In spite of the diligence of advocates and women across various fields, gender prejudice persists in the recruitment process. Numerous hiring experts recognize more prevalent forms of gender bias, such as discrimination related to pregnancy.
Less recognized is prejudiced terminology in job postings.
However, biased terminology in job postings, such as descriptions that favor masculine-coded terms and incorporate exclusionary language, can deter capable female applicants. Even well-intentioned recruiters may inadvertently employ masculine language that discourages female candidates.
You cannot afford to lose out on skilled applicants! Studies indicate that job postings featuring less gender-specific language yield better results, decreasing both time-to-hire and cost-per-application.
How can you eliminate gender bias from your job postings?
The simplest and most effective method is to utilize a gender-neutral writing tool. These resources assist you and your team in evaluating recruitment materials for unconscious gender bias.
Continue reading for our compilation of sought-after features in a gender-neutral writing tool.
(We employed Ongig’s Text Analyzer to display anonymous examples of biased job postings to highlight key elements to modify.)
1) Gender Neutral % and Score in Dashboard
Gender-neutral writing tools commence with a user dashboard. What you should look for here are the essentials:
- Percentage of gender bias in all your job postings
- Gender bias by department and location
This enables you to zoom out and identify areas for enhancement.
2) Identify Biased Language
Your gender-neutral writing tool must then highlight masculine- and feminine-coded terms (e.g., masculine terms are marked below).
Employing too many masculine or feminine terms in a single piece creates a disproportion that can deter competent candidates of a specific gender.
Your tool should provide a rating that indicates the level of gender neutrality in each job posting. You can play around with eliminating certain masculine or feminine terms to enhance the gender neutrality score.
3) Suggest Synonyms for Gendered Terms
Your gender-neutral writing tool should also propose synonyms for your gender-coded terms. In the job posting below, the term “drive” is marked as a masculine word.
The ideal tool won’t merely highlight terms with potential gender bias—it will also recommend gender-neutral substitutions for those terms.
4) Real-Time Score Updates
When you replace gender-specific terms, a writing tool like Ongig should refresh your gender neutrality score in real time.
You should easily see (we present it in a scoring format, where each job posting receives a score ranging from 0 to 100) once you have accomplished the goal of creating a more gender-neutral job posting.
The score of 100 below, along with the green person icon, indicates that this job is now gender-neutral.
5) Organization-Wide Language Standards
It’s crucial for any gender-neutral writing tool to identify and implement inclusive language modifications in your job postings. But what if your writing tool also assisted employees in recognizing potentially biased terms and phrases as they compose, enabling them to avoid publishing problematic content?
Ongig’s Text Analyzer possesses this capability, and we believe it should be standard procedure for any software designed to minimize biased language in HR content. With Ongig, you can anchor specific best practices for text, ensuring your recruitment software prevents employees from drafting and publishing job postings with gender bias.
For instance, if you decide that company-wide policy is to refer to “parental leave” instead of maternity or paternity leave, you can secure this inclusive language for all future job postings.
Why is it vital that job postings are gender-neutral and devoid of gender bias?
Gender-neutral language bolsters an organization’s dedication to LGBTQ+ equality and gender equality in the workplace. Federal law classifies discrimination against an individual based on sexual orientation or gender identity as a form of sex discrimination, which is unlawful.
Regrettably, despite the legal safeguards against discrimination in hiring, many individuals still experience difficulties in their job search due to biased language in job postings. While not as severe as conventional hiring discrimination, it still hinders numerous qualified candidates from finding employment. Unbiased job postings attract a broader range of applicants, subsequently lowering hiring expenses for employers.
For more insights on crafting job postings, explore How to WriteaJobDescription— Best Practices & Examples.
Why I wrote this?
I am passionate about content. And part of that passion involves ensuring it is optimized for the customer/candidate. Check out Ongig’s Text Analyzer tool which aids in removing gender bias in job postings.