Written by Hope Cumming
Posted: 29 Jul 2024
Bias in recruitment is as old as the recruitment process itself. Despite the best intentions, every person has inherent biases, sometimes without even realising it. These biases can inadvertently influence recruitment and hiring decisions if not identified and actively managed. So, how do we at Apex Event Recruitment effectively limit bias in our recruitment practices?
Here at Apex Event Recruitment, we ensure that all team members, not just consultants, undergo regular bias training. This training covers various types of biases, including unconscious bias and affinity bias, as well as cultural competency and inclusive hiring practices. This is to reduce complacency and so our team remains aware about recognising and mitigating biases in recruitment.
All of our job descriptions use clear, specific, and gender-neutral language. This ensures that we attract the best talent for our roles without inadvertently discouraging any group from applying.
We have chosen not to use AI to review any applications. For one, the events industry is complex to recruit for, with job titles not being universal and being less significant than the actual role responsibilities which makes it difficult for AI to be effective in reviewing applications. Secondly, AI can also unintentionally introduce bias into the recruitment process. While AI can streamline recruitment, it is trained on real-world data that includes existing biases, potentially discounting excellent candidates based on gender, race, ethnicity, or other factors before their resumes are even reviewed by one of our consultants. To avoid and mitigate any biases caused by AI, every application is reviewed by our consultants.
We track and analyse our submission and placement data to identify any patterns of bias that may emerge. Although we’ve never noticed a trend of bias so far, we still actively analyse this data to ensure our recruitment process remains fair and unbiased. Regularly reviewing this data allows us to make informed decisions and adjustments to our practices to ensure our ongoing commitment to inclusivity.
Reducing bias in our recruitment processes is an ongoing commitment here at Apex. Our goal is to find the best possible candidates for our clients and great clients for our candidates by ensuring that all candidates are evaluated based on their skills, experience, and potential, free from the influence of any bias. Our continuous efforts to identify and mitigate any biases in our recruitment process has led to over 11 years of client satisfaction and thousands of placements. We’re dedicated to continuously refining our recruitment process to ensure it remains inclusive, allowing us to attract and recruit the best talent for our clients while minimising any biases.