TrainingBriefs® Understanding and Beating Bias

The impact of unconscious bias means that we are acting a certain way towards people or circumstances without realizing it. Although people may think conscious bias is worse because it is a conscious decision we are aware of, both can be detrimental, especially in the workforce. When unconscious bias affects our decisions, we are unaware of it, because it happens outside our control.

Bias is something we all have, and by itself, it is neither good nor bad. Bias are the attitudes or stereotypes  that affect our understanding, actions, perceptions and decisions. Unconscious bias refers to a bias that we are unaware of, and which happens outside of our control. It is a bias that happens automatically and is triggered by our brain making quick decisions from data it gathers and then adding meaning to it.