NAMA hosts interactive workshop
As part of its ongoing Irtiqa initiative, Nama Women Advancement (NAMA) held an interactive workshop titled 'Tackling unconscious bias in the workplace' on Monday, June 23, at the House of Wisdom in Sharjah.
The session brought together representatives from public and private sector entities with the aim of raising awareness on how unconscious bias can influence hiring decisions, career advancement, and organisational culture, while equipping participants with practical tools to build more inclusive workplaces.
its impact on organisations
The workshop shed light on the different forms of unconscious bias, particularly those related to gender and how they influence daily decisions and interactions in the workplace. Participants explored real-life scenarios and ways to address institutional biases, through interactive discussions.
Commenting on the workshop, Mariam Al Hammadi, Director General of NAMA, emphasised the importance of acknowledging and addressing these hidden challenges as part of a broader shift in organisational empowerment strategies.
She said: 'At NAMA, we do not view unconscious bias as an isolated individual behaviour, but as a systemic barrier to growth and equity within organisations. Our efforts focus on embedding inclusion into the culture of organisations, not as reactive measures, but as part of a long-term vision for creating more productive, equitable workplaces.'
This workshop is part of NAMA's 'Irtiqa' initiative, which aims to promote workplace equality and strengthen the organisational empowerment for women.
Through strategic collaboration with various entities, 'Irtiqa' supports the creation of sustainable and opportunity-driven work environments.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Khaleej Times
20 hours ago
- Khaleej Times
UAE: How unconscious biases can deepen inequalities in recruitment, career growth
NamaWomen Advancement, a government initiative for gender equity, held a workshop on unconscious bias in the workplace. The session explored how such bias affects hiring, promotions, and company culture. It highlighted that unconscious bias is a systemic issue, not just a personal one. If ignored, it can deepen inequalities in recruitment, career growth, leadership roles, and employee engagement. The workshop, part of the Irtiqa initiative under the directives and visionary leadership of Sheikha Jawaher bint Mohammed Al Qasimi, Wife of Ruler of Sharjah and Chairperson of Nama Women Advancement, offered participants a deeper understanding of how unconscious biases can influence decisions and reinforce barriers to inclusion and opportunity. Forms of unconscious bias The workshop offered participants an understanding of unconscious biases that can be shaped by upbringing, media, education, and language. Participants were encouraged to reflect on the factors that reinforce bias. Forms of unconscious bias include: — Maternity Bias: Making assumptions about women's commitment or capacity due to caregiving responsibilities — Halo Effect: Forming a generalized impression based on one positive trait — Horn Effect: Forming a generalised impression based on one negative trait — Contrast Bias: Evaluating someone not on their own merit but in comparison to others — Affinity Bias: Favouring individuals who share similar backgrounds, interests or identities Real-life workplace scenarios The workshop engaged participants with realistic workplace scenarios that illustrated how unconscious bias can impact interactions and decision-making, often without intent. These scenarios reflected a range of professional contexts, including performance evaluation, recruitment, promotions, task allocation, and everyday communication. The scenarios invited participants to critically analyze not just individual behaviour, but also systems and assumptions that allow such biases to persist. Through group discussions, they explored how everyday decisions can either support or challenge inclusion and equity within the workplace. Institutional biases through systemic change The workshop emphasised that addressing unconscious bias requires both individual reflection and systemic change. Key areas of action to address institutional bias included encouraging self-awareness, using gender-disaggregated data, and raising awareness through targeted training. The Irtiqa initiative was highlighted as a structured, practical initiative to support organisations in implementing these strategies. Nama's systemic approach to unconscious bias 'At Nama Women Advancement, we view unconscious bias not merely as a personal attitude, but as a systemic challenge that shapes organizational culture, influences policies, and impacts decision-making structures, often without being recognized,' according to Nama. 