New Textio Performance Feedback Tool Helps Uncover Bias

Textio released an AI-enabled software tool to help interrupt biases in written performance feedback. The product, aptly called Textio for performance feedback, provides managers with real-time coaching on writing employee feedback to ensure it is effective and fair.

With the tool, AI will identify and replace language that could be biased based about race, gender and/or age. Textio said it will uncover patterns of inequity in feedback across departments and demographic groups, and surface them to DEI leaders.

The product will provide in-line nudges that interrupt bias in real-time, allowing managers and peers to give consistent and direct, specific and actionable feedback.

Biases in the Workplace

In June, Textio released research that revealed significant racial, gender and age bias in workplace performance feedback, with women and people of color disproportionally affected. The written feedback from 25,000 people at more than 250 organizations showed significant inequities, the company said.

The research found that women received 22% more feedback about their personality than men, and 30% more exaggerated feedback. Meanwhile, Black women received nearly 9x as much feedback that was not actionable. Compared to men, women were 7x more likely to report being described as “opinionated,” and 11x more likely to report being described as “abrasive.”

Textio created the product to improve the effectiveness and fairness of performance management systems by surfacing common patterns in personality, actionability, fixed and growth mindset and overall feedback quality across the organization. The company believes feedback inequities can have far-reaching consequences by exacerbating opportunity and pay gaps – things that are especially problematic since the most underrepresented groups also receive the least quality feedback from their managers.

Thee company said that with the product, managers should be able to discover and address inequities in their performance management and feedback systems.

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