The modern workplace should be an inclusive and welcoming environment for all employees but that isn’t always the case. In fact, systemic inequality is the norm for a vast number of workplaces throughout North America, Europe and beyond. And while the BLM and MeToo movements have received much media attention, the underlying factors that contribute to the inequality they point out aren’t always addressed. Implicit, or unconscious, bias is the root of many systemic inequities in the workplace. It’s important that we recognize our personal biases, take action to mitigate them and actively serve as an ally to others. On June 10, join Catherine Mattice-Zundel, president of Civility Partners, a training and consulting firm focused on helping organizations build positive workplace cultures, as she outlines strategies for uncovering and reducing implicit bias in workplace decision-making. The webinar will cover: ● The origins of bias and four different types of bias ● Risk factors that increase our likelihood to engage in bias ● How to compensate for and attempt to overcome bias through clear and tangible actions ● Strategies to combat microaggressions and other exclusive behaviors using simple, tried and true intervention methods

1. How to Recognize and
Minimize Unconscious
Bias in the Workplace
Catherine Mattice Zundel, MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Civility Partners, Inc.

2. Catherine
Mattice
MA, SPHR, SHRM-SCP
Info@CivilityPartners.com
www.CivilityPartners.com

3. INDUSTRIES SERVED

4. AS SEEN IN

5. Agenda
● Define bias
● Origins of bias
● Compensate for bias
● Combat exclusive behaviors
● Inclusion and culture

7. Did you see:
• Eyes? Or Narrow Eyes?
• Hair? Or Curly Hair?
• Skin? Or Brown Skin?

8. Our brains are
programmed to scan for
race, gender and age
within one second of
encountering another
person.

9. How We Respond To Information
1. Arc Reflex. Natural instincts save time and reduce injury
2. Brain’s base executive function. Sorting for relevance to survival
3. Further executive function. Sorting to confirm and/or insight action
4. Cortex (subliminal) activity. Sorting to eliminate ambiguity
5. Thinking, and consciously deciding.

10. Conscious mind
Subconscious mind
Unconscious mind

11. Behavior
Beliefs
Values

12. Value: Sameness.
Belief: People who look like me
are similar to me in ways of
thinking and doing things.
Behavior: More likely to act on
an idea provided by a person
similar to yourself.

13. Origins of Bias
● Gender
● Physical abilities
● Mental abilities
● Religion
● Income
● Age
● Sexual orientation
● Geography
● Culture
● Ethnicity
● Seniority
● Marital status
● Appearance
● Education
● Upbringing
● Experience

14. How do you define
bias?

15. “The unconscious mind... always reaches
a result, regardless of whether there is
‘enough’ or contradicting information. It is
built to resolve ambiguity, and so it
frequently jumps to conclusions.”
Karnow, (2015). Deciding.

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17. Associative
Reasoning
Expectation
Bias
Cognitive
Dissonance
Confirmation
Bias

18. Confirmation Bias
We seek out information
that confirms our beliefs.
We interpret new
evidence as confirmation
of our existing beliefs.

19. Expectation Bias
Our expectations
influence perceptions of
our own and others’
behavior.

20. Poll Question
Can you think of a time
someone else’s bias held you
back, or affected you in a
negative way?

21. Cognitive
Dissonance
Inconsistency in thoughts
and behavior. We strive for
cognitive consistency.

22. Associative
Reasoning
Filling the gaps by
associating one thing with
another, whether accurately
or not.

23. “Minorities who
whiten job resumes
get more
interviews,”
Harvard Business
School

24. White Thomas Meyer’s Memo
● 4.1 out of 5 rating
● Praised for potential and
analytical skills
● Found 2.9 out of 7
spelling/grammatical errors
Black Thomas Meyer’s Memo
● 3.2 out of 5 rating
● Criticized as average at best
and needing a lot of work
● Found 5.8 out of 7 errors
https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/hypothetical_legal_memo_demonstrates_unconsciou
s_biases

25. Poll Question
Can you think of a
specific time your own
bias has affected
someone else in a
negative way?

26. How can you eliminate
minimize your bias?

27. Consider what gets into your mind
in the first place and avoid it.
Harvard IAT

28. Minimize the factors in your life that
increase the chances of bias
occuring.

29. Risk Factors
● Certain emotional states (anger, disgust, even if
totally unrelated to the issue at hand)
● Ambiguity
● Salient social categories exist
● Low effort cognitive processing (fatigue,
disinterested)
● Distracted or pressured decision-making
circumstances
● Lack of feedback; little or no accountability
The less
energy you
have, the
more you rely
on instinct or
autopilot.

30. Risk Factors
● Certain emotional states (anger, disgust, even if
totally unrelated to the issue at hand)
● Ambiguity
● Salient social categories exist
● Low effort cognitive processing (fatigue,
disinterested)
● Distracted or pressured decision-making
circumstances
● Lack of feedback; little or no accountability
How can
you counter
these risk
factors?

31. Reducing Risk Factors
● Remove or reduce distractions
● Reduce ambiguity by asking questions
● Get an accountabili-buddy
● Seek similarities in others
● Ensure processes are in place that could minimize bias

32. Some Workplace Processes
• Attempt blind interviews for new candidates
• Check your performance process (e.g., self-evals)
• Implement a mentor/protégé program
• Create opportunities for hot seat programs

33. Subtle, verbal and nonverbal slights and insults
directed toward an individual due to their group
membership, often automatically and
unconsciously.
Usually well-intentioned and meant to build
rapport.
Microagressions

34. Microaggressions
“I just don’t see color at all. I treat everyone the same.”
“You are so much nicer to work with than all the guys on your team.”
“I hope you’ll go home soon. I know you just had a baby.”

35. Make Sure Meetings
Are Inclusive

36. In a study of US Supreme
Court justices for the last
12 years, women justices
were interrupted three
times more often than
men, and women initiated
only 4% of interruptions
overall.
Fortune, 2017

37. Amplify ideas and give credit to people
Respond to showboating by pointing
out expertise and experience of others
Rotate administrative duties
Kick questions back to the right
person
Ideas for Inclusive Meetings

38. Step In
Focus on the impact
“I know you don’t realize it but by saying you don’t see color, you’re actually
coming across as saying that you don’t recognize the whole person. You’re
discounting Jack’s experience in the world as a person of a color.”
Ask a question
“I was just curious, why did you ask Carmen that question?
Email Info@CivilityPartners.com for a list of 16 scripts like these.

39. Poll Question
If someone I work with
treated me with disrespect,
I would feel comfortable to
say something to them
about it.

40. Create an Inclusive
Culture

41. You must start with
discovery

42. Climate Assessment
In your current organization, have you ever been left out of opportunities for
professional advancement based on your membership in a certain group (e.g.,
gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, etc)?
I trust my leadership team has my best interests at heart.
I have positive relationships with my team.

43. T h a n k Y o u f o r
P a r t i c i p a t i n g
Find more free webinars:
www.i-sight.com/resources/webinars
@isightsoftware
C o n t a c t
C a t h e r i n e M a t t i c e Z u n d e l
C o n t a c t
i - S i g h t
webinars@i-sight.com
Info@CivilityPartners.com
@catmattice
https://www.linkedin.com/in/catherinemattice/