Performance bias occurs when people overestimate men’s performance and underestimate women’s performance. Instead of evaluating people purely on objective results, we often rely on stereotypes about competence and leadership. Men are more likely to be judged on their potential, while women are expected to prove their skills again and again before being considered equally capable.
This type of unconscious bias is one of the most persistent barriers to equity in the workplace. It not only shapes hiring and promotions but also influences daily recognition, feedback, and opportunities for advancement.
How Performance Bias Shows Up at Work
Performance bias often surfaces in subtle but consistent ways that disadvantage women and other underrepresented groups. In hiring, for example, men may be selected because they “seem promising,” while women with the same qualifications are asked to demonstrate past achievements. In evaluations, women’s mistakes are often magnified, while men’s errors are more easily forgiven.
Even in collaborative settings, performance bias skews perceptions. Men are often credited as leaders or primary contributors, while women’s work may be minimized or overlooked. Over time, these patterns compound, leaving women with fewer opportunities, slower career progression, and greater pressure to constantly prove themselves.
The Connection Between Performance Bias and Attribution Bias
Performance bias is closely linked to attribution bias, another unconscious bias common in workplaces. Attribution bias influences who gets credit and who takes the blame: men are more likely to be praised for success, while women are often blamed for failures. Combined with performance bias, the cycle becomes self-reinforcing: women are assumed to be less competent, given less credit when they succeed, and judged more harshly when they fail.
The Consequences of Performance Bias
For individuals, performance bias erodes confidence, holds back career advancement, and can lead to pay inequities. Women and underrepresented employees may find themselves working harder just to be considered equal, which creates frustration and burnout.
For organizations, the costs are equally significant. When performance is judged through the lens of bias instead of merit, companies overlook talented employees, fail to build diverse leadership teams, and lose credibility in their evaluation processes. Bias-driven decisions stifle innovation and reduce employee engagement, leaving organizations less competitive in the long run.
How to Counter Performance Bias
The good news is that performance bias can be addressed with intentional practices. The first step is awareness—recognizing when subjective impressions or stereotypes are influencing performance judgments. From there, companies can take practical steps to reduce bias, such as:
- Establishing structured performance criteria. Clear, measurable expectations help ensure evaluations are based on outcomes, not vague impressions.
- Gathering feedback regularly. Relying only on annual reviews can magnify recent events; frequent check-ins create a fuller, fairer picture of performance.
- Training managers on unconscious bias. When leaders understand how bias shows up, they can actively correct it.
- Using multiple perspectives. Combining peer reviews, self-assessments, and objective data reduces the risk of one biased evaluation shaping an employee’s career.
- Calibrating evaluations. Bringing managers together to review and compare ratings helps align standards across teams and reduce inconsistencies.
Why Addressing Performance Bias Matters
Tackling performance bias is about more than fairness—it’s about building stronger, more successful organizations. Diverse teams outperform homogeneous ones, but diversity cannot thrive if evaluation systems are stacked against certain groups. By committing to fair assessments, companies not only create equity but also unlock more talent, innovation, and growth.
Moving From Awareness to Action
Performance bias may be unconscious, but its impact is very real. The challenge is not simply to recognize that it exists, but to commit to addressing it in meaningful ways. Tools like Lean In’s Bias Cards offer practical guidance for spotting performance bias in action and taking steps to counter it.
When organizations commit to equity in performance evaluation, everyone benefits. The workplace becomes more inclusive, employees feel valued for their actual contributions, and companies gain the full advantage of all their talent. In the end, we all rise when women rise.