These are the 2 most common biases that affect immigrant workers

Unconscious biases play a significant role in shaping attitudes, actions, and decisions. These biases, often based on social stereotypes, are unintentional, automatic, and deeply ingrained in the subconscious. Immigrants face unique unconscious biases. Recognizing and addressing these unconscious biases is essential in creating workplaces that allow immigrant leaders to thrive.



There are two prevailing biases that uniquely affect immigrants—accent bias and foreign education bias. Let’s dive deeper into understanding and addressing these biases.



Accent Bias



English. Whose language is it, anyway? 



I had a colleague who repeatedly attempted to complete, correct, and finish the sentences of an immigrant teammate.



“Let’s schedule a meeting to discuss the project timeline and create a timetable for each task.”



Colleague: “Ah, we usually call it a schedule in the U.S., and we often use the term agenda for what we plan to cover in a meeting.”



“I will meet you at the lift after the meeting, and we can head out to lunch.”



Colleague: “Here in the U.S., we generally say elevator instead of lift, but yes, I’ll meet you at the elevator.”



Are you cringing? I did.



English is the global language of business, spoken by more than 1.5 billion people , with around 75% being non-native English speakers. Despite this, biases against non-native English speakers persist in the workplace, impacting their perceived success, intelligence, and credibility.



Native English speakers may struggle to understand these challenges, especially if they haven’t experienced the complexities of learning a foreign language. Education systems in English-speaking countries often emphasize sophisticated language use and reward mastery of the language. However, effective communication with non-native English speakers may require a different approach, emphasizing tolerance and understanding rather than linguistic mastery.



We don’t control how we speak the English language. It is a function of upbringing, of the age at which we learn the language, especially the accent from whom it is learned. 



The impact of accent bias can vary depending on several factors, such as the immigrants’ location, industry, and individual experiences. However, it is undeniable that the impact of accent bias can be significant, with many immigrants reporting adverse effects on their self-esteem, career prospects, and overall well-being.



Recognizing this, corporations are responsible for eradicating accent bias in the workplace. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Language and Social Psychology surveying more than 1,500 non-native English speakers revealed that 60% reported encountering discrimination or bias rooted in their accents within the workplace.



To further dismantle accent bias in the workplace, consider these strategies:




Awareness and Education: Organizations should provide awareness and education on accent bias. This could include training sessions, workshops, or seminars highlighting the benefits of having a diverse workforce and the negative impact of accent bias.



Create a Culture of Inclusion: Organizations should foster a culture of inclusion where all employees feel valued and respected, regardless of their accent. This could include creating an open-door policy, encouraging open communication, and elevating leaders with accents to give company-wide presentations.



Standardized Communication: Organizations could adopt a standardized communication style to reduce accent bias. This could include using simple language, avoiding jargon, and slowing the pace of speech. Additionally, the recruitment process should ensure that accent bias is not a factor in the selection process. This could include training recruiters on identifying and avoiding accent bias and reviewing job descriptions to ensure that they do not have unnecessary language requirements.




Foreign education bias



Foreign education bias occurs when employers undervalue or misunderstand qualifications from educational institutions outside their country. There are 2 million college-educated, work-authorized immigrants and refugees in the U.S. with expertise in critical industries, but systemic barriers stemming from foreign education bias prevent them from being able to put their experience and expertise to work in the U.S.. This is a waste of human capital and potential. 



Employers must recognize the value of degrees from unfamiliar universities or work experience in unknown companies. Many licensing processes do not recognize experience or credentials earned abroad. Therefore, the pathway to rebuilding one’s career requires repeating years of education and training. The result is an expensive, time-consuming process that keeps many immigrants out of their professional fields. Getting a professional license is an immediate and challenging hurdle for professionals in highly regulated industries like health care. The barriers within other industries are just as challenging. 



With biased certification programs that limit the career growth of competent immigrants in the U.S., this creates barriers to career advancement among skilled immigrants in the U.S., which affects 25% of highly skilled immigrants with foreign degrees. According to a 2022 study by Brigham Young University, they are experiencing what is known as skill underutilization, compared to 18% of U.S.-born highly skilled employees.



To further dismantle foreign education bias in the workplace, consider these strategies:




Collaborate With Credential Evaluation Agencies: Work closely with credential evaluation agencies to establish clear criteria for evaluating foreign qualifications. Ensure that the requirements align with the skills and competencies for the specific job roles within your company to establish consistent standards for evaluating foreign credentials. This consistency helps in maintaining fairness and transparency in the hiring process.



Incorporate Credential Evaluation in the Recruitment Process: Integrate the credential evaluation process into your recruitment procedures. This could involve requesting candidates to send their information to one of the company’s selected credential evaluation agencies and then submitting credential evaluation reports alongside their original documents during the application process.



Offer Training to Human Resources and Hiring Managers: Train HR professionals and hiring managers on understanding and interpreting credential evaluation reports. This will enable them to make informed decisions based on the evaluated qualifications.




This is not an exhaustive list of the biases immigrants face—just the prevailing two. I can think of name bias as another one near the top. Rather than going through them all, confronting and eliminating those biases is most important.







Excerpted with permission from ImmiGRIT: How Immigrant Leadership Drives Organizational Success (Manuscripts Press ) by Ukeme Awakessien Jeter .