Understanding Bias in Recruitment Decision Making: The Impact of Work/Life Experiences in Responding to Diverse Job Candidates

Workplaces have become increasingly diverse as accessibility, acceptance, migration, and societal expectation have grown – but does this mean that everyone has an equal opportunity to have their skills and qualifications recognised, access to meaningful employment, and career progression opportunities? Through better recognising how experience may influence decision making during recruitment, this study will support the development of tools, techniques, practices, and policies that reduce discrimination, enhance innovation, and ensure workplaces are both welcoming and benefitting from what diversity offers. Using data gathered through a questionnaire, this exploratory study conducted within the Aotearoa New Zealand social service sector, has considered the impacts of work/life experiences and demography on decision making during a recruitment process – focused on characteristics of diversity. Our research shows links between experience and decision making, noting people with more experience of diversity appeared less likely to be influenced by diverse characteristics when making recruitment decisions. It also highlighted the apparent impact of diversity-based training on perceptions of diversity, and where recruitment bias was evident toward people with disability and those who have gathered their experience or qualifications overseas.