I went to my first presentation discussing Unconscious Bias in the workplace a couple of years ago. I was sceptical.
“I’m not prejudiced in my decision making” I thought.
“I don't have any extreme views” I reasoned.
“Therefore this won’t affect the way I recruit and advise my clients.”
But, because I’m always keen to learn I sat down and listened to what they had to say. By the end of the presentation, I couldn't have felt more wrong.
Research shows individuals and organisations who believe they’re meritocratic often have the poorest outcomes. Because when biases aren't acknowledged, they can’t be dealt with.
If you’re looking into this yourself it’s important to remember these are UNCONSCIOUS decisions. So there’s no need to feel guilty, unless you’re ignorant enough to refuse to recognise it.
Unconscious bias means automatic, mental shortcuts used to process information and make decisions.
The brain gets flooded every moment with millions of bits of different information, but amazingly can only consciously process about 40.
Cognitive filters, previous experiences and habits enable the brain to unconsciously prioritise, generalise and decide, actually dismissing large volumes of input. For the most part, these decisions feel intuitively right.
So why’s this all so important?
It’s well documented, diverse and inclusive working environments are more productive; have stronger cultures and are more powerful creatively.
If you can harness these benefits by overcoming biases at critical moments in the decision making process, it’s a victory for all. Great ideas won’t be overlooked, no matter who they come from. Individual potential won’t be undermined. And the work environment will be improved.
Taking steps to begin unbiasing is ESSENTIAL for any organisation involved with making decisions about talent or involvement in any part of recruitment.
Delving deeper, there are actually four main categories of bias to be aware of (awareness and recognition is the first step for mitigation) which are:
- Introductions and First Impressions
- Stereotypes
- Performance Attribution Bias
- Competence/Likeability Trade Off Bias
Therefore in order to to create a workplace that supports and encourages diverse perspectives, talents and ideas, you need to give people the platform and tools to begin unbiasing.
For everyone involved with talent, this is the future of work.
Strive to make the unconscious, conscious, and you create a level playing field for all.
Drop me a note at rossbtaylor1@gmail.com if you would like to find out more or discuss the resources you can use to take the first steps on your unbiasing journey.