Unintentional Bias Megan Person Design and Society

Effects of unintentional bias in the workplace:  If an employee believes that they are going to perform poorly, that will become true.  Robert Rosenthal study of students listed as “gifted” vs. students in regular classes.  Often affect women and minorities because of pre-existing stereotypes.

Stakeholders  Employees who are not given the chance to work to their full potential due to unintentional biases  All employees  Employers

Earnings for Men / Women  Example of bias is seen in difference in earnings in men and women.  Median earnings of women are consistently lower than that of men.  Discrimination officially illegal but it obviously still occurs.

Ethical Reasoning  Discrimination in the workplace, intentional or not, is unethical.  Employees of equal ability have the right to be compensated and respected based on their abilities as an employee.