Reducing the level of unconscious bias in the recruitment of professional services staff
The anonymisation of applications for professional services roles has been in place since October 2019 on the e-recruitment system. This means the personal details of all applicants for professional services roles are witheld at the shortlisting stage. This page details the guidance and support which is available to managers and staff about the anonymised process, as well as providing some of the historical and strategic context behind the anonymised applications project.
Please contact hr.admin@lse.ac.uk if you have any queries.
Step-by-step e-recruitment guides to help managers through the stages of the recruitment process as it works under anonymised applications are available on this page.
Strategic context for anonymised applications
In 2018-19, scrutiny of the School’s recruitment practices, in relation to supporting the equity and diversity framework, led senior stakeholders to make recommendations on how these practices can be improved. One of the key recommendations was the anonymisation of job applications for profesional services recruitment.
This change will demonstrate that employees at LSE can thrive, develop and succeed in the School based on their talent, regardless of ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic. The introduction of anonymised applications is also supportive of LSE 2030, in particular Priority 3: Develop LSE for everyone.
The overall objectives of the project are to:
- Enhance current recruitment practices appropriately so applicants for professional services roles can be shortlisted anonymously
- Create a definition for what the LSE means by the anonymisation of job applications and associated guidance
- Ensure that systems, tools and roles supporting an anonymised shortlisting process are based on the principals of the School’s anonymisation definition
- Operate with recruitment processes that de-anonymise applicant details at the appropriate stage of the recruitment process
- Deliver the School’s vision to reduce unconscious bias in the recruitment of professional services staff
- Enhance the reputation of the School by signalling a strong commitment to focus recruitment on skills and qualifications
- Successfully benchmark against other leading organisations in its field for its anonymised recruitment practices
- Ensure that, throughout the project lifecycle, there is high user engagement, creating user buy-in of the above project objectives which in turn will support implementation