While businesses have been implementing diversity programs for decades, research has shown that inequality is still widespread. Tactics such as diversity training, hiring tests, performance ratings and grievance procedures don’t work; while engagement, contact, social accountability and mentorship do – and leaders must play a bigger role.
It is widely recognized that diversity can boost innovation and employee engagement: greater diversity in general leads to greater diversity of thought, to the ability to attract and retain top talent, and to a better understanding of the company’s customer base.
Yet there is still a lack of women and minorities in leadership positions, and certain industries like tech and finance lack diversity at all levels. According to the research by Harvard University sociology professor Frank Dobbin and Tel Aviv University sociology associate professor Alexandra Kalev, the proportion of white female managers at US commercial banks actually dropped from 39% in 2003 to 35% in 2014, and black male managers from 2.5% to 2.3%, although Hispanic representation in the same category rose from 4.7% to 5.7%.
After analyzing three decades’ worth of data from over 800 US companies and interviewing hundreds of line managers and executives at length, Dobbin and Kalev affirm the command-and-control approach to preempt lawsuits by policing managers’ behavior that companies have long relied on is of no help to motivate change and can even create adverse effects by activating bias or sparking a backlash.
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