Examples Of Unconscious Bias In The Workplace
Dealing with Unconscious Bias in the Workplace
Unconscious bias is actually a rather scary concept, but it is nonetheless something that nearly everybody is subject to. In simple terms, unconscious bias refers to the biases that we have towards others that are not in our conscious control. When we meet people, we make instant assessments of them, normally based on our own experiences, and cultural environment and background.
Most of us like to believe that we’re open-minded and objective, however, in reality, many of our opinions, values and beliefs stem from our families, our culture, and a lifetime of experiences which all combine to heavily influence how we view and judge other people and ourselves. These biases that we have all built up over time help us …show more content…
The science of “unconscious bias” applies to how we perceive other people. We’re all biased and becoming aware of our own biases will help us mitigate them in the workplace.
2. Let everyone explore their own unconscious biases.
Your course should begin with helping your participants to explore their own levels of unconscious bias – what are they? Where do they come from? How do they affect their behaviour towards others? Once these issues have been identified, only then can issues of bias in the workplace be addressed. Breaking the habit of bias always begins with initial recognition of the habit in the first instance. Gaining insight into the subconscious helps us to realize the issues that need to be addressed and tackled.
Participants can be encouraged to write down what they think their biases might be, why they think they have them, and to recall an occasion where their biases have been proved wrong. To help participants identify what their biases may be, there is an online Implicit Association Test (IAT) that can be taken to help people identify their unconscious preferences.
3. Create a simulated work
Unconscious bias is actually a rather scary concept, but it is nonetheless something that nearly everybody is subject to. In simple terms, unconscious bias refers to the biases that we have towards others that are not in our conscious control. When we meet people, we make instant assessments of them, normally based on our own experiences, and cultural environment and background.
Most of us like to believe that we’re open-minded and objective, however, in reality, many of our opinions, values and beliefs stem from our families, our culture, and a lifetime of experiences which all combine to heavily influence how we view and judge other people and ourselves. These biases that we have all built up over time help us …show more content…
The science of “unconscious bias” applies to how we perceive other people. We’re all biased and becoming aware of our own biases will help us mitigate them in the workplace.
2. Let everyone explore their own unconscious biases.
Your course should begin with helping your participants to explore their own levels of unconscious bias – what are they? Where do they come from? How do they affect their behaviour towards others? Once these issues have been identified, only then can issues of bias in the workplace be addressed. Breaking the habit of bias always begins with initial recognition of the habit in the first instance. Gaining insight into the subconscious helps us to realize the issues that need to be addressed and tackled.
Participants can be encouraged to write down what they think their biases might be, why they think they have them, and to recall an occasion where their biases have been proved wrong. To help participants identify what their biases may be, there is an online Implicit Association Test (IAT) that can be taken to help people identify their unconscious preferences.
3. Create a simulated work