'We'll Be in Touch' | HP's Latest Diversity Push Confronts Bias in Hiring
Company Extends Diversity Efforts with New Film from Fred & Farid
Originally published on AdvertisingAge
by Adrianne Pasquarelli
HP Inc. is advertising its commitment to reduce bias among its hiring managers with a new film created out of Fred & Farid that shows multiple black job candidates on interviews that conclude with the dreaded words, "We'll be in touch." The disappointment on their faces is palpable, and the scenes provide viewers a glimpse of the frustration and desperation those who experience discrimination during the job search may feel.
"When qualified for a job," text on the screen explains, "African-Americans are 3x more likely to experience a denial."
"It's intended to raise awareness around the ingrained biases that exist in the hiring process," said Lesley Slaton Brown, who was named HP's first chief diversity officer in 2015 after the company's split with business-focused counterpart Hewlett Packard Enterprise Co. "It's meant to wake people up and get people talking about this," she said.
The technology industry is especially culpable, she added.
