Leveraging Psychological Science to Drive Diversity in the Workplace
Q: I’ve heard a lot about using pre-hire assessments to help ensure a candidate is a good “fit”. I am concerned these could negatively impact diversity. Can you speak to this issue?
There have absolutely been ways testing has created unfair and biased hiring landscapes. Appropriately used, modern comprehensive assessments in the hands of experts that measure a job candidate more holistically (rather than individual characteristics) are proven de-biasing tools for organizations. Their strength and limitations need to be understood and utilized in order to drive diversity in recruitment, hiring, retention, and promotion efforts and to create more equitable organizations. They should be a partner to an organization on its DEI journey.
All recruitment and vetting processes have bias (certainly including interviews). It is the understanding of those biases, a dedication to DEI ideals, and the ability to use tools appropriately that gives us the best chance to maximize the opportunities for candidates from historically marginalized groups.
How do I ensure my organization uses them appropriately?
First, ensure you are approaching this as an assessment process, not as “testing.” Testing involves the use of single instruments, cut scores, and arbitrary interpretation by untrained technicians. These approaches have and will continue to lead to disparate impact and unjust outcomes. Assessment involves the use of a variety and combination of instruments by practitioners who understand what biases each instrument contains and can assist hiring managers in making less biased selection decisions that also would support an organization’s diversity related goals.
Additionally, pre-hire assessments help ensure a greater likelihood of success for new hires who come from historically marginalized groups in that they highlight what support might be needed as they onboard into their new roles.
What about the concept of “culture fit”? What if my organization currently lacks diversity?
Assessments help de-bias the hiring process in a way that interviews (when used alone) cannot. The number of trained and informed interviewers will never be enough to de-bias an organization’s hiring process, as interviews tend to perpetuate the cycle of hiring people similar to those already working there. We advise organizations to hire with the consideration of “culture additions”—not in the sense that prospective new hires would be “carbon copies” of existing staff but would be a positive addition to the organization by bringing fresh perspectives while developing the company’s culture toward one that is more equitable and inclusive.
