Many of us like to think of ourselves as welcoming to everyone. In both the office and our everyday lives, we strive to be as open and friendly to all. However, our biases can often get in the way of our good intentions.
Conscious bias, where someone is deliberately prejudiced against another, is easy to spot. Though it may be difficult to call out, especially when the bias comes from someone in a position of power, we need to fight against bias to create fair working environments.
Bias can unfortunately affect every area of our working lives. In the 2019 State of Inclusion report from Deloitte, a staggering 60% of respondents noted some form of bias in the workplace. Since bias can take so many forms, we need to understand it fully before we can begin to call it out.
What Is Bias, Unconscious or Otherwise?
Bias occurs when we have an inclination or prejudice for or against a specific characteristic. It could be against a single person or an entire group of people. The bias could also just be perpetuated by one person or it could be systematic, meaning that it is embedded into company or even societal culture. Systematic bias is a lot more serious and difficult to overcome, but that does not mean that challenging the biases of a single colleague will prove to be easy.
Unconscious bias occurs when the person showing bias has no idea of their actions. When demonstrating bias in the workplace, they may have no idea of the damage their behavior may be causing. If they are called out, they may dismiss any accusations and shut down an attempt at a conversation.
It is important to stress that the act of showing bias is perfectly normal human behavior. When we develop biases of any nature, we process information we receive from the environment around us. A poor experience will result in negative connotations when we reflect on it in the future, which could create an unconscious bias for us to challenge later. What is not acceptable is expecting others to agree with our bias and then emulate certain negative behaviors because of it.
Unconscious Bias vs Implicit Bias
The terms unconscious bias and implicit bias are often used interchangeably or as synonyms. While it is true that there is some overlap between them, there is a distinct difference between them that ideally should be recognized.
Unconscious bias is the default setting of your brain. You have little control over them until you are aware of them. While they might lead to poor actions and flaws on your part, you can train yourself to recognize these shortcomings and make better decisions.
Implicit bias includes unconscious bias but extends beyond it into the active decisions people make. This is more harmful as the bias has a greater chance of impacting others and then becoming institutionalized if not addressed. Ever heard, “That’s just the way we do things around here”? There is a good chance that you’ve just encountered some implicit bias and potentially harmful institutionalized norms.
We will continue to use the term unconscious bias throughout this article, but know that it can go a lot further than just how someone perceives something.
10 Examples of Unconscious Bias
Unconscious bias can take many forms. To accurately mitigate it and bring about internal change, we need to be aware of the types of unconscious bias we might encounter in the office. Let’s take a closer look at 10 of the most common ones you might find.
1. Gender bias
Gender bias in the workplace can also be referred to as sexism. This usually sees someone believing certain stereotypes around gender and letting that inform their behavior. For example, a meeting room filled with mostly men may expect their only female colleague to fetch the coffee and other refreshments before the meeting begins.
Another common example of this type of bias is the gender pay gap, resulting in men being paid more than women in the same roles. Research from the Pew Center has shown that half of US adults think that the gender pay gap is created by employers treating women differently in the workplace.
2. Affinity bias
Affinity bias occurs when people look deliberately for people from a similar background to them. We all want to get along with and have things in common with our colleagues and employees, but hiring purely for a good culture fit is going to create a monoculture. Different backgrounds help us to create diverse teams that bring a wide range of experiences to the table.
Affinity comes with time, even if a team seems disconnected while they find their feet with one another. Employee resource groups can be a great way for employees to meet and create connections beyond their teams. Don’t purely hire for culture and a good time; hire the right candidates for the job and trust that affinity will arise naturally.
3. Name bias
Name bias arises when people prefer names of white origin compared to those belonging to people of color. This can cause issues in recruitment with skilled and experienced people of color being passed over compared to white candidates.
