Unconscious bias training and embedding your diversity and inclusion efforts

Most people in organisations and businesses have heard of unconscious bias training (UBT). Commonly, UBT is associated with diversity, equality and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. Many professionals, both blue collar and white collar, have experienced this training at least once. However, does this form of training in itself lead to long-term improvement in your DEI performance? Today, we look at unconscious bias training and embedding your diversity and inclusion efforts .

Unconscious bias training

UBT is designed to raise awareness of our own internal biases and mental shortcuts that affect our attitudes and behaviour at work. These are the mechanisms that can lead us to make inappropriate comments or decisions, typically based on race or gender. In general, this form of training is often deployed in short bursts with attendees receiving 30 to 60-minute packages. Sometimes, the trainer will also undertake a follow up exercise to demonstrate some techniques to reduce bias. Since we all have a multitude of biases and prejudices that we have acquired throughout our lives, some awareness of our implicit bias is helpful. Once we understand the types of bias that may cause us to discriminate, favour or ‘profile’ people, we can do something about it. Unfortunately, we only remember about 10% of the content of a presentation. So, how likely is it that UBT delivers lasting change?

Alternatives to unconscious bias training

According to the BBC[i] , in respect of raising awareness, “…achieving behavioural change is harder. If a company wants to increase representation of minorities in senior management, then relying on bias training alone is likely to fail – and to give employees a sour experience of diversity initiatives.” As we have already suggested, UBT in itself is not the answer to true diversity. It helps to raise awareness but “What’s key is continuity and embedding these within larger structural change.” Similarly, The Guardian[ii] found that “despite 81% of companies conducting unconscious bias training – there was diminishing confidence among leaders that it alone was enough.” We already know that the Civil Service scrapped UBT, perhaps sparing the blushes of Government ministers. After all, it is difficult to justify a comment if you have been through UBT.

As with any change, UBT is just the start. It is an enabler and highlights that you are not resistant to change. However, to spare it from becoming a tick-box exercise, we propose using neuroscientific tools to measure the bias in the organisation. Importantly, UBT is also a crucial part of this to raise awareness of implicit bias.

Embedding diversity and inclusion efforts

Imagine when early explorers set out to discover America. They didn’t know what they would find and some doubted that the world was round. However, they felt compelled to go on the journey and discover something unique to tell the people. But what if they didn’t know where they were sailing from, how far it was away and if their vessel could cope with the weather conditions? We have similar views on diversity and inclusion. If you don’t know where you are today, where you want to be and what you need to do to get there, are you going to make it? UBT could fall into this category that many senior leaders don’t know if it will help and don’t measure the outcome for fear of discovering the truth. However, it does give them something to point towards and reference if challenged on DEI efforts (a shipwreck?).

Using neuroanalysis studies, we seek to measure the bias and strength of bias towards certain concepts in the organisation. Measured on a regular basis, deliberately designed to minimise bias in the study itself, we can see if we are improving. We also seek to identify associations with specific stimuli, which gives us some guidance on where to focus. As a result, we design a programme of change to embed diversity and inclusion across people, processes, systems and partners. In other words, we intend to create real change rather than a tick box exercise.

Why unconscious bias is hard to identify

Naturally, we all have biases. Some are much stronger than others. These non-conscious shortcuts help the brain to conserve energy on a daily basis. When humans roamed the wild hunting, gathering and living in caves, this worked really well. The non-conscious mind didn’t recognise something and classified it as a risk. We saw something that looked like us and our fear quickly subsided. Today, it hinders us and harms us, driving inequality and discrimination. For the most part, we are unaware it is even happening and it may even seem natural to us. Ultimately, most people when asked, think they exhibit very little bias. If we surveyed or interviewed your staff, the majority are unlikely to admit to using such bias in their everyday work. Hired someone that looks like you? They were the best candidate. Signed up a well-known but expensive firm of advisors? My sister always uses them and she worked there after Cambridge. Hmm, could there be bias here?

Get serious about diversity and inclusion

The last thing an organisation or business needs is a bold statement on DEI that doesn’t materialise in actions. Leaders don’t want to be responsible for poor diversity outcomes and many ‘virtue signal’ their DEI credentials. However, studies in the US suggest that businesses who need to justify their diversity actions and progress externally actually harm themselves. Furthermore, fewer people from ethnic minorities and marginalised communities want to join them. Yes, that’s right, if you have to justify how much you need to do to be diverse, you may shine a light on diverse hires, identifying them as different. That could be uncomfortable. So, the best action seems to be to state that diversity is one of your core values and then take concrete action in everything that you do. Making that change isn’t easy, but Think Beyond offers you the tools to measure and embed that change.

If you would like to speak to us about our neuroscientific services applied to employee experience or customer experience or unconscious bias, simply ask for a call back . Alternatively, send us your question to [email protected] and one of our consultants will answer you.

Finally, why not check out this related article on innovation and different points of view .

[i] https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20210326-the-complicated-battle-over-unconscious-bias-training

[ii] https://www.theguardian.com/money/2021/mar/02/unconscious-bias-training-alone-will-not-stop-discrimination-say-critics