Minimizing Workplace Gender and Racial Bias
Work place bias: the differences in career outcomes by gender/race/etc that are not attributable to the differences in skills, qualifications, interests, and preferences of employees
big body of research demonstrating bias does happen
cognitive foundations of bias: gender and racial stereotypes
people who are not prejudiced are as vulnerable to bias as those with prejudiced beliefs
individuating information- relevant info about the individuals being considered
attributes we associate with specific genders/races are overlearned- habitual and unconcious
subjects made stereotypical judgments when they assumed that individuating info was present, even when it was not
IMPLICATIONS
the task is not to eliminate "stereotypical thinking" but to minimize its impact on personnel decisions
unless done carefully, efforts to get decision makers to attend to the actual traits of individuals can backfire
minimizing bias is esp difficult when the criteria for decision-making are arbitrary and subjective
stereotypes in institutional context
women who are new to traditionally male-dominated work settings often attract more attention, are evaluated more extremely, are perceived as different, receive less support, and are more likely to be viewed as disruptive
stereotype and group bias effects are probably substantially larger in the "real world" than in the laboratory
organizational policy and practice: generating and sustaining bias
a high degree of segregation in such a system is usually a strong indicator that ascriptive traits are strongly influencing decisions
highly subjective personnel systems reinforce the impact of segregated informal networks and personal ties in hiring and internal selection decisions
personnel systems whose criteria for making decisions are arbitrary and subjective are highly vulnerable to bias
word of mouth recruitment typically reproduces the existing gender/ethinic composition
subjective and highly discretionary internal selection systems favor those with personal ties to decision makers
bureaucratic, rule based, seemingly objective systems can also generate bias and produced segregated outcomes
organizational politics among competing constituencies can deflect and undermine the goals of bureaucratic systems designed explicitly to reduce workplace inequalities
both personal and formal procedures can/are manipulated by those in positions of privilege to preserve their advantage
organizational policy and practice: formalized approaches to minimizing bias
1) what constitutes job-relevant info should be established through a systematic job analysis
2) a mechanism must be in place for potential candidates to make their interests and qualifications known to those making the selections
impact of stereotypes can be minimized when judgments are based timely and relevant info; when decision makers evaluate that information; and when a mechanism exists for holding decision makers accountable for the process and criteria used
3) substantive oversight of decision making needs to be implemented beyond simply "signing off" by a higher level supervisor
the limits of formal approaches: EEO accountability is key to minimizing bias
Konrad and Lennehan contrast such systems with those that are 'identity conscious' in that group identity is taken into consideration explicitly in monitoring personnel deicisons
only identity-conscious structures were associated with reduced gender/racial disparities in career outcomes
the recommendations I have proposed are 'identity blind'; they are 'practices designed to ensure that the human resource decision-making process is the same for each individual'
EEO regulation/laws contain considerable ambiguity regarding what constitutes compliance and very little enforcement has occured
EEO ACCOUNTABILITY:
2) systematic analysis of feedback from employees about perceptions of barriers to and opportunities for career advancement
3) explicit evaluation of managers and supervisors on their contributions to an organization's EEO goals
1) implement regular monitoring and analysis of patterns of segregation and differences by gender and race in pay and career advancement