527: Senior Researcher at Harvard Kennedy School on ‘Make Work Fair’
Feb 19, 2025
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Siri Chilazi, a Senior Researcher at the Harvard Kennedy School, dives deep into workplace gender equality in this enlightening discussion. She recounts her journey from the sciences to advocating for fairness at work. Siri emphasizes that systemic changes, like rethinking hiring practices and implementing regular pay audits, are more effective than traditional diversity training. Through her insights, she advocates for creating inclusive cultures where small adjustments can lead to significant improvements in gender equity.
Siri Chilazi emphasizes that systemic changes in workplace practices, like regular pay audits and resume redesign, can significantly impact gender equality.
The podcast highlights the ineffectiveness of traditional diversity training programs, advocating for data-driven approaches to promote sustained behavior change in organizations.
Deep dives
Diverse Academic Background and Gender Equality
Siri Chilazi’s academic journey reflects a deep passion for understanding complex issues, transitioning from the hard sciences to social sciences with a focus on gender equality in the workplace. Initially aspiring to become a professor in fields like chemistry and physics, her experiences in management consulting revealed the stark realities of gender inequality. The shift to studying gender issues was catalyzed by her first-hand encounter with workplace disparities, including unequal pay and a lack of female representation in senior positions. This background equips her with a unique perspective as she aims to foster gender equity through research and advocacy.
Impact of Systemic Factors on Behavior
Chilazi emphasizes that individual behavior is heavily influenced by external systems and environments rather than solely personal decisions. Research, including a study from the University of Washington, demonstrates how altering factors like classroom imagery can significantly change student behaviors and sense of belonging. This insight underlines the importance of addressing systemic issues to promote gender equality in educational and professional settings. By recognizing that behavior is often a product of environmental influences, organizations can implement strategies that create a more equitable workplace.
Ineffective Corporate Diversity Training
Despite the rise in corporate diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, many traditional training programs designed to combat bias are proving ineffective in changing behaviors in the long term. Chilazi points out that while these trainings may temporarily raise awareness, they often lack the lasting impact needed to alter workplace dynamics effectively. Research supports a shift towards implementing small systemic changes rather than relying on extensive training sessions. For example, modifying hiring processes to obscure employment gaps in resumes can lead to fairer outcomes for candidates, particularly women and those with varied career paths.
Challenging Societal Norms and Measuring Accountability
Chilazi asserts that achieving workplace equality involves a fundamental reassessment of societal norms and practices regarding fairness in compensation and promotion. High levels of systemic bias remain evident in hiring and advancement, where factors such as gender, race, and even appearance can disproportionately affect career opportunities. She advocates for organizations to conduct regular pay audits and collect data on employee performance to identify inequalities. By sharing success stories and data-driven practices, as illustrated through the BBC's 50-50 Equality Project, organizations can enact meaningful change and push for more equitable treatment across the board.
Welcome to Strategy Skills episode 527, an interview with the coauthor of Make Work Fair: Data-Driven Design for Real Results, Siri Chilazi.
In this episode, Siri shares her path from studying chemistry to researching workplace gender equality. Based on her experience and academic work, she explains how workplace systems shape behavior more than individual choices. Siri advocates for practical changes like redesigning resumes and conducting regular pay audits rather than focusing on diversity training. Siri discusses how to create fairer workplaces and suggests that small changes in organizational culture can lead to significant improvements in gender equality.
Siri Chilazi is a senior researcher at the Women and Public Policy Program at Harvard Kennedy School whose life’s work is to advance gender equality in the workplace. Siri has an MBA from Harvard Business School, a Master’s in Public Policy from Harvard Kennedy School, and a BA in Chemistry and Physics from Harvard College.