The Opportunity to Upload Cover Letters and Procedural Fairness Perceptions: A Time Series Analysis

Organizations (though the design of their employment application websites) have the option of prohibiting or allowing certain types of traditional applicant communications such as cover letters. However, while doing so may streamline recruiting processes, it may come at a price. This study hypothesizes that the opportunity to submit cover letters during a selection process should improve procedural, but not interpersonal or informational, justice perceptions. Over a three-year period, 1,949 applicants rated their perceptions of the initial stage of an organization’s selection process. During this period, the organization changed only the applicants’ opportunity to upload cover letters. Time series analysis showed that average procedural justice perceptions increased at the same time as the cover letter intervention. Interpersonal and informational justice perceptions did not show a corresponding increase.