How Unconscious Bias Affects Career Growth Opportunities at Work

Every employee has different backgrounds, experiences and ways of working. However, these differences can sometimes influence how individuals are evaluated in the workplace, particularly when decisions are based on certain assumptions or perceptions. As a result, employees with similar skills and performance levels may not receive equal career growth opportunities. One factor that can contribute to this is unconscious bias. It can influence how leaders assess employees' abilities, assign responsibilities and make decisions about their career development.

Not All Employees Receive the Same Opportunities

Imagine two employees with similar skills and work performance. However, only one of them is frequently selected to lead projects or take on new assignments. This may happen when leaders are more inclined to trust employees they have worked with before. Without realising it, other employees may receive fewer opportunities to demonstrate their abilities and potential. When the same individuals are repeatedly given opportunities, the gap in experience between employees may widen.

Unconscious Bias Can Influence How Leaders Evaluate Employees

According to the University of Victoria (UVic), unconscious bias refers to assumptions, beliefs, attitudes and stereotypes that people hold about different groups without being aware of them. These perceptions can influence how we see and respond to others.

UVic also explains that everyone has unconscious biases, including biases that may go against their own beliefs or values. Although these biases are not always easy to recognise, they can influence a person's judgement and actions. In a leadership context, a manager may be more inclined to choose employees who share similar communication styles or those they already know. Without realising it, this tendency can influence how the manager evaluates other employees' abilities and potential.

Some Employees May Miss Out on Opportunities to Stand Out

As explained by UVic, unconscious biases can create unearned advantages for certain groups while placing others at a disadvantage. In the workplace, this may happen when certain employees are more frequently given new responsibilities, training opportunities or attention from management.

Employees who regularly receive these opportunities can build experience and demonstrate their abilities. In contrast, those who are rarely considered may struggle to prove their potential, even when they have the necessary skills. A similar situation can occur during promotion decisions, when leaders are more likely to favour employees they already know over others with comparable qualifications. Over time, this can create gaps in career growth opportunities.

How Can Leaders Reduce Bias When Making Decisions?

Leaders need to evaluate employees based on their skills, experience and contributions rather than relying solely on personal perceptions. One way to do this is by establishing clear criteria when selecting employees to lead projects, attend training or be considered for promotions. Using systems such as KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) and OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) can also help leaders assess employee performance based on established targets and outcomes. When applied consistently, clear evaluation criteria can make decisions about career growth opportunities more structured and fair. In addition, leaders can seek input from different team members and listen to employee feedback. Open conversations can also help them understand whether some employees feel that opportunities are not being distributed fairly in the workplace.

Building More Inclusive Leadership

Reducing unconscious bias begins with leaders being willing to recognise their own tendencies and reassess how they make decisions. When leaders become more aware of their assumptions and perceptions, they can avoid unintentionally limiting employees' career growth opportunities through everyday decisions.

To understand how leaders can recognise their own tendencies and identify things they may be overlooking, explore Paul Larsen's e-learning course Inclusive Leadership: Practice DEI for Everyday Decisions. Through the topic Recognizing Unintentional Exclusion and Blind Spots, leaders can learn how unconscious assumptions and decisions may cause certain employees to be excluded from career growth opportunities.