The Three Top Ways Workplace Bias Can Affect Employees
Hostile work environments can be created by bias. This might not even be recognized as the cause of toxicity at work; people can be blind to their own biases at times. It might be a shock, but it is possible for individuals to be discriminatory without even noticing, and employers and superiors are no different.
As they are often in charge of employees, their biases can have more impact than a random colleague. Plus, there are different types of workplace bias, meaning that all types of people could be targeted. This means that the effects of biases and prejudices can be far-reaching, and this will take its toll on the workplace.
To understand the three top ways that workplace bias can affect employees, keep reading this post.
Decreased Engagement and Productivity
Workplace bias, particularly unconscious bias, can result in less employee engagement over time. This is because enthusiasm and motivation for work diminish when employees feel excluded, undervalued, or unfairly treated. A worker might have felt that their contributions in the past were not valued sufficiently or they have not received the same opportunities as their coworkers, and this could lead to a reduction in their willingness to participate.
To overcome these issues, an employer or supervisor should make an effort to create a more engaged and productive workforce. This can be achieved by seeking input from individual workers, especially those who have diverse backgrounds and experiences. Their insights should be considered when making decisions to ensure the influence of unconscious bias is kept to a minimum.
It would also be worthwhile educating and training employees about unconscious bias. They should understand its impact on the workplace, helping them to spot their own biases and mitigate them effectively.
Increased Stress and Employee Turnover
When an employee feels undervalued or mistreated at work, they are more likely to seek out another job. This is often due to feeling overlooked or underappreciated in their roles, which can cause workers to question their future at that specific company. In fact, it was found that almost three in five working Americans felt less than 100% secure in their current positions, with some believing their company lacked appreciation for employees.
In a work environment where there is very little appreciation, employees can feel increasingly stressed and even overworked, especially if they see their coworkers being rewarded and thanked for their contributions. This type of treatment can lead to mental and physical health problems. Some workers would prefer to look for a less stressful job or working environment because of this.
Encouraging open communication with all employees is crucial to stop bias and related retention issues. Bosses and superiors should actively listen to their employees’ concerns and create diverse team structures. These strategies will ensure a more inclusive environment where all workers feel heard and valued.
Missed Opportunities
There are some decisions in the workplace that can be influenced by biases, and these will often be considered missed opportunities for the affected employees. Biases based on stereotypes could impact decisions like hiring and promotions, although it can also factor into daily interactions. This will limit certain workers’ chances of advancement by creating an uneven playing field.
But even the company might be missing out on opportunities for innovation by limiting the employees who offer ideas and unique perspectives. Businesses will often grow when new ideas are heard and put in motion, but biased superiors might ignore genuine insights from specific workers.
Employers should create inclusive processes to avoid this from happening in their businesses. For example, the hiring process might be altered to include blind resume reviews, diverse interview panels, and structured interview questions. This will minimize bias in hiring decisions.
To conclude, there are numerous ways that bias in the workplace can affect those working there, as outlined by this post. The important thing for superiors to remember is that it is possible to stop workplace biases, and this is what they should focus on.