Unconscious bias — a term that refers to a prejudice we are unaware of — is costing firms more than they know. Unconscious bias (also called implicit bias) is projected to cost companies $64B annually^. The estimated cost is based on the loss and replacement of more than 2 million American workers as a result of discrimination, which does not include attorney fees in the event a company gets sued for the same. But the costs transcend monetary values. Unconscious bias is also harmful to the development of an organization, and needs to be addressed at a company-wide level.

Based on how we grew up, our socioeconomic status, race, gender and unique life experiences, we see, perceive and feel the world differently. We may not know it, but passing judgements and reacting from a place of criticism can cause major problems, especially if it happens unconsciously.

Here is a softcore example of unconscious bias: There is a young person at work and you automatically assume they do not hold a leadership position. Another example would be assuming a coworker over the age of 50 knows nothing about social media. In reality, the 27-year-old could be the CEO and the 55-year-old, a wiz at social media.

Even the “nicest” of us have prejudices and stereotypes about others, and that is a part of human nature. What is not okay is when we do not address these biases. When we overlook the stereotype or prejudice, and act from our unconscious brain, we cause harm to those around us.

Another, more serious and important example involves race — which is one of the biggest issues we face with unconscious bias.  Research shows that 48% of Black women and 47% of Latinx women report being mistaken for administrative or custodial staff. Out of those people who report experiencing workplace bias, 33% feel alienated, 34% withhold ideas and solutions, and 80% would not refer people to their employer. When unaddressed or unacknowledged, unconscious bias will continue to run the show at workplaces until it is looked at. So, how do we tackle this?

Acknowledge and Unlearn

First, we must acknowledge our biases. We want to get to a place where we question our thoughts before speaking. If you are feeling judgmental toward someone at work, ask yourself: Why is that person or what they are doing upsetting you or making you judge them? Do you have preconceived assumptions that have nothing to do with them? Once you have acknowledged your own biases, take a deeper look and purposely try to unlearn them. Sometimes, it could be a stereotype or prejudice that your parents, teachers or even other coworkers passed on you in the past that’re being reinforced in the present.

Going back to our older coworker’s example, let’s reframe:

“They’re over 50, so they won’t be very tech-savvy or know much about social media.”

You can change this assumption to:

“Anyone can learn social media, so I should ask the person if they feel comfortable with it, no matter their age.”

Once we overcome a bias or prejudice, we can unlearn any programming that was resting in our unconscious minds and become more accepting going forward.

Look at Affinity Bias

Affinity bias is the concept of gravitating toward people who look like us, act like us, and think like us, while avoiding people who are different from us, or those we do not understand. This could manifest as not hiring someone because they practice a different religion from yours. Do not beat yourself up if the thought comes up. It helps to know that this is primal and tribal behavior.

Hundreds of years ago, tribes gathered together to survive and ward off foreign clans trying to take over their land or food; so this mindset of “staying close to your pack” resides deep within our ancestral instincts, even though it doesn’t apply to today’s living standards. We can rectify this by looking at our biases and being open to learn from people who are different from us, and implementing a standardization process at work.

A standardization process refers to the systematic determination and documentation of a work sequence and process for each operation. This could include check sheets, usage instructions and having documented processes for how different tasks get done. Why would this help avoid prejudice? Because it puts everything out in the open in a clear-cut manner, so that no matter your race, gender identity, or age, if you make a mistake, it will not matter which boxes you tick. Doing so can provide a standard of work that avoids prejudices. This can help slow down the automatic gut response and encourage methodical and deliberate responses.

Look at the Halo Effect

The halo effect is a psychological term that means if someone or something does a good deed, or looks good, we immediately assume they are a good person, or a good brand, all around. We know that it is not necessarily true, yet we hold positive associations with that person or brand no matter what. How does this apply in the workplace? For example, if we like a coworker, (maybe we think they are funny or good-looking), we may overlook something negative they said or a mistake they made at work because we do not want to tarnish the good image we hold of them, and we do not want to cause a stir.

Yet, humans are flawed and we all make mistakes — it is helpful not to put anyone on a pedestal. On the other end of the halo is the “horn” — if someone makes a mistake at work, their boss may not assign them another task due to this bias, assuming they will mess up again. A big part of rectifying these biases is to identify the assumptions we make and keep them in check.

Eliminating Confirmation and Perception Bias

Confirmation bias is when a person unconsciously uses an internal filter to support previously held opinions and ignores evidence that disproves these opinions. Humans have a normal tendency to favor information that confirms their existing beliefs or hypothesis.

To put an end to this, you can individually and as a team:

• Review both pros and cons before making a decision.
• Seek out and examine contradictory data.
• Ask other impartial parties to review your innate conclusions.

This will undoubtedly stir up your beliefs and allow them to change into something different — and will help your team members do the same with theirs.

Perception bias is the tendency to form stereotypes and assumptions about certain groups that make it impossible to make an objective judgment about individual members of those groups. An example might be not inviting a coworker out to drinks after work because you assume it doesn’t align with their religion.

Some steps to fix this are:

• Acknowledge the problem’s existence.
• Instead of assuming, interact with the person to find out the truth.
• Spread awareness about it (especially to your team).
• Take action over the problem.
• Be accountable for your own actions.

Another bias, groupthink bias, is a bit more communal, and “tribal.” This behavior is when an individual tends to favor an opinion of the majority in a certain group to fit in. This is especially important to look at if you’re a manager or leader of any kind. What’s going on that you are aware of, and not aware of within the group or team dynamic?

Here are ways to help:

• Volunteer to be the devil’s advocate by pointing out and suggesting ways to improve.
• If you’re in a position of leadership, allow other team members to share their thoughts and opinions first before your own.
• Critically evaluate the options that have been discussed.
• Take impartial third-party opinions to challenge the group opinions, and make them aware of what groupthink bias is.

So, how can you take this beyond your team? Implementing proper awareness training and adequate processes and structures put in place by human resources (HR), learning and development (L&D) and talent management and is a good place to start to root out and minimize unconscious bias in the workplace.

Tackling unconscious bias in the workplace starts with awareness, having honest and difficult conversations, and being open to listening and learning. Avoiding unconscious bias is a continuous process of questioning the origins of your thoughts, not only at a personal level but also company-wide. The HR and L&D departments of companies may properly implement adequate awareness training and seminars to spread the knowledge about unconscious bias and how to tackle it.

There should be a system where workers and companies are not only encouraged to avoid biases — they must be required to do so.

Unlearning our deep-seated biases takes time and a conscious effort. While we cannot be exactly blamed for all of them as some are acquired from our respective culture and upbringings, we are responsible for keeping them in check and making sure they do not affect our decisions as they will have effects on the people around us.