INCLUDE: Unconscious Bias and Conscious Inclusion

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, diversity and inclusion remains firmly on the corporate agenda.

In wider society, the tragic deaths of George Floyd, Breona Taylor and the Black Lives Matter movement shook the entire world.

As a company we have seen a sharp increase in requests for training to tackle unconscious bias, however there is also a great opportunity to raise the issue of conscious inclusion, in addition to unconscious bias, to drive sustainable change that will create a more inclusive workplace culture.

We firmly believe that to change behaviours, we must first change minds and hearts.

And this is best achieved through live, candid interaction. Our initial Unconscious Bias and Conscious Inclusion sessions last between 2 and 3 hours and are delivered face to face, or via live webinars.

Training is delivered by experienced sector specialists who can quickly get to the issues at the heart of the organisation. Each session gives participants the opportunity to ask questions and interact with their trainer and is tailored to meet the needs of the audience. We have a successful record in delivering impactful workshops from the boardroom; to specific functions such as recruitment and selection teams; through to shop-floor operatives.

A typical workshop will cover:

Equality, diversity, and inclusion, why bother?

Examining the strong business, legal and moral case for diversity and inclusion both now and in the future.

Unconscious Bias

Delegates will learn how our stereotypes and biases are created and maintained and why they are essential for human beings to operate successfully in a fast-moving world.
Most people now have at least a basic knowledge of what unconscious bias is and also an understanding of the potential value of diverse teams, so as the session progresses we will uncover the psychology behind homogeneous teams and reveal how, when, and why stereotypes and biases can sometimes lead us to incorrect or unfair decisions.

Different types of bias are explained (affinity bias; attribution bias; confirmation bias; media bias; halo and horns effect; comparison bias and recency bias) and linked to the impact in the workplace.

All with a specific focus on recruitment and selection; performance reviews and succession planning.

Having learned more about unconscious bias, delegates will work in small groups to complete action planning for improvements on a personal and organisational level and be signposted to free unconscious bias tests to complete individually after the session.

Microaggressions

Micro-aggressions are brief and commonplace verbal or behavioural indignities, typically rooted in unconscious bias, that communicate derogatory or negative messages. The person delivering these behaviours or statements is often unaware of the demeaning action they have exchanged. Unchecked these can have a negative impact on mental health, productivity, and career progression.

Conscious inclusion and allyship

Allyship can be given by anyone who has privilege. Everybody has some level of privilege as it is intersectional, however, some people have more privilege than others. Delegates will learn of the value that allyship adds to individuals, teams, and organisations as well as what steps are involved in becoming an effective ally and improving the workplace culture.

By the end of the training:

100% of participants held the view that running the training would contribute directly to business improvements.
100% of participants would recommend the training to a colleague.
100% had gained better understanding of unconscious bias, its impact in the workplace and what to do about it.
100% had gained new knowledge to help them lead, manage, or work in diverse teams.
100% gained better understanding of the impact they have on reducing unconscious bias and creating an inclusive culture. *

Consultancy

We also offer follow-up coaching and consultancy to support in-house initiatives such as unconscious bias awareness campaigns; allyship programmes or to review and embed unconscious bias content into in-house training programmes around key areas such as recruitment and selection and performance management.