Unconscious Bias in recruitment training

Available As:

In-house training

  • Face-to-face (Half or full day for <15 people)
  • Live virtual (3hrs for <15 people)
  • Conferences and events (<500 people)
  • Webinar (1hr for <1000 people)
  • With or without actors
  • Fully customisable


          

              
        

        

          
Unconscious Bias in Recruitment


There are numerous studies reporting the impact of unconscious bias on recruitment and selection.


Bias in recruitment manifests because of unfamiliar ‘sounding’ names, judgements based on people’s physical appearance, a person having a firm or weak handshake, or a person’s gender (to name just a few!). As a result, organisations are missing out on great talent, inadvertently encouraging some candidates through micro inequities and affinity bias or discouraging or disregarding others without even realising.


By raising awareness of bias from unconscious to conscious levels and providing simple yet effective guidelines, we can equip recruiters with the awareness and skills to manage the recruitment process fairly and objectively.


ENQUIRE NOW



            
           
        

      

    


    
            

      

          

            

                              
Course Content

                            
The nature of unconscious bias


    

  • What we mean by unconscious bias and how it impacts on diversity
    • 

  • We will reflect on the relationship between implicit associations, stereotypes, and individual attitudes towards others
    • 

  • Attendees reflect on their own experiences of stereotyping different groups/individuals – how could these experiences impact on recruitment and selection?
    • 

  • Discuss whether we have been on the receiving end of negative biases? How did it feel? What was the impact on the interaction / relationship?
    • 

  • Examples of when we might have benefitted from bias
    • 

  • Activity: Experience Autopilot thinking – We include an interactive activity to illustrate how easy it is to fall into the quick-thinking trap and how it is counterproductive to effective recruitment and selection. It will draw on the concepts of fast and slow thinking
    • 



Illustration of how unchallenged unconscious bias can cause unfair decision-making processes in recruitment and selection. What situations might occur where this could be a real issue?

Here we use scenarios, either handpicked from our library of scripts or prepared specifically for your organisation


            

            

                            
Bias blinkers in our recruitment and selection process: How fair are we? How fair are our outcomes? Are we always recruiting the same type of people? How like us are the people we recruit? Practical activity which will also link with the above activity


Positive action: What is the difference between positive action and positive discrimination? How does unconscious bias impact on recruitment and selection? (Some facts and figures that will surprise!)


We explore key concepts of bias, such as Comparison Bias, Confirmation Bias with a particular focus on Affinity bias, and how this plays out in attitudes, behaviours and decision-making processes in recruitment


Techniques to mitigate biases: practical activity to mitigate bias in the recruitment process, and general interactions with others


How our micro inequities (those little subconscious gestures of exclusion) can influence the candidate and their performance. How do we assess/judge candidates or communities as a result? How can we use micro affirmations to ensure a fair candidate experience?


Action planning: Attendees start the process of discussing and completing a four-part action plan. This steps attendees through a holistic approach to implementing change


            

          

          

    


    
        
        

      


        

          

            
Let's Talk!

            






We’re advocates of crafting tailormade solutions that ensure you meet objectives and maximise budgets. Contact us to book a meeting to scope the right solution for your organisation, together.


          

          

          
                    CONTACT US
          
            
            

          

        





          

    




    
            

      

        
What About Actors?


          

            

              
            

            

              
Through clever script writing, goose-bump inducing delivery and professional facilitation we can bring so much to life. We stimulate emotion, penetrate the long-term memory and create lasting change.


When we use live drama, we are able to have the actors play out the scenario and then be hot seated for the audience to ask them questions whilst they remain in character. Hot seating works so well because actors work with a pre-rehearsed backstory, so they are able to respond in character. They progressively reveal unexpected elements of their story that will not have previously been told. It can bust assumptions that the audience might have made based on the scenario (situation) but not fully understanding the impact at first sight.


            

            

              
Using actors in this programme enables us to:


    

  • Bring both the subtle, and not so subtle, inappropriate behaviours to life, literally
    • 

  • Provide attendees with an opportunity to explore the fine line between what is and isn’t acceptable
    • 

  • Give attendees a chance to challenge the actors whilst they are still in character
    • 

  • Demonstrate that things aren’t always what they seem at first glance
    • 

  • Provide delegates with an opportunity to test out alternative ways of approaching what can often be sensitive situations
    • 

  • Create a goosebump-inducing learning experience that sticks in the long-term memory
    • 



            

            

            
            
                        ENQUIRE NOW
            
             
              
            

          



          

    


    
            

      

        
Don't Just Take Our Word For It


          

            

              
            

            


              

                
Natasha Graham

                Senior Policy Officer - Diversity, Great London Authority
               
“The training was fantastic – it gave us time to reflect on the inclusive behaviours we have within the organisation but, more crucially, the inclusive behaviours that we have of ourselves.”


                WATCH ALL TESTIMONIALS