Practical relevance

Looking at our working world, we need conscious decision making and the courage to foster diversity if we …

  • … want to recruit, encourage, and retain the best talent

  • … want to capture a team's full potential

  • … want to put the right people in management roles

  • … want to take forward-thinking investment decisions

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Three real-life scenarios …

… will demonstrate where you might encounter unconscious bias and its effects at work, and what you can do in these situations.

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What happens when a younger team member challenges the prejudices of a more experienced colleague

The team has heard that a new, young colleague is joining them.

Let's see what happens …

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A few days later ...

... the new colleague asks a few questions during a team meeting.

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Even though ...

... Mr. Montana has quickly integrated into the team and, despite his age, has considerable expertise to share, Mr. Carl is sticking to his previous opinion.
For example, he complains that the new colleague asks too many questions.

But in this case Mr. Montana's questions are a clear sign of interest and also of a keen intellect – though Mr. Carl interprets them in a negative way.

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What happens?

Click on the images for details.

What happens?

What happens?

We may not be consciously aware, but we often interpret information in a way that meets our expectations.

We tend to ignore information that doesn't match those expectations.

Where else is this relevant?

Where else is this relevant?

Confirmation bias also manifests in social situations and many others, such as investment decisions.

Investors frequently overlook information that speaks against their investment being successful.

How can I actively address this?

How can I actively address this?

Make sure that you create transparency and write out your expectations. Challenge your own assumptions sometimes, or run a quick thought experiment: look at things from the perspective of someone else in your team, e.g., your line manager, a new colleague, a pregnant colleague, a colleague about to retire …

What would you be thinking if you were someone else?
Explore your subconscious thought patterns to make absolutely certain that you are acting in a considered way.

What happens?

We may not be consciously aware, but we often interpret information in a way that meets our expectations.

We tend to ignore information that doesn't match those expectations.

Where else is this relevant?

Confirmation bias also manifests in social situations and many others, such as investment decisions.

Investors frequently overlook information that speaks against their investment being successful.

How can I actively address this?

Make sure that you create transparency and write out your expectations. Challenge your own assumptions sometimes, or run a quick thought experiment: look at things from the perspective of someone else in your team, e.g., your line manager, a new colleague, a pregnant colleague, a colleague about to retire …

What would you be thinking if you were someone else?
Explore your subconscious thought patterns to make absolutely certain that you are acting in a considered way.

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Three real-life scenarios …

… will demonstrate where you might encounter unconscious bias and its effects at work, and what you can do in these situations.

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When the chemistry is right from the start

Mr. Ansens has invited candidate Mr. Konrad to an interview.
Watch how the conversation unfolds …

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In ...

... the initial phase of the conversation, Mr. Ansens asks about Mr. Konrad's hobbies.

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Even though ...

... the advertised role requires that the person be a team player, Mr. Ansens rates the candidate quite highly overall. Mr. Konrad gets the job.

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A typical case of similarity bias

Click on the images for details.

What happens?

What happens?

We judge people who are like us more positively, because subconsciously we focus on those similarities. This …

  • … gives us a sense of security and …
  • … allows us to push aside the other person's less favorable qualities.

That's because we often perceive differences as threats. It's another mental shortcut: we actively try and discover the other person's faults.

Where else is this relevant?

Where else is this relevant?

Similarity bias also exists in a number of other dimensions, such as gender and social background.

How can I actively address this?

How can I actively address this?

There are several tried and tested strategies for avoiding similarity bias:

  • Define criteria: if you are required to evaluate people, define clear and tangible criteria in advance.

  • Create a script: use a standard structure for any conversations related to decision making (e.g., an interview script) so that all those involved are offered the same opportunities.
  • Think slowly: use mindful reflection to uncover your own subconscious thought patterns.

What happens?

We judge people who are like us more positively, because subconsciously we focus on those similarities. This …

  • … gives us a sense of security and …
  • … allows us to push aside the other person's less favorable qualities.

That's because we often perceive differences as threats. It's another mental shortcut: we actively try and discover the other person's faults.

Where else is this relevant?

Similarity bias also exists in a number of other dimensions, such as gender and social background.

How can I actively address this?

There are several tried and tested strategies for avoiding similarity bias:

  • Define criteria: if you are required to evaluate people, define clear and tangible criteria in advance.

  • Create a script: use a standard structure for any conversations related to decision making (e.g., an interview script) so that all those involved are offered the same opportunities.
  • Think slowly: use mindful reflection to uncover your own subconscious thought patterns.

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Three real-life scenarios …

… will demonstrate where you might encounter unconscious bias and its effects at work, and what you can do in these situations.

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When your performance is evaluated as a team

A large hospital has outdated IT management that needs to be redesigned. A team has been tasked with this work …

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At this time ...

