What is implicit bias?
Implicit bias refers to unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that affect our actions and decisions for or against a particular person or group. We may explicitly endorse certain values, such as inclusivity while holding an unconscious bias that doesn’t align with these values. A common example of implicit bias is favouring or being more receptive to familiar-sounding names than those from other cultural groups. Implicit bias doesn’t mean that inclusivity is not one of our values. It means that we are not aware of how our own implicit bias can impact our actions and decisions.
Microaggressions
At their core, microaggressions can feel like a subtle form of discrimination. Yet they are usually indirect and unintentional, and therefore unlikely to meet the criteria for discrimination under human rights legislation. It’s our responsibility to learn more about microaggressions to help improve civility and respect for everyone.
Microaggressions are often based on differences in skin colour, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation. Implicit bias can occur with or without face-to-face interaction. For example, the choice of images or written language can show bias. Microaggressions are more likely to occur through passive remarks and actions.
It’s completely possible that we could unintentionally engage in microaggressions. This is especially true when we’re unaware of our own implicit biases. We may think our comments or actions are harmless, when in fact they can have a significant negative impact on others.
Implicit bias can stem from belief in various stereotypes that leads to prejudice, discrimination and/or negative attitudes, such as these common “isms” and phobias:
- Ableism – Based on a person’s existing or perceived mental or physical disabilities
- Ageism – Based on age
- Classism – Based on socio-economic status
- Colourism – Based on a person’s skin tone or complexion
- Cronyism and nepotism – Based on favouring or giving more opportunities to friends or relatives over others
- Elitism – Based on status or level of education or job title
- Ethnocentrism – Based on belief that your culture is superior
- Homophobia - Targets those who are attracted to members of their own gender
- Racism – Based on a person’s race or cultural identity
- Religious prejudice – Based on a person’s system of beliefs, practices and worship
- Sexism – Based on a person’s gender
- Sizeism and fatphobia – Based on a person’s weight and outwards appearance
- Transphobia – Targets transsexual or transgender people
- Xenophobia – Focuses on people from other countries
Implicit curiosity is one way to address implicit bias. People have a responsibility to educate themselves on the experiences of others, so they can conduct themselves respectfully in the workplace, in their communities, and in the world.
There’s lots of research in the social psychology sphere about bias and discrimination. Simply put, we form prejudiced opinions regardless of our intelligence or education – but curiosity may help us make wiser judgments.
Curiosity has long been recognized as a common, innate human characteristic that compels us to ask questions (both implicitly and explicitly), seek knowledge, gain understanding and make appropriate decisions.
Ask questions respectfully about each person’s preferences and opinions. Most people are happy to share information with those who genuinely want to know more. Don’t assume that any one person can speak for an entire group. For example, don’t ask how people “like you” feel or think. Instead focus on their personal perspective.
Examples of microaggressions
These examples show what might be perceived as a microaggression, and potential solutions. Consider how each approach may feel like discrimination or cause someone to feel uncomfortable. Suggestions are provided about what you could do or say instead to get the intended message across with less likelihood of offending.
- Asking if a person’s hair is real and/or touching it without their permission
- What to do instead: Say “Your hair looks nice,” or “I like what you did with your hair”. Never touch someone’s hair without asking for permission.
- Asking, “Where are you really from?” after someone has told you where they’re from
- What to do instead: Take them at their word.
- Assuming you know a person’s racial identity or the language they speak based on their appearance
- What to do instead: Ask, “Do you speak any other languages?” or say nothing.
- Assuming gender expression, mis-gendering (even if unintentional) or stating, “You don’t look trans/ like a man/ like a woman.”
- What to do instead: Ask for the person’s preferred pronouns and honour them at all times.
- Mispronouncing a person’s name or using a nickname they haven’t asked you to use
- What to do instead: Ask the person what they like to be called.
- Making comments on someone’s perceived mood. For example, “He’s acting bipolar,” or “It must be her time of the month.”
- What to do instead: Be sympathetic, or say nothing at all, or ask the person how they are feeling.
- Assuming or commenting on someone’s sexual preference or family structure
- What to do instead: Use gender-neutral terms like “partner” or “spouse ”or “parent”.
Everyone carries bias. We each have a responsibility to be aware of when and why this might occur.
Microvalidations
The best approach is to eliminate microaggressions. In addition, we can begin to introduce microvalidations or microaffirmations. These are small, consistent actions we can take each day to support our co-workers, employees, clients, customers, or anyone else we come in contact with, especially those who may be part of a marginalized or underrepresented community.
Mary Rowe, Adjunct Professor, Work and Organization Studies at the MIT Sloan School of Management shares, “…micro-affirmations may help to block unconscious bias, and in many ways address the structural nature of racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination and unfairness. The original definition of micro-affirmations was “apparently small acts, which are often ephemeral and hard-to-see, events that are public and private, often unconscious but very effective, which occur wherever people wish to help others to succeed.”
Leaders can help combat microaggressions by ensuring they’re actively affirming, encouraging, and validating all team members, especially those from marginalized groups. This can look like:
- Acknowledging and validating an individual’s experience
- Providing encouraging feedback and recognizing the employee’s work
- Giving individuals your full attention when they’re speaking.