One research paper discovered distinctively Black names received less employer interest than white names. Name bias is also frequently reported on in the media, such as when Michigan man Dwight Jackson was declined for an interview with his real name but offered one after switching to the Anglo-sounding alias John Jebrowski.
4. Age bias
Age bias can work in several ways. There can be a perception that a candidate is too old, or that they are too young, but both are routed in the belief that someone is inexperienced and will be unable to learn or change their ways.
For example, an employee with an age bias thinks that their colleague who is 30 years older than them does not have a good grasp of technology. If they undertake any technical task, it has to be explained to them over and over. Likewise, the first employee also dislikes their younger Gen Z colleague, who they perceive as being inexperienced and determined to bring upset to the company’s working method.
5. Beauty bias
Beauty bias (or beauty privilege), when someone is influenced by another’s physical appearance, can also cause issues during recruitment. If one person perceives another to be more attractive (whether they are appealing to the individual or just conventionally attractive), they may consider the beautiful person to be more pleasant or even just more qualified than others.
Of course, we all know that this may not necessarily be true. Beauty is only skin-deep, and it is only in the eye of the beholder. Just because someone fits conventional beauty standards does not make them a nice person or a competent employee.
6. Conformity bias
Conformity bias stems from a desire to be part of a group. In a meeting or when we have the chance to offer an opinion, we may choose to stick with the group consensus rather than offer another opinion.
For example, let’s imagine a marketing team is trying to pick an image for a social media campaign. One employee thinks the first image is better for the brand and the message, but everyone else is leaning toward the second image. Rather than speak up, the employee allows themselves to be convinced by the other’s arguments.
Sure, it may seem like conformity can help to keep the peace and help to foster collaboration. However, it will also stifle creativity and will prevent the team from having open discussions that help everyone learn from one another’s perspectives.
7. Confirmation bias
When we encounter a confirmation bias, we might not notice it at first since we are deliberately attempting to look for information that fits our own viewpoints and understanding. In other words, we deliberately cherry-pick information to avoid anything that doesn’t fit our beliefs or cause us to think critically.
This is especially dangerous in the era of fake news, where people doubt certain sources or are more likely to believe something if it comes from a source they perceive as trustworthy (even if the latter does not cite any evidence!).
8. Anchoring bias
Anchoring biases usually come into play during a sales process, but that does not mean that they can’t crop up elsewhere in the workplace. An anchoring bias emphasizes the first thing discussed, creating a focus on that and causing us to dismiss other pieces of information.
During a sales negotiation, the party who manages to throw down an offer first will often do so in a deliberate attempt to create an anchoring bias. Every subsequent offer and attempt to negotiate will be compared to that first offer, and this can work for and against some people depending on their needs and circumstances.
For non-sales employees, an anchoring bias might appear during salary negotiations. According to research, 55% of workers don’t attempt to negotiate their salary at all, but those who do may have to deal with an anchoring bias in their favor if they can state a figure first, or against them if the company makes an initial offer.
9. The Halo effect
The Halo effect can happen as we get to know people. If we find out a piece of information about another person that we particularly admire, we might put them on a pedestal and try to minimize their flaws.
For example, you may have just been paired with a mentor who is a senior figure in the company you work for. You admire them for their achievements, and you look forward to shadowing them on future projects. However, you quickly learn that they can be intimidating to work under, and they place stressful demands on their team; establishing tight, immovable deadlines and frequently contacting them for updates outside of working hours. Though this is behavior you do not agree with, you ignore it and focus on their results and what you can learn from their working practices.
10. Overconfidence bias
An overconfidence bias can be really frustrating to work under. This is when people think their skills and abilities are greater than they actually might be, and previous successes and wins can lead to an overinflated ego and poor decision-making.
For example, a team that has consistently appeared to deliver good results might approach a new project over-ambitiously. They set a tight deadline, thinking they will meet it without any issues, only to quickly run into issues that push it back. They may even decide to skip crucial steps to try to meet their targets, only to ultimately fail. In the aftermath, they are left bewildered as they try to work out where they went wrong compared to every other time they have been successful.
