Unconscious bias plays a big role in workplaces around the globe, where individuals of different backgrounds come together. Many people have good intentions. However, some may unknowingly let preconceived notions or experiences influence their judgment of others. This can impact decisions made by recruiters or interactions between colleagues. Unconscious bias can lead to unfair treatment or missed opportunities for those who are judged.

Ahead, we discuss what unconscious bias is and why it is important to address it. We will also cover examples of unconscious bias in the workplace and the effects of unconscious bias on organizations. 

What Is Unconscious Bias?

Unconscious bias is the quick and unintentional judgments people form about others based on their background, appearance or other characteristics. Unconscious bias is also referred to as implicit bias. 

These biases can be formed through exposure to false information and stereotypes. They may also be influenced by other factors, including the media, family systems or a lack of exposure to diversity. Unconscious biases occur in everyday life, including in workplace culture.

Why Is It Important to Address Unconscious Bias at Work?

It is critical to address unconscious bias because it is essential for creating a fair, inclusive and productive workplace. It also reduces discrimination and fosters a culture of inclusivity. Addressing unconscious bias can lead to better mental health for employees, higher job satisfaction and lower employee turnover. It may also lead to improved market success, increased employee engagement and more innovative and diverse perspectives. Biases can be reduced through dedicated conversations, training and equitable hiring practices. 

11 Examples of How Unconscious Bias Affects the Workplace

Unconscious bias can manifest in different ways. Take a look below at 11 types of unconscious bias that can affect the workplace. 

1. Confirmation Bias

Confirmation bias (or cognitive bias) leads people to search for data and information that aligns with their beliefs. These individuals may become siloed in their belief systems. They may not extend their knowledge beyond what they know or seek other information that may dispute it. Understanding this bias and tackling it can lead to a more well-rounded viewpoint and mindset. 

In the workplace, this bias may result in individuals not accepting others’ points of view or not expanding their own. This can lead to less collaboration and reasonable decision-making among team members. It can also impact candidates in the hiring process.

2. Racial Bias

Racial bias is a type of unconscious bias. That is because people may subconsciously base their thoughts and actions on assumptions about someone’s race. 

A Pew Research Center survey from 2022 reported that racial and ethnic bias is an issue in workplace practices. According to the survey, 64% of Black American adults said it is a major problem in hiring, compared to 30% of their white counterparts. In addition, 56% of Black Americans said racial and ethnic bias was an issue in performance reviews, compared to 23% of their white counterparts. 

Racial bias in the workplace can affect an individual’s sense of belonging and create teams that lack diversity and inclusiveness. Ultimately, it can impact how employees feel about their career path and future with an organization.

Some organizations have started using artificial intelligence (AI) during hiring and performance evaluations to reduce this bias. Based on the survey mentioned above, many think that AI could help create more fair and equitable outcomes by minimizing the influence of racial bias. 

3. Gender Bias

Gender bias is a type of unconscious bias where a person favors one gender identity over another. Or they attach particular stereotypes to different gender expressions. In the workplace, this bias can lead to inequalities in performance rewards, support or mentorship opportunities. It can also appear in compensation and exacerbate the gender pay gap.

According to the 2022 Deloitte Women @ Work report, 59% of women stated they had experienced microaggressions and other mistreatment in the workplace. This percentage increased from the year prior, a reported 52%. According to the data, more than 90% of women feel that disclosing this type of mistreatment will result in harmful consequences to their careers.

4. Attribution Bias

Attribution bias occurs when a person judges another person’s actions based on previous interactions or information. This can lead to assumptions and inaccurate conclusions about them. This commonly happens without considering the full context of their background or personality. In the workplace, it is important to get a comprehensive understanding of an individual’s situation before forming an opinion.

5. Affinity Bias

People hold affinity bias (or similarity bias) when they favor individuals who share similar interests, backgrounds and experiences. In an organization, affinity bias may occur when searching for candidates from particular companies or educational institutions. This form of bias can lead to unequal opportunities and hinder diversity and inclusion.

6. Conformity Bias

Conformity bias, also known as groupthink, occurs when individuals adopt the views or opinions of the majority instead of thinking independently. This type of unconscious bias can impact creativity, as people may prioritize consensus over innovative solutions. In the workplace, conformity bias can appear during meetings or during board votes, where the pressure to align with the group can impact decisions.

7. Affect Heuristic

Affect heuristic means we depend on our emotions rather than facts to make decisions. This form of bias can lead to irrational or unfair choices. For example, someone may favor a project because it “gives them a good feeling” rather than using solid evidence. In a workplace, affect heuristic can negatively impact decision-making and lead to less effective results. 

8. Contrast Effect

Contrast effect is the comparison of multiple subjects or individuals. In the workplace, this could refer to comparing candidates or employees who are up for a job or promotion. Equally comparing candidates in the interview process and employees for role advancement may combat the contrast effect and mitigate bias in organizations. This type of unconscious bias can create a negative workplace culture and culminate in lower diversity rates and employees leaving a company.

9. Beauty Bias

Beauty bias, or attractiveness bias, is when people are presumed to be more qualified and accomplished based on their physical appearance. In the workplace, this can lead to favored or unfair treatment of employees based on their appearance. Holding this type of bias can eventually result in higher turnover in the organization.

One way to prevent beauty bias is to perform phone screenings before a video or in-person interview to get to know potential hires. Another way is to exclude photos from candidates’ resumes.

10. Name Bias

Name bias is a type of unconscious bias where someone makes assumptions about an individual based on their first and last name. A Harris Poll survey reported the beliefs of over 2,000 U.S. employees regarding names. About 36% of persons of color surveyed said their name typically gets mispronounced, compared to 18% of their white counterparts. Approximately 33% of the people of color surveyed said they came in contact with discrimination at the workplace because of their names. This was in comparison to 16% of their white counterparts. 

In the workplace, this type of bias and the mispronunciation of names can cause individuals to avoid communication or collaboration with other team members and can lower employee morale.

11. Anchoring Bias

Anchoring bias can cause individuals to make decisions solely based on initial information received. A person may make all future decisions based on that initial information. In the workplace, anchoring bias can present as individuals not embracing new ideas from their teammates or not asking for a second opinion on a client matter. Seeking other resources in the workplace may help mitigate inaccurate decision-making. It can also help eliminate anchoring bias.

The Effects of Unconscious Bias in the Workplace

From initial resume screenings to performance assessments, unconscious bias can negatively affect the workplace. It can also hinder efforts to diversify an organization. 

How to Overcome Unconscious Bias

Fortunately, unconscious bias can be resolved through many factors, including enforced company policies and using inclusive language in company communications. In addition, building a diverse workforce, using multifaceted hiring panels and holding routine education sessions can help eradicate unconscious bias.

Stay up to date with the latest from Robert F. Smith about the importance of addressing unconscious bias in the workplace by following him on LinkedIn.