What Does Unconscious Bias Look Like at Work?

It's time to face the hard truth: You've got unconscious bias at work.

You have a pile of resumes on your desk for people you’ll be interviewing today.

One immediately sparks your interest – they also went to Syracuse University (Go Orange!)?

Despite lacking some of the skills and experience needed, you think they’ll be a great fit for the job (you share the same alma mater, after all.)?

Unknowingly, you have your top contender for the role. That’s unconscious bias: a cognitive function that causes us to make judgments or decisions based on prior experiences and our own assumptions without being aware of it.

It's not your fault; it's just science . But don't let that excuse you from doing the important work of recognizing and addressing these biases. While it can feel uncomfortable to acknowledge them, unpacking them can help you challenge your bias and approach situations with empathy. At work, this is especially true, helping you navigate with more awareness and inclusivity and build a workplace that’s diverse and equitable.

5 types of unconscious bias (with examples)

Unconscious bias comes in all shapes and sizes. From the way you greet someone based on their appearance to assuming someone's competence based on their gender or race, these biases can shape your perceptions and actions without you even realizing it. (Even the language you use can be unconsciously biased!)

Here are five types of unconscious bias, with examples of each in the workplace:

Affinity bias

Have you ever noticed that you tend to gravitate toward people who share similar interests or come from the same background as you??

This is affinity bias , which is all about favoring people who are like you over people who are different or unknown. It happens more often than you may like to admit. Perhaps you give preferential treatment to a job applicant who graduated from your alma mater, or you hire someone based on shared interests or backgrounds rather than qualifications and skills.

Affinity bias is also why many companies struggle with diversity and inclusion: if everyone in leadership looks and thinks the same way, new ideas and perspectives are unlikely to thrive.

If left unchecked, it can be detrimental to inclusion and diversity in the workplace. With awareness and a conscious effort to acknowledge this bias, you can work to build a more inclusive environment where everyone has an equal opportunity to thrive.

Examples:

• A hiring manager gravitates towards candidates who went to the same college or university as them
• A manager consistently praises an employee who shares the same hobbies and interest as them

Confirmation bias

When you tend to ignore opposing viewpoints in favor of information that confirms your current beliefs, this is called confirmation bias . It’s how our brains look for information to back up what we believe to be true.

Maybe your boss only listens to positive feedback from customers while ignoring negative comments, or perhaps your team is so convinced that their idea is the best that they dismiss alternative suggestions without giving them a fair chance.?

The bottom line? Confirmation bias can limit innovation, stifle creativity, and ultimately harm a company's success. So next time you catch yourself clinging too tightly to an opinion, take a step back and remember: just because something confirms what you already believe doesn't necessarily mean it's true.

Examples:

• Team members will agree with each other for the sake of avoiding conflict, rather than challenging each other’s ideas constructively
• A manager promotes employees who share their beliefs, values or opinions

Gender bias

Gender bias is the tendency to favor one gender over another.

It's no secret that women still face unjust treatment and discrimination when it comes to hiring, promotions, pay disparity, and work expectations. The gender pay gap is probably the most well-known example of gender bias in the workplace, but it can negatively impact your organization in many ways, from hiring and recruiting to performance reviews and promotions to workplace culture.

It's time to change this narrative and demand that everyone, regardless of gender, receive equal treatment at work. Because really, who has time for outdated societal norms holding people back? Not you!

Examples:

• A manager tends to nominate men to lead projects
• Women are looked to for note taking, event planning, and office organization

Beauty bias

Have you ever noticed that people who are considered "beautiful" tend to have an easier time in the workplace? This is known as beauty bias, and unfortunately, it’s a real phenomenon.

Beauty bias is when you unconsciously make a judgment about someone based on their physical appearance. It causes you to favor or disfavor someone based on how attractive they are to you, their height or weight, and their personal style.

This type of bias certainly exists in many organizations, and it can have a real impact on your career prospects. Employers have been known to judge candidates based on how attractive they think they are rather than their skills or experience. It's a classic case of judging a book by its cover!?

But let's be real here- being attractive shouldn't really give anyone an unfair advantage in the hiring process or with promotions. And yet, studies show that people who are considered attractive tend to earn more, get promoted faster, and generally have an easier time climbing the corporate ladder.

At the end of the day, what really matters is talent and hard work, not looks.

Examples:

• A teammate calls someone “unprofessional” because of how they are dressed
• A hiring manager has preconceived notions about a candidate that has tattoos

Ageism

Ageism is the subconscious belief that you hold about someone based on their age.?

Being passed over for promotions, getting paid less or with fewer benefits, or losing your job more frequently are just a few examples of how this kind of bias can show up.

Older workers may also face discrimination from younger employees who view them as obsolete or lacking in tech savvy-ness. The truth is, experience and reliability are invaluable traits that should be cherished rather than disregarded due to age.?

After all, age is just a number - it's what you do with that number that truly matters.

Examples:

• A manager focuses on younger employees for innovation, creativity and development
• An employee is told by their teammate that they are too young for the role, even though they are qualified for it

The bottom line is that everyone has biases, and they can seriously impact how we make decisions and treat others. So next time you realize you’re jumping to conclusions or favoring someone, take a step back and consider if your unconscious bias might be clouding your judgment.

Want to gain a deeper understanding of unconscious bias? Become an Inclusivv member and join our Unconscious Bias conversation in April with a community of people committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion.