Types of unconscious bias and ‘one-size-fits-all’ opinions

Unconscious bias is the label given to snap judgements we make automatically without realising it. Shaped by upbringing, culture, and personal experience, biases are mental shortcuts that the brain uses to process information efficiently, though not always accurately. What are the main types of bias that overshadow diversity, equity, and inclusion, and what can be done to restrain them?

The brain saves energy by passively falling back on familiar ideas rather than actively assessing new thoughts and analysis. Relying too readily on trusted ideas, however, can quickly lead to problems. Old thinking may help us navigate the world efficiently but it can also distort perception and decision making. Biased thinking is a contradiction in terms. When your brain is relaxing, taking a sleepy-eyed glance at something makes it hard to see things clearly, much less understand them.

How to recognise your own biases

Everyone, no matter how well meaning they are, has unconscious biases. Recognising unconscious bias doesn’t mean blaming individuals. It begins with acknowledging that human thinking is imperfect and being ready to compensate, for example by committing to training, inclusive policies, and open conversations.

Unlike deliberate prejudice, unconscious bias operates beneath awareness. Unchecked, it can influence who we hire, who we listen to in meetings, and how we interpret someone’s behaviour. For example, we might instinctively trust ideas from a colleague who shares our background while overlooking equally valid suggestions made by people from different groups.

Types of unconscious bias

Comfortable and unimaginative, one-size-fits-all thinking can feel safe. Ironically, however, biases come in many shapes and sizes. Typical examples include:

Affinity bias   

Affinity bias feeds on the fact that we naturally favour people who are like us: same school, same home town, same taste in music. They’re the ‘safe’ ones, and we trust them without thinking. Comfort feels good, but it’s a trap. When some people feel ‘safe’, others inevitably seem less so.

In the workplace, this bias softly sneaks into hiring, promotions, and team projects. It quietly shapes decisions, letting familiarity override skill or fresh perspective. Teams can become echo chambers, ideas recycled, opportunities missed. The people you ‘click’ with might be brilliant, but those outside your circle may be overlooked – and that is potentially costly.

Confirmation bias

Confirmation bias is the brain’s habit of proving itself right. When self-assured and problem-free, we use less cognitive energy than when weighing up uncertain and competing alternatives. The brain therefore defaults to easy certainty, hunting for evidence that backs up our existing beliefs.

It’s why we see patterns that aren’t there, or why one bad experience with a colleague suddenly defines them forever. Things that support our existing view slot neatly into our craving for certainty. Anything unfamiliar, or complex is initially regarded with suspicion and perhaps discarded. When you stop questioning, you end up in an echo chamber of your own making. Confirmation bias is natural. But left unchallenged, it’s a shortcut to being wrong – and proud of it.

Halo effect

The halo effect strikes when one standout trait colours everything else we think about a person, product, or idea. Someone’s charm or confidence in a meeting makes us assume they’re competent. A glossy brand logo leads us to believe the product must be high-quality – for example, adding a German umlaut to a British chocolate dessert.

The risk here is that we give too much credit where it isn’t earned. The likeable manager isn’t necessarily a good strategist. The cool app may still fail at its core function. The halo effect feels comfortable, but it blinds us to flaws and dulls critical thinking. Rather than be dazzled by the emperor’s new clothes, take a look at the naked truth and ask what’s happening beyond the glow.

Gender bias

Gender bias occurs when assumptions about ability, behaviour, or potential are shaped by someone’s sex rather than their actual skills. Overshadowing everyday interactions, gender-biased comments and actions limit opportunity, stifle talent, and reinforce stereotypes.

A confident female leader might be labelled aggressive, while her male counterpart is called decisive. A man taking parental leave can be admired as progressive; a woman doing the same may be judged to be less committed. Gender bias is baked into culture and expectation. Unchecked, it typically occurs when individuals underestimate talent, whether by not noticing or not caring.

Racial bias

Racial and cultural bias leads to assumptions about people’s abilities, behaviour, or character that are shaped by their race, ethnicity, or cultural background rather than who they truly are. Prejudice, driven by perceptions of ‘otherness’, is often reinforced by stereotypes in society and culture.

Damaging to confidence and careers, racial bias constructs barriers and fuels inequality. It is not innate, but is a learned response. Overriding it can begin by learning to challenge assumptions, question stereotypes, and actively seek perspectives outside your habitual lens. Breaking the cycle takes intention: noticing snap judgments, questioning why we assumed competence or incompetence, and actively seeking the overlooked perspective.

Age bias

Sizing people up, not by their abilities but by the number of candles on their cake, creates a negative impact in the workplace on two groups of people. Young employees might be dismissed as inexperienced, even when they’re brimming with skill and ideas. Older colleagues might be judged to be slow, out of touch, or resistant to change, regardless of performance.

Age bias, driven by stereotypes and caricature, is socially reinforced yet often overlooked. The harm is subtle yet profound. Younger people can feel stifled in their attempt to cut through at work. They may feel their talent is unseen, their voice goes unheard, and their input is ignored. Older people may feel the same, as if generations in the middle have cornered the market.

Effective strategies to interrupt unconscious bias

No-one can be free of biases, but it’s to possible to recognise them and limit their impact. Notice their presence, question instinctive preferences, and invite voices you wouldn’t normally hear. When organisations do this, they unlock hidden talent, and inspire stronger collaboration and creativity, leading to actions that genuinely feel purposeful and fresh. Businesses can embed these skills in company culture through training and mentorship.

At Working Voices, our Unconscious Bias training course looks at how an individual’s preference for a particular ‘in-group’ can lead to misperceptions about other ‘out-groups’. The course explains how individuals can manage biases through a three-step process:

1. Pause and question
   Before making a comment or decision, hit the mental brakes. Ask yourself: ‘am I judging this person, idea, or situation based on evidence – or giving way to simplistic assumptions?’ Naming the bias pulls it into the light and gives you the chance to choose differently.

2. Seek disconfirming evidence
   Actively hunt for information that challenges your assumptions. If you think someone won’t succeed, look for examples that prove otherwise. Bias thrives in the comfort of confirmation; shaking it off requires deliberate discomfort.

3. Diversify your input
   Expose yourself to perspectives outside your usual bubble – people, cultures, roles, and experiences. The more varied your encounters, the harder it is for shortcuts and stereotypes to shape your thinking. Variety helps you break free from outdated thinking and instead base your opinions on evidence.

Bias leads to flawed thinking, which in the workplace can disrupt teamwork and innovation. Biased people aren’t the freshest thinkers or the best team players. It’s hard for someone to collaborate when they already have all the answers.

By recognising and addressing hidden tensions, all members of the team can feel supported and able to bring their best self to work. Rather than spend an afternoon in 1953, much better to encourage a culture of kind, respectful collaboration that protects teamwork and ultimately supports competitive edge.