HBR IdeaCast If DEI Programs Aren’t Effective, What Is?
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Feb 11, 2025 
Iris Bohnet and Siri Chilazi, both from the Harvard Kennedy School and co-authors of "Make Work Fair," dive into the complex landscape of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. They discuss the tension between these initiatives and meritocracy, advocating for fairness as a universal principle. Their research reveals how biases impact advancement and importance of data-driven solutions. The duo emphasizes strategic goal-setting to enhance organizational fairness and highlights the need for open dialogue to foster genuine inclusivity.
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Meritocracy Myth
- The ideal of meritocracy, where advancement is based on skill and talent, is not the reality in today's workplaces.
- Biases based on gender, race, and religion demonstrably affect hiring and promotion opportunities, showing systemic unfairness.
Embed Fairness
- Build fairness into everyday work processes, from hiring and promotion to meetings and product design.
- Strive for true equal opportunity by ensuring everyone has an equal starting point and the support to succeed.
Data-Driven Fairness
- Use data to measure fairness in your organization, just as you analyze core business operations.
- Analyze data on promotions, hiring, and other processes for systematic differences between groups.