Blind Hiring -Things You Need To now

Blind hiring is a recruiting technique that aims to eliminate workplace prejudices based on race, gender, age, and ethnic origin and to encourage workplace diversity.

What does blind hiring entail?

Blind hiring is a recruiting technique that aims to eliminate workplace prejudices based on race, gender, age, and ethnic origin and to encourage workplace diversity. Blind recruiting is a method in which candidates are selected only based on their experience, abilities, and knowledge. Personal information about the applicant is withheld, and employment choices are made only based on their abilities.

The most critical feature of every company is its productivity. Capacity to deliver, perform, innovate, be creative, and cultivate a thriving corporate culture. And to do this, every firm must encourage workplace diversity. There are several different recruitment methods available to help firms promote diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Still, blind hiring allows organizations to address diversity while simultaneously combating unconscious hiring biases.

How does blind hiring eliminate unconscious bias?

Unconscious biases are a significant issue that each business faces throughout the recruiting process. Recruiting managers are often swayed by their views and preconceptions, which frequently impact their hiring choices. And what's more alarming is that many recruiters are oblivious of their prejudices. The majority of these biases are unconscious, origins in perceptions, stereotyped beliefs, and cultural indoctrination.

Gail Tolstoi-Miller, an award-winning career coach and strategist, discussed her experiences with unconscious prejudice over her two decades in the workforce. She explains how a stellar applicant was passed over for a position merely because she wore white pump shoes.

She also discusses how your attire, social media profile photographs or postings, and even your accent may all contribute to your inability to get a job even if you possess the requisite qualifications. It is what unconscious prejudice does; it not only discriminates against eligible applicants but also affects recruiters' decision-making abilities, ultimately harming the organization's bottom line and employer branding.

To address this problem, recruiters might use blind recruiting practices to minimize prejudice. Because each firm is unique and has its own unique corporate culture and demands, they organize the blind recruiting process appropriately to employ the finest personnel. Additionally, they may engage in some self-reflection on their views and perspectives. And then operate in a manner consistent with a non-biased mindset while recruiting.

Why is blind hiring becoming more popular?

One of the first instances of this approach dates back to the 1970s with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra. The symphonic orchestra was entirely composed of white guys. To address this and recruit a more varied pool of applicants, they established blind auditions in which musicians were assessed only on their performance and not on their looks. And they discovered that the percentage of women admitted into orchestras increased from 25% to 46%.

A Silicon Valley entrepreneur, Kedar Iyer, observed recruiting prejudice in his sector a few years ago. Coders from prestigious institutions were given preference over those from "ordinary," non-ivy-league (or comparable) colleges. It prompted Iyer to reflect on the recruiting prejudices of the organization. To address this issue, he founded Gapjumpers in 2014. Employers may assess applicants using the program based on relevant performance problems.

Companies that use GapJumpers do not have access to applicants' resumes; they only have access to their names and test results. In principle, this procedure would cause employers to refocus their attention away from resumes and onto talents.

Nowadays, an increasing number of businesses are upfront about blind recruiting and have aligned their human resource practices accordingly. Companies such as Google, HSBC, and the BBC use blind recruiting to acquire individuals from varied backgrounds and foster a diverse work atmosphere.

Four benefits of blind hiring

Although there are several more benefits, we've highlighted four primary ones for establishing blind hiring procedures in your business.

1. Contribute to the development of a diverse staff – and increase income in the process

Every organization today recognizes the value of workplace diversity. And the statistics above speak for themselves. It is neither a trend to emulate nor a quota to fulfill. Indeed, it is one of the most crucial components of every modern workplace. The benefits of workplace diversity are immeasurable.

2. Demonstrate more teamwork and inventiveness

What propels you up the business ladder? Numerous variables contribute to this, but one of the most significant is creativity and invention. Competition is fierce, resources are at risk, and outperforming your rivals is crucial to growing your bottom line. Diverse teams bring a wide variety of perspectives and ideas to the table, and their combined strengths enable them to solve problems.

3. Identify the ideal hiring

Often, traditional recruiting strategies fall short of attracting the best personnel. Someone may be a gifted developer, but this may not be apparent from a cursory look at their résumé.

4. Retention and engagement of employees

Employees often quit firms if they cannot advance their careers or work in an enabling atmosphere. While working with members of the same ethnic group might be enjoyable, it quickly becomes monotonous. Ideas would become stale, and chances for learning and evolution would be few. Without variation, the learning graph becomes repetitive and frustrating, causing workers to leave.

Conclusion

If you want to increase workplace diversity or eliminate prejudices in your recruitment process, blind hiring may be the first step or the tool you need. However, before you delve deep into blind recruiting, do a requirements assessment and develop a strategy that fits your work culture.