How to recognize and minimize unconscious bias in the workplace
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The document offers insights on recognizing and reducing unconscious bias in the workplace, discussing its origins and types, such as gender and age bias. It emphasizes the importance of creating inclusive environments through strategies like blind interviews and accountability measures, while also addressing the impact of microaggressions. The author encourages cultivating awareness and fostering a culture that values diversity and inclusion.
How to recognize and minimize unconscious bias in the workplace
- 1. How to Recognize and Minimize Unconscious Bias in the Workplace Catherine Mattice Zundel, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP Civility Partners, Inc.
- 4. AS SEEN IN
- 5. Agenda ● Define bias ● Origins of bias ● Compensate for bias ● Combat exclusive behaviors ● Inclusion and culture
- 7. Did you see: • Eyes? Or Narrow Eyes? • Hair? Or Curly Hair? • Skin? Or Brown Skin?
- 8. Our brains are programmed to scan for race, gender and age within one second of encountering another person.
- 9. How We Respond To Information 1. Arc Reflex. Natural instincts save time and reduce injury 2. Brain’s base executive function. Sorting for relevance to survival 3. Further executive function. Sorting to confirm and/or insight action 4. Cortex (subliminal) activity. Sorting to eliminate ambiguity 5. Thinking, and consciously deciding.
- 12. Value: Sameness. Belief: People who look like me are similar to me in ways of thinking and doing things. Behavior: More likely to act on an idea provided by a person similar to yourself.
- 13. Origins of Bias ● Gender ● Physical abilities ● Mental abilities ● Religion ● Income ● Age ● Sexual orientation ● Geography ● Culture ● Ethnicity ● Seniority ● Marital status ● Appearance ● Education ● Upbringing ● Experience
- 14. How do you define bias?
- 15. “The unconscious mind... always reaches a result, regardless of whether there is ‘enough’ or contradicting information. It is built to resolve ambiguity, and so it frequently jumps to conclusions.” Karnow, (2015). Deciding.
- 16. Y0UR M1ND 15 R34D1NG 7H15 4U70M471C4LLY W17H0U7 3V3N 7H1NK1NG 4B0U7 17.
- 18. Confirmation Bias We seek out information that confirms our beliefs. We interpret new evidence as confirmation of our existing beliefs.
- 19. Expectation Bias Our expectations influence perceptions of our own and others’ behavior.
- 20. Poll Question Can you think of a time someone else’s bias held you back, or affected you in a negative way?
- 21. Cognitive Dissonance Inconsistency in thoughts and behavior. We strive for cognitive consistency.
- 22. Associative Reasoning Filling the gaps by associating one thing with another, whether accurately or not.
- 23. “Minorities who whiten job resumes get more interviews,” Harvard Business School
- 24. White Thomas Meyer’s Memo ● 4.1 out of 5 rating ● Praised for potential and analytical skills ● Found 2.9 out of 7 spelling/grammatical errors Black Thomas Meyer’s Memo ● 3.2 out of 5 rating ● Criticized as average at best and needing a lot of work ● Found 5.8 out of 7 errors https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/hypothetical_legal_memo_demonstrates_unconsciou s_biases
- 25. Poll Question Can you think of a specific time your own bias has affected someone else in a negative way?
- 26. How can you eliminate minimize your bias?
- 27. Consider what gets into your mind in the first place and avoid it. Harvard IAT
- 28. Minimize the factors in your life that increase the chances of bias occuring.
- 29. Risk Factors ● Certain emotional states (anger, disgust, even if totally unrelated to the issue at hand) ● Ambiguity ● Salient social categories exist ● Low effort cognitive processing (fatigue, disinterested) ● Distracted or pressured decision-making circumstances ● Lack of feedback; little or no accountability The less energy you have, the more you rely on instinct or autopilot.
- 30. Risk Factors ● Certain emotional states (anger, disgust, even if totally unrelated to the issue at hand) ● Ambiguity ● Salient social categories exist ● Low effort cognitive processing (fatigue, disinterested) ● Distracted or pressured decision-making circumstances ● Lack of feedback; little or no accountability How can you counter these risk factors?
- 31. Reducing Risk Factors ● Remove or reduce distractions ● Reduce ambiguity by asking questions ● Get an accountabili-buddy ● Seek similarities in others ● Ensure processes are in place that could minimize bias
- 32. Some Workplace Processes • Attempt blind interviews for new candidates • Check your performance process (e.g., self-evals) • Implement a mentor/protégé program • Create opportunities for hot seat programs
- 33. Subtle, verbal and nonverbal slights and insults directed toward an individual due to their group membership, often automatically and unconsciously. Usually well-intentioned and meant to build rapport. Microagressions
- 34. Microaggressions “I just don’t see color at all. I treat everyone the same.” “You are so much nicer to work with than all the guys on your team.” “I hope you’ll go home soon. I know you just had a baby.”
- 35. Make Sure Meetings Are Inclusive
- 36. In a study of US Supreme Court justices for the last 12 years, women justices were interrupted three times more often than men, and women initiated only 4% of interruptions overall. Fortune, 2017
- 37. Amplify ideas and give credit to people Respond to showboating by pointing out expertise and experience of others Rotate administrative duties Kick questions back to the right person Ideas for Inclusive Meetings
- 38. Step In Focus on the impact “I know you don’t realize it but by saying you don’t see color, you’re actually coming across as saying that you don’t recognize the whole person. You’re discounting Jack’s experience in the world as a person of a color.” Ask a question “I was just curious, why did you ask Carmen that question? Email Info@CivilityPartners.com for a list of 16 scripts like these.
- 39. Poll Question If someone I work with treated me with disrespect, I would feel comfortable to say something to them about it.
- 41. You must start with discovery
- 42. Climate Assessment In your current organization, have you ever been left out of opportunities for professional advancement based on your membership in a certain group (e.g., gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, etc)? I trust my leadership team has my best interests at heart. I have positive relationships with my team.
- 43. T h a n k Y o u f o r P a r t i c i p a t i n g Find more free webinars: www.i-sight.com/resources/webinars @isightsoftware C o n t a c t C a t h e r i n e M a t t i c e Z u n d e l C o n t a c t i - S i g h t webinars@i-sight.com Info@CivilityPartners.com @catmattice https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinemattice/