IMPLICIT BIAS AND DIVERSITYTRAINING IN THE WORKPLACE

Explore the meaning of implicit bias, what it means to yourorganization, and how to combat its effects. Discover two key ways tomake your implicit bias training impactful and to strengthen yourorganization's diversity and inclusion strategy.

A LOOK INSIDE

Implicit Bias Training: Overview

Benefits of Virtual Delivery

Importance of Reflection

Emotional Intelligence and Inclusion

Authenticity is Key How TTA Can Help

In order to evaluate the current state of bias in the workplace, it's important to have a clear definition of implicit bias.

Implicit bias refers to the thoughts and feelings we have that occur in an unaware state which both positively and

negatively affect our actions, decisions, and attitudes towards others. Whether you are building upon your current

diversity training program or would like to create a new program, you are taking the right steps forward. While implicit

bias and diversity training is undoubtedly a positive change for any organization, it comes with both its' benefits and

challenges.

 

Implicit bias training can provide several benefits to your organization. Here are a few examples of positive changes

you'll see with implicit bias training:

 

Employees will have a better understanding of how and

why unconscious bias existsEmployees will have the ability to identify and become

aware of their own biasEmployees will be able to make better decisions excluding

bias from the decision making process

Employees will have the knowledge necessary to

recognize the negative impact that bias can have on an

organization

IMPLICIT BIAS TRAINING

Virtual Delivery

It is often believed that implicit bias or diversity and inclusion

training is ineffective when delivered virtually. To find out more

about delivering Diversity and Inclusion and Implicit Bias Training

virtually, we consulted with one of our learning experts Judy Kaye.

Judy is a diversity practitioner with over 25 years of experience in a

wide range of industries and notable experience as a lawyer. She has

designed and conducted hundreds of interactive workshops on

diversity and inclusion, prevention of discrimination and harassment

at work and school, effective communication, and culturally

competent patient care. Judy shared four key advantages of

delivering diversity training virtually.

Finding alternative delivery methods to incorporate implicit bias and diversity training is moreimportant than ever. Globally, organizations are beginning to utilize virtual means of training andknowledge sharing. While your team may not be physically within the walls of your office, it’simportant to remember that learning and growth can continue.  

4 BENEFITS OFVIRTUAL DELIVERY

1. Increased Self Evaluation and Re�ection

 We are all in�uenced by the thoughts, opinions, andexperiences of those around us. By conducting the trainingvirtually, participants may feel more willing to examine their

unconscious biases without the in�uence and potentialjudgements of those around them in a traditional classroom.

2. More E�cient Group Work Opportunities

 It’s easy to assume that no alternative is more e�cient than in-person group projects, but this may not be the case. With virtual

diversity and sexual harassment training, participants canquickly split into smaller discussion/chat groups, such a Zoom’s

‘breakout room’ feature. This allows for more collaborativeopportunities without interfering too much with training time.

4 BENEFITS OFVIRTUAL DELIVERY

3. Open and Honest Questions

Often learners are resistant to ask questions when they are in a roomfull of their peers, particularly while being trained on a sensitive subjectsuch as diversity and sexual harassment. However, when participatingin virtual training, learners can easily send the instructor private chatmessages in real time during the session. These chats could includequestions, comments, or examples of bias that they might be more

reluctant to share if they are in front of a group of peers. The instructoris then able to address these questions anonymously to the entire

group.

4. Improved Accuracy of Implicit Bias Tests (IAT)IAT’s are often conducted at the beginning and end of a diversity training

course and are an extremely valuable metric in evaluating the effectivenessof the training. If participants have the opportunity to take these tests at theircomputer rather than in a traditional classroom, participants might be more

honest and transparent knowing they will de�nitely keep their anonymity.

In order to have the greatest impact and create

lasting change, it's crucial that implicit bias training

really speaks to learners. There are lots of different

ways to impact learners, but here are two

representative strategies that we have used

successfully at TTA:  

 

1. Create authentic scenarios and examples  

2. Invite learners to reflect on their own

perspectives and stories  

 

These strategies can also be used to customize and

tailor an existing program. It's valuable to start with

the research, but we aim for applicability and

relevance in both the instructor-led and virtual or

on-demand offerings.

SPEAK TO THE LEARNERS

The number one problem with most implicit bias training is a lack ofauthenticity. Often, when hypothetical scenarios are used in training,they are perceived as inauthentic or unintentionally humorous. Dueto the fact that the characters in these hypothetical scenarios lackdimension and human complexity, they can actually reinforcestereotypes rather than overcome them. Let's take a look at how wecan address this within our Implicit Bias Training. 

AUTHENTICITY IS KEY

HOW DO WE ADDRESS THIS?

Create authentic narratives

Help learners reflect on their own narrative

Challenge learners to "read" or understand their story and

the story of learners

DESIGNING FOR EMPATHY

NARRATIVE AUTHENTICITYRecent studies have shown that reading literature (with complex, psychologically interesting characters)

increases emotional intelligence and empathy. We need those same qualities in the stories and narratives

we use for our implicit bias training

5 QUESTIONS FOR BUILDING AUTHENTICITYCreating authentic scenarios can be one of the greatest challenges in developing impactful implicit bias

training. In order to create an authentic narrative, be sure to ask yourself the following questions:

DOES ITINCORPORATE

MULTIPLE POINTSOF VIEW?

IS THECONTEXT

RELATABLE?

IS ITPLAUSIBLE?

DOES IT HAVEAN EMOTIONAL

IMPACT?

ARE THECONSEQUENCES

REALISTIC?

1 2 3 4 5

THE IMPORTANCE OF REFLECTIONReflection is a great way to incorporate critical thinking skills within implicitbias and diversity training. A few of the ways that reflection can positivelyimpact your implicit bias training are: 1. Reflection helps learners become aware of their own values2. It allows learners to consider perspectives other than their own3. It challenges learners to think critically about their own values4. It distances automatic thinking from action5. It models new frameworks of thought  

VALUE REFLECTIONS TOOLFOR CRITICAL THINKING

Reflection is a crucial piece of any training, but

particularly useful in implicit bias training. Take a look

at some of the possible reflection questions you could

ask yourself when participating in implicit bias or

diversity training:

Emotional Intelligence

and Inclusion

Empty text

Incorporating emotional intelligence training into

your overall L&D strategy can be a great step on the

path to inclusion. Emotional intelligence training

can be beneficial for your organization's culture and

can lead to increased behavioral awareness and the

changes necessary to create an inclusive workplace

environment.    Emotional intelligence training can

increase your teams empathy towards others,

strengthen their ability to have difficult

conversations, and help overcome implicit bias in

the workplace. 

Of course, these strategies of learner reflectionand narrative authenticity are just two of manypossible options for bringing your implicit biasand diversity and inclusion training to life. TTAcan help you map out the right solution for yourorganization. 

Culture assessments & evaluations

Trainers and facilitators with experience in implicit

biasSubject-matter expertsReady-to-go programs with options for

customizationFully custom ILT or virtual on-demand optionsReinforcement coaching or microlearning

Integrated curricula where implicit bias is taught

alongside critical thinking, soft skills, ethics, sexual

harassment, etc. 

TTA can help with your implicit bias initiatives byproviding: 

 

HOW TTA CAN HELP

To find out more visit TTA's Diversity and Inclusion Page: https://thetrainingassociates.com/diversity-and-inclusion-training/

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