How Does Unconscious Bias Affect a Workplace?
Having an unconscious bias can make for a difficult working environment. Asking a colleague or superior to address unconscious bias can be an uncomfortable conversation that some may not want to have. However, by not bringing the bias to the attention of the individual showing it, no change can be made, and the workplace as a whole will begin to suffer. This can take many forms, including but not limited to:
Poor retention
Employees feel uncomfortable and unmotivated in their roles. They do not want to work under someone showing any sort of bias and, therefore, start looking for roles elsewhere. New talent senses the unease when they come into the workplace and also encounters poor behavior from the biased individual. They leave shortly, leading to a high turnover rate for the company and difficulty progressing.
Reduced diversity
Diversity is good. With a diverse group waiting to tackle a problem, you can bet there will be a wide range of experiences and differing opinions which will all hopefully work together to solve the matter at hand.
Bias causes us all to think the same. Though it might seem good for collaboration at first, it is through challenges that we force ourselves to think critically and grow from the experience.
Poor reputation
If a company is known for showing bias but not addressing it, they are quickly going to gain a poor reputation. Customers and clients may feel offended by the viewpoints shown and will decide to take their business elsewhere. Potential hires may also feel like there is no room for them with the organization, withdrawing any applications they may have made to open roles. The company is stunted and unable to grow its workforce or market share.
How Do We Overcome Unconscious Bias?
So, how do we combat and overcome unconscious bias? It isn’t as simple as undertaking unconscious bias training and attending some awareness days, though these can be useful in helping us build our own conscious awareness of our internal biases.
Unconscious bias can often be systematic, so great change has to be leveraged to siphon it from a company. Tactics to try to eliminate unconscious bias can include:
Good hiring practices
Embedding good hiring practices into recruitment can really help to combat unconscious bias. Removing names and other identifying information can eliminate many of the biases listed above and can ensure that the first consideration of applications is made purely based on the merit of candidates. Next, standardizing questions and bringing a diverse panel to the interview process will help ensure that all candidates receive the same experience.
Teamwork
Working together can help us to overcome unconscious biases we may hold simply because it can expose us to new experiences. If you have never worked with a colleague of a certain background before, working together can teach both of you new things.
You need to go above and beyond here. Don’t be afraid to challenge one another and drive the team to new heights. Working to create a psychologically safe workplace means that everyone can know that their contributions matter.
Constructive feedback
We need to give and receive criticism if we are to grow. When our behaviors and decisions are challenged, it causes us to re-assess and learn from our decisions. There is a right way and a wrong way to give and receive criticism or feedback, but focusing on the actions of the person rather than their traits is a great place to start.
Peer or group mentoring can be a great way to introduce the practice of giving feedback. It allows us to feel comfortable with colleagues when discussing any number of topics. There is always room for us to grow together.
You Can’t Challenge Bias Alone
Challenging bias by ourselves is difficult because we are being forced to confront our own behaviors. It can take years and a lot of self-reflection until we are able to recognize negative behaviors within ourselves.
Choosing to challenge bias in the workplace can feel like a monumental task, but those who do should always be commended for it. When bias (unconscious or not) is adequately addressed, we can move forward knowing that real work is being done to make our workplace better for all.
Mentoring can play a massive role in supporting someone as they undergo this change. If they have a mentor, they can lean on them for support or approval, potentially gaining someone to advocate in their favor if they need to take their requests to senior management. Likewise, if you are a mentor, you can help your mentee embed good practices in their attitudes at work, thus helping the next generation to better manage their biases.
Do your employees struggle to connect with one another and champion diverse ways of work? MentorcliQ’s mentoring and ERG software can take the difficult admin needs out of forging those crucial connections, so program participants can instead focus on creating a better tomorrow for your organization. Book a demo with us to find out more.
