How can you ensure salary negotiations are free of bias?

1 Establish a salary range

Before you start negotiating with candidates, you should have a clear and consistent salary range for each position, based on the market value, the skills and experience required, and your budget. Having a salary range will help you avoid making arbitrary or subjective decisions based on your personal preferences or assumptions. It will also help you communicate your expectations and rationale to the candidates, and avoid any legal issues or claims of discrimination.

3 Be transparent and flexible

One of the best ways to ensure fair and respectful salary negotiations is to be transparent and flexible with your candidates. You should share your salary range and the factors that influence it, such as performance, skills, education, location, and benefits. You should also be open to hearing the candidates' perspectives and expectations, and be willing to adjust your offer if they have valid reasons or evidence to support their requests. Transparency and flexibility will help you build trust and rapport with your candidates, and show that you value their contributions and diversity.

4 Use objective criteria and data

Another way to avoid bias and ensure equity in your salary negotiations is to use objective criteria and data to evaluate and compare your candidates. You should have a standardized and structured process to assess the candidates' skills, experience, achievements, and fit for the role, using tools such as tests, interviews, references, and portfolios. You should also use reliable and relevant data sources, such as salary surveys, industry benchmarks, and internal audits, to determine the market value and the appropriate compensation for each position and candidate.

5 Seek feedback and review your practices

Finally, you should seek feedback and review your salary negotiation practices regularly, to identify and address any gaps or issues that may arise. You should solicit feedback from your candidates, your hiring team, your managers, and your employees, to understand their experiences and perceptions of your salary negotiation process. You should also review your data and outcomes, such as the number of offers made and accepted, the salary distribution and variance, and the diversity and retention of your hires. By seeking feedback and reviewing your practices, you can improve your salary negotiation skills and ensure that you are fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion in your organization.