Incorporating DEI into Decision-Making

DEI improves when managers are prompted to think about it at critical moments, such as hiring, promotions, and performance reviews.

by

and

Iris Bohnet

by

and

Iris Bohnet

September 01, 2023

HBR Staff/Unsplash/Pexels

Summary.

Most people believe in promoting DEI in the workplace. But implicit and unconscious biases — not to mention the constant juggling of priorities required at work — can lead to inequitable decision-making. In this article, drawing on recent research, the authors suggest that this problem can be addressed by making DEI more immediately obvious, or salient, to managers immediately before they need to make consequential decisions about such matters as hiring, promotions, and performance evaluation. The authors discuss three particularly effective ways of doing so.

Most people don’t think of themselves as biased or prejudiced, and people often explicitly endorse diversity as something companies should strive for. But many organizations struggle with DEI. Why?

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EC

Edward Chang is an assistant professor in the Negotiation, Organizations & Markets Unit at Harvard Business School and a member of the Inclusion Lab.
Siri Chilazi is a research fellow at the Women and Public Policy Program at the Harvard Kennedy School, where she studies gender equality in the workplace. Her work focuses on de-biasing organizational processes and structures through behavioral design. She is the co-author, with Iris Bohnet, of a forthcoming book on the topic.
James Elfer is the founder of MoreThanNow, a behavioral-science practice focused on academic collaboration and experimental research in the workplace.
Cansin Arslan, an economist by training, is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Exeter and a research fellow at the Women and Public Policy Program of Harvard Kennedy School. Her current research focuses on diversity, equality, and inclusion in the workplace. She runs field experiments and employs quasi-experimental methods to answer her research questions.
EK

Erika Kirgios is an assistant professor of Behavioral Science at the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and a member of the Inclusion Lab.
Oliver Hauser is a professor of economics at the University of Exeter and a faculty affiliate at Harvard University. His research studies how corporates, nonprofits, and governments can become more sustainable, cooperative, inclusive, and productive workplaces for employees, managers, and executive leaders.
Iris Bohnet is the Albert Pratt Professor of Business and Government, co-director of the Women and Public Policy Program and the Academic Dean at Harvard Kennedy School. She is the author of the award-winning book What Works: Gender Equality by Design.

New!

HBR Learning

Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging Course

Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.

How to build a better, more just workplace.

Start Course

Learn More & See All Courses

Incorporating DEI into Decision-Making

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