Unconscious Bias Training: Activities and Research for a Fairer Workplace
Unconscious bias plays a significant role in workplace decision-making, influencing everything from hiring and promotions to mentoring and collaboration. These biases often operate outside of our conscious awareness, leading to decisions based on assumptions rather than facts. As a result, unconscious bias, when left unaddressed, can create environments of discrimination, exclusion, and bullying. Over time, these issues erode workplace diversity and prevent organisations from reaping the benefits of innovation, creativity, and access to a broader talent pool.
Why Organizations Need Unconscious Bias Training
Organizations across the globe recognize the importance of unconscious bias training as a tool to address these challenges. Although some studies raise concerns about its effectiveness, research suggests that well-designed programs can deliver impactful results. However, success often hinges on several factors, such as program design, expert facilitation, and delivery methods.
For instance, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (UK) reviewed unconscious bias training programs and found that those combining bias awareness, concern for the impact of bias, and practical tools to reduce bias can significantly lower unconscious bias for up to eight weeks (EHRC Report). Nevertheless, researchers consistently stress that training alone is not enough. Instead, it should be paired with structural changes to policies, systems, and workplace culture to ensure sustainable improvements.
What Makes Unconscious Bias Training Effective
For unconscious bias training to be effective, it must do two key things:
- Engage Participants with ‘A-ha’ Activities: These exercises are designed to reveal biases in a way that feels safe, non-judgmental, and enlightening.
- Teach Practical, Evidence-Based Strategies: Training should equip participants with tools and methods they can apply to real-world scenarios to reduce bias.
Eye-Opening Activities to Reveal Bias
To help participants recognise their biases, training programs often include interactive exercises. These activities use hands-on experiences to demonstrate biases rather than relying on abstract explanations. Below are four research-backed examples of such exercises:
1. Implicit Association Test (IAT)
The IAT is one of the most widely used tools to uncover unconscious associations. By analysing participants’ reaction times to word and image pairings, it reveals hidden stereotypes that people might not realise they hold.
- How It Works:
Participants press keys to categorise words or images into groups, such as associating “female” with “strong” or “male” with “caregiver.” When reaction times are slower for non-stereotypical pairings, it indicates unconscious bias. - Research Evidence:
Studies validate the IAT as an effective tool for identifying implicit biases across areas like gender, race, and age (Project Implicit). - Facilitation Tips:
Trainers should emphasise that biases come from societal conditioning, encouraging participants to see the test as an opportunity for growth rather than a judgment of character.
2. The Tag Game
Another effective activity, based on Fowler’s (2006) research, illustrates how quickly people categorise others based on surface-level traits.
- How It Works:
Participants wear badges of different shapes, colours, and sizes. Without instructions, they form groups multiple times. Almost instinctively, participants group themselves based on badge similarities, demonstrating unconscious “us vs. them” thinking. - Key Takeaway:
This activity sparks discussions about how social categorisation and in-group bias operate and how they influence workplace relationships (Fowler Study).
3. The Father-Son Scenario
This activity, adapted from Pendry, Driscoll, & Field (2007), uses a simple yet revealing story to highlight the automaticity of stereotypes.
- Scenario:
A father and son are in a car accident. The father dies, and the son requires surgery. The surgeon says, “Oh my God, that’s my son!” Participants are then asked how this is possible. - Typical Response:
Many participants fail to identify the surgeon as the boy’s mother, showcasing the influence of traditional gender stereotypes. - Discussion:
Facilitators use this activity to explore how ingrained stereotypes shape assumptions and discuss strategies to challenge them (Pendry et al. Research).
4. Circle of Trust Exercise
This exercise focuses on affinity bias, which leads people to favor those who are similar to them.
- How It Works:
Participants list individuals outside their family whom they trust most. Next, they compare the diversity dimensions (e.g., gender, race, age) of these individuals. Many discover that their trusted circle lacks diversity. - Insight:
This activity reveals how affinity bias affects decision-making, particularly in hiring, promotions, and workplace opportunities, often reinforcing homogeneity (Kalev, Dobbin, & Kelly, 2006).
Moving from Awareness to Action
Although raising awareness is an essential first step, research shows that awareness alone won’t eliminate bias. Organizations must also implement structural changes to achieve lasting impact. These include:
- Breaking Down Social Categorisation: Encourage cross-group collaboration and friendships to reduce in-group biases (Gaertner & Dovidio, 2000).
- Updating Policies and Processes: Revamp hiring, promotion, and evaluation systems to remove systemic bias (Bohnet, 2016).
Conclusion
Unconscious bias training becomes truly effective when it combines interactive, eye-opening activities with broader structural reforms. Exercises like the IAT and Tag Game help participants uncover their biases, while updated workplace policies ensure sustainable change. Together, these approaches foster fairness, inclusivity, and a high-performing workforce.
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