Patricia DuChene, GM EMEA and VP of Sales at Wrike, on how to tackle unconscious bias.
Business leaders can be vocal about their commitment to diversity, but in practice, many companies fail to achieve it. Despite HR efforts, PR campaigns and the good intentions of current hiring managers, we have yet to close the diversity gap, particularly between genders.
And it’s not just an ethical issue; it’s just plain bad for business. A McKinsey report released earlier this year revealed that companies in the top 25% for gender diversity on their executive teams were 21% more likely to outperform on profitability than those with the least diverse workforces.
Unconscious biases are learned stereotypes that are often unintentional, yet able to influence behaviour. All humans have an unconscious bias that shape decisions, and it becomes especially apparent during the hiring process. Renowned author and speaker, Avivah Wittenberg-Cox noted: “The corporate world is led by men confident that they are identifying talent objectively and effectively. The reality is that decision making about talent is rife with unconscious assumptions and personal biases.”...