Understanding Conscious Bias vs Unconscious Bias in the Workplace
unconscious bias
A perfect example of unconscious bias manifesting in a conscious and damaging way.
At Sapia, we delve into research and confront narratives around conscious and unconscious bias, foundational to our mission.
Our team recognizes the rapidity with which conscious biases have been ascribed to an entire ethnicity amid the Coronavirus crisis. This
phenomenon exemplifies a conscious bias definition: the misplaced attribution of traits or behaviors based on prejudiced assumptions. When some rationalize, “It’s not racism, it’s fear of the virus’s origin from China,” they unwittingly reveal a conscious bias vs unconscious bias. This is not just a flawed but a discriminatory logic that superficially seems reasonable, yet it’s a mere conscious bias underneath.
A flawed logic that seems sensible on the surface, nothing but pure stereotyping underneath. Simply, everyone who looks Chinese are not recent travels from China.
Australia is home to 1.2mil Chinese origin Australians according to the 2016 Census. Should we worry about all of them? Bias has no place in fighting any problem, even when it is a deadly virus. It only creates stress and disharmony.
The virus’s impartiality starkly contrasts human conscious bias; it operates without a trace of racial preference.
Early this week, a colleague decided to work from home due to a cold, illustrating proactive measures beyond mere conscious bias training—a decision that prevented any conscious or unconscious bias from influencing his judgment about safety.
We jokingly speculated about his potential as a Coronavirus carrier, not realizing that this jest was a reflection of conscious bias vs unconscious bias. As the week progressed, team members proactively canceled trips to China for Easter, a step taken before any formal travel restrictions, indicating a heightened awareness of conscious and unconscious bias in the workplace.
The individual with a cold, of Sri Lankan descent, inadvertently highlighted the irrelevance of ethnicity, challenging the conscious biases that might have emerged in a less informed environment.
The team member who had a cold this week is Sri Lankan by birth. I guess that means we would have all been safe if he turned up to work as he is the ‘right’ ethnicity.
The individual with a cold, of Sri Lankan descent, inadvertently highlighted the irrelevance of ethnicity, challenging the conscious biases that might have emerged in a less informed environment.
Our mission at Sapia to counteract bias in hiring is personal and driven by an understanding of what is conscious bias. As an immigrant, my experiences have been relatively free from the conscious bias that others face, which fuels our commitment to developing technology that provides equitable career opportunities.
The issue of bias in AI hiring tools, such as the case against HireVue, shows that even technology is not immune to conscious and unconscious bias. The allegations suggest a need for rigorous conscious bias training within algorithm development.
How does AI solve the issues of discrimination and bias in recruitment?
At Sapia, our method to mitigate conscious and unconscious bias is simple: a text-based interview process, free from visual or vocal data that could introduce conscious bias. This approach is designed to overcome the conscious biases that often go unchecked in traditional hiring practices.
We emphasize the importance of bias testing in AI tools, understanding that while humans may never be entirely free of conscious bias, machines can be meticulously scrutinized and corrected for it.
Ultimately, while bias training may not eradicate conscious biases, it is pivotal that we embrace technology to minimize the influence of unconscious/conscious bias in crucial decisions like hiring, thus advancing towards true meritocracy.
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