Unconscious bias, known also as implicit bias, can be seen in everyday life. It can be particularly detrimental to business and individuals when it occurs in the workplace, causing unhappiness for people subjected to it and missed opportunities for the organisation.
When we display unconscious bias, our automatic attitudes and stereotypes influence the way we understand, act, and make decisions. We can all be prone to using unconscious bias – which stems from our life experiences, culture and upbringing – and must address this if we are to conduct business in a fair manner. Once businesses understand that diversity and inclusion foster innovation and business success they must introduce strategies and unconscious bias training to eradicate it from their practices.
A study by McKinsey revealed that diverse teams outperform homogenous equivalents. But, as Bertrand & Mullainathan found in 2004, unconscious bias can result in CVs with so-called ‘ethnic-sounding’ names less likely to elicit a response when compared to those that are often associated with people who are white – even if the qualifications of both individuals are the same.
Clearly, the consequences of unconscious bias can be serious, affecting the way employees are treated as well as the way we hire new talent. And, failing to address unconscious bias around characteristics including gender, race, sex, sexuality, age, disability and so on, can lead to decisions made that uphold stereotypes, inequities and discrimination.
Unconscious bias can harm employee morale, reducing productivity and engagement. Employees who perceive bias in the workplace may feel undervalued and less likely to invest in their roles, which can increase turnover rates and lower overall job satisfaction.
