Does biasedness starts with HR? - Analysis and outcomes and suggestions for transparent practices

Abstract

HR research has shown that HR practitioners are influenced by different biases in their decision making. But do they know they are biased? This study looks at blind spots. These findings contribute to behavioural research in HR and practical tips to address workplace bias, whether deliberate or not Recognising and addressing biases is key to a fair and inclusive work environment across the globe whether international, national or local to identify common biases and their impact on the organisation and employees as well as ways to mitigate the unfair outcome.Cultural stereotypes, personal biases and institutionalised practices that unintentionally favour some groups over others are the main sources of HR bias. Gender, race, age and socio-economic status can for example determine who gets hired, evaluated for performance or promoted by employers. Without diversity considerations the result is uniform teams that stifle creativity as marginalisation excludes certain perspectives from consideration through exclusionary means.The impact of HR bias goes beyond individual employees to the organisation as a whole. Biased HR practices can erode trust in management, reduce employee engagement and increase turnover rates. This in turn can harm the organisation’s reputation making it less attractive to top talent and potentially lead to legal challenges. Biased decision making can also result in suboptimal talent management where the most qualified candidates are overlooked and the organisation’s overall performance is compromised.To address HR bias you need a 3 prong approach, bias awareness training, standardised and transparent HR processes and a culture of inclusion. Organisations need to actively work to identify and mitigate biases in their HR practices to be fair, equitable and utilise human capital optimally.