Unconscious bias creates barriers for diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Such biases can have a significant impact on recruitment, promotions, and retention. So, when you ignore unconscious bias, you’re also ignoring diversity, inclusion, and belonging. Companies that are working towards building an inclusive company culture across cultural differences could significantly strengthen the effectiveness of…
Does a person’s appearance shape your initial interaction with them? Of course it does. Humans are hard-wired to figure past experiences into future interactions; this mechanism is the foundation behind your brain’s language processing power, logic and reasoning skills, and problem-solving abilities. “Pattern matching” is the cognitive process by which your brain connects current sensory…
This summer, Emtrain joined How Women Lead at their two-night event, Unraveling Unconscious Bias to share insights with Silicon Valley HR professionals (not their target market) on how to implement real change to bias in the workplace. Patti Perez and Steve Cadigan, a member of our advisory board, showcased their work on how they’ve transformed workplace…
In a first-of-its-kind move, the California legislature is looking to mandate training for professionals who are tasked with decisions that affect the life and liberty of California residents. Specifically, California legislators will vote on three bills that would require training on unconscious bias for law enforcement officers, medical professionals, judges, and attorneys. The proposed new…
I despise the word diversity. Every time I hear it used, I cringe and pause for impact. It usually follows with some form of “woke” PR jargon about how we’ve gotten better because of [insert-we-care-statement-please-don’t-sue-us-statement-here]. Diversity has become another word that’s become an overused gimmick. Inclusion is next. It’s become more marketing than usability. We’ve…
If you’re working on diversity initiatives in the workplace you know it’s equally inspiring and frustrating. Research shows that companies with diverse talent pools achieve greater innovations, more productivity and higher profitability. So companies are spending hundreds of millions on diversity programs, yet getting very little return on their investment. Diversity numbers have increased only a percent…
‘Tis the season when technology companies publish their diversity numbers. And, despite a concerted effort to increase diversity, women and people of color are still underrepresented across all levels and particularly in senior leadership. How does this happen? All organizations have three inflection points that can make or break diversity: recruiting and hiring, team dynamics, and career advancement.…
What happens when you want to hire a new team member but don’t know if they will be the right fit for your organization? Imagine walking into an interview and not having a set of questions ready to go or even a clear job description in front of you for the position you are hiring.…
I had the privilege of attending a hearing in Sacramento presented by The Legislative Women’s Caucus and the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls called Implicit Bias and Its Impact on Women in the Workforce. While I didn’t take the day off in solidarity with the “Day Without Women” protest on International Women’s Day,…
The impact of technology on mainstream society has grown beyond measure. From the dawn of the Gig Economy to the ubiquity of smartphones, the way we live our lives has fundamentally changed over the last few years. The accelerated pace of integrating technology into every conceivable consumer activity such as ride-sharing, finding lodging, food delivery,…