Unconscious Bias Training
Unconscious bias training that changes decisions, not just awareness
Our brains form a first impression of someone in around a tenth of a second, long before we've consciously thought about it. DiverseCT's unconscious bias training helps people notice when those snap judgements are steering their decisions, and gives them practical ways to slow down and decide fairly.
What is unconscious bias?
Unconscious bias is the set of automatic assumptions we make about people based on things like their age, race, sex, disability, accent or background. They come from the shortcuts our brains use to cope with huge amounts of information. We call this "autopilot mode".
Autopilot is useful when we're crossing a road. It's a problem when we're shortlisting candidates, allocating work, assessing performance or deciding who gets a service.
Bias isn't a character flaw, and everyone has it. What matters is whether we notice it and what we do next.
Why most unconscious bias training doesn't work, and what we do differently
Research has shown that awareness-raising on its own rarely changes behaviour. A one-off session that tells people "we're all biased" can leave them feeling either guilty or defensive, and nothing changes. Our training is built around three principles:
Practical, not theoretical
Every concept is tied to real workplace decisions, such as recruitment, appraisals, meetings and service delivery.
Behaviour, not blame
We focus on the moments where bias creeps in and the specific habits that interrupt it.
Grounded in the law
We connect bias to the Equality Act 2010 and, for public bodies, the Public Sector Equality Duty, so people understand why fair decisions matter.
What the training covers
How bias works
The 0.1-second first impression and autopilot mode.
Prejudice, stereotypes and discrimination
How they differ and how one leads to another.
Betari's Box
How our attitudes shape our behaviour, and how that shapes other people's.
Interrupting bias
Practical techniques for recruitment, meetings, appraisals and everyday decisions.
Two ways to train
Main option
Training for your organisation
- Face-to-face or live online sessions for teams, managers and recruitment panels
- Tailored to your sector, policies and real scenarios
Developing leaders? See our inclusive leadership training.
Online course for individuals
- Self-paced eLearning, works on any device
- Certificate on completion
£39£19.50 for waiting-list members
Who it's for
- Recruiting managers and interview panels
- Team leaders and managers
- HR and EDI professionals
- Frontline staff in councils, the NHS and public services
- Staff networks and EDI champions
- Anyone who wants to make fairer decisions at work
About your trainer
Sultan Mahmood, director of DiverseCT, has over 30 years of public sector EDI experience. He has designed and delivered unconscious bias, inclusive leadership and equality training for public bodies, and hosted EDI conferences and events.
Read more about SultanFAQ