Part 2 – CULTURAL UNCONSCIOUS BIAS AT ORGANISATIONAL LEVEL

Like individuals, organisations can also be subject to unconscious bias permeating institutional structures and processes: “Unconscious organizational patterns, or ‘norms’ of behaviour, exert an enormous influence over organizational decisions, choices, and behaviours” (CDO, 2008, p. 11).

What is written in the Diversity Charta about diversity in SMEs, can also be applied to the issue of cultural unconscious bias in SMEs. One aspect in managing cultural unconscious in SMEs is a pragmatic approach: it is important to develop a strategy with measures that fit business objectives, focusing on particular aspects like hiring or team development (https://www.charta-der-vielfalt.de/en/for-employers/diversity-management/small-and-mid-sized-companies-smes/).

Fundamental for handling successfully unconscious bias at an organisational level is the willingness and commitment to this issue by the members involved (CDO, 2008, p. 16; Gino/Coffman, 2021). Their attitude is the key element in the realisation of the following steps helpful in the change process:

• sensitising
• recognising
• solving

Sensitising

Accepting that cultural unconscious bias also exists at organisational level is an important first step. It might be helpful to encourage all members of the organisation to open up to this topic providing information and opportunities to exchange. Factual knowledge about the mechanisms of bias contributes to the acceptance and lowers resistance toward processes of recognition and change.

Applied to the cultural context this may mean for example that an organisation has to accept that it has so far preferred to recruit people from one particular culture.

Tip: Provide information about bias (leaflets, info-emails, short inputs) and the cultures present in your organisation, create opportunities to discuss the topics (informal discussion rounds and encounters).

Recognising

An organisation wanting to address cultural unconscious bias faces the challenge of having to detect areas subject to bias. Finding out types of biases members of the organisation display towards each other probably tackles only a part of the problem. Of course, it is helpful to know about the types of bias members of the organisation are subject to (culture, age, gender, race, etc.). However, to analyse in depth cultural unconscious bias at the organisational level, the organisation should be prepared to undergo a thorough check of all structures and processes sensitive to bias by checking for example:

• How anonymous is the recruitment process?
• How is the performance evaluation conducted?
• How are high performers identified? (see for these questions Diversity Best Practices, 2008, p. 15).

Some organisations opt for an external audit analysis to get an impartial view on their organisation (Diversity Best Practices, 2008, p. 15).

Applied to the cultural context the organisation may ask questions like: How many employees of culturally diverse background are employed? How many with a migrant background? Is there a noticeable predominance of a certain geographic region?

Tip: Conducting anonymous surveys to find out about areas, structures and processes affected by cultural unconscious bias is a helpful means (Diversity Best Practices, 2008, p. 15).

Solving

To ensure that cultural unconscious bias is properly addressed at organisational level it is probably helpful to rely on two principles: The “Principle of Written Form” and the “Four Eyes Principle”.

To use the written form predominantly or exclusively serves to ensure impersonality and controllability of important processes and decisions. This way, others can check and trace for example how decisions were taken.

To rely on the presence of somebody else (four eyes principle) in important situations like recruiting or task assignment serves as a monitoring mechanism to prevent or reduce misuse and manipulation.

Applied to the cultural context this means for example that to avoid choosing candidates of similar cultural background it is helpful to have binding written protocols of job interviews. To conduct the job interview together with a colleague would help to avoid making decisions based on personal preferences.

Tipp: Write down (hiring) protocols, policies, use technology in recruitment to anonymise. Establish control committees, complaint channels, train personnel (Diversity Best Practices, 2008, p. 15f.; Nalty, 5/45, p. 49). To gather ideas for measures to apply see here https://www.charta-der-vielfalt.de/fileadmin/user_upload/Studien_Publikationen_Charta/Charta-der-Vielfalt-Matritzen-engl-SMEs_1_.pdf