O
ON TOPIC
After initial scene setting, participants
were encouraged, in smaller
break-out groups, to share their own
experiences of, and perspectives
on, difference and to discuss
how they could become more
active in spotting and tackling
systemic bias.
“The sessions gave our leaders
the space and permission to have
often quite difficult conversations,”
says Byrne. “It introduced them to a
vocabulary and sets of tools to help
them acknowledge tensions, but still
be prepared to face them.”
The company’s leaders left the
meeting with personalised action
plans, and the workout programmes
are now being rolled out across
the company. For such an openly
customer-facing business as IHG,
respecting difference is not just a
matter of risk management, it also
opens up business opportunities.
“Understanding D&I is not a
nice-to-have for us,” says Byrne. “It’s
a business priority. The workouts
have definitely moved on the debate
within the company.
Five ways to improve
the effectiveness of UBT
1. Use the data
Make sure you understand where your organisation currently is on its D&I
journey and what changes you hope to see. Think about questions such as: how
closely does our workforce mirror our customer base? Do we have data on how
many employees fall under the protected characteristics legislation? How robust
and neutral is our candidate-selection process?
2. Consider participation strategies
Can you persuade your senior team to take the training and lead by example?
Should participation be mandatory or voluntary? Can you train people with
colleagues with whom they interact closely, in teams or on projects?
3. Establish a vocabulary for discussions
Using an implicit bias test such as the Harvard IAT can provide a way into
challenging conversations; for example: How did people respond to the test? Did
they feel it was accurate or inaccurate? Were people surprised by the outcomes?
4. Link theory to action
Staff need practical strategies and advice to help them counter bias in their
day-to-day working lives. Consider how bias can be practically challenged.
Encourage participants to create a personal action plan to help them remain
aware of, and challenge, their own biases.
5. Build-test-learn
50 //
Future Talent
“It’s increasingly clear that
empathy-led initiatives such
as separate check-in floors for
Muslim women travelling alone
or reward clubs that offer advice
about LGBTQA-friendly travel
destinations can give organisations
the competitive edge.”
nother bias-reduction
strategy gaining traction
is immersive experience.
This gives participants
the opportunity to spend stereotype-
busting time with particular
groups, to understand their needs
and the barriers they face in
the workplace.
A
An initiative between Ashridge
at Hult International Business
School and Barclays, to create
and evaluate an immersive CSR
activity as an alternative to diversity
training shows how powerful it
can be. This brought together 39
able-bodied Barclays executives
with an equal number of people
with disabilities to sail one of the
Jubilee Sailing Trust’s accessible tall
ships as working crew. Members had
no alternative but to work together
to reach their common goal of
voyaging around the UK.
Measures of implicit and explicit
attitudes taken before and after the
voyage showed a significant shift in
We needed
to move
beyond D&I
being seen as
the exclusive
preserve and
responsibility
of HR
Try out and learn from strategies to counter bias and introduce success
measures: carry out structured feedback processes and implement any findings,
and check in with employees after one, three and six months to see if their
behaviours have changed. Consider the training to be a rolling programme
which evolves and develops, not a one-off exercise.*