Read more about inclusive recruitment
The competency-based approach: the (not-so-secret) secret of inclusive recruitment
Recruiting without discrimination: not easy, but highly mandatory!
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Adopting an inclusive approach to recruitment enables companies to go beyond traditional criteria based solely on experience and technical skills. Attitudes are changing, and the most forward-thinking companies that value a diversity of perspectives and backgrounds are giving themselves the means to attract diverse talent, innovate further and boost their performance.
Investing in an inclusive recruitment process goes far beyond simply ticking a diversity box. Inclusive recruitment practices help comply with employment equity legal obligations, while ultimately aiming to recruit the best person for the job, the team and the company.
Reviewing and implementing an inclusive recruitment process makes it possible to :
- Access a more diverse talent pool, in terms of age, experience, culture, etc.
- Enable companies to be more innovative and efficient, and to better anticipate market needs.
- Enhance employers’ image and reputation with customers and partners
- Contribute to corporate social responsibility (CSR), particularly in terms of equality and well-being at work
- Combat inequality and under-representation of certain groups by meeting legal requirements in terms of employment equity and non-discrimination.
- Implement practices that encourage more objective recruitment, based on transparent and fair assessment criteria.
Unconscious bias in the inclusive recruitment process
Unconscious biases are automatic, involuntary prejudices that influence our decisions, even when we’re convinced we’re acting impartially.
They are formed over time under the influence of our environment, education, media and personal experiences. Our brains, seeking to process information quickly, rely on mental shortcuts that can lead to biased judgments, including in recruitment.
For example, studies have shown that applicants with “foreign” names are less likely to be selected for an interview than those with more common names.
In recruitment, the most commonly observed bias is prototype bias. This is the tendency to have a “model” candidate in mind for a position, and to consider only those candidates who fit this profile perfectly. This bias manifests itself as soon as the job offer is written, and persists beyond the selection stage, right through to interviews and integration. It often takes the form of a phrase like “We’re looking for the new Stéphane”.
The problem with this approach is that it limits the field of possibilities by excluding candidates who, although different from the pre-established model, could bring complementary skills, innovative ideas and a new dynamic to the team. By unconsciously favoring a specific type of profile, organizations risk reproducing a lack of diversity and missing out on talent that could enrich their workplace.
How to get closer to an inclusive recruitment process
As major obstacles to equity, diversity and inclusion in the workplace, unconscious bias can deprive organizations of interesting and relevant candidates.
To engage in inclusive recruitment, companies need to act on two fronts: firstly, to raise awareness and train their teams in unconscious bias, and secondly, to review their processes to ensure they promote fairness and inclusion at every stage.
Training individuals is essential, as unconscious biases influence decisions without our being aware of it. By helping recruiters and managers to recognize these mechanisms, we give them the tools to adopt fairer, more objective practices. A trained team will be better able to evaluate candidates on the basis of skills and potential, rather than on irrelevant subjective or cultural criteria. URelles offers training courses in this area.
However, even the best-trained people can’t entirely get rid of their biases. That’s why it’s just as crucial to review recruitment processes: from job posting to screening, interviewing and integrating new recruits. By structuring these stages rigorously and applying clear, objective criteria, we can limit the impact of bias and ensure fairer access to opportunities.
Among our various services focusing on inclusive recruitment, we can:
- Analyze your process from A to Z and provide you with specific recommendations;
- Train your team on inclusive writing to improve your external communications and job postings;
- Review your application evaluation grid: questions asked, weighting, skills targeted, etc;
- Offer you comprehensive training on the steps involved in inclusive recruitment to raise awareness in your organization!
Want to find out more? Contact us
Photo from Place à la diversité corporelle from ÉquiLibre
