Bias is a disproportionate weight in favour of or against something or someone. While we can process bias consciously or unconsciously, it can have unintended consequences or unfairly influence our decisions and our thinking.
According to Monash University, unconscious bias refers to attitudes and patterns of perceptions that are held subconsciously. These automatic assumptions can influence thoughts and actions that can result in the creation of unfair advantages or disadvantages without the decision-maker’s awareness. In the workplace, these judgements and decisions can result in unfair and negative consequences for those subjected to the bias, a lack of inclusiveness, and potentially, unintended discrimination.
As HR professionals it’s important to reflect on whether our decisions, workplace practices, and attitudes stem from an unconscious bias. Examples of unconscious bias can include ethnicity, gender, age, accent, sexual orientation, and parental status.
Common types of unconscious bias, include:
Affinity bias: The tendency to warm to people who are more like us.
Halo effect: Often described as ‘first impressions', this involves only seeing the good in a person because of a personal affinity for that person. The opposite is the “horns effect” where a snap judgement is made based on a single negative trait.
Perception bias: Forming stereotypes and assumptions about certain groups that can interfere with an objective assessment about individuals within those groups.
Confirmation bias: The tendency for people to seek information that confirms pre-existing beliefs or assumptions, this may include noticing, focusing on, and providing greater credence to evidence that fits with existing beliefs.
Conformity bias: Rather than using their own personal judgement, people behave like those around them. This type of bias often stems from seeking acceptance and validation from others and from the need to hold views that are agreeable by the majority.
Gender bias: Prejudicing one gender over another.
Similarity bias: Forming a favourable view of others who are similar to the decision-maker.
Distance bias: Prioritising input from those who are closer in proximity/physical space, time, or other domains, as opposed to people dialling in from remote locations.
The first step in reducing unconscious biases is to become aware of them.
When we recognise our unconscious bias in the workplace, we can shift our decision-making process, remove potential stereotyping, and build an inclusive workforce.
As HR practitioners, overcoming unconscious bias can improve recruitment and build strong teams that allow space for people of different backgrounds and walks of life. By putting yourself in the shoes of other people you provide the opportunity to embrace diverse perspectives and shift your mindset.
Here are four steps you can take to overcome unconscious bias:
- Purposely engage with people of different backgrounds to explore any unconscious bias you may have. The more we learn about people the more conscious we can be.
- Listen to people. Allowing different voices to be heard fosters collaboration and enables staff the creativity to contribute and reach their full potential.
- Stay open to learning and noticing differences between people in the same team and how these differences can be positive attributes in your workplace.
- Work to minimise stereotypical responses and think before you speak and act.
When we overcome unconscious bias in the workplace, we create an environment that nurtures a range of personalities and celebrates individuality. It will also help you become an empathetic HR professional, that staff will be motivated to work with.
We encourage HR professionals to consider and implement practical activities, at an individual and team level, to combat unconscious bias. For example, encouraging team members to join diverse employee networks and participate in team bonding activities, to collectively work together to discuss, and in turn, help increase psychological safety.