‘Unconscious Bias’ training is overdue

IT WAS MANDATED FOR STARBUCKS STORES. DO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS NEED IT AS WELL?

This June, I was interviewed on CTV News about my take on the recent closing of all Starbucks Canada 1,100 locations for an afternoon of sensitivity and diversity training. The training followed the closing of more than 8,000 stores in the U.S. last May 29 to train nearly 175,000 employees on unconscious bias. The training was initiated in response to the unjustified arrest of two black men at a U.S. Starbucks location in Philadelphia last April.

The two men, who were waiting to meet a friend, were refused permission to use the washroom, then arrested by police when employees said they were trespassing for not purchasing anything. They were released the following day with no charges laid. But the company was widely criticized for the way it handled the incident.

As a result, a learning session on race, bias and inclusion took place in both countries. According to a press release, Starbucks Canada’s president, Michael Conway, sent all employees a letter stating, “We believe that everyone deserves to be treated with respect… On Monday June 11, 2018 we will close all our company-operated stores and offices across Canada for a portion of the afternoon, for partners to participate in a training session designed to address implicit bias, promote conscious inclusion, and ensure everyone inside a Starbucks store feels safe and welcome.”[1]

WAS THIS TRAINING OVERDUE?

Absolutely, this training was most certainly overdue. Starbucks acknowledged that it is trying to tackle systemic racism going back centuries. While there is only so much that can be crammed into a four-hour training session, it’s a start.

Since the incident, Starbucks has apologized, most recently in full-page newspaper ads. It now allows guests to sit without buying anything. And it enlisted a team of social justice activists and policy advocates for guidance.[2]

The most significant factor is the top-down approach Starbucks is taking. From the CEO down, the company is talking about their commitment to get to the roots of unconscious bias, and create a “culture of warmth and belonging” for all their customers.

BACK TO CANADA

Did Starbucks staff in Canada really need to have this diversity/inclusiveness training? Aren’t Canadians more inclusive, open-minded and accepting than our U.S. neighbours? I’m asked that a lot. My response is that as Canadians we think of ourselves as more multicultural and less biased than Americans. But the truth is, we all have biases that are embedded in us, that influence our thinking more than we might be aware of.

The lessons we were taught as children about different racial/ethnic groups, gender differences, and sexual orientation shape our perceptions of others. Discrimination is often rooted in stereotypes, and is reinforced by the media. These messages can be subtle, rarely discussed openly. Instead, they become part of our subliminal thinking. They are tucked deep within us, but pop up in times of stress, in situations where we feel threatened. When we are uncomfortable, we may say things we don’t really mean. We may act in a way that is inconsistent with our personal beliefs about ourselves.

The Starbucks Canada training was a good idea. It provided the partners at Starbucks with an opportunity to look at who they are; and to think about how they are dealing with customers in busy, stressful situations when they’re confronted with long line-ups.

SHOULD ALL COMPANIES PROVIDE ‘UNCONSCIOUS BIAS’ TRAINING?

At Starbucks, employees are dealing with the public, but what about employees in an office setting? Could they use this type of training? Undoubtably!

Employees in an office setting often deal with tight deadlines and stressful situations. When under pressure or facing conflict, implicit biases all too easily rise to the surface of our thoughts and actions. Nobody may be exposing publicly what is going on, as in the case of Starbucks, but just because nobody is monitoring us doesn’t mean that we are not accountable for how we interact with our co-workers.

HOW 2SISTERS CONSULTING CAN HELP:

At 2Sisters Consulting, we have worked with a number of organizations to support the growth and development of their employees to be responsible, respectful and inclusive in all of their interactions. We do this by creating discussions around identifying implicit biases, which are part of human nature, and becoming aware of how they impact our everyday interactions and decisions. With that awareness comes the ability to overcome unconscious prejudice and discrimination.

Contact us to learn more about the unconscious-bias workshops we conduct within organizations.
Our initial 30-minute phone consultation is free.

And I invite you to view my CTV News interview below:

[2]https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/29/business/starbucks-closing-racial-bias-training.html