Anti Bias Training: Is Anti Bias Education Effective?

The advent of anti-bias training is a response to growing inequalities in the workforce. From virtual hiring bias to gender bias, anti-bias training is an attempt to eliminate sources of bias that negatively affect the work environment.

However, anti-bias training currently shows tentative results in making demonstrable changes. Here we look at the results from implementations of anti-bias training and provide strategies on how to create workshops that are impactful.

What is Anti-Bias Training?

Anti-bias training raises awareness about subtle stereotypes and beliefs to uncover the sources of latent biases, with the end goal is redirecting the behaviors that stem from and perpetuate bias and inequality.

Theoretically, anti-bias training teaches people how to counteract biased thoughts and actions and is closely related to anti-racism training within a diversity and inclusion framework. 

Effectiveness of Education: Does Anti-Bias Training Work?

Anti-bias training procedures have recently met criticism and resistance. Some skeptics question whether anti-bias workshops really turn out meaningful, worthwhile results. 

To gauge anti-bias training's effectiveness, consider the possible learning outcomes. Anti-bias workshop participants may exhibit one or more of the following learning outcomes:

1.  Positive reactions to the training and its facilitator(s)

2. Newfound knowledge (awareness) about biases’ causes and effects

3. Renewed attitudes about disenfranchised groups and one's own ability to change 

4. Behavioral growth in counteracting bias

Unfortunately, positive reactions to the training and facilitator are the most common outcome, while the rest of the training outcomes consistently lag behind. 

The research on anti-bias training works shows anti-bias training alone often fails to change long-term attitudes and behavior. Anti-bias training needs consistent and careful reinforcement and preparation to create long-lasting change.

Three Key Factors for Impactful Anti-Bias Workshops

Anti-bias training is a challenging topic for any organization, and preparation is crucial to facilitating a positive workshop environment. Here are the key factors for creating anti-bias workshops that make an impact.

Make training part of larger inclusion strategy 

By itself, anti-bias training has a limited capacity to change anyone or any organization. Setting up obligatory, one-size-fits-all employee workshops is not enough. However, structural changes can help actively establish a level playing field in the workplace. 

Assemble and fortify diversity and inclusion (D&I) departments and policies. Consult diversity and inclusion professionals in administering anti-bias training. They can assess where a company stands. From there, they can show leaders where and how the organization can improve D&I.

Strong diversity and inclusion programs cater training to the collective identities of teams. An in-depth understanding of the people and their baselines informs appropriate training strategies. Specifically, include individualized D&I and anti-bias training specifically for leadership.

Focus workshops on raising awareness of bias and ways to change behavior 

Instruction about the causes and effects of bias is only a start. Trainees might learn about bias but still think to themselves, ‘so what?’ or ‘what now?’ 

Ensure that anti-bias training emphasizes shifting attitudes and behaviors. Workshops should assist in dissecting the reasons behind automatic biased thoughts and behaviors. Deconstructing biased attitudes is the link between bias awareness and subverting biased actions.

Help attendees build a roadmap for behavioral change 

Define the learning outcomes of interest for tiered anti-bias workshops. Distinguish and monitor initial reactions, awareness, internal attitudes, and behavioral development.

Map these learning goals along a progressive path towards behavioral change. The roadmap may look different for each group and each person. That is where a D&I strategy comes in, modeling instruction around the team’s starting point and ongoing progress.

Organize a step-by-step training process that builds in depth and scope. Initial employee reactions inform anti-bias training methods going forward. Once reactions are conducive to learning, gradually increase knowledge about bias. Ample awareness should transition into reflecting on biased attitudes.

Then, employees may display more willingness to change biased behavior. After training reaches this level, real behavioral change is more likely. Now, attendees can use new understandings to actualize the behavioral tools training offers. 

Combating biased behavior is a slow and steady process. Specific, goal-oriented instruction will make it more effective. Anti-bias training needs support from structural changes, including dynamic planning.

Reduce Bias in Sales Hiring with PerceptionPredict

Reducing bias starts pre-hire. Our predictive analytics solution focuses on the real-world criteria that directly determine sales performance within the role and company. Our Performance Fingerprints use that data to see which salespeople have the relevant ‘sales DNA’ to succeed. 

Learn how our solution creates more diversity within the workforce and book a demo to find out where PerceptionPredict fits into your D&I goals.