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Table 2 Perceptions of unconscious bias in the workplace

From: From pressure in the pipeline to accelerating ascension: a survey to understand professional experiences of and opportunities for Canadian women in the healthcare sector

 

Compared to male colleagues with a similar role and skills

Compared to female colleagues with a similar role and skills

 

I have equal opportunity for growth and development (n = 436)

 < 0.001*

 Strongly agree

42 (8.6)

75 (15.4)

 Agree

120 (24.7)

221 (45.5)

 Neutral

100 (20.6)

70 (14.4)

 Disagree

125 (25.7)

60 (12.3)

 Strongly disagree

50 (10.3)

13 (2.7)

I have equal opportunity for advancement in my organization (n = 433)

 < 0.001*

 Strongly agree

40 (8.2)

59 (12.1)

 Agree

104 (21.4)

189 (38.9)

 Neutral

116 (23.9)

92 (18.9)

 Disagree

131 (27.0)

79 (16.3)

 Strongly disagree

45 (9.3)

17 (3.5)

I have equal access to sponsorship in my organization (n = 433)

 < 0.001*

 Strongly agree

35 (7.2)

54 (11.1)

 Agree

90 (18.5)

134 (27.6)

 Neutral

156 (32.1)

153 (31.5)

 Disagree

108 (22.2)

71 (14.6)

 Strongly disagree

45 (9.3)

24 (4.9)

I have needed to provide more evidence of my competence (n = 435)

 < 0.001*

 Strongly agree

90 (18.5)

52 (10.7)

 Agree

152 (31.3)

116 (23.9)

 Neutral

94 (19.3)

110 (22.6)

 Disagree

71 (14.6)

127 (26.1)

 Strongly disagree

28 (5.8)

33 (6.8)

I have had my judgement questioned in my area of expertise. (n = 436)

 < 0.001*

 Strongly agree

87 (17.9)

44 (9.1)

 Agree

147 (30.2)

142 (29.2)

 Neutral

84 (17.3)

79 (16.3)

 Disagree

89 (18.3)

136 (28.0)

 Strongly disagree

30 (6.2)

38 (7.8)

Promotions are based on fair and objective criteria (n = 436)

 

 Strongly agree

11 (2.5)

 

 Agree

96 (22.0)

 

 Neutral

188 (43.1)

 

 Disagree

105 (24.1)

 

 Strongly disagree

36 (8.3)

 

I can see my trajectory forward in my organization (n = 459)

 

 Strongly agree

29 (6.3)

 

 Agree

131 (28.5)

 

 Neutral

150 (32.7)

 

 Disagree

115 (25.1)

 

 Strongly disagree

34 (7.4)

 

Unconscious Bias Scorea (n = 422) mean (SD)

22.3 (5.7)

19.9 (5.2)

 < 0.001*

  1. Self-described perceptions of bias, compared between male and female colleagues, comparable in terms of role and skill, as n (%) unless otherwise specified
  2. aA composite unconscious bias score was created where responses for each unconscious bias question were summed together (strongly agree = 1, strongly disagree = 5 with reverse coding as appropriate). Based on a total possible score of 35, a higher score indicates greater perception of unconscious bias. Groups were compared using a paired samples t test
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