Unconcious Bias

Unconscious biases are ingrained prejudices or attitudes that subtly influence a person’s perceptions, decisions and actions. At a recent joint session of the India CEO and CFO Forums in Chennai, Smita Tharoor, motivational keynote speaker and thought leader on the unconscious bias, and the founder of Tharoor Associates; and Sriram S, award-winning Happiness@Work, author of ‘Happiness Habits’, certified life wisdom and unconscious bias coach and a featured TEDx speaker, explored unconscious bias in daily life and at the workplace. They delved into the various manifestations of unconscious bias and its impact on issues such as gender diversity. They also uncovered its effects in work settings and discussed constructive management strategies to address and mitigate such biases effectively.

Understanding Unconscious Bias

Unconscious bias refers to a preference, whether in favour or against something, where ‘unconscious’ denotes a state of unawareness. As humans, we instinctively create an environment where we feel good about ourselves, constructing our own reality in the process. However, this gives rise to unconscious biases of various forms. The brain has front and back regions, with the back brain tasked with decision-making based on past experiences. On any given day, an individual will make over 45,000 decisions, with the back (‘fast’) brain taking over in this process. Some aspects are automated, while others are not, contributing to the manifestation of unconscious bias.

Diversity, equity and inclusion affect every aspect of the organisation, from recruitment to attrition. Workspaces strive to embrace diversity, seeking to integrate a variety of perspectives and individuals. However, alongside diversity, unconscious discrimination often permeates the workplace, taking shape in forms like hierarchy, language, gender, religion and more. Gender-related unconscious bias is highly prevalent, with women often being unfairly judged for any mistakes they make.

What’s In Your Backpack?

Envision a metaphorical backpack resting on your shoulders – one that carries your life stories and past experiences. A single traumatic incident can exert a profound influence on your future decisions. As you accumulate experiences, the backpack may become so burdensome that it starts to weigh you down. Often, performance bias is influenced by one’s ‘emotional backpack’, leading to feelings of exclusion and the emergence of a victim mentality, particularly among minority groups.

Navigating Bias In The Workplace

Workplaces have evolved to be more inclusive, but an unconscious tendency to form groups persists. Workplace policies have predominantly been shaped/designed from a male perspective. While efforts have been made to render them more inclusive for women, there remains an emphasis on male competencies.

People often gravitate towards those with similar backgrounds, which may translate into biased assessmnets at an organisational level. Assessments can get tied to factors like a candidate’s attire, gender, perceived abilities or age, leading a leader to (sometimes unfairly) question a candidate’s suitability and skills for a position.

It is thus crucial to balance both organisational and individual biases, through a series of measures/processes: 

• Crafting authentic and inclusive job advertisements with the aid of AI tools

• Conducting regular assessments and seeking employee feedback on diversity initiatives

• Allowing the individual being assessed during performance appraisals to pose questions, facilitating an appraisal of both the organisation and the leader, which permits constructive criticism and insights into potential areas for improvement.

Towards Greater Awareness…

Becoming aware of your unconscious biases may evoke a sense of guilt or even a feeling of being victimised. However, acknowledging and understanding these biases is a vital aspect of personal growth and an inclusive mindset. Developing self-awareness allows for a more balanced perspective, enabling individuals to make fairer judgments and contribute to a more equitable environment. The impact of unconscious bias on women raises questions about whether it maintains or diminishes their professional image. This situation also highlights the issue of overcompensation, where there is a tendency for excessive efforts to address perceived shortcomings or weaknesses in women. To address this challenge, it is crucial to engage in conversations with fellow employees before making any decisions that might inadvertently lead to overcompensation.