How an ATS can eradicate bias in the recruitment process 2024

The recruitment process is often viewed as one of the most crucial functions in any organisation. It is the gateway through which talent enters, shaping the culture and performance of a company. However, despite best efforts, bias can seep into the recruitment process, whether consciously or unconsciously, leading to unfair treatment, missed opportunities, and less diverse teams. In the modern workplace, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have become integral values for organisations striving to foster innovation and adaptability. 

In 2024, one of the most effective tools to combat recruitment bias is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Companies that use an ATS in their hiring process get 2-3 times better results in terms of quality of hire, time to hire, and employee retention. By automating and standardising various stages of the hiring process, ATS platforms have the potential to remove much of the subjectivity that can lead to bias, thus promoting a fairer and more diverse workplace. In this blog, we will explore how ATS systems can eradicate bias in recruitment and the potential they hold for reshaping the future of hiring. 

Standardisation of the Application Process 

One of the most immediate benefits of an ATS like Hireserve is its ability to standardise the application process. When candidates are required to submit their information in a uniform format, there is less room for subjectivity in the early stages of hiring. Resumes and cover letters, while informative, often carry unconscious bias triggers related to a candidate’s name, gender, ethnicity, or even where they went to school. 

An ATS allows hiring managers to create standardised application forms that focus on skills, experience, and qualifications. By masking personal details like names, dates, and other identifiers, recruiters can assess applicants more objectively. This helps eliminate the risk of biased decision-making based on irrelevant factors, allowing candidates to be evaluated based on their ability to do the job rather than superficial characteristics. 

Find out about the 10 different types of recruitment bias here 

Automated CV Screening 

In traditional recruitment, human bias can influence which resumes are shortlisted for interviews. Recruiters may consciously or unconsciously favour candidates with specific names, educational backgrounds, or even previous employers. ATS software, however, can be programmed to screen resumes based solely on predetermined criteria such as skills, experience, and job-related qualifications, completely bypassing personal identifiers. 

Hireserve candidate screening tools is able to: use killer questions to manage high volume recruitment, create job specific questions to assess the suitability for certain roles and intelligent talent search to find the strongest candidates.  

This shift to automated resume screening ensures that the initial selection of candidates is based on objective data rather than personal judgment. ATS platforms can be further customised to eliminate keywords or patterns that may introduce bias, such as requiring candidates to come from prestigious universities or having experience at a particular company, which may unnecessarily exclude talented individuals. 

What is the best way to screen candidates?  

 Blind Recruitment Features 

One of the more advanced features that your ATS should incorporate is “blind recruitment” also know as CV anonymisation. This is an important feature to help eliminate bias due to 95% of decision making taking place in the subconscious mind which can negatively affect the hiring process.  

 Using a CV anonymisation tool personally identifiable information (PII), such as a candidate’s name, gender, age, and even educational background, is hidden from recruiters. This reduces the chances of conscious or unconscious bias creeping into the hiring process. The focus remains on a candidate’s skills and qualifications rather than any personal attributes that may trigger bias.  

Read more about CV Anonymisation 

Structured Interview Processes 

The interview process is another stage where bias often emerges. Interviewers might favour candidates with whom they share commonalities or develop an unconscious preference based on personality, appearance, or other subjective factors. Structured interviews can help to decrease this bias due to asking the same set of questions allowing for more objective evaluation of candidate’s responses.  

A structured interview process is one where every candidate is asked the same set of predetermined, job-relevant questions. An ATS can facilitate this by generating and managing standardised question sets, recording candidate responses, and tracking interview performance metrics. This method ensures that all candidates are evaluated on the same criteria, making the process more objective and fairer. 

In addition to promoting fairness, structured interviews powered by ATS allow recruiters to easily compare candidates side-by-side based on their answers, reducing the influence of implicit bias and gut-feeling judgments. 

Read more about structured vs unstructured interviews here 

 Data-Driven Decision Making 

Another powerful feature of a modern ATS is their ability to leverage data analytics in recruitment. Recruitment bias often stems from subjective decision-making, where “gut feelings” or personal preferences play a role. However, ATS platforms can generate objective, data-driven insights to inform hiring decisions. 

ATS systems track candidate interactions, performance in assessments, interview scores, and other key metrics, providing recruiters with a wealth of data. This data can be used to rank candidates based on objective criteria such as experience, test scores, and alignment with job requirements. By focusing on quantifiable data rather than subjective judgments, organisations can significantly reduce the impact of bias in the decision-making process. 

Additionally, ATS systems can analyse trends over time, such as how well past hires have performed, which sources produce the most diverse candidates, and where bias may still be occurring. These insights can be used to refine recruitment strategies continually and improve diversity outcomes. 

Learn more about recruitment analytics here 

 Mitigating Bias in Job Descriptions 

Bias in recruitment often starts before candidates even apply, in the way job descriptions are written. Language in job postings can unintentionally deter certain groups of people from applying. For instance, job ads that emphasise “aggressive” or “dominant” qualities may discourage female applicants, while those that require extensive industry experience may exclude younger candidates or career changers. By proactively addressing bias at the job description stage, organisations can attract a more varied pool of candidates from the outset. 

 Fostering Accountability and Transparency 

ATS platforms also promote transparency in the recruitment process by providing an auditable trail of every hiring decision. This feature is invaluable for fostering accountability within recruitment teams. When hiring decisions are tracked and documented, it becomes easier to identify patterns of bias, whether intentional or unintentional. 

For instance, ATS systems can generate reports showing which candidates were shortlisted and why, making it possible to audit decisions at every stage of the recruitment funnel. This level of transparency holds recruiters accountable for their decisions, reducing the likelihood of bias influencing outcomes. 

 Continuous Feedback and Improvement 

An ATS can allow organisations to implement continuous feedback loops, enabling them to refine their hiring practices. By analysing recruitment data, organisations can identify potential biases in their hiring process, measure the impact of changes, and adjust accordingly. 

For example, if an organisation notices a pattern where minority candidates are disproportionately eliminated at a specific stage, they can investigate and correct any issues contributing to the imbalance. ATS systems allow for the constant monitoring and improvement of recruitment processes, ensuring that organisations remain vigilant in their efforts to eradicate bias. 

In 2024, the role of an ATS in combating bias in the recruitment process has never been more critical. As organisations place increasing emphasis on diversity and inclusion, the ability to create fair, objective, and data-driven hiring practices is a strategic imperative. ATS platforms, through features like standardised applications, blind recruitment, data-driven decision-making, and bias mitigation tools, have the potential to transform the way organisations hire. 

By reducing human bias at every stage of the recruitment process, ATS platforms not only promote fairness but also help build more diverse and innovative teams. In a world where talent is the key to success, leveraging technology to eliminate bias is not just a best practice—it is a necessity.