Feds urged to fight ‘unconscious bias’ in hiring and promotions ~ Washington Post

It seems as if  there are articles everyday about unconscious bias and its impact on the workplace. April 14 in the Washington Post, an article by Joe Davidson outlines the issue quite well:  

As dangerous as it was, battling overt segregation during the civil rights era was in some ways easier than combating today’s insidious racism.

At least you could see the “white only” signs and you knew who was behind them.

Those signs are long gone, but racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination didn’t go with them. They are among us, often hidden, yet potent. The perpetrators of this prejudice would never call themselves bigots and might not even realize they act like one.

Beth Cobert, the acting Office of Personnel Management director, is urging federal officials to confront this unseen, but not unfelt, discrimination.

“As many of you know, one of the most challenging barriers to diversity and inclusion is unconscious bias,” she said at OPM’s diversity and inclusion summit at the Coast Guard headquarters Tuesday. “It’s difficult to grapple with because it is unconscious — not as obvious as calling out someone for using improper language or overtly passing someone over for a promotion. Probably the most unconscious bias exhibited during the hiring process is the ‘like me’ bias. The ‘like me’ bias means leaders and managers typically look to hire or promote people who look like themselves. A white male will select a white male, for example.”

Our new program, Defeating Unconscious Bias, shows the impact of bias in the workplace and teaches 5 skills anyone can use to counter their own personal bias.

More From Our Blog…

What’s going on in there?

What’s going on in there?

Listen to the Hidden Brain: Revealing Your Unconscious podcast and find outA friend texted me about a podcast he thought I would enjoy. The show notes piqued my interest: “We ask how is it that we can hold negative stereotypes — without being aware of them?” If you’ve...

read more
You can’t see me

You can’t see me

Associated PressExamples of racial double standards in sports abound. Athletes of different races are frequently treated differently based on their race, and the recent NCAA women’s basketball national championship laid this bare. Near the end of a game, LSU’s Angel...

read more
Reclaiming the Water

Reclaiming the Water

Why I’m in awe of the Howard University swimming and diving team By Gina Miller When we follow threads back through history, appalling origins or explanations for certain contemporary social issues / racial matters are often discovered.  This was my experience when I...

read more
Chances are your hiring process is riddled with bias

Chances are your hiring process is riddled with bias

Inclusive hiring is the practice of minimizing bias and creating an equitable recruitment, application, interview, selection and offer process for a diverse set of candidates.  It’s critical for attracting and retaining a diverse, engaged and innovative talent pool....

read more
DEI Leaders are Burning Out

DEI Leaders are Burning Out

A recent article in Human Resources Director highlights something that we’ve been hearing a lot about - diversity fatigue. It’s a term from the 90s, but it’s back now and the reasons require serious consideration.  In the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder, there was...

read more
The Day the National Guard Raided an HBCU Dorm

The Day the National Guard Raided an HBCU Dorm

A portion of the bullet-ridden, exterior wall of Smith Hall still stands in commemoration at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.  Khadejeh Nikouyeh/News & ObserverThis is why Black history needs to be taught By Gina Miller, contributing...

read more
Embodying Ethical Leadership

Embodying Ethical Leadership

In an age when faith in our institutions—academic, corporate and government—is at an all-time low, it behooves leaders to “do the right thing.” Paraphrasing Charlamagne, “Right action is better than knowledge, but in order to do what is right, we must know what is...

read more
Right Where She Belongs

Right Where She Belongs

How Lisette Martinez creates an inclusive culture and a world of opportunity as Jefferson Health’s Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer By Gina Miller The innate desire to belong The year was 1984 in Ypsilanti, Michigan when the world fractured in...

read more