What is Sexual Orientation Bias? How to Prevent it?

In recent years, the issue of sexual orientation bias has become one of the talking points in the hiring industry. With the issue of sexual orientation evolving rapidly, organizations need to have dynamic policies to counter discrimination of any kind. However, before we delve into the topic of sexual orientation bias, we need to understand the issue of sexual orientation first.

According to the Britannica Dictionary, sexual orientation ‘is the enduring pattern of an individual’s emotional, sexual, and romantic attraction.‘ This attraction could be homosexual, heterosexual, or bisexuality. 

However, with the rise in homosexuality, there has also been a rise in homophobia. Members of the LGBTQIA+ have experienced a rise in discrimination. And this is not limited to their personal life. The hiring industry has also seen a surge in sexual orientation bias. 

Sexual orientation Bias in workplace 

One of the major reasons for the sexual orientation bias is the lack of knowledge required by organizations to navigate through such incidents. This requires a multi-fold strategy to ensure that no employee faces bias of any kind.

However, even before an employee joins, he has to go through a hiring process. And it is here that sexual orientation bias has the highest chance of occurring.

Also Read: Why is Governance For System Bias Important For Recruitment?

Causes of sexual orientation bias 

Stereotypes 

One of the major reasons that people face sexual orientation bias is due to various stereotypes that surround them. People from the LGBTQIA+ community have been subjected to harassment at the workplace, mainly due to their sexual orientation. While people are well aware of other biases, be it racial, gender, or even socioeconomic, their knowledge is limited to sexual orientation. In fact, the societal view is negative, which leads them to exhibit discriminatory behavior.

Lack of awareness 

Sexual orientation is in itself a complex topic that is also evolving. Hence, not everyone is well-versed in it. So, even if a person who is not discriminatory could unknowingly exhibit behavior that may be derogatory, This is not due to bias but a lack of education. Due to this, people face discrimination based on their sexual orientation. One survey found that 17 per cent of people from the LGBTQIA+ experienced homelessness as they faced resentment from homeowners. 

Absence of policies 

While substantial policies exist to prevent any other bias, laws on sexual orientation have yet to be applied globally. Since many countries do not have strict laws, organizations in those nations also do not need to have strong policies. 

This is why nations need a federal agency like the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Legislation should also prevent sexual orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Discrimination. 

Also Read: The EU AI Law, Explained in 2 Minutes

How to prevent Sexual Orientation bias

Introducing DEI policies 

One of the most effective ways to curb bias and at the same time increase diversity in an organization is to implement DEI hiring policies. DEI stands for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Under this, there are set guidelines which ensure that companies hire people from a diverse background. This can range from race, gender, socioeconomic status and even sexual orientation bias. 

Since organizations have to abide by DEI policies, implementing them is one of the most efficient ways to enhance diversity in the workplace and eliminate sexual orientation bias.

Sensitization of recruiters 

Since sexual orientation bias can start at the hiring stage itself, sensitization of recruiters is the first step to minimize discrimination. Since recruiters are also humans they are susceptible to having their opinions. However, these opinions could sub consciously or even unconsciously put a candidate at a disadvantage. 

So, ensuring that the hiring team is well versed in the biases present is necessary. This should start from acknowledging that one can be biased. Self acknowledgement will make the hiring team more determined to improve upon their mistakes.

Third-party audits 

As mentioned earlier, sexual orientation bias can be hard to detect. And not every company has the necessary resources to ensure that their process is bias-free. Furthermore, bias could enter the system after some months or years. It is here that regular third-party audits can be of immense help.

These audits allow for a fresh eye on the process which can be hugely beneficial to detect any anomalies in the system.

Also Read: The Secret to Hiring Success: A Comprehensive Guide to Applicant Screening

Educate employees on sexual orientation 

At the workplace, bias can only be curbed by educating employees on sexual orientation. Conducting sessions that make employees learn about correct behavior and use correct gender terms such as pronouns can go a long way in making the workplace a healthy environment to work in.

This will also help in increasing the employee morale of the company and, in turn, help to increase the retention rate.

Conclusion

The world has become a global village which means that anyone in the world can get employed at a company that may be far from his geographical location. Concepts such as work from home (WFH) now mean that the workplace has become a melting pot of various nationalities, culture, religion and gender. 

This means that organizations have to ensure that there is no friction between their employees. Doing so can be challenging with the human factor involved. This is where our interview intelligence platform, BarRaiser, comes to your rescue.

Our state-of-the-art tool gives companies the perfect interview tool that makes quality hiring easy. With BarRiaser users get our AI Interview Copilot that helps the recruiters in conducting a smooth, flawless interview.

Our product analyzes the interview and gives helpful suggestions to the interviewers on what questions to ask and to maintain the speed of the interview. In addition, it also analyzes the recruiter to ensure the interview process is not discriminatory in any way. Our tool can raise an alert if the hiring manager is asking for information which may be pertinent to the interview or the job description. This ensures perfect checks and balances in the system.

We also provide interviewer training to ensure organizations  have the perfect team for the job. Furthermore, we also provide interview as a service in which we will conduct the entire interview process on the behalf of an organization.

Using BarRaiser we guarantee you quality hiring that will also bolster diversity and inclusion. BarRaiser is the best AI interview platform that features structured interviews, AI-generated interview notes,  and tools to ensure quality hiring while eliminating biases from the recruitment process. With BarRaiser’s support, you’ll be well-equipped to build a strong team of sales associates who will drive sales and deliver exceptional customer service.