What is a bias?
A bias is a thought or belief that causes a person to move away from the true and fair value of something, or to not be able to see the accurate representation of something. A bias can manifest as a behaviour, a perception or a preference. Biases can be cognitive (things that affect individual decision making and thought) or social (things that affect social interactions amongst individuals and groups).
As we come up to the end of the year, many people will be conducting and / or taking part in end of year reviews. Biases can influence decision making, judgment and ultimately outcomes for people during the review process. Line managers in particlar should be aware of various biases that can impact the fairness and effectiveness of end-of-year reviews. In this post, I round up 10 of the most common biases to be mindful of.
10 common biases that all managers doing end-of-year reviews should be aware of
- Recency Bias is when an individual gives more weight to recent events or performance rather than considering the entire year. For end-of-year reviews in particular, it is important to reflect on the whole year as recency bias may mean that you do not accurately reflect the employee's overall performance throughout the year.
- Halo/Horn Effect is when you allow a single positive or challenging trait (something that may have dominated your experience) to overshadow the overall review. This can result in an overly positive or negative assessment that may not align with the employee's actual performance. Try to build a holistic and balanced assessment of the individual, considering a range of their positive and challenging traits.
- Leniency/Strictness Bias comes into play if you have a tendency to consistently rate employees either too high (leniency) or too low (strictness). This bias may result in you not being able to accurately differentiate between high and low performance. One way to counteract this is to ensure you have a full understanding of how you have assessed performance (e.g. what other metrics have you considered? Is there other feedback on the topic at hand? Have you accounted for external factors or things beyond control?)
- Confirmation Bias: This is when you focus on information that confirms your pre-existing beliefs or opinions about the employee. Confirmation bias leads to a skewed evaluation that may not consider the full range of the employee's contributions. In order to overcome this, it is essential to be able to conduct reviews with an open mind, active listen and challenge your own opinions and beliefs.
- Similar-to-Me Bias can often be a subtle bias, and at other times it can be glaring. This bias in giving preference to someone who shows similarity to you, whether that be in terms of background (e.g. we grew up in the same area), interests (we support the same team / watch the same shows), or personality (we both hate it when this happens). Similar-to-me bias neglects to acknowledge the diversity of skills and perspectives different people bring and can be especially harmful to people who experience marginalisation.
- Contrast Effect occurs when you compare an employee's performance to the performance of others, rather than against objective standards. It can be common when for example a new employee replaces someone who you have worked with for a long time (e.g. X person used to do it this way) or when multiple people work on a similar things (e.g. Y person did it this way).
- Stereotyping Bias - Whilst many of us may think we don’t stereotype, this bias does often come into place when unconscious assumptions are made about an individual based on factors such as age, gender, disability or ethnicity.
- Availability Bias - This is when you rely on information that is readily or easily available rather than seeking a comprehensive view. This bias may overlook important aspects of an employee's performance that are not immediately apparent to you. Prior to reviews, ask yourself if you have sought information and understanding beyond your original starting point.
- Anchoring Bias happens when you give disproportionate weight to the first or early pieces of information you had when making a judgment or forming an opinion about someone. For example, your perception of someone is anchored to an initial impression, regardless of subsequent changes or developments that have taken place since then. Be mindful of how people change and grow over time, and ensure your understanding is up to date.
How can you overcome your biases ahead of end-of-year reviews?
There are some things manager can do to mitigate these common biases:
- Ensure you reflect prior to any review process and have clarity on why you think or feel the way you do
- Regularly reassess your own biases and assumptions
- Gather feedback from multiple sources ahead of reviews
- Use a structured evaluation process
- Be mindful of power dynamics (e.g. if you are more Senior or in a position of authority and influence)
- When giving feedback, focus on specific examples, being constructive and having action points.
And perhaps one for the future if you’re actively thinking about this - seek training on recognising and avoiding biases. Good luck to anyone preparing for end of year reviews!
If you have any questions about biases or inclusive leadership, I’m always happy to chat (you can reach me on ishita@sparkandco.co.uk) or learn more about our work over at Spark Insights.