Unconscious bias training being scrapped for civil servants in England

Following the news that “Unconscious bias training” is being scrapped for civil servants in England, Sabby Gill, CEO at Thomas International, the leading global talent assessment platform provider discusses his thoughts.

“The decision to scrap unconscious bias training in the civil service is a mistake. If the government is serious about removing barriers to equality, they must lead by example and combine education programmes with technology across the whole civil service.  By using technology and systematic approaches, such as assessment platforms that aim to increase diversity and reduce unconscious bias during the recruitment process, alongside management training, discrimination towards employees will be initially ruled out even before they have started their job.

“Having a more diverse workforce improves business performance – unconscious bias training is something we cannot afford to lose. Ministers should rethink their strategy and incorporate systematic approaches if they are to fully eliminate any kind of workplace discrimination.”