We all bring unconscious biases into the workplace. These deeply subconscious attitudes span race, gender, appearance, age, wealth and much more. They influence everything from the car you drive to the employee you promote and the one you don’t. And because they are so reflexively triggered without our knowledge, they are virtually unconcealable.
Our ancestors, products of evolution, survived because grouping people helped them evade murder. In 2018, this function is, of course, much less useful. Our brains are predisposed to demographic bias, but we can mute certain predispositions.
Nonetheless, these hidden drivers can impact many areas of business, from impairing diversity and retention rates to promoting a disconnected culture. Unconscious bias also undermines recruiting efforts and employee development, which can be destabilizing to an organization. Exacerbating these detriments are the fact that the majority of mid- to high-level placements in an organization are sourced through referral. The underlying like-likes-like dynamic can create a compounding, degenerative effect on an organization’s diversity.
The question business leaders need to ask is, “Where is unconscious bias in my company and what is the impact?” and it’s vital that it be asked.
According to McKinsey's Delivering Through Diversity report, "Gender, ethnic, and cultural diversity, particularly within executive teams, continue to be correlated to financial performance across multiple countries worldwide." Yet, they also show a continued neglect of diversity across organizations.
The report also showed companies with the most ethnically diverse executive teams are 33% more profitable. A Catalyst study found that companies with more women in executive positions have a 34% higher return to shareholders than those that do not. What’s more, companies with the most women directors have a 26% higher return on invested capital than those with the least. And 37% of surveyed employees believe that gender diversity means better business results.
These studies and countless others show that with the myriad business benefits from diversity -- better innovative drive, creativity, recruitment and retainment efforts, and increased market share -- business leaders must act now not just to diversify their organizations but to minimize the unconscious biases still so pervasive.
That said, diversity for diversity’s sake is not enough to effect real change. Hiring employees with varied perspectives and backgrounds is merely a stepping stone to a united culture. The rest of the answer lies in facilitating inclusiveness whereby everyone is valued and group differences are embraced. The result is empowered employees who openly share their diverse perspectives: a win for the company.
Various parties can take their own measures to assist in building this type of environment. After all, inclusion is not what you think; it is how people feel. It is in the eye of the beholder, not the intender.
But again, like so many other organizational dynamics, the most effective measures start at the top. C-suite executives should promote inclusion by inviting and expecting their executive teams to speak openly and honestly with one another. However, the effectiveness of such conversations requires authentic awareness, which can be gained through established tools and programs. Below are key areas to explore as an executive team in creating your organization’s diversity and inclusion programs. They're part of Tiara Coaching's Conscious Inclusion program, which I tested in its earlier stages.
1. Define diversity and your executives' perception of it.
Have all participants reveal their perception of your company's diversity and inclusion strategies and ask them to write down how they would like to see their organization embrace each concept. Then, have them bring forward how they perceive themselves and their peers on this scale. To create self-awareness, assess how the persons they interact with most frequently perceive them on these dimensions. Some dimensions upon which to base these activities are:
• "Others think I understand their views."
• "Others think I am open-minded."
• "I am known for leveraging others’ strengths."
2. Establish goals and a plan for achievement.
Based on the work done in prior steps, have participants identify action items to ensure success. Real change demands stepping outside of comfort zones. To develop greater competency, for example, participants can take a class on listening or inclusive leadership, read books and listen to podcasts that will inform them about other cultures, offer different arguments to social issues, and more.
3. Summarize findings and actions and create accountability.
This last step encapsulates everything they have uncovered and the journey from there. Participants can select an “accountability partner” who will mutually check in progress. Milestones and dates will reinforce this accountability.
The domino effect of minimizing unconscious bias in the workplace will be profound not only for an organization's bottom line --but also for corporate culture. Business leaders have the unique power to spearhead real societal change by creating and promoting empathy, openness and vulnerability. Inclusive training, new inclusion processes and awareness tools will spur innovative and connected workplaces never before seen.
