SelectLeaders HR Series: Kicking Unconscious Bias To The Curb: 4 Practices To Improve CRE Hiring
December 13, 2024 Read Time: 6 minThe path to creating a more inclusive workplace in commercial real estate is a work in progress, with only modest progress being made thus far to bring a variety of voices to the sector.
Bisnow’s November 2023 report found that of the 89 large CRE companies surveyed, there were small percentage increases in both women and people of color in both the boardroom and C-suite positions from the previous year.
“There are 10 women serving as CEOs this year, up from six in 2022, and eight CEOs of color, up from five last year,” Bisnow stated in its report.
Bisnow also found that the board features 31.9% of women, 2.3% more from 2022 as well as 19.6% of people of color, up from 18.3% from 2022.
CRE companies looking to expand their teams may wonder how to ensure they hire with diversity in mind. Before ruling out a particular candidate, it’s essential to explore whether their professional experiences don’t fit the needs of the role or if opinions are clouded by unconscious bias — or an inherent judgment about someone based on factors such as race, gender, and age.
Bisnow spoke with Kristin Brown, associate director of recruiting at Bisnow and SelectLeaders as well as Lorna Erickson and Victoria Gates, cofounders of Expert Interviewers, to learn more about how unconscious biases can impact the interview process and ways to create a more inclusive work environment.
1) Identify Your Unconscious Bias
When hiring managers interview candidates for a position, they may think a candidate is not a good match for the company without being able to pinpoint exactly why. In some cases, it could be due to holding particular assumptions or viewpoints based on race, gender or age.
For example, employers may assume that older candidates may not adjust to rapid technological advancements as quickly as younger applicants. On the opposite end, they may have concerns about younger applicants’ attitude and commitment. In a survey of 1,000 employers, ResumeBuilder found that for 42% of hiring managers, age is a factor for employment choices.
Brown said that some hiring managers may also implicitly act upon their bias during the interview process, showing a strong preference for candidates who share commonalities, such as where they went to college or what they like to do for fun. Because of this, they may see the candidate as more qualified for the role than they may actually be.
“If hiring managers are jumping to conclusions as a result of their unconscious bias, they may not be fully vetting candidates that could be qualified,” she said. “It can have a negative effect on hiring decisions and result in not being as inclusive as they could be.”
As age, race and gender are considered protected classes under federal law, employers must ensure that they are not asking interview questions that could be construed as illegal.
”The most commonly asked illegal questions are ‘where are you from’ or ‘do you have any kids?’, which are great to ask in a casual setting, but not in an interview,” Erickson said. “You can't evaluate candidates based on protected characteristics, so those questions shouldn’t be asked in an interview.”
2) Recognize Candidates’ Unique Strengths
In addition to looking at applicants’ professional qualifications, hiring managers may also consider how onboarding new hires with different backgrounds and experiences can be an asset to the company.
“It’s important to hire people with approaches to new strategies and ideas,” Brown said, “Doing so creates an environment of innovation and creativity. Everyone’s background serves a purpose and can bring a new perspective that will only benefit the team.”
Gates said that having candidates with a wide range of backgrounds allows the company to look at things from different viewpoints and angles, which can enhance its profitability.
Erickson said that having diverse representation provides a positive learning experience for those in leadership positions as well.
“It’s very easy to work with someone who is just like you,” Erickson said. “But bringing in employees with different backgrounds, perspectives and thought processes allows you to grow as a manager, leader and co-worker by teaching you how to manage and accommodate differences.”
3) Leave Bias Behind
To eliminate unconscious bias, Brown suggested asking candidates the same set of interview questions and clearly laying out the qualifications that candidates need to have to be considered for the job.
Companies should also be mindful of the words they’re using in their job descriptions, Erickson said phrases like “we need somebody with a lot of energy,” for example, comes with the connotation that employers are seeking out younger candidates.
“Employers need to learn how to define what they mean if they say that candidates didn’t have the ‘wow’ factor,” she said. “Stereotyping and generalizing are a few ways that unconscious biases come into play.”
Erickson said that one good practice for eliminating unconscious bias is to take careful notes throughout the interview process about the candidate’s professional experiences. Having notes on hand can help employers assess candidates based on the job criteria and requirements and provide tangible reasons why prospective employees may or may not be right for the role or company.
4) Incorporate Best Practices For Inclusivity
Incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives doesn’t stop when candidates have been hired and onboarded. Supporting new employees can include providing reasonable accommodations for workers with disabilities, providing mentorship opportunities and inviting employees to share their experiences with one another.
Brown said that companies should be open with employees about the ways in which they’ve fostered an inclusive environment, while welcoming their input and feedback about their DEI initiatives.
“Transparency and open dialogue are extremely important and promote more inclusiveness across the board,” Brown said. “It’s crucial to get to the nitty-gritty of how employees are feeling and invite them to share the ways that the office can improve in terms of creating a more inclusive environment.”
While unconscious biases may take time to eliminate completely, Gates said that reducing them starts with individuals acknowledging their existence and impact, and making strides toward making more space for inclusivity.
“Bringing awareness to unconscious bias and talking about it is going to make it easier to move forward toward meaningful changes,” she said.
Companies that need assistance with onboarding the right top talent can connect with an executive recruiting firm, such as SelectLeaders. With nearly three decades of experience, SelectLeaders helps employers implement best practices for hiring to make their company stand out to candidates.
