Dangerous biases in HR

When processing information, the human brain creates certain shortcuts in order to facilitate and accelerate our decisions. This has worked since prehistoric times. For example, when we see big teeth and stripy fur and hear a sinister growl, our brain immediately sends a signal to our legs to start running away from a tiger. We do not need to analyze any additional information at such a moment.

Illustration

Today, we understand these shortcuts in thinking more as intuition or common sense. However, intuition may not always be right, which is a fact we tend to forget. Darcy Jacobsen, Globoforce marketing manager, writes about this phenomenon in an interesting article on humancapitalleague.com. She pointed out five types of "cognitive biases", the psychological term for thinking in too simplified a way, in relation to HR management in companies.

1. Recruitment-related biases

A typical reason for high employee turnover. The human brain has a tendency to think that positive characteristics are clustered together. That is why, e.g., physically attractive job candidates look more talented, intelligent, and capable than less attractive candidates. Statistics clearly show that attractive candidates are hired more often. Should you really trust your first impression?

2. Change-related biases

We all know it. Employees tend not to change the status quo, even if facts demonstrate a need for change. We have a natural tendency to think that the way "things have always be done" is the best. How can you fight against this? By persistent communication.

3. Evaluation-related biases

Employees usually hate performance evaluations and often they have a good reason. Managers tend to evaluate only what they remember from the recent past. An employee who has just had a busy month with many failures is therefore at a significant disadvantage. Do you lead your managers to evaluate employees from a long-term perspective?

4. Group-related biases

Individual teams or even whole departments are often divided into "we and them", and of course "we" are better. What can you do about this? Choose building relationships and a company-wide culture.

5. Subordinates-related biases

We all tend to disregard information with which we disagree. On the contrary, we notice the information we believe in more. This can be dangerous, especially for managers who only tend to see the good in their employees. This is another good reason HR should provide them with as objective data as possible on employee performance.

-Kk-

Article source Human Capital League - online community for workplace management professionals
Read more articles from Human Capital League