'By treating unconscious bias as a structural challenge, rather than isolated individual behavior, we focus on transforming systems, not just mindsets. This includes revisiting how organisations assess performance, define leadership, and create inclusive policies.' Irtiqa Initiative Through Nama's Irtiqa Initiative, Nama works with public and private sector entities in the UAE to embed inclusion at both strategic and operational levels through: • Interactive workshops that raise awareness, spark dialogue, and equip stakeholders with actionable solutions • Organisational diagnostic tool known as the Irtiqa Toolkit that helps organizations assess where they stand on their gender diversity journey and provide recommendations to improve inclusion policies and workplace culture • One-on-one organisational consultations focused on reviewing internal practices, such as HR systems and DEI policies, developing action plans and strategies to drive long-term change Measurable outcomes and goals Nama aims for measurable outcomes including increased representation of women across leadership, management, and technical roles; more equitable recruitment and promotion systems supported by inclusive HR policies and performance review structures; greater awareness and behavioral shifts among staff and leadership; and improved access to professional development opportunities for underrepresented groups. Through the directives of Sheikha Jawaher Al Qasimi, Irtiqa aims to drive economic growth by positioning women's inclusion as a major proponent for global GDP expansion and help reshape business ecosystems by advocating gender-inclusive products and supply chains supporting women-owned enterprises. The initiative advances UAE leadership in Sustainable Development Goals (5, 8, 17) and fosters cross-sector knowledge hubs through peer networks. Success measurement Impact is measured through Irtiqa's diagnostic dashboards, quantifying progress across the 5Ps such as increased women in leadership or pay equity adjustments. Policy adoption rates track implementation of toolkit recommendations. Participation metrics include workshop reach and toolkit usage, while longitudinal staff surveys gauge cultural shifts in inclusion perceptions. 'Irtiqa also measures impact through stories of transformation: rising numbers of women leading teams, policies redesigned for fairness, and partners reporting tangible gains in innovation and morale,' according to Nama.
Gulf Today
3 days ago
- Gulf Today
NAMA hosts interactive workshop
As part of its ongoing Irtiqa initiative, Nama Women Advancement (NAMA) held an interactive workshop titled 'Tackling unconscious bias in the workplace' on Monday, June 23, at the House of Wisdom in Sharjah. The session brought together representatives from public and private sector entities with the aim of raising awareness on how unconscious bias can influence hiring decisions, career advancement, and organisational culture, while equipping participants with practical tools to build more inclusive workplaces. its impact on organisations The workshop shed light on the different forms of unconscious bias, particularly those related to gender and how they influence daily decisions and interactions in the workplace. Participants explored real-life scenarios and ways to address institutional biases, through interactive discussions. Commenting on the workshop, Mariam Al Hammadi, Director General of NAMA, emphasised the importance of acknowledging and addressing these hidden challenges as part of a broader shift in organisational empowerment strategies. She said: 'At NAMA, we do not view unconscious bias as an isolated individual behaviour, but as a systemic barrier to growth and equity within organisations. Our efforts focus on embedding inclusion into the culture of organisations, not as reactive measures, but as part of a long-term vision for creating more productive, equitable workplaces.' This workshop is part of NAMA's 'Irtiqa' initiative, which aims to promote workplace equality and strengthen the organisational empowerment for women. Through strategic collaboration with various entities, 'Irtiqa' supports the creation of sustainable and opportunity-driven work environments.
Sharjah 24
4 days ago
- Sharjah 24
NAMA highlights practices to foster more inclusive workplaces
Unconscious biases and its impact on organisations The workshop shed light on the different forms of unconscious bias, particularly those related to gender and how they influence daily decisions and interactions in the workplace. Participants explored real-life scenarios and ways to address institutional biases, through interactive discussions. A shift in organisational empowerment culture Commenting on the workshop, Mariam Al Hammadi, Director General of NAMA, emphasised the importance of acknowledging and addressing these hidden challenges as part of a broader shift in organisational empowerment strategies. She said: 'At NAMA, we do not view unconscious bias as an isolated individual behaviour, but as a systemic barrier to growth and equity within organisations. Our efforts focus on embedding inclusion into the culture of organisations, not as reactive measures, but as part of a long-term vision for creating more productive, equitable workplaces.' Advancing partnerships for more inclusive work environments This workshop is part of NAMA's 'Irtiqa' initiative, which aims to promote workplace equality and strengthen the organisational empowerment for women. Through strategic collaboration with various entities, 'Irtiqa' supports the creation of sustainable and opportunity-driven work environments.
