Breaking the Cycle of Confirmation Bias in the Workplace

Unconscious bias influences how we process information, make decisions, and interact with others without realizing it. “We all walk in with some sort of bias — whether we like it or not,” said Alex Alonso, Ph.D., SHRM-SCP, chief data and analytics officer at SHRM. “It’s physiological. You can’t fully eliminate it, but you can work to mitigate it.”  

One form of unconscious bias is confirmation bias — the tendency to seek out or interpret information in ways that affirm our existing beliefs while discounting evidence that contradicts them. “Confirmation bias allows us to stay comfortable in what we already believe,” Alonso explained. “But comfort is not the same as correctness.”  

Spotting and Preventing Confirmation Bias at Every Level

Part of what makes confirmation bias so hard to recognize is that it often involves real facts and data. The problem isn’t whether the information is true — it’s how we selectively focus on what supports our preferred conclusion while dismissing anything that challenges it. This is how confirmation bias can quietly shape decisions without us realizing it. Below are some ways CEOs, HR leaders, and HR professionals may encounter this bias — and how they can address it.

How CEOs Can Stay Open to Changing Realities

Every CEO brings a track record of big wins and long-held beliefs that have shaped their leadership path. But political landscapes shift, consumer preferences evolve, and workforce expectations change. What worked in the past may not hold up today. Here’s how CEOs can challenge their existing assumptions and stay open to new perspectives when making decisions.

• Foster a strong organizational culture of constructive dissent by appointing a devil’s advocate during strategy reviews to challenge assumptions and identify blind spots.
• Review customer data and trends regularly with an open mind and actively try to find evidence that disproves your point of view.
• Encourage external audits or third-party evaluations to challenge internal narratives.

How HR Leaders Can Take a Balanced View of Performance

HR leaders oversee critical decisions about talent, structure, and resource allocation. But confirmation bias can lead them to highlight data that supports a favored department or person, while overlooking warning signs that suggest deeper issues. 
The tips below can help HR leaders create a more complete picture when evaluating performance across the organization. 

• Analyze both quantitative and qualitative data across departments to get a more balanced view of performance and take note of patterns that contradict your assumptions.
• Facilitate regular interdepartmental feedback to uncover blind spots and challenge assumptions.

Podcast: Disagree Better — Debunking the Myths of Conflict

How HR Professionals Can Stay Objective in High-Stakes Conversations

Even the strongest HR systems and metrics can only go so far if HR professionals aren’t open to processing information objectively. Prospective and current employees come to HR with some of the most important conversations they’ll have — whether it’s interviewing for their dream role, navigating maternity leave concerns, or addressing an interpersonal conflict.

If HR professionals focus only on information that supports their initial assumptions, they risk missing key details, making unfair decisions, or eroding employee trust. Here are ways HR professionals can stay grounded and open when evaluating situations.

• Use consistent, evidence-based processes when reviewing complaints, accommodation requests, or leave scenarios to ensure fair treatment.
• Regularly review employee case outcomes to identify patterns where bias may have influenced decisions.
• Use blind evaluations to prioritize skills-based hiring over surface-level impressions.
• Train interviewers to reflect on and name their assumptions before evaluating candidates.

Toolkit: Interviewing Candidates for Employment

Bias That Feels Like Certainty

The danger of confirmation bias is that it feels like a conviction, but convictions formed without challenge can lead to stagnation and missed opportunities. “Organizations that don’t challenge their own thinking fall behind,” Alonso said. Leaders need to be aware of confirmation bias to keep pace. 

Those who successfully examine their own assumptions help create cultures rooted in fairness, innovation, and open dialogue — setting the tone for organizations that adapt, evolve, and stay competitive. Still, confirmation bias is only one form of unconscious bias. That’s why it’s important to explore other types of biases that may be shaping your decisions in ways you don’t realize.