How to Combat Hidden Bias

07 Mar How to Combat Hidden Bias

Diversity and inclusion are critical components of a healthy and successful workplace. In today’s world, it’s more important than ever to recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion in all aspects of our lives. Regardless of our profession, color, creed, religious preference, sex, or political affiliation, we must actively work to combat our unconscious biases and promote fairness and respect in the workplace.

To achieve that goal, here are some practical tips:

1. Recognize the presence of unconscious bias in your thoughts and actions. We all have biases, and becoming aware of them is the first step to mitigating them. Consider taking an online implicit bias test to identify any unconscious biases you may hold.
2. Focus on fair treatment and respect instead of discrimination and “protected classes” when discussing diversity and inclusion. This will help create a positive, inclusive culture in the workplace. It’s essential to understand that focusing on protected classes can lead to creating a sense of “us” and “them” in the workplace. This, in turn, can lead to further marginalization of certain groups, which is not conducive to creating an inclusive environment.
3. Examine every stage of the employment life cycle for hidden bias, including résumé screening, interviews, onboarding, assignment process, mentoring programs, performance evaluation, identifying high performers, promotion, and termination. Conduct regular assessments to ensure fair treatment and identify areas for improvement.
4. Conduct anonymous employee surveys to identify specific issues of hidden bias and unfairness in the workplace. Each department or location may have different concerns that require unique solutions.
5. Conduct exit interviews to understand why employees are leaving and what could be done to improve their experience. This will help you attract top talent and retain valuable employees.
6. Offer customized training based on survey results of current and former employees, providing examples of hidden bias and forms of unfairness and positive methods to address these issues. Training should be ongoing and regularly updated.
7. Establish an anonymous, third-party complaint channel, such as an ombudsperson, for employees to report incidents of bias or discrimination that are not covered by current laws. This will help ensure a safe and inclusive work environment.
8. Initiate a résumé study within your industry, company, and/or department to see whether résumés with equivalent education and experience are weighted equally, regardless of gender, race, or cultural background. This will help ensure that hiring practices are fair and unbiased.
9. Launch a résumé study within your company and/or department to reassign points based on earned accomplishments rather than accidents of birth, such as taking points off for an unpaid internship and adding points for putting oneself through college. This will help ensure that promotions are based on merit and not on factors outside of an employee’s control.
10. Identify, support, and collaborate with effective programs that increase diversity in the pipeline, such as mentoring programs and internships. Celebrate the success stories of individuals who have overcome obstacles to achieve their goals and reward employees who volunteer with these groups. This will help create a culture of inclusion and support for underrepresented groups.

It’s important to note that diversity and inclusion go beyond race and gender. It also includes accommodating diverse religious practices, providing accessibility for people with disabilities, and supporting people from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Organizations that have successfully implemented diversity and inclusion practices have seen benefits such as increased employee engagement, improved customer satisfaction, and higher profits.

For example, Microsoft has a “neurodiversity hiring program” that focuses on hiring people with autism. The company recognizes that people with autism can bring unique skills and perspectives to the workplace. They also provide accommodations such as quiet workspaces and flexible schedules to support neurodiverse employees.

In conclusion, diversity and inclusion are critical for creating a healthy and successful workplace. By implementing

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