Job Advert Bias Is Shifting with The Help of Technology
There have been numerous tests carried out to see what the difference in productivity is between a diverse team and one that is not. The outcome of these tests showed that the team with diversity were up to 30% more productive than their counterparts. This being said, job adverts are still being written in a way that subconsciously alienates both women and minorities. Thankfully things are beginning to change.
The Tech That is Making a Difference
While more and more companies are becoming aware of the advantages of a diverse team, hiring such a team can be challenging. How can a company reach new audiences of potential employees and make sure a diverse selection of candidates actually applies? This is where technology comes into the picture. A number of tech companies in the are bringing a fresh take to on job advertising to the corporate HR sector.
The Answer Lies in the Words
At present, a high number of companies seek out employees by using terms like ‘Leader’ or as the coders in Silicon Valley like to call themselves, ‘Ninjas’. With the use of programmes that analyse job adverts by the hundreds of millions, it is now possible to see that these are just two of numerous terms that are biassed towards men. This new technology, which is being pioneered by tech firms like Applied, TalVista and Texio, is now allowing companies to make adverts that appeal to a more diverse audience.
What Words to Watch out for?
Words like Strong, Dynamic, Build, Lead and Manage are all proven to appeal much more to men than to women. In a similar way, terms such as Interpersonal, Create and Support can all be used to make the exact same job advert more appealing to women.
Change for the Better
This shift is seeing job adverts that are better able to reach the diverse workers they target. And because the sharing of different views creates a richer pool of ideas, diversity within the workplace is a change for the better.
