Mahzarin R. Banaji, Max H. Bazerman and Dolly Chugh, ‘How (Un) Ethical are You ?’, ‘Harvard Business Review’, December 2003, pp. 3–10.
The authors discuss the issue of unconscious bias and, more particularly, how managers’ unconscious—and frequently unethical—biases can adversely affect an organisation’s performance and the welfare of its employees. They set out a number of negative outcomes that often result from unchecked unconscious bias. These include a failure to recognise high-potential employees; to retain talented staff; and to collaborate effectively with stakeholders. Team performance is also often eroded and, in the worst cases, unconscious bias can result in costly law suits. The authors list three common forms of unconscious bias:
- Implicit Prejudice (judging according to unconscious stereotypes rather than merit).
- In-Group Favouritism (granting favours to people with the same background (e.g. nationality, alma mater)).
- Overclaiming Credit (managers failing to ensure that all members of a Team feel their contribution has been acknowledged, rather than only one or a few members).
In an effort to counteract unconscious bias, the authors propose three actions:
- Gather Better Data (expose your own implicit biases by taking the Implicit Association Test (IAT)).
- Rid Your Workplace of Stereotypical Cues (consider the biased associations your workplace may foster and project—is there too high a reliance on sports metaphors or ‘high-tech’ jargon?; in addition, ensure that the organisation’s focus on skill-sets is a balanced one).
- Broaden Your Mind-Set When Making Decisions (in planning and decision-making, try to place yourself in the position of employees and/or stakeholders who may be affected by them).
M. R. Banaji is the Richard Clarke Cabot Professor of Social Ethics at Harvard University, and the Carol K. Pforzheimer Professor at Harvard’s Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study; M. H.
Bazerman is the Jesse Isidor Straus Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School; and Dolly Chugh is a doctoral candidate in Harvard University’s joint program in organisational behaviour and social psychology.