What is unconscious bias?

Unconscious bias, often known as implicit bias, refers to the thoughts and associations we have that are not under our conscious control or awareness.

Unconscious bias can have an impact on many aspects of the workplace, including recruitment processes, promotions, and how people are treated in general within an organisation.

It’s important to note that unconscious bias doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a terrible person – it’s part of human nature. However, there are ways to tackle unconscious bias and interrupt it. By reading this article and wanting to learn more about unconscious bias – you’re on the right track.

The various types of unconscious bias

There are many types of unconscious bias, and by learning about some of them, you can become aware and try to stop the bias.

Here are some common types of unconscious bias and what they mean:

Affinity bias

Affinity bias occurs when we frequently gravitate towards and spend time with people who are similar to ourselves. This could mean only chatting with co-workers of the same gender or educational background. Alternatively, it could mean only promoting and recruiting people of the same race or age as ourselves.

Halo/Horns effect

The halo/horns effect occurs when you learn something new about someone and perceive them differently as a result. For example, if you discover something impressive about someone, you elevate them and treat them better. On the other hand, if you learn something negative about someone and you then treat them as though they are less than they were previously.

Ageism

This type of unconscious bias is in the name. Ageism is when you discriminate against or treat someone differently because of their age. This is especially common among younger workers, who are frequently assumed to be unqualified for certain roles before their experience is even considered.

Conformity bias

This type of bias often occurs in groups of people. If you’re around a certain group that holds specific views, you are likely to be influenced and could end up thinking in the same way.

Attribution bias

Attribution bias refers to judging someone based on their actions and behaviour, without knowing their motivations or situation. 

Confirmation bias

Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek out or actively prefer information that confirms pre-existing beliefs. This can include validating our existing attitudes and beliefs based on information that we actively seek.

Gender bias

Gender bias is favouring or preferring one gender over another. This can impact recruitment, promotions and general treatment.

Beauty bias

Beauty bias refers to treating certain people in specific ways, based purely on their looks and individual perceptions of beauty.

Name bias

This is when you judge someone based on their name. This has been discussed more so in the recruitment industry, with many organisations opting to remove names from CVs and applications to avoid name bias.

Unconscious bias examples

With some types of unconscious bias, it can be hard to understand them if you’ve never actively caught yourself thinking that way. Here are some unconscious bias examples:

• Someone at work is not being very helpful and completing minimal tasks. By thinking of them differently and discriminating, this is an example of attribution bias. That person may be going through something personally, or may be struggling with a health condition. You can’t assume.

• You find out that someone has been arrested in the past – and you feel less trusting of them or see them differently. This is an example of the halo/horns effect, by finding something negative out about the person, you act differently around them.

• If there is a senior position available and you only choose to interview people that are over 25, this is an example of ageism. There is nothing to say that a younger person isn’t as well qualified for the position. It’s important to tackle unconscious bias in recruitment to ensure you get the best person for the role, without discriminating.

The problems with unconscious bias in the workplace

The main issue with unconscious bias in the workplace is that it can isolate groups and create an unsafe environment.

It can have an impact not only on the day-to-day operations of an organisation but also on a much wider scale. Unconscious bias can have a negative impact on recruitment, promotion, and development processes, as well as leadership processes.

As an organisation, by not challenging and raising awareness of unconscious bias, you are setting a company up for failure. Employees need safe spaces and equal opportunities, it is an organisation’s responsibility to provide that.

Challenging unconscious bias

As previously mentioned, unconscious bias is something we all go through. We’re not actively thinking this way – it’s just part of human nature that it happens.

However, we can take responsibility for this and challenge our own unconscious bias and raise awareness so others can do the same.

Here are some tips on challenging unconscious bias in the workplace and beyond:

• Acknowledge and understand your bias.
• Educate yourself and others.
• Raise awareness and have unconscious bias training within your organisation.
• Actively think about situations – Do you only choose certain people for advice? Do you only talk to certain people at work?
• Don’t judge people.
• Challenge others if you spot any active bias.

Unconscious bias training with Inclusive Employers

Here at Inclusive Employers, we pride ourselves on workplace inclusion. If you’re already a member, speak to your account manager about training and check out our unconscious bias resource.

If you’re not yet a member, get in touch today and explore our unconscious bias training options.

The post A beginner’s guide to unconscious bias appeared first on Inclusive Employers.

