Â鶹ÒùÔº

Google recently . This follows a broader trend among major corporations and a .

Walmart, the world's largest retailer, rolled back its DEI policies last November after a five-year racial equity commitment. Other companies like , and most recently, , have also halted their DEI initiatives.

In Canada, however, some companies remain committed to DEI. For example, KPMG Canada conducted 50 DEI training sessions for its 35,000 employees in 2022 and .

But is this the best way forward?

As a Ph.D. student researching implicit bias, I am examining how DEI training and programs can go awry. For example, one study suggests that while DEI programs can reduce prejudice in some cases, programs that exert control over people . This happens because they place responsibility for bias and discrimination on individuals when research suggests it is the biased systems that deserve more scrutiny.

³§²â²õ³Ù±ð³¾²õ——are the primary culprits behind biases, which often lead to unfair behaviors toward minority groups.

Biases are systemic

We've all experienced a moment where we met someone and perhaps without thinking, felt a sense of threat or unfamiliarity. These spontaneous reactions are known as implicit biases. Over the years, researchers have linked these biases to .

Historically, psychologists have considered bias intrinsic to oneself, similar to personality or IQ. However, newer approaches are challenging this view.

Personality tests such as show reasonable forecasting ability for job outcomes. However, —a common tool used to measure implicit biases—show only weak relevance to actual discriminatory behavior. In other words, a white person who holds implicit biases against racialized immigrants, for example, might not .

Recent studies now suggest that biases are better understood as , . For example, one study demonstrated that implicit biases correlate with behavior. But this connection only holds when analyzing groups of people within a specific region. In regions where anti-Black biases are more prevalent among white residents, higher rates of police violence against Black individuals are observed.

This study highlights that and social norms.

Solutions to systemic bias

One key takeaway from implicit bias research is that interventions targeting individual biases because bias is embedded within systems.

So, what can organizations do to address systemic bias more effectively?

Let's look at hiring as an example.

Instead of requiring hiring managers to participate in diversity training, organizations could implement hiring criteria that minimize the influence of race and gender bias in the hiring process. Some research suggests tailoring job descriptions to appeal to underrepresented groups. For example, HR postings that or focus on benefits can attract more women for roles in traditionally male-dominated fields.

Policing is another area where systemic change can mitigate bias. police officers are more likely to stop, question, arrest or use force against Black people than white people.

Rather than mandating police officers undergo diversity training to educate them about their biases——a restructuring of the policies and procedures around stops and frisks would reduce bias's impact.

For instance, in police stop and frisks and to encourage stricter accountability among police officers could go a long way to curb racial profiling.

As DEI programs face increasing scrutiny and skepticism, and many employees feel frustrated by ineffective and repetitive online training, there is a growing need to reframe DEI as systems-focused work. If diversity, equity and inclusion are truly the goals, the solution lies in rebuilding the systems that shape our society.

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .