In this article I will be discussing discrimination in regard to asynchronous (one-way) video interviewing rather than two-way conference style interviews but these points should apply to both.
We understand there is no legal issue, as discrimination is measured and based on workforce composition and organisations can be audited to ensure compliance, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in the US and the Australian Human Rights Commission.
Employers need to set specific job criteria and measure each candidate against these accordingly. They also need to ensure that questions asked during the video interview are reasonable and pertain to the job, it is important that records with reasoning for decisions are kept in the case of a workplace audit. As long as each recruit can be justified for being the best person for the job there is no issue of discrimination.
As recruitment is subjective, the assessment of the ability of the candidate is left to the recruitment manager or preferably the recruitment panel. The main issue arises when employers with out an ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) like ours receive hundreds of resumes for a particular job.
Often employers tell us that they don’t have time to sift through hundreds of resumes and make appointments for face-to-face interviews that may lead nowhere. So they end up filtering based on inappropriate factors that can be gleaned from a CV.
For example, if their name happens to be foreign they will unfortunately be put straight into the ‘no’ pile because they assume that that candidate has inferior communication skills, even when that person may speak the Queens English and be perfect for the role. This is more common than you may think, particularly in small businesses with less protocol. Video interviewing is the perfect solution; it enables employers to see the personality behind the paper and saves them a lot of time. It also enables applicants to pitch themselves to employers and demonstrate why they are best for the role.
Unfortunately there are people who use this technology and discriminate based on a persons appearance, nationality, ethnicity or race with more ease and efficiency. But it is safe to say that these employers are missing out on some the most talented people. If our government bodies are doing their jobs properly this will be identified and penalised. Video interviewing platforms can be used during a discrimination audit to justify employment decisions.
As with all new technologies people need to use it and see how it can change their lives and improve their performance video interviewing platforms are evolving and will continue to be a core component of the recruitment process.
By the way, its worth mentioning that this article is completely biased. I love technology, new innovations and solutions that make my life that little bit easier; Oh and I should probably mention that I helped found a Video Interview platform. But I will attempt to put that aside for the purpose of balance and all that jazz.
Image credit: pixabay.com