Bias is a confusing and sometimes polarizing word that can be a difficult topic to discuss – especially in the workplace. The goals of this training are to begin to open up the conversation, give a common language to this important topic, allow a safe place to be introspective, and understand where we are personally on the path to impartiality. This session is an opportunity to learn and reflect on bias – what it is, how it is formed and what we can do about it.

In this session, these three types of biases are the focus:

• Unconscious Bias: These are judgments that are formed outside of our conscious awareness.
• Affinity Bias: This is our tendency to see things like us as more favorable than things not like us – and explains our preference for things more like us.
• Confirmation Bias: This is our bias toward information that validates what we already believe to be true.

If left unaddressed, biases that have a detrimental impact on others can lead to unfair treatment, dysfunctional teams, and disengaged people. Biases may cause employees to be too narrow minded in their decision making, or unable to see their impact from another lens. This can limit creativity and reduce organizational innovation. Addressing bias begins with awareness and education to lead to a culture of unity.