How unconscious bias in the workplace can influence our judgment

Written by Ali Shalfrooshan, Head of International Assessment R&D

The quality of our judgement and decision-making is increasingly becoming the most critical skill at work. With the tsunami of information and the wholesale adoption of generative AI, the biggest differentiator and key skill for employees will be gradually more dependent on the quality of our decisions. And the accuracy and fairness of those decisions is more important than ever. This means we need to be keenly aware of phenomena such as unconscious bias and how it impacts our thought and decision process.

What is unconscious bias in the workplace?

A factor that has been repeatedly identified to negatively impact our objectivity is a term called bias. Bias is a something that we hear a lot about, typically in a negative way, and is a word that has many connotations that can be used as an umbrella term to reflect outcomes and behaviour.

By definition, bias is a prejudice against a person or group compared to another, and unconscious bias is when this process happens outside of a person’s awareness. However, at its heart, bias is an outcome of implicit cognitive processes that help us process information efficiently. So, while it is evolutionarily useful, unconscious bias in the workplace can lead to reduced objectivity, ineffective decisions, and even discrimination.

The impact of unconscious bias in the workplace

Unconscious bias has been studied for decades and has shaped our understanding of how human perception influences behaviour. Gordon Allport was among the first to argue that bias stems from mental shortcuts, not just learned behaviours. In the 1970s, Amos Tversky and Daniel Kahneman identified heuristics and cognitive biases, showing that humans rely on these shortcuts to help us effectively navigate through life.

These unconscious biases have shown to be universal and a component of how we process information. While it may not impact all of our judgement, it can impact some critical decisions we make both in the workplace and our personal lives.

The impact of unconscious bias on recruitment

Unconscious bias in the workplace can start early on in the talent acquisition process. A meta-analysis of experiments on hiring discrimination over a 15-year period found that ethnic minority candidates on average receive nearly 33% fewer positive responses to their applications than their majority counterparts. Applicants with disabilities receive about 40% fewer positive responses on average, while the penalty for old(er) applicants is just above one-third. When these biases start so early in the talent acquisition process, it can immediately put certain job candidates at a disadvantage that is difficult or impossible to overcome.

The impact of unconscious bias on promotions

Even if your hiring process is equitable, unconscious bias in the workplace can still lurk later in the employee lifecycle. A global leadership report found that 49% of minority women and 46% of minority men in senior-level leadership roles say they expect to change employers to advance their careers; only 29% of non-minority men say the same. Organisations should invest in their employees to retain top talent, not allow unconscious bias to cloud their judgement and force those individuals to seek advancement opportunities elsewhere.

The impact of unconscious bias on pay

Gender bias in the workplace is particularly concerning, especially when it translates into take-home pay and impacts employees’ ability to provide for themselves and their family. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2024, women in the US earned 15% less than men on average. As recent as five years ago, the gap was even wider for many women of colour. Black women earned 70% as much as White men and Hispanic women earned 65% as much.

Recognising the basis of unconscious bias in the workplace

So, what are the factors that lead to unconscious bias in the workplace? Below we have detailed what we believe are some of the root causes of these biases.

1. Experiences and norms
   Our brains internalise societal expectations and norms automatically. This internalised cultural framework shapes our understanding of what ‘normal’ looks like. Unfortunately, these internal scripts often star outdated stereotypes, unintentionally turning hiring or promotional decisions into biased casting calls rather than merit-based selections. In short, unconscious bias in the workplace can be so deeply rooted in our internal thinking that we may not even realise it exists.

   For instance, research still shows stark discrepancies: candidates with white-sounding names received anywhere from 9% to 24% more callbacks than Black ones. It’s as though our internal YouTube, Netflix, and Instagram algorithms are refusing to diversify our viewing habits, allowing that unconscious bias to prevail.

2. Cognitive shortcuts
   Our minds crave efficiency, so we lean heavily on heuristics, what Kahneman notably termed as ‘fast thinking.’ These shortcuts help us function efficiently but can also create that unconscious bias in the workplace by tricking us into false confidence about our objectivity. For instance, the ease with which we recall familiar stereotypes often convinces us of their truthfulness, leading to quick yet flawed decision-making – like confidently choosing directions without GPS, only to end up embarrassingly lost.
3. Survival
   The factor that shapes and is present with both of these above phenomena is our fundamental desire to survive. Originally, biases helped our ancestors quickly identify threats and opportunities. Spotting a lion hiding in the grass required snap judgements, not leisurely deliberations about the machinations of feline behaviour.Whilst lucky for us that the modern office environment rarely contains lions, we still tend to apply these ancestral shortcuts. This unconscious bias in the workplace manifests itself in situations like choosing colleagues who feel ‘safer’ because they look and act like us, leading to exclusion rather than collaboration.

   Understanding that our view of the world is a perception – something that isn’t objective but crafted by our own curated viewpoint – is essential. This perception is influenced by our survival instincts, socialised experiences, and cognitive shortcuts.

Overcoming unconscious bias in the workplace

By acknowledging and addressing unconscious bias in the workplace, we not only move towards genuinely inclusive workplaces but also the ability to make better, smarter business decisions overall. As Kahneman humorously reminds us, “thinking slow is often smarter, even if our impatient brains insist otherwise.”

Acknowledging that unconscious bias is universal and that none of us are immune creates a more inclusive and effective workplace. The goal isn’t to eliminate unconscious bias in the workplace entirely as its origins are useful and a fundamental aspect of who we are; it’s to acknowledge it exists, repeatedly question our perceptions, and actively counteract any negative implications it produces.

To overcome unconscious bias in the workplace with objective and good quality decisions requires conscious effort, better processes, and a willingness to admit that sometimes, our brains – fuelled by our unique experiences and perspective – can play tricks on us. It is the ability to recognise those tricks that will allow us to overcome the shortcomings of negative biases and advance a more equitable work environment.