Avoid Unconscious Bias in the Workplace

Our biases can undermine a positive workplace. A bias is a learned or acquired prejudice in favor of or against a particular thing or individual. A common distinction is that biases are usually not rational. Although diversity awareness and education can help us gain control over biases to prevent their harmful expression, unconscious expression often occurs. Do you recognize any of the following forms of unconscious bias in the workplace? Confirmation bias: the tendency to use incidents, information, or behaviors you observe to confirm a preexisting belief. Example: Witnessing a workplace error made by an older employee, and using this experience to confirm the bias that older employees make more mistakes. Implicit bias: This bias is almost entirely subconscious, and you may even disavow it. However, you act on the bias when the opportunity arises. Example: Believing subconsciously that one gender is better at leadership than another, so it influences your vote for a work team member to be the team leader, in part because of the person’s gender. Implicit bias can have adverse effects on hiring and promotion practices, and it often requires a good amount of education and training to increase employee awareness to overcome it. Social bias: This refers to attitudes or prejudices that individuals have based on race, disability, gender, age, religion, sexual orientation/identity, or socioeconomic status. Example: “All disabled people are inspirational.” Biases can lead to discrimination, unequal treatment, conflict, and lower morale. Learn more by reading “Breaking the Bias Barrier: A Guide to Overcoming Unconscious Bias in the Workplace and Beyond” by Anabel Bassey (2023)
 

12/21/2023

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