Unconscious Bias And Workplace Diversity – A Thought Exercise On Bias Reduction

Introduction

If you are searching for non-stereotypical ideas for removing Gender-based stereotypes at your workplace, look no further. Organize a virtual gathering of your colleagues, grab a mug of coffee, and get comfortable on a couch to have an exciting, thought-provoking conversation about the characters/theme of the following story. You can call it, “Good conversations….and coffee!” Everyone misses it!

Here is Part One of the three stories:

The ‘Armed Forces 50 km Route March’ Story

We were 20 women cadets among 100 men cadets, freshly recruited in the Indian Armed Forces, eager to prove our mettle. After our sergeant divided us into four teams, we were assigned a ‘Route March.’ The distance was an arduous 50 km stretch, and the sergeant wanted the teams to compete with steadfastness. The target was to return to the Start Point
in under 3 hrs. Two out of the four teams never made it back on time. But the other two teams, who did, left behind 2-3 members, who had not been able to cope with the exhaustion and had to stop.

Once everyone was back, our sergeant commanded all the 120 cadets to ‘fall-in-line.’ The sergeant did not say anything to the two ‘late’ teams. Instead, he instructed the two teams who had returned ‘in time’ to ‘fall out.’ That day we got the most important lesson the Army taught us. The sergeant sent these two teams back on the 50 km stretch, this time with a caveat;

“Win or Lose, you are all equal partners first.”

Suggested Questions:

1. As equal partners from Diverse Genders, your team has the best chance to thrive: Do you agree? Can you justify it?
2. Is it ok to assume that the members who were left behind were women? Why or why not?
3. Does this story bring out Gender Sensitization? Can you justify it?

I hope you enjoyed the good conversations with coffee!! I am sure many of you had to deep-dive to come up with convincing arguments, and in the process confronted your own biases, & were exposed to newer perspectives from your colleagues. Even the quiet ones either chipped in today or enjoyed listening-in to the arguments and counter-arguments.
The Bias-Reduction that will certainly take place cannot be measured right away, but do share with us any perceptive comments or discerning insights. 🙂

Interesting Stats: Organizations with above-average gender diversity outperform companies with below-average diversity by 46% to 58%.

Rainmaker excels in training on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at the Workplace. Our online D,E&I training courses are benchmarks for e-modules, just like our PoSH e-modules. The outstanding feedback that we receive from our clients who bank on us to make their D,E&I journey efficient and sustainable, is what motivates us every morning, to get up and do what we do.

Call us today for a Demo of the e-module, WorkVIBE, [trailer link of WorkVIBE – https://youtu.be/QAJihR48_Kg] or a Dry-Run of any of the following D,E&I workshops:

1. Purpose in taking on the D,E&I Agenda
2. Open-Minds (Unconscious Bias)
3. The Empathy Lens
4. Gender Sensitization
5. Gender & Gender Pronouns (LGBTQ+)
6. Stages of Life (Generation)
7. Diagnostics & Cultural Competence

WorkVIBE @Rainmaker Online Training Solutions:

WorkVIBE is a training module that explains in a “short film” format, the unconscious biases people carry and exhibit at the workplace. The dramatized video brings alive the preconceived notions employees carry at work. WorkVIBE, will help organizations reap the benefits of a Diverse workforce and create an Inclusive culture. Value Inclusion to Bring Equity at the workplace.

Author: Sumali Nagarajan

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