Anonymous job applications and hiring discrimination

Rinne, Ulf

doi:10.15185/izawol.48

Cited by 6 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…To reduce the level of discrimination faced at the initial stage of the employment process, the use of anonymous job applications should be explored. Findings from research experiments in various countries have revealed that anonymous job applications are effective at reducing disparity in call-back rates attributed to discrimination (Rinne 2018). Reducing discrimination in the employment process has the potential to improve labor efficiency and firm profits as the employees who are most qualified will be hired.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Class Discrimination? Evidence from Jamaica: A Racially Homogeneous Labor Market

Spencer

Urquhart

Whitely

2019

Review of Radical Political Economics

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A common concern in audit studies of racial discrimination is that names assigned to a particular race may also proxy for socioeconomic status. We conduct a correspondence study in Jamaica, a predominantly black middle-income country, and find that these concerns may be valid. The evidence from sending out over 1,000 résumés suggests employers prefer applicants perceived to be from high-income backgrounds. While qualifications are not independently important, those with names preferred by employers have a lower chance of being selected if they have high-quality résumés. The results suggest that class discrimination may matter as much as race discrimination. JEL Classification: I31, J71, J64

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Class Discrimination? Evidence from Jamaica: A Racially Homogeneous Labor Market

Spencer

Urquhart

Whitely

2019

Review of Radical Political Economics

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“…111 Rinne (2018) also noted that while a standardised application is very efficient, other anonymisation methods, such as blacking or whiting out information on applications, can be costly.…”

Section: Anonymous Application Proceduresmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measures to combat racial discrimination and promote diversity in the labour market: a review of evidence

McGinnity¹,

Quinn²,

McCullough³

et al. 2021

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Racial discrimination in this report is understood to mean ‘any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on race, colour, descent, or national or ethnic origin’ (ICERD, Article 1). Discrimination is distinct from racial prejudice (an attitude) and stereotypes (beliefs). Discrimination can be damaging to both individuals’ life chances and their wellbeing, as well as to society (OECD, 2013; Fibbi et al., 2021). Yet discrimination is difficult to measure accurately. It is also challenging to devise measures to combat discriminatory behaviour and promote diversity. This report reviews international literature on racial discrimination in the labour market and the effectiveness of measures to combat it. The aim is to distil the evidence into a short report to inform measures addressing discrimination in the labour market, including the current development of the National Action Plan Against Racism. The focus is on specific measures that can be implemented now to address current racial discrimination in the labour market.

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“…Lastly, although anonymous recruitment compels managers to focus on candidates’ objective, job-related skills and qualifications, it may limit managers’ ability to consider structural factors that might impact the capacity of candidates from different demographics to accumulate skills and qualifications at an equal rate. Thus, anonymised procedures may give subtle advantage to social groups that are already advantaged in the labour market (Rinne, 2014). Alternatively, managers may be able to detect these structural variances, which may effectively reveal some information that anonymisation was intended to conceal (Hiemstra et al , 2013).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With respect to our first research question, our results show that, in the absence of explicit identifiers, managers used implicit signals to resolve their uncertainty. It has been argued that more research is needed to establish “whether anonymous job applications remove the ‘signal’ or the ‘noise’ in the information that the application discloses” (Rinne, 2014, p. 7). Our results reinforce earlier findings that managers can detect age and race from implicit signals embedded in anonymised applications (Derous and Decoster, 2017; Hiemstra et al , 2013), reintroducing the possibility that biases may affect managers’ decisions even when applications are de-identified.…”

Section: Managers’ Perceptions Of Anonymised Screeningmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some studies have shown that anonymisation increases women’s chances of receiving an interview (Åslund and Nordström Skans, 2007; Krause et al , 2012b), whilst others have found that anonymisation reduces women’s chances (Hiscox et al , 2017; Krause et al , 2012a). Scholars hypothesise that anonymisation may inhibit managers from screening applicants for diversity, or that managers may be able to detect information that reveals candidates’ genders, reintroducing the potential for bias (Rinne, 2014). However, the mechanisms that influence anonymous recruitment’s effectiveness are still largely unknown (Krause et al , 2012b).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Does anonymising job applications reduce gender bias?

Foley

Williamson

2018

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Purpose Anonymous recruitment seeks to limit managers’ reliance on stereotypes in employment decisions, thereby reducing discrimination. This paper aims to explore how managers interpret the information embedded in anonymised job applications and how they interpret the organisational priorities driving the adoption of anonymous recruitment. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews with 30 managers in two Australian public sector organisations were analysed. Findings The results showed that managers used implicit signals and cues to infer the gender identities of applicants in anonymised applications, reintroducing the possibility of bias. Managers perceived that anonymous recruitment sent positive external signals to prospective employees but were sceptical about its effectiveness. Research limitations/implications The results showed that removing applicants’ names and identifying information from applications may not be sufficient to reduce bias. In organisations where managers are sympathetic to equity and diversity issues, use of anonymous recruitment may provoke resentment if managers perceive organisational distrust or inconsistent objectives. Limitations regarding the size and nature of the sample are acknowledged. Practical implications Organisations seeking to reduce gender discrimination in recruitment may consider adopting standardised application procedures or training managers to understand how stereotypes affect evaluations. Organisations should also assess managerial support for, and understanding of, anonymous recruitment prior to implementation. Originality/value The findings add to existing knowledge regarding the effects of implicit gender signals in managers’ assessments and the effectiveness of anonymous recruitment in reducing gender bias. It also contributes to signalling theory by examining how managers interpret the signals conveyed in organisational policies.

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Anonymous job applications and hiring discrimination

Cited by 6 publications

References 8 publications

Class Discrimination? Evidence from Jamaica: A Racially Homogeneous Labor Market

Class Discrimination? Evidence from Jamaica: A Racially Homogeneous Labor Market

Measures to combat racial discrimination and promote diversity in the labour market: a review of evidence

Does anonymising job applications reduce gender bias?

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