Unconscious bias stems from ancient times when humans needed to organize people and things into categories to survive. This mental predisposition plays a role in modern biases we are exposed to each day.
False judgments result from a variety of factors, such as race, gender, age, or religion. We must acknowledge the vast variety of factors that contribute to bias so we can identify when our unconscious bias comes into play.
Knowledge and practice are tools we can use to overcome our unconscious bias and allow for a more equal and diverse workforce. Learning about different cultures through training and discussions is an excellent way to better understand those that are not like us. Discovering the wants, needs, and motivations of different cultures helps us better understand their point of view and improve communication such that culture does not become a barrier and that you learn to focus on the commonalities.
Communicating and collaborating often with those of different backgrounds can help reduce unconscious bias, which can lead to greater team diversity and improved productivity, which can increase a business’ bottom line.