HR Glossary

What is Tokenism?

The practice of making only a symbolic effort toward including members of underrepresented groups, often by recruiting or promoting a small number of individuals to give the appearance of diversity without addressing systemic barriers.

Why it matters in hiring

Tokenism comes up whenever teams compare candidates, set policy or report on people data. Getting the definition right keeps decisions consistent, which is the same reason springhire scores every applicant against the same criteria rather than on impression.

Related terms starting with T

• The Social Security Code, 2020
• Time to Fill
• Time to Hire
• Title VII
• Total Compensation
• Total Rewards
• TradeUp / Skills Training (Australia)
• Training Needs Analysis (TNA)

Part of the springhire HR glossary, 1,150+ HR, payroll and recruiting terms defined. Free, no signup.