- Greeting each person sincerely when you meet, see or speak to them
- Asking for and using a person’s preferred pronouns and proper names, while refraining from using nicknames or anglicized names.
- Recognizing individual achievements, outcomes and efforts in front of others
- Providing interesting assignments, ensuring they have the resources they need, and enthusiastically sharing your belief in their ability to succeed
- Using any relevant formal title, like Doctor, Professor, etc., in all public settings
Intersectionality
Intersectionality focuses on the overlap of various social identities one person may hold. This can include skin colour, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and class.
Different combinations may increase or decrease the likelihood that a person could experience systemic oppression and discrimination.
For example, you may consider a white male to be in the majority in your workplace, but if a white male is also gay, the intersection of his sexual orientation may increase the likelihood that he will face discrimination.
Gauging your own “intersectionality” can predict which groups you may hold unconscious bias towards. Intersections are the social groups that make up your identity and are often the groups you surround yourself with. This exercise can help reveal areas to improve and explore.
What intersections do you have?
- Ability - Such as physical disabilities, mental disabilities, chronic pain
- Age - Such as teenager, young adult, middle-aged, elderly
- Body type - Such as average, athletic, obese
- Culture - Such as Latinx, Indigenous, Black
- Education level - Such as no formal education, high school, PhD
- Ethnicity - Such as Middle Eastern, South African, East Asian
- Family status - Such as single, married, single parent, widowed
- Gender - Such as non-binary, transgender, male/female
- Income level - Such as low, middle, high
- Job role - Such as management, union rep, frontline
- Nationality - Such as Japanese, British, Mexican
Consider these questions:
- In what ways could your workplace be more inclusive of people from other social groups? For example: review the organization's human resources policy and internal evaluation for diversity and inclusion.
- Complete the following phrases. In each case, how would you describe the first image that comes to your mind? Evaluate your responses to try to recognize some of your implicit biases.
- When I picture a financial sector CEO, I first imagine a(n)…(age) (race) (gender) (sexual orientation).
- You’re invited to someone’s family dinner. What was the structure of the family you imagined?
- You hear about someone who is arrested for a violent crime. What do they look like?
- Your friend casually uses a slur in conversation. What did they say?
- The hero in the story is probably a…(race) (gender) (sexual orientation).
Addressing bias and microaggressions
If you witness bias or a microaggression in the workplace:
- Identify: Tell those involved what you saw or heard. Do this respectfully and with the intention to objectively reflect what you witnessed, rather than adding in your opinion about the intent.
- For example, if you hear someone say “where are you really from?” you might say, “they just told you.”
- Reframe the narrative: Share why you think the exchange may be hurtful to some people. This is an opportunity for respectful dialogue. Give people the benefit of the doubt – they may not be aware of their own biases, and the person on the other end may not have been offended.
When you approach this as a conversation instead of an accusation, people are much less likely to become defensive. In this example, you might ask, “Why don’t you believe their first response?”
- Educate: The better everyone understands the issues, the more they can avoid bias. Ask questions, especially of those who may experience implicit bias. Seek to understand their experiences. Pursue professional development opportunities that focus on inclusion. This could be done privately with the person who spoke up or as a general education opportunity with an entire team without singling anyone out.
- Be open to new, deeper ways of offering support: As you gain greater understanding, leverage that into providing supports that consider the unique challenges individuals with differences, including but not limited to race, class, or gender, often face. In addition to what’s already been discussed, this may require an understanding of the impact of past trauma related to discrimination, persecution or violence. Indigenous teachings for leaders and Leader support for newcomers include strategies that may be helpful.
This content was adapted from the work of Mardi Daley, B.A Mardi is a Young Adult Peer Specialist, advocate and recent founder of the Lived Experience Lab. Mardi specializes in youth engagement and best practices for the ethical engagement of people with lived experience in the workplace.
Workshop materials
Implicit bias workshop
This workshop explores the attitudes and stereotypes that affect our actions, decisions and unconscious understanding towards or against a particular person or group. Participants are engaged in self-reflection that helps them uncover their own bias without having to share this with others.
Additional resources
- Inclusion strategies for leaders. Inclusion is now an expectation in the workplace. Learn tips and strategies to help you provide and maintain an inclusive approach to leadership.
- Evidence-based actions for inclusion. These actions to improve inclusion can be implemented with a minimal investment in terms of expenses to the organization. They’ll take dedicated time and focus to implement and hold employees accountable to new approaches to working together in inclusive ways.
- Guarding Minds – Indicators of workplace inclusion. Select statements from the Guarding Minds at Work employee survey were identified by the researchers as potential indicators of the level of inclusion at work.
- Discrimination prevention and inclusion. Address discrimination and promote inclusion through your policies and processes. This helps create a positive environment that supports all employees to thrive and succeed.
- Team activity — Microaggressions. A team-building activity to understand and avoid microaggressions.
- Team activity — Intersectionality. Intersectionality focuses on the overlap of various social identities one person may hold. This activity can help reveal areas where we may hold unconscious bias towards particular groups.