Inclusive Job Posts, and 5) Leverage Technology to Reduce Bias in Assessments.  Figure 3 provides an example of job descriptions that describe the outcomes a role must achieve rather than prescribing the qualifications needed to achieve them. Figure 4 illustrates how one firm’s applicant tracking system (ATS) reminds recruiters of bias and biased language while screening candidates. As firms prioritize diversity initiatives and inclusive hiring practices, they should identify which barriers (along each step of the hiring process) they can remove to increase their ability to hire diverse talent. If you missed it, here is an HBR article about a study that found how people’s speech patterns — how they pronounce words and phrases — led assessors to predict a person’s socioeconomic status, which influenced whether they would recommend the candidate for the job.