How Systems of Privilege Shape Workplace Dynamics

Taking time to understand systems of bias and privilege can transform personal biases into equitable decisions that empower and include everyone, not just a select few.

Current political debates are placing a spotlight on inequality. Within this spotlight, privilege is a term that sparks both discomfort and misunderstanding. Debates over healthcare, parental rights, and workplace equity underscore the need to reflect on how privilege shapes policies and practices.

The workplace is not immune to these dynamics—it is where personal biases become professional decisions, and policies can either bridge divides or deepen them. Understanding privilege is the first step toward creating workplaces that empower everyone, not just a few.

What is Privilege?

Privilege does not mean a life free of hardship or challenges. Instead, it acknowledges areas where someone's identity has not created additional barriers in their interaction with society. For example:

Privilege operates at the intersections of identity—race, gender, economic status, education, and more. These layers often work in tandem, increasing the ease with which some individuals navigate the systems of social hierarchy. Recognizing privilege is not about blame or guilt; it is about fostering awareness of how these advantages shape workplace dynamics, often unconsciously.

Five Strategies for Checking and Monitoring Personal Bias

  1. Seek Feedback Regularly:
    • Ask trusted colleagues or mentors to point out blind spots in your interactions or decisions.
    • Consider social dynamics and ensure psychological safety when soliciting feedback, so others feel comfortable sharing honest insights.
    • Utilize anonymous 360-degree feedback tools to gain a clearer perspective.
  2. Diversify Your Information Sources:
    • Actively consume media, books, and thought leadership from individuals of different backgrounds.
    • Challenge your assumptions by asking, “Where did I learn this assumption and how do I hold it to be true?”
    • Explore viewpoints that contradict your worldview to broaden your perspective.
  3. Interrogate Your Decisions:
    • Before making a judgment or decision, ask yourself:
      1. “Am I basing this on fact or assumption?”
      2. “Who sets the standards I’m using, and are they rooted in bias?”
    • Use structured criteria for decisions like hiring and promotions to reduce subjectivity.
  4. Practice Empathy and Curiosity:
    • Approach interactions with curiosity rather than judgment.
    • Instead of presuming intent or motivation, ask, “Can you share your perspective?” or “How did you experience that situation?”
    • Integrate those perspectives into your worldview and decision-making process. When presented with new information, take it into serious consideration rather than dismissing it as untrue.
  5. Commit to Ongoing Education:
    • Attend workshops, join discussion groups, or enroll in training focused on equity and inclusion.
    • Move beyond awareness—translate learning into tangible actions.
    • When in doubt, remember to ABC: Always Be Curious.

How Bias Leads to Inequity

Bias in decision-making doesn’t just affect individuals—it shapes the policies and practices that define workplace culture. For example:

Policies Reflect People: Policies don’t arise in isolation; they are created by people, and people infuse their own experiences, biases, and cultural understandings into their work. Without intentional awareness of these biases, even well-meaning policies can perpetuate inequity.

Awareness as the First Step: By becoming aware of personal biases and questioning how they influence decisions, individuals can begin to create more inclusive and equitable policies. This requires acknowledging the lived experiences of others and actively seeking to incorporate diverse perspectives into organizational practices.

Turning Awareness into Action

We are living in times where the policies within our organizations have the power to help or hinder, protect or persecute. The question we must ask ourselves is: Will we continue to uphold and protect the privileges of some, or will we choose to encourage the inclusion of many?

Only time will tell—but the choice begins with each of us, our awareness, and our willingness to act.

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