Mandatory unconscious bias training
Case reference FOI2026/00766
Received 2 July 2026
Published 7 July 2026
Request
Response
LFB People Services department have let me know that guidance on unconscious bias is included within interview scripts provided to all panel members. This guidance is referenced as part of every recruitment process and is acknowledged and signed by each interviewer.
The guidance provided is as follows:
“What is “unconscious bias
Even with the greatest intentions, we know that unconscious biases may influence hiring decisions and limit an organisation’s desire to hire more diverse talent. Rather than being rational and objective, human behaviour, and decision -making is hampered by a set of cognitive biases. These are formed through our brains’ natural tendency to take short cuts and hence make unconscious judgements about people. This note is a reminder of types of bias which can affect panel members in recruitment, and how you as panel members can mitigate the risk and impact of bias through: Being aware of your own biases and how and when they affect you
- Following the process
- Sticking to evidence
Main Biases in Recruitment
1. Confirmation bias – Tendency to search for, interpret and/or recall information in a way that confirms your perception.
For example, having heard rumours that a candidate is a very strong performer, steering the conversation in a direction that covers his/her strengths and successes but ignores any potential weaknesses or red flags.
2. Affinity / ‘clone’ bias – Preference for candidates who are most ‘like you’, i.e. a bias towards somebody with a background similar to yours.
For example, giving a candidate who went to the same university as you, or who dresses like you the benefit of the doubt during an interview.
3. Salience – Tendency to focus on a candidate’s most easily recognisable feature(s).
For example, subconsciously judging a minority candidate based on the performance of the only minority candidate in your team.
4. Status bias – Deferring to the opinion of the most senior decision maker.
For example, not raising your doubts about a candidate’s answer because another more senior individual has considered it and had no objections.
5. Confirmatory Bias / group think – deferring or conforming to your fellow panel members.
For example, feeling afraid to disagree with the majority on the panel despite your doubts about the candidate.
6. Contrast effect – comparing one person with another
For example, unconsciously comparing a candidate with the previous candidates, rather than focusing on their performance against the competencies
7. Satisfaction bias – Jumping to a decision prematurely because it at least gives you an answer.
For example. making a decision on a candidate within the first five minutes of an interview because you need the time to mentally prepare for an important meeting happening directly afterwards.
8. Halo / Horn effect: seeing one great / poor thing and allowing that to affect your whole view
For example, where a candidate provides an excellent or poorer answer at the start and letting that influence your reaction to subsequent answers.
Unconscious bias affects us…
- When we are tired
- When we are dealing with complexity
- When we have to make a decision
- When you are under time pressure
All of which can occur during interviews.
To mitigate the risk and impact of unconscious bias:
Before the interviews:
- Understand your own biases: complete one of these short online tests:
o Business in the Community online tool - https://race.bitc.org.uk/all-resources/toolkits/five-5-points-progress-toolkit-know-yourself-unconscious-bias-tool
o Project Implicit: https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html
- Address your mindset: make the unconscious conscious
- Priming: avoid hearsay or priming about candidates from others. If you do know of any candidates, declare that to the panel and invite them to challenge any biases
During the interviews:
- Follow the process: ensure all candidates have as similar experience as possible
- Allow sufficient time: take breaks and do not force a decision on the same day if you feel tired and it can wait
- Observe and Record only: try not to make assessments on performance.
- Use micro-affirmations: small positive pieces of body language that help to mitigate negative micro-behaviours (e.g. actively nod, smile and make eye contact with every candidate to mitigate risk of inadvertently doing this for only one candidate).”
Documents
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