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Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) shares some practical ways for employers to better recognise unconscious biases.
While many employers aim to be fair and non-discriminatory, unconscious biases can still influence hiring and workplace decisions.
For example, some employers may ask female candidates during job interviews whether they plan to have children and how that might affect their work – questions that are rarely directed at male candidates. Others may think they have valid reasons to hire based on language, race, or nationality but upon closer examination, their justifications often lack substance.
As an employer, how can you better recognise unconscious biases and take meaningful steps towards fairer employment practices?
Hiring: Recognise your unconscious bias
It is natural for hiring managers to prefer candidates who mirror their backgrounds. Candidates who share the same experiences or backgrounds are assumed to be a better fit. However, this tendency can unintentionally narrow the talent pool and reinforce bias.
Biases can also surface in more subtle ways. Some hiring managers may hold assumptions about certain groups of jobseekers – for instance, believing that those with caregiving responsibilities will hinder performance, or that only candidates with a certain age profile can blend in with the company culture.
These viewpoints may stem from different types of unconscious bias or stereotypes and can influence hiring decisions, leading to discriminatory outcomes.
If you are a hiring manager or have influence over the hiring process, it is imperative to first recognise your bias and take pre-emptive steps to guard against making hiring decisions based on these perspectives.
Start by asking yourself these questions to draw attention to your biases: Do I have any bias against a particular group? Do I tend to view these biases positively or negatively? What are the reasons that drive these preferences? Are these preferences stopping me from evaluating the applicants fairly?
We all have biases or prejudices. But a fair hiring manager recognises this, intentionally sets aside any biases, and ensures candidates are given a fair opportunity to display their strengths and abilities, and be fairly assessed based on merit.
Standardising your interview process will help to eliminate bias. Use competency-based questions during interviews to ensure that candidates are fairly assessed based on merit (skills, experience, or ability to perform the job) and attributes that are critical for them to do the job. Additionally, involving a diverse interview panel increases accountability and minimises bias during the interview.
Promotion: Performance counts, not connections
When two employees perform equally well, how do you decide who to promote? Promoting or selecting someone for training based on interpersonal relationships rather than objective criteria can amount to workplace discrimination.
Such situations can also foster a culture of compliance, where employees refrain from speaking up to avoid any risk of damaging interpersonal relationships.
This issue could worsen if a language is used at the workplace that unintentionally excludes individuals from different ethnic or cultural backgrounds. Such practices may reinforce the perception of an inner versus an outer circle. Beyond that, it could affect work performance if employees are left out of essential work-related conversations, and even undermine their chances for promotion.
Assess employees based on objective criteria, and ensure these standards are communicated openly and transparently. By doing so, you will maximise the abilities of your workforce, improve morale, and reduce turnover.
Feedback: Establish proper grievance handling processes
Communication works both ways, and it is critical to have a proper grievance handling process for employees to voice their grievances or concerns and feel heard.
Under the upcoming Workplace Fairness Act (WFA), all businesses with more than 25 employees will be required to establish a grievance handling process in writing when the Act is implemented in 2026 or 2027.
By mandating grievance processes and anti‐retaliation protections, employees have more confidence to raise issues. That helps make the workplace more responsive and ensures that unfair practices are more likely to be rectified.
In the future landscape, when grievances are raised, companies must inquire into, review and inform the outcome of the grievance to the employee. Employers should explore resolutions with the employee, and ensure confidentiality throughout the process so that all employees feel safe sharing their feedback.
Be an employer who champions fair opportunity by hiring on merit, promoting based on performance and having a proper grievance handling process. To guide your efforts, refer to the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices on how to be a fair employer.
The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) provides information and resources to help employers and HR professionals keep abreast of HR best practices. Visit tafep.sg to find out more.
ALSO READ: Is your organisation ready for the Workplace Fairness Act?
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