City University

We have run our ‘live’ unconscious bias in recruitment and selection workshops here every year since 2007

At City University, our innovative close-observation workshops equip managers with an awareness of when and how unconscious bias might be operating, and what they can practically do to avoid it. The training provides practical tools that the managers can use in interviews to check and challenge their decision-making.

The pivotal part of this course is our ‘live interview’ exercise.

On the day, we provide candidates for a relevant job vacancy currently being advertised at the University. Half of the delegates conduct an interview for the role, while the other half observe their actions. Following facilitated discussion, the observer-interviewer roles are then reversed and the exercise run through again with a new candidate.

By closely evaluating an applicant against the person criteria of a real job role, we can more readily and memorably identify the personal and organisational biases that may affect decision-making.

“I have been involved in recruitment for 7 years so I am surprised about how much I learnt on this programme. I expect to make much more effective and fair recruitment decisions in the future.”

Recruiting Manager at City University

Our true-to-life approach reduces nervousness and sensitivity around recruitment bias.

We have found this approach reduces fear of the unknown around unconscious bias, and takes away any sense of managers being ‘done to’. Instead it proactively empowers them to address the issue head-on.

By the end of this course, delegates are able to:

• Identify and account for the equalities issues within the recruitment and selection process
• Be aware of when unconscious bias might be evident in the recruitment process
• Design selection criteria which are clear and avoid adverse impact
• Carry out fair and equitable shortlisting
• Design and run a structured interview.

“I have worked on a number of training projects with EW Group. Our discussions have been very thorough and they have been excellent in supporting us to develop courses such as Recruitment and Selection, Chairing of Recruitment Panels, and Equality and Diversity. EW Group are a professional outfit: I have met some of their team and have confidence in their knowledge as they keep up-to-date with the latest thinking, and provide a different perspective through insight, based on their experience of working with other clients. This is invaluable. EW Group were easy to work with: they were well-organised and continually checked that our requirements were being met right up to delivery. The materials provided are of good quality and really helpful for delegates to take away with them.”

Jennifer Hircock, Leadership and Staff Development Manager at City University