Unconscious bias happens in all kinds of sneaky ways at work. You might unknowingly succumb to “the halo effect,” which is a tendency to think highly of an individual for one reason and then immediately view them favorably in many other areas. Or you may automatically prefer certain names or choose one job candidate over another based on their height, weight or attractiveness.

For women, unconscious bias can be especially limiting. Both men and women are twice as likely to hire a male candidate, according to a Yale study, and 40 percent of men and women notice a double standard against female candidates.

Leaders who don’t keep their unconscious bias in check may miss out on the brightest professionals. So, what can you do to reduce being influenced by unconscious bias? We share tips from Lattice in this issue of Promotional Consultant Today.

Admit that unconscious bias exists. The first step to reducing unconscious bias is making sure everyone knows these biases exist, notes Lattice. Think about hosting awareness training that could enlighten your employees about how they might be influenced and how those influences spill over into the workplace. It’s also helpful to take tests such as Harvard’s Implicit Association Test to discern which perceptions are most likely to be governed by unconscious biases.

Determine how biases impact your company. From who gets hired to who gets promoted, unconscious bias affects many things in the workplace. When you consider where bias is most likely to appear, you can take steps to guard against those biases when making decisions.

Modernize your hiring. Studies show that some job descriptions can discourage women from applying for certain positions. Whether you’re seeking a vice president of sales or you’re hiring a junior sales rep, use wording that invites all applicants. The Lattice post also notes that you may want to judge candidates blindly by not looking at their name or gender and simply interviewing based on merit alone.

Diversify your staff. If the hiring team lacks diversity, unconscious biases are likely creeping in. Take steps to include women, people of color and people of different ages in your leadership teams so that more voices and backgrounds are represented.

Encourage people to speak up. Do your sales reps feel comfortable talking to you about their concerns? The more you can create a culture of open communication, the more your employees will feel empowered to call out the biases they notice.

Keep leaders accountable. Another good way to reduce unconscious bias in the workplace is to audit performance reviews. For example, if a manager gives 10 performance reviews, five to men and five to women, and four out of the highest five are men, it may be worth investigating whether a pro-male bias exists.

Set diversity and inclusion goals. Diverse teams are the most successful teams. In addition to giving women the same opportunities as men, actively focus on diversity and inclusion in your hiring and promoting. Set a clear goal and commit to checking on your progress.

This month for Women’s History Month, think about how your organization can take steps to recruit talented females and empower them to do more and achieve more.

Compiled by Audrey Sellers

Source: The Lattice team contributed this post for Lattice.com. Lattice is a people management platform that empowers people leaders to build engaged, high-performing teams and inspire winning cultures.