US companies spent almost $8 billion on bias training in 2020, but bias still negatively impacts the recruitment and advancement of employees from underrepresented groups. A specific type of bias training can help, according to a recent report from the Equality Action Center (EAC) and the Conference Board.
The organizations examined 11 employers over two years to determine the impact of introducing “bias interrupters,” or strategies and trainings developed to help reduce unconscious bias.
Bias interrupters rely on data that can help employers and employees identify biases so changes can be made.
Fixing the hiring process. While employers have made some progress towards reducing bias in the screening, interview, and hiring processes, research indicates that people of color still face unconscious bias.
One employer in the study, a manufacturing firm, introduced a 90-minute workshop on fair and effective hiring, coupled with some related policy changes, the report found. As a result, it saw an increase in job applications from workers from underrepresented groups. Applications from men of color increased from 34% to 42% in just seven months, and job offers for women of color increased from 6% to 11%.
And a tech company that had been making more job offers to white male candidates, despite them having lower interview ratings than those from other groups, introduced bias interrupters for candidate screening and job interviews. Following the move, women of all races reported receiving more job offers.
EAC recommends that organizations introduce “standardized rubrics,” with role competencies to ensure more fairness in hiring. Furthermore, it said all candidates, even referrals, should go through the same process.
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Improving performance reviews. Those from certain underrepresented groups often receive non-actionable or personality-based feedback during the performance review process that can hinder career advancement. White women were most likely to receive comments about their personality, while women of color were most likely required to repeatedly prove their competency, which can also stall career progression.
The report found that evaluations were better when managers had clear competency criteria to assess employees’ performance, and that bias interrupters, such as a 90-minute training on language bias, can lead to more evidence-based feedback.
A large retailer saw personality-based comments reduced by 19% after introducing bias interrupters, while a consumer goods company saw a 52% increase in evidence-based feedback when they introduced training. And all organizations saw up to a 28% increase in action-oriented feedback when they started bias training.
Looking ahead. Despite the benefits of bias interrupters, the report noted that HR leaders should consider how structural systems might be impacting fairness in hiring and performance evaluations. The authors said that DE&I progress can stall if HR leaders don’t have C-suite buy-in, or if business instability puts DE&I on the back burner.
The fate of DE&I has been up in the air in recent months: As conservative activists have filed lawsuits questioning the legality of diversity initiatives, some companies have cut positions, while others have said they’re doubling down, HR Brew has reported. The report recommended that HR leaders provide employees with evidence of where bias exists in the workplace, and specific ways they can use bias interrupters in their jobs.