Combating unconscious bias at work

Unconscious bias stems from biological and evolutionary thought processes that we develop in times of danger, where we have to make a quick decision. It is often influenced by our own culture, experience, society and stereotypes that we are exposed to from a young age. However, there are several ways to counteract the influence of unconscious bias at work.

The first step is to increase your awareness of unconscious bias that may play a part in your thought pattern and behaviour. You can pinpoint the affinity of your biases, whether it is more gender-related bias, for instance. Typically, more people associate women with assertive personalities as 'bossy.' At the same time, men can get away with being assertive without any societal judgement.

The next step is training and education that highlight stereotypical biases that may occur in the workplace. With the right practice, we can rewire our brains to view others in a brand-new light. We will have to associate the common object of bias with a positive connotation. Of course, it will take time to combat unconscious bias that has been deeply ingrained in our brain, but it is indeed possible.

After you reevaluate yourself and receive training on combating unconscious bias, what is the next step for you? The first actionable step is blind hiring. Hiring managers should remove demographic data such as name and age from the candidates' resumes to focus on skills and experience. Other examples of combating unconscious bias are implementing quotas to increase workplace representation and more employee flexibility for a gender-balanced workforce.

Combating unconscious bias is a huge stepping stone to a more balanced and equal workplace. Though raising awareness and undergoing training can be tricky, owning your unconscious biases towards a group of people will put you in a more positive context, in general. In the end, we are moving towards a future where everyone deserves an equal opportunity to work, no matter who we are.