Unconscious bias is a very real issue in today’s workplace. Judging others poorly based on race, gender and age creeps into the workplace and negatively impacts productivity and forward movement. Felicia Jadczak from She Geeks Out is part of this panel to show how to recognize and root out unconscious bias in the workplace.

Jadczak started on the path of advocating diversity and inclusion in 2012 when she was asked to start VMware’s first employee resource group for female engineers. Though the journey began in tech, she and co-founder Rachel Murray now lead She Geeks Out, a team-building organization formed to aid companies across the professional spectrum in combating bias and creating a culture of inclusivity in every sector.

I was working in tech, and was working for the CTO’s office at VMware. I was asked to start their first employee resource group for their female software engineers (this was back in 2012). I started researching, reading, sharing best practices and eventually teaching others what I was learning about diversity, inclusion and how to support underrepresented voices in tech. That work also led me to meeting Rachel Murray, and the rest is history! 

She Geeks Out builds communities of passionate women and educates companies on diversity and inclusion through workshops, seminars and training. One of their workshops focuses on recognizing unconscious bias and how it manifests in the workplace. Once aware of such bias, professionals can address and eliminate it in future interactions.
In February 2017 She Geeks Out officially became a certified B corporation, meaning they consider purpose and beneficial impact in all decision-making as well as profit in their business model.

For more information, check out She Geeks Out and How Power and Privilege Show Up at Work on March 9, 2019 from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the JW Marriott Room 203-204