Managing Unintended Bias

• Take one or more implicit associations tests , developed by Harvard University, to explore if you have any hidden biases about gender, race, ethnicity, disability, weight and/or age.
• Make a mental note of your first impression of someone, and reflect on whether that first impression is based on a stereotype or bias.
• Ask others to give feedback when they feel you are speaking or acting in a biased manner, and say “thank you” for pointing it out. If you feel comfortable and the situation is appropriate, engage in an open dialogue on ways to communicate more inclusively.

• Research reveals unintended biases most often occur in decision-making in these areas of supervisor responsibility:
  • Recruitment and selection
  • Performance management
  • Development opportunity assignment
  • Succession planning
  • Team building
• Unintended biases emerge in decision-making in different ways, and actions to mitigate each type of bias are different:
  • Confirmation bias is when a supervisor looks for information that supports existing beliefs and rejects data that goes against beliefs. All relevant information isn’t factored in. Actions to avoid confirmation bias:
    • Look for ways to challenge what you think you see. Seek out information from a range of sources.
    • Discuss your thoughts with others. Surround yourself with a diverse group of people, and don’t be afraid to listen to dissenting views.
  • Anchoring is when a supervisor jumps too quickly to a conclusion. The decision is often based on information gained early in the decision-making process. Actions to avoid anchoring:
    • Be aware when you feel under pressure to make a quick decision or if you have a general tendency to act hastily. Consider whether you’ve rushed to judgment.
    • Make time to gather more objective information to make a decision in a more appropriate time frame.
    • Ask for more time to make a decision.
  • Overconfidence bias is when a supervisor puts too much faith in his/her own knowledge and opinions or believes his/her contribution is more valuable than it actually is. Actions to avoid the overconfidence bias may be revealed by answering these questions:
    • What sources of information did you rely on to make the decision? Were they fact-based or did you rely on hunches?
    • Who else was involved in gathering information?
    • Has information been gathered systematically?
    • What can you do to gather more comprehensive, objective data if you suspect you might be depending on hunches and/or potentially unreliable information?
  • Gambler’s fallacy is when a supervisor assumes the outcome of past events affects the outcome of future events. Decisions will be made based on the belief that things will be the same next time. This kind of assumption can be unintended bias. For example, if we toss a coin and get heads seven times consecutively, we might assume that there’s a higher chance that we’ll toss tails the eighth time. However, the odds are always 50/50. Actions to avoid gambler’s fallacy:
    • Look at trends from a number of angles, particularly to understand situational context and root issues.
    • Look for patterns in behavior and project success – for example, if several projects fail unexpectedly look for changes and/or trends in team, culture, stakeholders, the institution or new budget constraints with wider implications.
  • Fundamental attribution error is when something goes wrong and a supervisor quickly jumps to blaming others when it’s really the situation that is the issue. A supervisor is sometimes not looking objectively at the situation or reflecting on his/her own contribution. Immediately blaming or judging others is sometimes based on a stereotyping or a perceived personality flaw in others. Actions to avoid attribution error:
    • Look objectively and nonjudgmentally at situations and the people involved in them. Use empathy to better understand why people behave the ways they do.
    • Reflect honestly on your on own behavior and actions as a supervisor.

(Information and videos below were produced by Facebook’s Corporate Management Group. Content has been authorized for external viewing and use. You may watch the entire video, or watch it one segment at a time as you read about unintended bias, below.)

• Implicit associations (thoughts and feelings outside of conscious awareness and control) can affect interactions with others, particularly from first impressions.  Watch a Facebook training video, Managing Unconscious Bias: Introductions and First Impressions for ways to recognize and take action to mitigate unintended bias.
• Unintended biases often occur in work relationships, particularly in perceptions of gender and ethnicity:
  • Performance bias often occurs when people who are part of dominant groups, such as whites or men, are judged by their expected potential, while those who are part of less dominant groups, such as people of color or women, are judged by their proven accomplishments. Watch the Facebook training video (approximately 16 minutes) or read short case studies on this type of bias, its impact and how you can counter it.
  • Performance attribution bias sometimes results in some people (generally dominant group members) being perceived as “naturally talented,” whereas others being perceived to have “gotten lucky.” Watch the Facebook training video (approximately 11 minutes) or read short case studies on this type of bias, its impact and how you can counter it.
  • Competence/likeability trade-off bias often causes trade offs for women but not men because success and likeability are positively correlated for men and negatively correlated for women. Watch the Facebook training video (approximately 7 minutes) or read short case studies on this type of bias, its impact and how you can counter it.
  • Maternal bias sometimes results in a double bind for mothers in the workplace wherein mothers cannot be good mothers andgood employees; fathers and women without children do not experience this bias. Watch the Facebook training video(approximately 7 minutes) or read short case studies on this type of bias, its impact and how you can counter it.

• Use structured decision making with clear criteria for decisions that impact people:
  • Set clear criteria directly related to the job requirements before the recruiting and selection process begins.
  • Set objective standards in advance for assigning projects and evaluating performance; make these transparent with your employees.
  • Check yourself before making a people-decision when you’re in stressful situations or under tight deadlines. Consult with your Senior HR Division Partner or Diversity and Inclusion Council representative if you need a sounding board.
  • Encourage accountability to explain decision-making with hiring, evaluations, peer reviews, or any other kind of decision-making about people.
• Foster full participation and fair credit in meetings:
  • Set ground rules and norms for how meetings will be conducted to ensure that all voices are heard.
  • Develop a practice of interrupting those who interrupt others so that everyone can have their say.
  • Rotate the responsibility for office “housework” such as taking meeting notes, organizing agendas, and planning events.
• Create fair practices for recognizing accomplishments or seeking other perspectives:
  • Vouch for competence or accomplishments of others regardless of your position.
  • Encourage employees to speak up when credit is not given to the right person.
  • Ensure everyone keeps track of their contributions on projects, and formally review all contributions.
• Manage parental leave
  • Once the employee has stated a need for parental leave, discuss with the future parent (especially mothers) how to make transitions successful.
  • Encourage men, in addition to women, to take their parental leave.