Resourcing Bias in Tech: Past Lessons and Future Outlook

Bias - an insidious, pervasive issue that often blindsides the hiring process. It manifests variably, sometimes subtly, sometimes blatantly, but always detrimental to the ideals of fairness, logic, and inclusivity in modern hiring practices. The plague of bias remains stubbornly alive, ample research that shows that, even in the face of remarkable technological advances, defying the sophisticated Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and the heightened consciousness of organisational leadership.

The sobering truth is that bias is part of the human condition, whether it’s conscious or unconscious. Data supports this, showing the unavoidable truth of our inherent biased tendencies, from our daily interactions to our preferences and even our decision-making. In the workplace, these biases, left unchecked, can transform from minor preferences into catastrophic forces that undermine an organisation.

Biases Within the Tech Sector: The Unpleasant Legacy

The impact is most visible within hiring departments. Their task is to sift through the vast resource pool, ensuring inclusive workplace policies, community representation, and fairness in opportunities. Despite these noble objectives, biases persist. But why?

It's worth reviewing the historical context of bias within the tech sector. Operating with any form of bias is unacceptable on both an operational and brand level. Considering the unique nature of the tech workforce - marked by an acute shortage of resource and the need for an incoming wave of tech-savvy workers - the continuous presence of bias is destabilising the industry and derailing growth plans.

Perpetuated stereotypes of who is "meant for tech" and who isn't have long infested the sector. For example, limiting behaviours and understandings of who tech is “for”, who is naturally “good at tech”, or simply whether it’s a “boy or girl” job have plagued tech for decades. The simple fact that so few girls enter STEM further education - with “women (making) up only 28% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering and maths” - speaks to a lingering legacy of poor inclusive teaching within tech. Much of this is to do with bias.

Further studies indicate these sorts of biases exist across borders - with “a majority of tech recruiters believe there is bias in the hiring process, according to a poll of recruiters from 131 countries” - and across people of different heritages and races - “(a survey) showed a 7% increase in people who felt they had to minimise their heritage or personal identity to fit in at their workplace (during 2020).

The Global Impact of Bias in Tech Hiring

Bias is not limited by borders or races. According to an international poll of recruiters, the majority acknowledge the existence of bias in hiring processes. Moreover, the percentage of people feeling the need to downplay their personal identity or heritage to fit into their workplace has been steadily increasing.

Transition from Outdated Perspectives: Challenging the Norm

In a recent roundtable discussion, the conversation around bias predominantly revolved around the capability of individuals to lead tech projects. The changing landscape of hiring in the tech sector, with more focus on skills rather than location, has resulted in a paradigm shift towards emerging markets via nearshoring and offshoring strategies.

Leadership Biases: A Deeper Dive

Ben Nadel, co-founder of Woodhurst, Shift, and Credit Canary, and Kefirah Kang, Director of Professional Services at Finexos, delved into the topic of leadership biases in hiring. Their discourse contemplated whether UK-based companies should retain operational control domestically or let the teams doing the work in near or offshore markets take the reins.

Though not directly touching on the destructive effects of bias in leadership decisions, this discussion alluded to subtler forms of bias, including cultural biases, in-group biases, self-serving biases, and observer bias.

Restructuring Leadership within a Globalised Workforce

Working with staffing markets in a dynamic fashion presents challenges, one of which is optimally positioning leadership figures within a team or a project. Kefirah's strategy of periodically shifting operational responsibilities between remote and in-house teams proved to be a shining example of how bias can be mitigated. By involving every team member in almost all aspects of a product build, regardless of their location, the bias in workloads and expectations was actively reduced, leading to higher productivity and engagement.

A diagram visualising the multifaceted nature of bias in the tech sector and the various remedies proposed to combat it.

The Ever-Present Role of Bias in Tech Hiring

In the grand scheme of hiring, biases continue to be a thorn in the side. While the roundtable discussion didn't delve into specifics of inclusive hiring practices such as blind screening or leveraging technology to reduce bias, the conversation did underline the importance of managing expectations and making operational decisions effectively.

The comprehensive approach to leadership, the prejudices around capabilities, and optimal placement of leaders within remote working teams were all essential points of discussion.

In the battle against bias in tech, we have made significant strides, yet the journey is far from over. We need to continue challenging, learning, and adapting to ensure fairness and inclusivity are not just buzzwords but deeply ingrained in our professional ethos. By learning from our past and using those lessons to inform our future strategies, we can work towards an inclusive tech landscape free of bias.