that they have taken too long a break and have lost skills or not kept up to date with changes in their industry, or will need time off for childcare.

Affinity bias = Favouring a candidate or colleague who is similar to you in relation to gender, race, ethnicity or nationality.
Attribution bias = Associating particular features with someone based on prior interactions with or observations of a person of the same gender, race, sexual orientation, etc.
Ageism = Assumptions based on a person’s age. This can start as low as 50 and 58% of workers have reported that they have started noticing ageism when they enter their 50s.
Beauty bias = Assuming that conventionally attractive people are more competent, qualified, and successful. Research has discovered that traditionally attractive people earn higher incomes and are more likely to get the job than less attractive people.
Confirmation bias = Wanting to confirm our previous notions of someone, often based on things such as their name, where they’re from, where they went to school, etc. In the interview process, this can mean the interviewer will ask questions that will confirm their initial opinion.
Conformity bias = (Peer pressure). Conforming to the opinions around you, even if they contradict your personal beliefs and principles. Particularly prevalent in group meetings and settings where individuals may sway to the majority.
Contrast bias = Comparing candidates / colleagues to one another rather than looking at their skills / suitability to the role.
Gender Bias = One gender being favoured over another because of stereotypes / previous experience. Unsurprisingly, this works in favour of men: research has proven that both men and women prefer male candidates, and men are 1.5x more likely to be hired than women.
Name bias = Judgment based on a person’s name, especially if of a foreign origin, linked to unconscious racial bias. Studies have found that traditional white-sounding names receive 50% more call-backs for interviews than African names, and that Asian last names are 28% less likely to receive a call-back for an interview compared to Anglo last names.
The Halo Effect = Putting someone on a pedestal because there’s something about them we find impressive, e.g., where they went to school.
The Horns Effect = The opposite of the Halo Effect, unconsciously disliking someone based on some negative characteristics we personally don’t like, e.g., displaying a particular quirk or mannerism.

In the hiring process:

• • Omit the candidate’s personal information, including email, phone number and address from their application. Instead, assign them a number or have an unbiased third-party member omit this information until needed.
  • Have an initial audio phone call rather than a video call or in-person interview so that bias based on appearance is initially ruled out.
  • Make a conscious effort to take note of the similarities between you and the other person so that you can differentiate between their attributes and their skills, experience and willingness.
  • Actively ask yourself if you have given this person a chance to fully prove themselves for what matters in the workplace, and outside of your judgement of their attributes. If you drew conclusions about the candidate based on something on their CV or something they said during the interview, ask them further clarifying questions.
  • Ask standardised, skills-based questions, preventing too many off-the-cuff questions that may lead to confirmation bias.
  • If you feel negatively towards a candidate, take the time to figure out why - is it something superficial? Check with the rest of your team that they also understand any of their unconscious biases.

In the workplace:

• Organise and participate in up-to-date team training about unconscious biases including ageism, ableism, racism, sexism, etc.
• Create and keep updated a policy that prevents bias along with diversity hiring goals and quotas.

Remember, it takes dedication, commitment and constant discipline to overcome unconscious bias. It’s vital that your workplace is hiring the right person for the right role. If they have the needed and transferable skills, employers can make it work.