Understanding bias: the what, when and how to disrupt bias in action
Did you know that our brains process about 11 million bits of information every moment of the day yet we can only consciously process about 40 bits?
A lot of what we do every day we do automatically with little or any thought because these are behaviours we’ve learned over time like answering the phone, brushing our teeth or not stepping onto the road with oncoming car.
Our brains are bombarded with about 11 million tiny pieces of information at any moment of the day. Over time our brains have developed developed these quick mental shortcuts- biases- to process all this information. A lot of the decisions we make every moment of the day therefore we do automatically or with little thought. These biases do perform a vital function to enable us to wade through all this information but biases can be prone to errors and misjudgements especially when it comes to decisions affecting people in the workplace.
What is unconscious bias?
Unconscious bias is our natural behavioural preferences that shapes our reactions, judgements and attitudes towards others and situations shaped by our past experiences, assumptions or interpretations that if unchecked can lead to stereotyping and prejudices.
Our biases are formed from an early age by our upbringing, education, friendships and what we hear, see and read on tv, social media and the news.
Often when we are tired, stressed, hungry(!) or rushed these biases kick in and the fast thinking side of the brain takes over.
How do our biases affect our relationships and decisions at work?
Our biases means we tend to have an affinity to/ be drawn to someone who we have something in common with like similar age group, stage of life, beliefs, ethnicity, went to the same university or same gender for example. We feel comfortable and safe with that person(s).
This can show up in key decisions and behaviours at work including:
Who we warm to more at interview and who we think is the best fit for the job
Who we go to for advice
Who we listen to more or take more seriously
Who we give more praise to at work
It can also affect how we react when for example a team member or colleague is not meeting their objectives or regularly late for work. We maybe more accommodating if we get on well and socialise outside of work.
Often our biases are displayed in our body language, tone of voice, small gestures and words we use. Yet often we are unaware of this. Those subtle micro messages. The more we are consciously aware of when our biases are being displayed and pre-empt situations where we maybe displaying such behaviours means the quicker we can respond and disrupt bias from impacting our decisions and interactions with others.
How to disrupt bias
The first step is to acknowledge that bias exists in us all. When it comes to decisions in the workplace it’s important we pre-empt when it’s likely to arise- those key moments. Examples include:
Displaying positive body language and facial expressions
Seek a colleague’s perspective who you wouldn’t usually go to for advice
Ask questions and showing interest in what others are saying
Allowing someone to finish their sentence
Be aware of your own biases and challenge assumptions
It’s also about addressing biases in key decisions across the employee lifecycle from hiring to progression, performance management and exit.
