SkillPath Unveils Unconscious Bias Training at ATD 2019

At the ATD 2019 International Conference & EXPO, SkillPath will unveil a new training program that tackles unconscious and implicit bias. The program is designed to deliver effective training that acknowledges the existence and complexities of unconscious bias and teaches individuals how to overcome mindless habits that lead them to use stereotypes and biases.

“Unlike other unconscious bias programs, SkillPath’s training helps learners understand the psychology behind bias,” said Dave Fogleman, Chief Learning Officer of SkillPath. “This assists organizations when taking steps to make workers more aware of naturally occurring unconscious bias and give them tools that ensure the fair treatment and inclusion of all individuals.”

The program features multiple modules to deliver a course configuration that can be tailored to an organization’s needs, including modules for employees and leaders, as well as HR practitioners who want to conduct an organization-wide change related to implicit bias.

The four core modules include:

• Reconsidering Certainty and Doubt: Teaches learners the value of questioning their certainty, which is essential to confronting unconscious bias
• Confirmation Bias: Explains how confirmation bias shapes and reinforces world views and causes behaviors and reactions that confirm these beliefs
• Schemas and Heuristics: Reviews how heuristics and schemas are used to process information and make decisions
• The Power We Have: Teaches how executive functions of the brain can be used to undo flawed or biased thinking and actions

In addition to the core modules, learners will be presented with two additional training modules on either diversity and inclusion or legal considerations related to implicit bias to produce a full day of learning and development on unconscious bias.

Diversity and inclusion modules include:

• The Fundamentals of Inclusion: Teaches learners what inclusion is and how empathy and concepts like the Golden Rule make a convincing case for practicing inclusive thought and behavior
• Stereotypes and Implicit Bias: Determines how explicit and implicit stereotypes can be problematic and how to manage situations involving implicit bias

Legal considerations related to implicit bias modules include:

• Harassment: Describes legislation relevant to implicit bias and how learners can deal with implicit bias to prevent harassment from occurring or persisting
• Discrimination in Typical Employment Contexts: Presents laws related to disparate impact and discusses how implicit bias may lead to disparate impact discrimination in employment, such as hiring and performance evaluation

SkillPath also has developed a half-day HR practitioner workshop, which examines implicit bias and relevant legal considerations, the fundamentals of inclusion and its role in diversity, and learning techniques for effecting change and integrating implicit bias awareness into the organization.

“While companies remain challenged on how to curb implicit bias and make inclusion the responsibility of every employee, this training program can be a powerful business tool that can shift good intentions to policies and programs that bring about real change,” said Cam Bishop, CEO and President of SkillPath.