Biases don't affect only your ability to hire diverse candidates -- they limit your ability to hire all qualified candidates. Credit: Thinkstock Training to eliminate unconscious bias is the norm nowadays, at least in Silicon Valley firms struggling to hire diverse workforces. But biases don’t just impede your efforts to hire diverse candidates, they hurt results across all candidates, according to Dr. John Sullivan, an HR-thought leader, speaker, author, consultant and a professor of management at San Francisco State University (basically, if there’s such a thing as an HR celebrity, he fits the bill). Sullivan makes a great point that unconscious biases aren’t just about race or sex. They are also around things like people with “passive personalities,” as indicated by a lack of eye contact or a weak handshake or those with visible tattoos. Those people might be fantastic at the role they’re interviewing for, but the interviewer’s preference for, say, strong handshakes and extroverted people without tattoos is just as much a bias as someone discounting a black female’s ability to write code. “The same unconscious biases that limit the hiring of diverse candidates, unfortunately, also screen out many highly qualified candidates who are not diverse. So, if you want a dramatic improvement in your overall hiring results, broaden your scope and systematically identify hiring biases that affect all candidates,” Sullivan says. Here’s where I (slightly) disagree with Sullivan, though. He states that the focus on diversity hiring is a mistake, and that efforts should be made across the entire hiring process to screen out biases; my take is that the emphasis on diversity and diversity hiring is one of the catalysts for better understanding of how unconscious biases work, and where they occur most often in the hiring process. I could be wrong, but I don’t think organizations would have been as diligent at weeding out biases if they weren’t forced to do so because of the pressure from underrepresented groups and their allies. That’s not to say they’re doing a great job at it, by any means, if the latest round of workplace diversity statistics is any indication, but that’s another conversation. Sullivan’s piece lays out some great steps to take in auditing your recruiting and screening processes for bias and highlights the areas where they’re most likely to occur. Though we disagree on that minor point, I think it’s definitely worth a read — check it out here. Related Video Related content news analysis Google workers hold sit-in to protest retaliation In November 2018, Google workers walked out to protest the companyu2019s handling of sexual harassment allegations. Now, many say the company has retaliated, and they had no choice but to hold a sit-in. By Sharon Florentine May 03, 2019 4 mins Google IT Jobs Careers opinion Stopping workplace violence is everyone’s responsibility Tech companies have a social responsibility to help stem the tide of hatred and violence. By Sharon Florentine Apr 12, 2019 5 mins Staff Management IT Leadership news analysis Gender pay gap shrinks, but there’s still a lot of work to do Computer programmers saw the greatest pay gap reduction, but look beyond that, and you see how inequality for women exists in different ways. By Sharon Florentine Mar 29, 2019 5 mins Salaries Staff Management Careers news analysis D&I tech market grows as diversity and inclusion become a business priority There's been a flurry of activity in the diversity and inclusion (D&I) technology space as the tech industry uses its strengths to address discrimination and lack of representation. By Sharon Florentine Mar 01, 2019 4 mins C-Suite Staff Management IT Leadership Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe