Unconscious bias is a foundational concept in DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) training. It’s the root of how we view and interact with the world. And it’s one of the hardest topics to understand.

After all, how can we address what we don’t realize? Yet, talking about unconscious bias with your team is critical to successful DEI training. It’s part of CT3’s three-step process for change:

1. Acknowledge behaviors and thought processes
2. Deconstruct why we act or think this way
3. Transform negative thoughts and actions into positive ones

So let’s dive into the concept of unconscious bias, why it’s worth discussing and how you can broach the topic with your team successfully.

Exploring Unconscious Bias

Per the Unconscious Bias Project, unconscious bias is defined as “prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.”

We all have biases – chocolate ice cream is better than vanilla, spring is better than winter – but biases become dangerous when we “other” the perceived opposing side. Even more dangerous? When we don’t realize we’re doing it. That’s unconscious bias.

Types Of Unconscious Bias

It takes real effort to transform these biases, but acknowledgement is the first step. Here are commonly held unconscious biases. How many do you recognize?

• Girls play with dolls. Boys play with guns.
• College-educated people are naturally smarter.
• Older people can’t learn new technology.
• Dreaded hairstyles are unclean.
• Different accents affect intelligence.
• Disabled people underperform at work.

Unconscious Bias Training In The Workplace

Cultural misconceptions

Discussing cultural misconceptions can be sensitive as it involves addressing stereotypes and misunderstandings about different cultures. It’s crucial to handle these conversations delicately to encourage respect and awareness among employees.

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Inappropriate behavior

Addressing inappropriate behavior requires a candid approach to highlight actions that may offend or alienate others. Training helps employees recognize and correct such behaviors to maintain a respectful workplace.

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Interpersonal conflicts

Interpersonal conflicts often arise from misunderstandings or biases, making it essential to discuss how these issues can be resolved. Training provides strategies to manage and mitigate conflicts, promoting a harmonious work environment.

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Bias, prejudice, and racism

Conversations about bias, prejudice, and racism can be uncomfortable but are necessary to identify and dismantle discriminatory practices. Through training, employees learn to recognize their own biases and work towards a more inclusive workplace.

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Hostile work environments

Discussing hostile work environments involves addressing behaviors and attitudes that create a toxic atmosphere. Training aims to identify these issues and implement measures to create a safer, more supportive workplace for everyone.

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But studies show that these issues are responsible for 50% of employee dissatisfaction or turnover, so someone’s got to start the conversation. It’s important to be positive in these conversations. Help your team view this training as a collaboration, not an accusation. Now’s not the time to point fingers.

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Unconscious Bias Training For Leaders

The executive team is not excused from unconscious bias training. In fact, they may be the most important department to meet with. Successful DEI strategies have top-down support. That means leadership promotes and demonstrates what they’ve learned. Without their active support, training tends to fail.

Get the facts… Yes, Even Executives Need DEI Training Too

Unconscious Bias Training Effectiveness

The effectiveness of unconscious bias training cannot be underestimated. With the right tools, companies who invest in unconscious bias training see:

• 60% improvement in team decision-making
• 27% more likely to create superior products and services
• 33% more likely to outperform peers’ profitability

Source: McKinsey

5 Benefits Of Unconscious Bias Training

Promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace requires unconscious bias training. By helping employees in identifying and addressing their own prejudices, it creates a more fair atmosphere in which everyone can prosper. Organizations can get many benefits that improve overall performance and employee happiness by putting such training into practice. The following are a few of the main benefits of unconscious bias training:

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Less Workplace Discrimination

By identifying and addressing unconscious biases, the likelihood of discrimination in employee interactions falls, creating a more respectful and equitable work environment where all employees feel valued.

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Better Decision-Making

When biases are taken into account, teams see a major improvement in decision-making due to diverse perspectives promoting more objective and merit-based decisions that can be beneficial to the organization. 

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Improvement in Recruitment Drives 

Unconscious bias training ensures that hiring decisions are based on skills and qualifications, not biases, or subjective preferences, which helps hire a qualified and diverse workforce that can drive innovation and growth.

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Increased Innovation

With more perspectives comes more ideas. Diverse teams lead to innovative solutions and creative problem-solving, which can give the company a competitive edge in the market.

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Longer Retention

Unconscious bias training contributes to a more inclusive workplace, improving job satisfaction and increasing the likelihood that employees stay, which reduces turnover costs and retains valuable talent.

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Unconscious Bias Training Exercises

To introduce your team to the concept, there are many unconscious bias training activities out there. Every team is different, so it’s important to conduct a Needs Assessment first. This will help you identify your team’s baseline familiarity with DEI and where to focus efforts. These 25 questions are a great starting point.

Once you’ve established goals, choosing the right unconscious bias training exercises is easy. Here are a few examples:

• Unconscious Bias Checklist: create a list, much like the one earlier in this article, with a list of unconscious biases. Ask your team to acknowledge which biases they agree with. Start a discussion to deconstruct where these biases came from.
• Case Studies: Present real-world examples of bias in the workplace. Ask your team to identify the issues and offer solutions.
• Empathy Maps: Ask employees to share a time when they felt biased against. Encourage the team to “map” what the affected person experienced, from thoughts and feelings to physical responses.
• Provide participants with a scenario involving bias. Ask them to create empathy maps that outline what the person experiencing bias might think, feel, say, and do. This exercise fosters understanding of the impact of bias on individuals.
• Journaling: Provide prompts for your team to respond to, including times when they felt discriminated against or judged others unfairly. Review their answers in private 1-on-1s to deconstruct the situation.
• Identity Outline: create an outline with sections for gender, race, religion and other characteristics. Have the team discuss how their individual characteristics affect their worldview.

Unconscious Bias - Online Training

Online unconscious bias training is an excellent tool for teams that work in-office, hybrid and remote. They offer a flexible way for employees to learn at their own pace. Plus, online training scales with your company so new hires can start immediately.

Unconscious Bias Training Providers

CT3 is a revolutionary DEI training program that emphasizes the importance of unconscious bias. Using immersive technology, including holograms and games, CT3 helps teams focus on active learning, not passive attendance. Here’s what teams can expect:

Let's Tour CT3 - A DEI Training Course

Start Your DEI Journey Today

Everyone is accountable for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Luckily, there are training programs to support your journey. CT3 makes positive workplace behavior possible. With engaging and accessible modules, teams who use CT3 focus on active learning, not passive attendance. CT3 is transformation through training. Take the first step for your team today.

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