Unconscious bias is a mental shortcut made up of attitudes or stereotypes developed over time.

Unfortunately, when it goes unchecked, unconscious bias can have detrimental effects on your organisation’s creativity, diversity and inclusivity.

Is there anything you can do to reduce unconscious bias? Yes! Look to the SELF model.

4 ways to reduce unconscious bias

Unconscious bias can lead us all to make decisions based on flawed stereotypes or mental attitudes that have developed over time.

To reduce the impact of unconscious bias, Hudson has developed the SELF model.

Slow down your thinking, decisions & processes

We are most likely to give in to our unconscious biases when we are busy, anxious or under pressure – so avoid making key decisions during these times.

Empathise with the feelings & viewpoints of others

The old adage or ‘walking in someone else’s shoes’ is a simple, yet powerful technique for reducing unconscious stereotypes. This helps break down our brain’s natural ‘in-group/out-group bias.’

Learn about different diversity groups

Unconscious bias thrives on a lack of information. We often avoid what we don’t understand and the best way to fix this is to be informed by actively seeking to learn about different diversity groups.

Find evidence against stereotypes

Research demonstrates that unconscious stereotyping can be reduced by focusing on counter evidence. Organisations can reduce the impact of unconscious bias by celebrating individuals who don’t conform to stereotypes.

TIP

Recruitment processes such as structured interviews, psychometric testing, diverse selection panels and assessment centres all help to reduce unconscious bias.

To find out whether a candidate possesses the skills, aptitude and cultural fit for your team, talk to us about our psychometric assessment services.