Until a few years ago, the term equitable hiring practices wasn't even on the public's radar. But the world is changing in a big way. Companies of all sizes are taking notice as the push for inclusive interviewing and hiring is proving to be wildly successful. Data gathered over the last decade has shown that teams that create inclusive hiring practices have more motivated and productive workers, as well as lower turnover rates. This is unsurprisingly beneficial to the bottom line.

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Ethical issues in recruitment and selection have plagued the old "boys club" for years, and it's no secret that they've mentally fostered some serious discrimination toward people who don't look like them. But thankfully, times are changing.

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Equitable hiring practices are not only becoming commonplace across most companies as the value of diverse teams is seen, but they're also the law. This means that companies are now required to assess all potential candidates in the same way, regardless of background, religion, sex, or identity. Inclusive interview questions and answers are now part of hiring practices to ensure that everyone gets an equal opportunity to be interviewed and hired into any role.

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At its core, equitable hiring practices are about creating a level playing field where everyone is given the same opportunity to succeed. This means going beyond simply checking the box of race and gender diversity; it's also about taking a hard look at what we’re asking in interviews, how those questions are being asked, and who has access to them.

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It's also important to remember that equitable hiring practices are not necessarily synonymous with affirmative action or quotas. Rather, it's a conscious effort to ensure everyone gets an equal chance of success in the interview room and beyond.  It may be tempting to rely on past working history and experience when it comes to assessing candidates, but equitable hiring practices should instead focus on potential and specific skills needed to do the job.

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With thoughtful consideration, equitable hiring practices can become integral to most companies’ interview process, ensuring that everyone is given a fair chance at success. It's not only beneficial for those looking to get ahead in their career path but also for companies that want to create a more fun, interesting, diverse, and inclusive culture.  Doing this will not only help companies stay competitive in the long run but also ensure that those who are underrepresented get a fair shot at success.

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One of the best ways to ensure that equitable hiring practices are being implemented in your company is by using interview intelligence software that's powered by Ai.  Tools like Pillar can analyze interviews and assess candidates objectively, ensuring that everyone is given the same opportunity to shine. After all, equitable hiring practices are only effective when they’re applied correctly and consistently.  Using this kind of software helps ensure that all candidates are being considered fairly and without bias.

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Equitable Interview Process

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What does it look like to create an equitable interview process that creates a great CX (candidate experience) for every single applicant you interview? As the creator of one of the top interview intelligence solutions and the only one with a core focus on equitable hiring practices, our team can tell you, it's far easier than you'd think.

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First, start your interview process off with an inclusive hiring checklist. This is a list of the top places where biases may creep into your hiring process and hurt diverse candidates. This checklist should include everything from unconscious bias tests, inclusive job description templates, red flags to be aware of, questions that are off limits to ask applicants- or even illegal,  and of course, any instructions or reminders for anyone who interviews to review before meeting with a candidate.

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Once you have your checklist in order, start implementing equitable interview practices that make sure every candidate is assessed fairly. This includes avoiding arbitrary questions or overly subjective questions and replacing them with performance-based ones instead. Make sure all candidates are given the same amount of time to answer each question and avoid any potential cultural misinterpretations.

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Be sure that the questions that you'll ask each candidate are well-defined and meet not only your in-house DEI qualifications but also all state and federal laws. Before creating your list of questions, ask yourself: Is this question necessary and relevant to success in the role? Does it probe the candidate's abilities or skills, rather than personal characteristics? Does it focus on the specific role requirements? Does it require a candidate to identify something about themselves that they'd be uncomfortable with?

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If you'd like to see our database of 1000+ inclusive interview questions, schedule a demo to chat with someone on our team. We'll show you how to use Pillar's Ai powered video interview platform to prompt interviewers with inclusive questions and use Ai to assess not only the responses of the candidate but also those of the interviewer. This ensures your DEI initiatives are reflected in the interviewing process, an essential part of any equitable hiring practice.

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In short, a great way to ensure your applicants feel heard and respected is to create an equitable interview process that takes all candidates into consideration. From creating an inclusive hiring checklist to using Ai-powered tools, there are always ways to make sure everyone is

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Finally, add as many layers of automation to your process as possible. Automation is a great way to level the playing field and help ensure candidates are being assessed fairly and based on their skills rather than race, gender, or any other factors.

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Inclusive Hiring Practices

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If you've read this far, and you're thinking, why is inclusive hiring important? take a look at the top companies to work for across the software industry. According to the National Center for Women & Information Technology, 94% of top companies in the industry are more likely to have a higher share of female workers than those that don't prioritize diversity and inclusion hiring practices.

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But, diversity and inclusion recruitment best practices go beyond just having a diverse team. A well-built diversity and inclusion hiring strategy mean that you are actively creating an environment where all candidates and employees feel safe, included, and respected. This can be done through intentional recruitment practices, such as making sure job postings include language that is inclusive, inclusive hiring questions that remove opportunities for bias and allow a candidate to showcase their skill set, and leveraging automation to standardize the candidate evaluation process.

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Creating an equitable and inclusive hiring process is essential for companies who want to stay competitive with their recruitment efforts, as well as those looking to build diverse, engaged and high-performing teams. By crafting thoughtful policies, and inclusive hiring checklists, implementing DEI procedures, and creating questions designed to reduce bias in the hiring process, you will ensure that you are taking the right steps toward building a diverse and equitable workplace.

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Unconscious Bias in Hiring

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One of the biggest challenges that we all face is unconscious bias in hiring. None of us would like to admit that we're biased against anyone but all of us, regardless of race, gender, or background, are prone to unconscious bias when it comes to hiring and working with others.

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In unconscious biases in recruitment, examples can manifest themselves in subtle ways including judging someone’s capabilities based on their appearance; having a preference for people from similar backgrounds; expecting certain behavior types from particular groups and not others; assumptions about someone’s qualifications based on their home country; and the list goes on.

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The good news is, there are many ways to combat unconscious bias in hiring.

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How to reduce bias in the hiring process:

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Start by creating hiring practices that avoid discrimination. Reframe job postings, remove names from resumes when necessary (creating blind resumes), and review interviewer's previous interview transcripts looking for areas they can be coached. Train yourself and your team on how to recognize bias in the hiring process. Make sure you’re asking questions that are related to the job, not about a person’s gender, race, or other protected classes.

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Leverage technology to help you see the candidate’s skills and qualifications, not just their background. Automation tools such as AI-driven interviewing tools can identify potential red flags of bias during the interview process. Finally, when it comes to decision-making, get help from a diverse panel of representatives or use rating systems for decision-makers to assess candidates objectively. All of these should be listed on your inclusive hiring checklist.

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Creating an inclusive organizational culture is not just a ‘nice-to-have’ – it’s imperative for organizations who want to stay competitive in the modern world. By taking proactive steps to reduce unconscious bias in hiring, you can ensure that you are creating a safe, equitable, and diverse work environment where everyone feels included, welcome, and celebrated.

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If you're currently trying to find better resources to create an inclusive hiring process for your company, schedule a demo to chat with someone on our team. We'd love to show you how Pillar has helped companies grow DEI impact while lowering employee turnover by more than 50%!