Travis Alabanza (they/them)

Travis is a performance artist, writer, poet and theatre-maker originally from Bristol. They beautifully fit this year’s theme of LGBT+ History Month theme of Politics in Art.

They take moments of transphobia they’ve experienced themselves and from those in the community and turn it into art to explore the fear-mongering of trans identities in society and media.

I was honoured to interview Travis once in a previous role and I was so excited to invite them to speak because I seek out every opportunity I can to hear Travis speak or their work.  

I have never heard someone speak so eloquently and poetically about transphobia and other intersecting identities of race and class. They manage to make a very daunting and complicated topic into something poetic.

Ted talk: Travis Alabanza: Who is allowed to be a victim? | Travis Alabanza | TEDxBrum | TED Talk

Ellen Edenbrow

Rosie Jones

My role model is Rosie Jones.

She is a comedian who is gay and has Cerebral Palsy. I find her approach to disability and intersectionality refreshing and inspiring.

Rosie Clarke

Chris Berntsen

Chris Berntsen is a queer artist working out of New Orleans. I first found him on Instagram through his wonderful photos of queer people at Jacob Riis beach, and I have followed his career ever since. He recently completed his Masters in Fine Arts and curated Brief Interruptions Curatorial – Chris Berntsen (format.com). Chris’ work captures the beautifully diverse world of the queer community with a lot of love. I find his work very beautiful. 

Addison Barnett

James Baldwin

James Baldwin. For me, Baldwin is the perfect amalgamation of politics in art. I admire how he held the intertwining and esteemed titles of novelist, poet and activist. He has always fascinated me because he was truly before his time, and though his work was published largely before 1980, it resonates just as powerfully today.

Josh Cavallo

My LGBTQ+ role model is Josh Cavallo.

Cavallo came out in October ’21 and is the only top-flight male professional currently playing who has come out as gay.  On the 8^th January ’22, the 22 year old received homophobic abuse when his team Adelaide United played against Melbourne Victory.

Cavallo said

“As a society, it shows we still face these problems in 2022,” Cavallo continued.

“This shouldn’t be acceptable and we need to do more to hold these people accountable. Hate never will win.

“I will never apologise for living my truth and most recently who I am outside of football. To all the young people who have received homophobic abuse, hold your heads up high and keep chasing your dreams. Know that there is no place in the game for this.”

Role models like Cavallo are so important, challenging stereotypes and showing the LGBTQ+ community that sport is a space for them.  Whilst there is still much to do to tackle homophobia in football (and particularly in the men’s game) players will pave the way for others to follow and provide a much-needed platform to tackle homophobia and biphobia in sport.

Michelle Daltry

Michaela Jaé Rodriguez

My LGBTQ+ role model is Michaela Jaé Rodriguez. She’s an American actress, who played one of the lead roles in Pose, a series that has made history by having the largest cast of trans actresses.  

In 2021, she became the first trans woman to be nominated for an Emmy, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series, for her performance in the final season of Pose.

The authenticity she brings to the role is to be admired, and I believe she, alongside her co-stars, have educated a generation of people through this show.

Courtney Wright

Vito Russo

Besides being an LGBTQ+ activist during some of the most difficult times for the community, Vito Russo (1946-1990) made an indelible contribution to LGBTQ+ History through his book “The Celluloid Closet” (1981) which surveyed queer representation through the history of cinema at a time when such conversations were discouraged or downright suppressed.

His work continues to inspire me as I look to challenge our understanding of history and how it shapes not only how society views the LGBTQ+ community today, but also how the LGBTQ+ community views itself.

Matheus Carvalho

Billy Porter

Born on 21^st September 1969, Billy Porter is an American actor, singer, and author. He has won many awards including becoming the first gay black man to be nominated and win in any lead acting category at the Primetime Emmys.  In 2020, he was included on Time‘s list of the 100 most influential people in the world, as impressive as this is, this is not the reason why I would invite him to my party. I would invite because of what he represents and his comfort within the skin that he is in.

It’s hard for any of us to feel accepted particularly in a world where stereotypes and bias stop us from expressing who we are. However, through his art, be that acting, singing or writing he allows his full self to shine through.

For me, Billy Porter shows no fear and has achieved things that many of us could only imagine but remember he did also have to imagine them first.

Being diagnosed with HIV in June 2007 and living with it for 10 years, he used his own authentic life experience to create the character Pray Tell, from the hit series Pose – this was his outlet.

