Managers from Denmark, Sweden, and Germany gather in Copenhagen for “Beyunbi” training on unconscious bias

Managers from Denmark, Sweden, and Germany gathered today in Copenhagen for the first of a two-day training session as part of the EU-funded “Beyunbi – Beyond Unconscious Bias EU Project.”

The event, aimed at addressing and managing unconscious biases in the workplace, marks a significant step in fostering more inclusive leadership across Europe.

Led by Barbara de Micheli from Fondazione Giacomo Brodolini, the training is a key component of the “Beyunbi” initiative. Coordinated by CEC European Managers, representing over one million managers across the continent, the project underscores the European Union‘s commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion.

The event is being hosted by Lederne, Denmark‘s leading organization for managers, which recently celebrated its 125th anniversary.

The Beyunbi project, funded by the European Commission, seeks to raise awareness and develop strategies to mitigate unconscious biases — often ingrained prejudices that affect decision-making, team dynamics, and leadership.

The Copenhagen event kicks off a series of training sessions across Europe, empowering managers to recognize and address these biases and create more equitable workplaces.

Olga Molina, Director of CEC European Managers, welcomed participants and explained how vital this project has been for CEC to promote and disseminate good practices among European leadership and to position the organisation as a responsible social partner of the EU Commission in the context of Social Dialogue.

During the training, participants shared their perspectives on the importance of diversity and the role of CEC European Managers in promoting inclusion.

“The whole movement of inclusivity is shaking the world, and we, as leaders, must keep spreading it,” one participant noted.

Another added, “People often don’t have the title for what they are truly doing in the workplace, and that is something we, as managers, can improve with the lens of inclusivity.”

The training included various exercises, such as interpreting abstract images to understand the emotions and assumptions they evoked, illustrating how unconscious factors like religion, tradition, morals, and culture shape biases.

The whole movement of inclusivity is shaking the world, and we, as leaders, must keep spreading it

Barbara de Micheli provided a thought-provoking example: “When someone is pregnant, we often ask if it’s a boy or a girl, mainly because there’s an unconscious social path for each gender.”

This example highlighted how our minds rely on mental shortcuts — or biases — to interpret reality and respond to it, even though these shortcuts can limit our understanding and acceptance of diversity.

The impact of not addressing unconscious biases

The second part of the training addressed the impact of not controlling unconscious biases. The discussion focused on why these biases matter and their effect on organisational performance.

Participants explored how a lack of awareness about unconscious biases could harm productivity and inclusivity, noting that organisations should reflect the diversity of the broader society they serve.

“Diversity and inclusion are crucial for adapting to the real market,” one manager explained. “Quotas, for example, are not the goal but a means to achieve diversity, ensuring that our internal diversity matches the diversity of our consumers”, explained De Micheli.

The training also touched on concepts like positive discrimination in favor of women and the original intent of quotas — to integrate marginalized groups, including migrants, into the labour market.

Diversity and inclusion are crucial for adapting to the real market

Danish, Swedish, and German leaders discussed the onboarding process, emphasizing that it is often not tailored to individual employees. Participants from Nordic countries highlighted their fair and democratic onboarding approaches.

De Micheli further pointed out the consequences of ignoring biases in promotion and productivity. “Historically, many less productive workers who simply stay in the office longer than others have been promoted,” she noted. “This has led to higher levels of inefficiency in many companies.”

The discussion also covered employee retention, with a growing recognition that workers increasingly seek flexibility and value-driven workplaces over higher salaries.

CEC European Managers’ Secretary General, Torkild Justesen, emphasized the economic implications of unconscious bias: “As managers, we must consider the economics behind all this because if we do not control our biases, we won’t always hire the right person, and hiring the wrong profile is extremely costly for companies.”

Participants also highlighted the EU’s growing shortage of workforce and skills. They called for greater political engagement from companies in raising awareness and standing firm on their values, especially in the face of extreme political forces gaining ground in some EU sectors.

As managers, we must consider the economics behind all this because if we do not control our biases, we won’t always hire the right person, and hiring the wrong profile is extremely costly for companies.

Torkild Justesen

De Micheli concluded by underscoring two approaches to the economic impact of inclusion: the legal one, emphasizing that “discrimination is against the law,” and the practical one, which frames inclusion as a path to innovation, critical for competitiveness.

The second training day will continue tomorrow, September 10, 2024, with workshops and group collaborations to further strengthen the tools and strategies managers need to foster inclusivity and equality in their workplaces.