... IT is assigned to the "Facility Services" department, but in the long term the plan is to set up a new IT department. Mr. Diepgen and Ms. Stokowski have been asked to develop a concept.

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Mr. Diepgen ...

... is starting to fall behind with his work packages.

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Ms. Stokowski ...

... goes on to make several suggestions that have a major impact on the next steps and eventual outcome.

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At ...

.... the final presentation, their manager is thrilled.

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A little while later …

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Attribution bias

Click on the images for details.

What happens?

What happens?

Where it is not clear after a team task who provided how much toward the outcome, people tend to overestimate men's and underestimate women's contributions.

This is especially true if there is no clear information available about each individual's contribution.

How can I actively address this?

How can I actively address this?

There are several tried and tested strategies for avoiding attribution bias:

  • Create transparency: clearly record who contributed what to the team's results, and use objective benchmarks to document work steps.

  • Foster transparency: encourage others to be transparent about individual performance.
  • Hit pause and reflect: uncover your own subconscious thought patterns.

What happens?

Where it is not clear after a team task who provided how much toward the outcome, people tend to overestimate men's and underestimate women's contributions.

This is especially true if there is no clear information available about each individual's contribution.

How can I actively address this?

There are several tried and tested strategies for avoiding attribution bias:

  • Create transparency: clearly record who contributed what to the team's results, and use objective benchmarks to document work steps.

  • Foster transparency: encourage others to be transparent about individual performance.
  • Hit pause and reflect: uncover your own subconscious thought patterns.

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Three cases – one topic:
Unconscious bias at work

Every strategy you'll need to tackle bias

at a glance

We've learned that:

Subconscious thought patterns affect many of the day-to-day decisions we take at work. See for yourself in these three case studies.

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When seemingly „easy“ decisions have major consequences

The situation:

This year only one member of the team is permitted to attend a popular training course. Ms. Sanchez was selected.
No reasons were given for this decision.

How is this decision likely to affect the other team members?

Click on the correct answer.

They work even harder so that they can attend the training next year.

They feel like they've been treated unfairly and their motivation drops.

Yes, that's how most employees would probably react
Very few people would react this way

Yes, that's how most employees would probably react

Very few people would react this way

Increased motivation and better performance only happen when processes are deemed to be fair. A process that people believe to be unfair is more likely to end in conflict and counterproductive behaviors.
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When minor distortions ripple out across multiple levels

The situation:

A company has 8 levels with balanced gender distribution (50:50). During each round of promotions, 15% of employees at each level exit the company. Their jobs are staffed with the best talent from the next level down.

The simulation:

We run simulations of the promotions for however long it takes until all employees in the initial situation have left the company. At the end, if there is no bias we would expect to see a gender balance (50:50) at every level.

The bias:

Now let's assume that there's a small bias somewhere. On a scale from 0 to 100, men score an average 52 points while women score 50 points.

Your turn: what do you estimate is the share of women at the highest level of management at the end of the simulation?

Make your decision by moving the blue slider.

A bias of just 1% means that the share of women at the highest hierarchy level drops to 35%.
Many people believe that subconscious thought patterns have only minimal impact. But this example clearly demonstrates that even minor distortions produce major ripples.

The situation:

Level 835%
Level 739%
Level 643%
Level 546%
Level 448%
Level 348%
Level 250%
Level 153%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Your assessment: 50 %

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When gender roles influence how individuals are judged

The "Jennifer/John" effect:

Two groups of professors (male and female) were shown identical applications (resumes) for a laboratory management position – with one small difference. For one group the name on the application was "Jennifer"; for the other group the name was "John".

Your turn: who did the professors think was more competent?

Click on the correct answer.

John is more competent

Jennifer and John are equally competent

Jennifer is more competent

You're right!
Close, but not quite.
Even where there is no personal contact, subconscious thought patterns can affect how we judge people. In this study carried out by Stanford University, the professors rated Jennifer as less competent despite both candidates having identical qualifications. They also recommended a salary for Jennifer that was an average 13% lower than the salary they suggested for John.
This is also relevant in other work situations. We tend to confirm our own assumptions about an employee's work by cherry-picking information and interpreting new information in a way that matches our own expectations.
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How can you boost your team's awareness of unconscious biases?

1

Prepare systematically for HR and evaluation decisions: for example, use requirement criteria defined in advance alongside competency models and structured interview scripts.

2

When putting together decision making committees, promote diversity and get other male and female colleagues involved in key decisions.

3

Introduce your colleagues to the phenomenon of unconscious biases and explain how and where they can become a problem. Turn every employee into a "bias manager".

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Oh, and before we forget

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Wrap-up

Print out the unconscious bias checklist.

Learn more about unconscious bias.

Share this unconscious bias training with your colleagues through social media or email.

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„Chef:innensache“ initiative
The „Chef:innensache initiative“ online
The „Chef:innensache initiative“ online
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