Diversity: The role of Unconscious Bias & Language

1. Diversity: The role of Unconscious Bias & Language Di Airey

2. About me… 25 years working with diversity – own business since 2013 Clients vary from Parliament to Paint distributers ! Passionate about people having an equal chance in life 2

3. Why should we look at Unconscious Bias and Language? 40 years of equality legislation & decades of training has not made enough difference Diversity strategies, policies and equality schemes are just intentions not always reality What we do and what we say is driven by what we consciously AND unconsciously think 3

4. Basic Bias Theory… Everyone makes assumptions Everyone has prejudices In a complex world we need to group and categorise people/ things Our brain makes shortcuts and links between information all the time These implicit associations are based on perception; and perception is not necessarily reality And most of the above is unconscious….. 4

5. An example of implicit association... DANGER + = FEAR 5

6. History of measuring associations Late 19thC – measure inaccessible mental processes through the speed of the process Late 20thC – first implicit association tests using modern technology (Harvard University) 21stC – commercial bias tests being used as coaching & training tools 6

7. What do you see?... 7

8. What do you see?... 8

9. Example Biases… Height Advantage: 58% of all Fortune 500 CEOs are over 6ft tall yet only 14.5% of American men are over 6ft. Obesity penalty: weight discrimination for women kicks in at BMIs of 27 plus; for men it is 35 plus. Overweight men earn 2.3% less than colleagues; overweight women it is 6.2% 9

10. Example Biases… Accent impact: 63% of people have modified their accent for a job interview. 28% feel they have been discriminated against because of their accent. Birmingham, Glasgow, Newcastle, London(Cockney) & Liverpool have the most disliked accents Beauty Bias: people seen as being generally the most attractive in looks earn 3-4% more than others. 10

11. Stereotypes – Prejudice – Discrimination continuum 11

12. Common biases can remain unchallenged and become part of the system Organisational Bias… The challenge of tackling bias... • Stephen Lawrence Inquiry • “discrimination by unwitting prejudice”

13. Breaking through Personal Bias… The challenge of tackling bias... TAKE YOUR TIME RELAX BE CURIOUS BUILD HYPER- AWARENESS SEEK OUT EXCEPTIONS PAY ATTENTION TO MICRO-INEQUITIES CHALLENGE ASSUMPTIONS

14. Combating Organisational Bias.. Creating plans – both goals and implementation intentions Combating negative images–using loaded images Clarifying the question – select on meeting criteria rather than reject on not meeting it Confrontation – hold a mirror up to ourselves and others Changing our viewpoint or perspective Ref. Binna Kandola 14

15. Combating Organisational Bias… Categorisation – seeing two groups as one; seeing individuals within the group Contact – with equal status, common goals and co-operation Championing Diversity – going beyond tolerance Creating the Right Conditions Ref. Binna Kandola 15

16. The World of Words… Coloured The Disabled Queer Wheelchair bound 16

17. Sensitive Language Principles… Person first; difference second Avoid negative language Allow self-identification Aim to be inclusive by being more specific Be wary of ‘in-group’or reclaimed words Think of equivalent terms 17

18. Find out more… ImplicitlyTM bias testing & coaching by Di Project Implicit (Harvard University) – www.implicit.harvard.edu for general bias feedback The Value of Difference – book by Binna Kandola Di@diversity-dynamics.co.uk www.diversity-dynamics.co.uk 18