Reach out to SelectLeaders to learn about strategies for reducing bias while hiring and bringing on the right top talent for your CRE company.
Bisnow’s November 2023 report found that of the 89 large CRE companies surveyed, there were small percentage increases in both women and people of color in both the boardroom and C-suite positions from the previous year.
“There are 10 women serving as CEOs this year, up from six in 2022, and eight CEOs of color, up from five last year,” Bisnow stated in its report.
Bisnow also found that the board features 31.9% of women, 2.3% more from 2022 as well as 19.6% of people of color, up from 18.3% from 2022.
CRE companies looking to expand their teams may wonder how to ensure they hire with diversity in mind. Before ruling out a particular candidate, it’s essential to explore whether their professional experiences don’t fit the needs of the role or if opinions are clouded by unconscious bias — or an inherent judgment about someone based on factors such as race, gender, and age.
Bisnow spoke with Kristin Brown, associate director of recruiting at Bisnow and SelectLeaders as well as Lorna Erickson and Victoria Gates, cofounders of Expert Interviewers, to learn more about how unconscious biases can impact the interview process and ways to create a more inclusive work environment.
1) Identify Your Unconscious Bias
When hiring managers interview candidates for a position, they may think a candidate is not a good match for the company without being able to pinpoint exactly why. In some cases, it could be due to holding particular assumptions or viewpoints based on race, gender or age.
For example, employers may assume that older candidates may not adjust to rapid technological advancements as quickly as younger applicants. On the opposite end, they may have concerns about younger applicants’ attitude and commitment. In a survey of 1,000 employers, ResumeBuilder found that for 42% of hiring managers, age is a factor for employment choices.
Brown said that some hiring managers may also implicitly act upon their bias during the interview process, showing a strong preference for candidates who share commonalities, such as where they went to college or what they like to do for fun. Because of this, they may see the candidate as more qualified for the role than they may actually be.
“If hiring managers are jumping to conclusions as a result of their unconscious bias, they may not be fully vetting candidates that could be qualified,” she said. “It can have a negative effect on hiring decisions and result in not being as inclusive as they could be.”
As age, race and gender are considered protected classes under federal law, employers must ensure that they are not asking interview questions that could be construed as illegal.
”The most commonly asked illegal questions are ‘where are you from’ or ‘do you have any kids?’, which are great to ask in a casual setting, but not in an interview,” Erickson said. “You can't evaluate candidates based on protected characteristics, so those questions shouldn’t be asked in an interview.”
2) Recognize Candidates’ Unique Strengths
In addition to looking at applicants’ professional qualifications, hiring managers may also consider how onboarding new hires with different backgrounds and experiences can be an asset to the company.
“It’s important to hire people with approaches to new strategies and ideas,” Brown said, “Doing so creates an environment of innovation and creativity. Everyone’s background serves a purpose and can bring a new perspective that will only benefit the team.”
Gates said that having candidates with a wide range of backgrounds allows the company to look at things from different viewpoints and angles, which can enhance its profitability.
Erickson said that having diverse representation provides a positive learning experience for those in leadership positions as well.
“It’s very easy to work with someone who is just like you,” Erickson said. “But bringing in employees with different backgrounds, perspectives and thought processes allows you to grow as a manager, leader and co-worker by teaching you how to manage and accommodate differences.”
3) Leave Bias Behind
To eliminate unconscious bias, Brown suggested asking candidates the same set of interview questions and clearly laying out the qualifications that candidates need to have to be considered for the job.
Companies should also be mindful of the words they’re using in their job descriptions, Erickson said phrases like “we need somebody with a lot of energy,” for example, comes with the connotation that employers are seeking out younger candidates.
“Employers need to learn how to define what they mean if they say that candidates didn’t have the ‘wow’ factor,” she said. “Stereotyping and generalizing are a few ways that unconscious biases come into play.”
Erickson said that one good practice for eliminating unconscious bias is to take careful notes throughout the interview process about the candidate’s professional experiences. Having notes on hand can help employers assess candidates based on the job criteria and requirements and provide tangible reasons why prospective employees may or may not be right for the role or company.
4) Incorporate Best Practices For Inclusivity
Incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives doesn’t stop when candidates have been hired and onboarded. Supporting new employees can include providing reasonable accommodations for workers with disabilities, providing mentorship opportunities and inviting employees to share their experiences with one another.
Brown said that companies should be open with employees about the ways in which they’ve fostered an inclusive environment, while welcoming their input and feedback about their DEI initiatives.
“Transparency and open dialogue are extremely important and promote more inclusiveness across the board,” Brown said. “It’s crucial to get to the nitty-gritty of how employees are feeling and invite them to share the ways that the office can improve in terms of creating a more inclusive environment.”
While unconscious biases may take time to eliminate completely, Gates said that reducing them starts with individuals acknowledging their existence and impact, and making strides toward making more space for inclusivity.
“Bringing awareness to unconscious bias and talking about it is going to make it easier to move forward toward meaningful changes,” she said.
Companies that need assistance with onboarding the right top talent can connect with an executive recruiting firm, such as SelectLeaders. With nearly three decades of experience, SelectLeaders helps employers implement best practices for hiring to make their company stand out to candidates.
Reach out to SelectLeaders to learn about strategies for reducing bias while hiring and bringing on the right top talent for your CRE company.
