Company Norms Affect Which Traits are Preferred in Job Candidates and May Cause Employment Discrimination

Abstract

This study investigated a possible mechanism behind employment discrimination. Participants completed a recruitment task where emphasis on cohesion (employees should "fit in") versus fairness (everybody should be treated equally) was manipulated by describing the norms of a fictitious company differently. There was a comparatively stronger preference in the cohesion condition for traits and interview questions related to social competence (e.g., friendliness, gregariousness, empathy). Furthermore, participants in the cohesion condition primarily pictured socially competent employees, whereas those in the fairness condition primarily pictured employees possessing productivity-related characteristics (e.g., education, experience, and talent). The norm effect was moderated by participants' awareness of the applicants' ethnicity. When expecting applicants with foreign backgrounds, participants in the cohesion condition showed increased preference for selection methods related to social competence. Implications for recruitment practices are discussed.

“It's the work climate that keeps me here”: the interplay between the HRM process and emergent factors in the construction of employee experiences

“…However, this is not atypical in recruitment and selection. Björklund et al. (2012), for example, examined how company norms affect which characteristics are preferred in a potential employee and found that candidates from underrepresented social groups may suffer from exclusion when significant emphasis is placed on group cohesion.…”

A bibliometric analysis of person-organization fit research: significant features and contemporary trends

“…Higher levels of job satisfaction, employee engagement, and organizational commitment would appear to be good things, but Schneider (1987:446) warns that high levels of homogeneity in organizations leads to the equivalent of organizational "dry rot". Others (e.g., Amis et al 2020;Arthur Jr et al 2006;Björklund et al 2012;Harrison 2007;Powell 1998) are concerned that high levels of PO fit perpetuate privilege, bias, and unfairness in organizations. This unresolved tension in the literature can only be addressed with empirical studies including organizational-level dependent variables, which means that a pressing concern in the PO fit literature is working out how to isolate and measure the influence of individual factors (i.e., PO fit) on organizational outcomes.…”

Curbing Discriminating Human Resource Practices—A Microfounded Perspective

“…Organizational Practice and Norms Organizational practices and norms, like supporting diversity, diversity friendly organizational climate or anti-age discrimination policies, can attenuate discriminating tendencies (Chiu et al 2001;Goldberg et al 2013). Yet, corporate norms, partly affected by socio-cultural norms, also can foster discrimination (Björklund et al 2012;Patterson et al 2013). Moreover, scholars find impacts of organizational practices particularly in the context of genderbased discrimination.…”