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The effectiveness of unconscious bias training is often questioned, but, if done in the right way, it can help to raise awareness of prejudices and encourage staff to begin addressing them, writes David Marsden Pearson. The debate rages on around unconscious bias training and how well it works – but the fact remains that bias (whether conscious or unconscious) is one of the biggest problems facing organisations wanting to become both diverse and inclusive. It can be difficult for HR teams to know where to start when it comes to tackling this issue. This year has seen unconscious bias hit the headlines numerous times, running the risk of the phrase becoming a diversity buzzword and losing some of its meaning. But it should be a priority for HR as they plan for 2022. This is a particularly pertinent issue as the Covid pandemic has shaken up recruitment processes – many sectors are currently experiencing the so-called ‘great resignation’, as employees reconsider their options and perhaps consider a new career altogether. This presents a problem for diversity as many businesses may feel pressure to hire candidates as quickly as possible to mitigate any drop in productivity. This rush could see D&I fall by the wayside. It is for this reason that tackling unconscious bias should form an integral part of D&I plans as we move into 2022 and beyond. A successful example of this can be seen at Coventry City Council. It utilises technology which facilitates anonymous job applications, which has resulted in a 117% increase in black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates. Acknowledgement of unconscious bias and reassurance that applications will be treated equally gave candidates confidence to apply.What is unconscious bias?
Unconscious bias can take many forms. According to Acas, unconscious bias includes when a person thinks:- better of someone because they believe they're alike
- less of someone because that person is different to them, for example, they might be of a different race, religion or age.
