From bias to balance: challenging prejudices in recruitment
This article was written by our partner Bain & Company
Diversity has become a core value for companies and organisations. It’s not just about meeting legal and social responsibility requirements, but also about creating a dynamic and innovative workplace. Diversity can bring new perspectives, ideas, and solutions to the table and increase workplace efficiency. But the benefits of diversity can only be realised if companies make a conscious effort and succeed in recruiting, including, and retaining employees with different backgrounds and experiences.
Unconscious bias is everywhere
At the consultancy firm Bain & Company, diversity is high up on the agenda. They want to challenge the historical tendency in the industry to have a uniform team composition and a predominance of men.
Sofie Knattrup, Senior Manager and head of the recruitment team at the company, explains: “We want to reflect the society we live in, and therefore it is important for us to have a diverse composition of our teams. We strive to have an equal distribution of gender, as well as a representation of different identities and backgrounds. This is something we emphasise when recruiting new talent.”
Unfortunately, unconscious bias can affect the recruitment process as it relates to our unconscious prejudices, stereotypes, and assumptions that can influence our decisions and actions. Sofie elaborates: “If you have a brain, you are biased. Our brain often tries to make things easier for itself by putting things in boxes and making generalisations. This can affect our ability to make objective decisions and assess candidates on a fair and equal basis.”
At Copenhagen Pride, it resonates that unconscious bias can make it more difficult for minorities to gain equal access to the labour market. “Studies show that LGBTI+ people generally thrive less well in the workplace than the majority,” says Benjamin Hansen, organisational chairperson at Copenhagen Pride. “It is important to focus on challenging unconscious biases and stereotypes right from the recruitment process. Therefore, we are very pleased that our partner Bain & Company takes this task seriously and works for a more inclusive work environment.”
Out with the CV
To increase diversity in the organisation, Bain & Company has introduced a number of measures to address unconscious bias and help assess candidates as objectively as possible. For example, interviewers no longer have access to candidates’ CVs.
“By removing the CV, we create the opportunity to discover talent that might otherwise have been overlooked. Furthermore, we reduce the risk of having an unconscious preference for candidates who are similar to ourselves or fit a certain stereotype of the ‘ideal consultant’,” Sofie explains.
It’s natural for humans to feel a connection to others who share our background, interests, or personal characteristics, but if the candidate doesn’t feel part of the community, it can have negative consequences.
Sofie elaborates: “When our candidates feel seen and recognised, they are more relaxed and comfortable in the situation. This means they can think more clearly and creatively when solving a challenging case. We want our candidates to succeed, both for their benefit and for ours.”
Not quite there yet
The new initiatives have already led to a significant increase in the number of women hired, but the journey is far from over. The next step is to address the unconscious bias that can lead to qualified candidates being overlooked if they don’t have a degree from a well-known or prestigious institution. In addition, Bain & Company also wants to raise awareness of unconscious bias across the entire organisation in the Nordics so that all employees can contribute to creating a culture of fairness and inclusion.
Sofie explains: “Changing our recruitment practices is a cultural journey that requires our full attention. The better we understand our own biases and preferences, the better we become at managing them and making more objective decisions. Ultimately, it’s about creating equal opportunities for everyone – regardless of background, nationality, gender, identity and education. This will result in greater diversity, which will benefit both our organisation and the wellbeing of our employees.”