 “I was able to say everything that I wanted to say through a surrogate,” Billy said, acknowledging that nobody involved with the show had any idea he was drawing from his own life.

What a way to show your own courage and to be brave enough to use it to educate others.

“For me, life is about being positive and hopeful, choosing to be joyful, choosing to be encouraging, choosing to be empowering”.

Billy Porter

Amrou Al-Kadhi

My LGBT+ Role Model for LGBT+ History Month 2022 is Amrou Al-Kadhi, a non-binary drag queen who also goes by the stage name Glamrou.

They’re also a writer, filmmaker and actor (You may have seen them in the new Venom movie by Marvel!). I highly recommend their book “Unicorn: The Memoir of a Muslim Drag Queen”, where they share their journey of how they learned to celebrate and embrace their gender identity, sexual orientation, and Iraqi Muslim heritage.

As a disabled person of biracial heritage, I found the exploration of intersectionality invigorating, and the language Amrou uses to describe their journey is engaging and vibrant. Well worth a read!

Zeinab Ali

Rina Sawayama

My LGBTQ+ role model is Rina Sawayama.

Rina is a Japanese-British singer-songwriter. Previously, she identified as bisexual but came out as pansexual in 2018. Rina is very open about the lack of representation for many, which resulted in her not being comfortable in her sexuality.

Rina touches in her songs, specifically “cherry” about how often bi and pan people “don’t feel authentically queer when they’re in heterosexual relationships.” Not only has she fought for representation with regard to her orientation, but she also fought for British immigrant artists to receive British awards.

I think Rina is a fantastic role model as she is so transparent about her sexuality, which is valuable for people who are bi or pan to “see someone like them” and be represented in the music and film industry.

Brenda Howard

My LGBTQ+ Role Model is Brenda Howard because she was a keen activist for LGBTQ+ rights but also an open and proud bisexual. She was also known as “The Mother of Pride”. In 1969, a month after the Stonewall riots, Howard conceptualised and coordinated the pride rally known as the Christopher Street Liberation Day March (at which the Stonewall Inn is based).

A year later, Howard also organised the first of what became the annual Liberation Day March, which later transformed into NYC Pride and was the inspiration for Pride Parades throughout the US, earning Howard her legendary title. The first Pride march was later established in the UK in London in 1972.  

Pride marches and events across the world would not be what they are now without the influence of Howard, and the fact that Howard was an open and proud bisexual is hugely important to me as it helps to increase the visibility and raise awareness of the bi+ community.

The bi+ community can often be a forgotten or lesser-known part of the LGBTQ+ community, however, Howard ensured that this was not the case with her continued activism for bi+ visibility. Howard was also an activist for women’s rights, equal treatment for people of colour, and rights for those affected by AIDS.

Steven Taylor

Lena Waithe

My role model is Lena Waithe. Lena is a black gay woman. She started out as a writer for TV. So not only did she dive headfirst into a white, straight man’s world as a woman, she did it as a black woman. A black gay woman. That’s got to take guts!

In 2017 she won the Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series – the first Black-American woman to win an Emmy in this category. In the last decade or so she’s also started to work on the other side of the camera as an actress in shows such as Master of None, Transparent, Westworld and Big Mouth.

She’s arguably one of the leading representations of masculine-presenting black lesbians in mainstream media (how many others can you name?). She’s never been apologetic about her orientation or the way she presents herself and has always been open about who she is.  She’s also a self-described “lazy Christian”  – with a true belief in God and Jesus.

As someone who’s an atheist gay man, it’s so refreshing to see someone I look up to who has a strong undeniable faith but doesn’t let it define them. It’s just a part of who they are. We need more of that representation in the LGBTQ+ world.

Walt Whitman

Walt Whitman, the poet, was born 202 years ago. His writing will, I am sure, have given from the outset, comfort and inspiration to many who were coming to terms with their sexuality.

Although it is not known that Whitman was ever ‘out’ gay, his writing was there to attest to a world which many would not venture into or gave courage to, those who would.

I believe that poetry and prose open doors for us and give us a glimpse into other worlds beyond our own and enable us to understand ourselves and others better.

I came to Whitman relatively late, perhaps in my late twenties or early thirties when I read We Two Boys in a collection of poems given to me by a dear friend of mine who was very ill with AIDs. The poem spoke to me of the urgency and pace of life for many gay men in the late 80s and early 90s as the pandemic took its grip.

The post Our LGBTQ+ role models at Inclusive Employers appeared first on Inclusive Employers.