Unconscious Bias

What is unconscious bias?

• Social stereotypes about certain groups of people that individuals form outside their own conscious awareness

• Deliberate inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group

• Also known as implicit bias

Everyone has unconscious bias

• True

• False

Your unconscious biases could lead you to any of the following problems:

• Not making the best decision in a meeting as good ideas are unconsciously ignored

• Employees unfairly excluded from experiences and opportunities for which they are qualified

• Undervaluing employees and not getting the most out of them

• Causing talented employees to get frustrated and leave

What is the benefits of diversity and inclusion in a workplace

• Increased motivation

• Greater variety of perspectives and solutions to problems

• Segregated team members

• Everyone is valued and group differences are embraced

• Improve employees' loyalty to organization

Which of these actions can help you overcome your unconscious bias?

• Recognize that bias exist and try to identify your unconscious bias

• Listen to ideas only from people who are similar to you

• Try to increase contacts with people from different groups/backgrounds

• When making a decision, try not to expose yourself to information that could trigger your biases

• Allow irrelevant information (e.g. ethnicity, gender, weight) to impact your decision-making

Do you play a role in making our workplace more inclusive?

• Yes

• No