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Key points
- Implicit bias results from our brain taking shortcuts based on past patterns, routines, and experiences.
- At its worst, implicit bias can reinforce for others that non-inclusive behaviors are socially acceptable.
- To combat implicit bias, organizations need to be aware of their biases and how they impact their employees.
We all know that the wrong word choice can be a career-limiting decision; when delivered in the wrong room at the wrong time, a raw argument or unfiltered rant can tear an organization apart.
But what may surprise you is that there’s just as much danger from what goes unsaid in the office.
I’ve been beating the drum for some time about the urgent need to take implicit bias seriously. It’s a natural phenomenon that results from our brain taking mental shortcuts based on past patterns, routines, and past experiences. It is human nature to have biases, which are not always necessarily bad; part of growing up is developing a more intuitive sense of danger, what attracts and repels us.
But implicit bias can become a serious problem when it's unchecked. At its very worst, it can reinforce for others that non-inclusive behaviors are socially acceptable, creating a snowball effect that makes it even more difficult to identify and challenge. Left unchecked and allowed to spread on its own accord, it can become a kind of a virus, spreading throughout an organization, destroying its culture, and making it difficult to attract and retain top talent.
Last month, Protiviti and NC State University’s ERM Initiative issued a list of the top ten global risks for companies in the next 12 months. Amidst ongoing challenges like global inflation and supply chain challenges, the number one risk remained the ability of organizations to attract and retain top talent in a tightening talent market. You have likely heard of–or been directly impacted by–the Great Resignation, the surging trend of talent quitting their jobs in search of greater autonomy, freedom, or simply relief from burnout. To that end, Jason Sockin issued a paper last year identifying the top predictor of employee attrition: respect/abuse or what is also known as a toxic culture.
And what is at the heart of toxic culture? You guessed it–implicit bias, and the unconscious favoring of certain groups of people, typically among the most privileged in our society.
Implicit bias happens in three core ways: unconscious beliefs, thoughts, and behaviors. It can influence behavior toward women, minorities, people of certain religions or backgrounds, and even people of certain ages. When this bias goes unchecked, it creates a snowball effect that makes it much more difficult to identify and challenge.
Organizations ultimately pay the price for the deterioration of their culture, as seen in disengagement, attrition, and lack of innovation.
Studies have found that employees at large companies who perceive bias are nearly three times as likely to be disengaged at work. Those who perceive bias are more than three times as likely to say they plan to leave their current jobs within the year. Meanwhile, those who perceive bias are 2.6 times more likely to say they've withheld ideas and market solutions over the previous six months.
In short, implicit bias is a hidden blind spot in the brain that, once lodged, can influence behavior toward members of particular social groups. Unconscious biases are normal and unintentional–a large reason why they are insidious. They happen in ways that create a toxic culture, which can impact organizations' ability to attract and retain top talent.
Unconscious bias is now widely accepted and recognized as the root cause of what becomes behaviors and actions that inhibit inclusion and belonging. Yet the full impact of implicit bias can go unsaid and unspoken. Why? It’s the age-old fear that the most vulnerable members of our society often harbor of rocking the boat, standing up, and speaking up; many often don't speak up about it until they become disengaged, quit, or worse. Until it becomes a lawsuit. Word gets around, creating a virus that spreads throughout the organization.
So, what can be done? To combat implicit bias, organizations need to be aware of their biases and how they impact their employees. Some steps to get started:
- They should proactively create a culture of inclusion and belonging where employees feel heard, valued, and supported.
- They should invest in diversity and inclusion training, and leaders should be held accountable for creating an environment that supports all employees, regardless of their race, gender, or other demographic characteristics.
- Organizations can also use technology to help combat implicit bias. For example, some companies use AI tools to identify and eliminate bias in hiring and performance evaluations. Other organizations are using data analytics to track the impact of bias on employee engagement, retention, and innovation.
What if you had the ability to actually see the levels of bias in your organization in real-time? Think of it like a heat map. You can see the levels of racial bias, gender bias, bias towards members of the LGBTQ community, age bias, and disability bias.
Think of it like a heat map–measuring the bias levels in your organization by department, division, role, function, geography, location, and plant.
Imagine seeing the risks that are not known because it's largely unconscious in people's brains, revealed before you face the number one risk.
That is now possible. My company, BiasSync, can measure the levels of biases in organization. And along with our proprietary data and analytics, you have the knowledge on what to do about it.
Imagine seeing the bull-headed your way, so you can be proactive–and mitigate against the risks before you have no choice.
Implicit bias is a natural phenomenon that affects us all. Many of us are committed to “doing the work” individually to root out our bias and tendency to give in to stereotypes. But individual action isn’t enough; we also need organizational and structural reformation. Implicit bias becomes an all-consuming problem when it's unchecked to breed a toxic culture. Organizations must be aware of their biases and how they impact their employees. They should be proactive in creating a culture of inclusion and belonging. The stakes could not be higher.
