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Why You Should Use AI Recruiting to Remove Implicit Bias

Taylor and Chris are fairly identical on paper. They have 3 years of experience as data scientists, have degrees from equally ranked schools, and provided portfolios demonstrating similar quality work. However, Chris immediately feels welcomed when they enter their initial interview, whereas Taylor has difficulty reading their interviewer. Why might this happen? And can it really hurt the hiring process? 

Though seemingly harmless, these situations happen daily. A study published in 2021 by researchers at UC Berkeley and the University of Chicago demonstrated that White applicants were 50% more likely to receive callbacks for initial screenings. The researchers used resumes from real-world job seekers and equally assigned gender and race distinctive names to them (e.g., Emily, John). The resumes were sent to 83,000 open jobs at Fortune 500 companies and received markedly different response rates.

This study clearly paints what may have been at play in our hypothetical scenario. Implicit bias reared its ugly head and perpetuated several disparities. So what are the benefits of removing implicit bias in the hiring process with AI recruiting?

1. Improved diversity and inclusion

Removing implicit biases from hiring processes with AI recruiting helps ensure the recruitment process is more fair and inclusive. This nets countless benefits, leading to a more diverse and representative workforce. 

A more diverse and representative workforce benefits the company and its employees, especially minorities, who overwhelmingly feel “othered” in workplaces (particularly tech). As such, a diverse workforce can bring various perspectives and ideas to the table and lead to increased creativity and innovation.

2. Enhanced employer brand

Removing bias from the hiring process with AI recruiting naturally leads to an enhanced employer brand. A company demonstrates its commitment to diversity and inclusion when it prioritizes removing implicit biases in the hiring process. In turn, they can improve their reputation. This can be particularly important for companies that rely on attracting top talent in competitive markets.

3. Increased productivity and performance

Organizations that prioritize the removal of bias in the hiring process report increased productivity and performance. A recent study reported that diverse workforces produce 19% more revenue. By removing implicit biases from hiring processes with AI recruiting, a recruiter can help ensure that the company can tap into the full potential of its workforce and that all employees feel valued and included. This can lead to a more positive and collaborative work environment, ultimately benefiting the company’s bottom line.

Everyone has biases. The first step to overcoming them is acknowledging them. Then look into how to remove discrimination from the hiring process at scale. There are a host of methods we suggest, like data-driven hiring and AI recruiting. 

Learn more about AI recruiting with Cangrade’s patented zero-bias solutions that remove bias from your hiring process. Contact us today.