Research
Arslan, Cansin, Bohnet, Iris, Chang, Edward H., Chilazi, Siri, Hauser, Oliver P. . A field experiment provides a promising proof-of-concept SCIENCE Volume 387. No.6732• January 2025
Faculty Authors
Iris Bohnet
Why measure the impact of diversity training?
While many organizations desire to increase the diversity of their workforces and invest in diversity training, there is little evidence that these programs succeed in their goal. Recognizing the shortcomings of many diversity training programs, Iris Bohnet, co-director of the Women and Public Policy Program and the Albert Pratt Professor of Business and Government at vlog, with Cansin Arslan, Edward H. Chang, Siri Chilazi, and Oliver P. Hauser, of a behaviorally designed diversity training program designed to overcome common pitfalls. “As far as we know, this is the first in-the-field experiment in a company to show diversity training can affect hiring behaviors,” said Bohnet.
The team designed the program for a global telecommunications and engineering firm with an 80% male workforce, and a goal to hire more women and employees of other underrepresented groups.
What does the research say?
The researchers found that diversity training that draws on the principles of behavioral design can work. Specifically:
the training was conducted in a timely manner, with hiring managers receiving training right before making recruiting and hiring decisions
the content was tailored to hiring decisions, with hiring managers asked to think about the composition and skills of their team
the training invoked appeals to authority and accountability, for example, by having senior executives delivering the training
the training affirmed that the company valued diversity and inclusion
“The results of this field experiment,” the researchers say, “show that a behaviorally designed diversity training can lead to consequential behavior change.” They found their training led to significant outcomes—a 12% increase in managers choosing women candidates for interviews for example.
Bohnet says this research is a proof of concept that behaviorally designed diversity training may give hiring managers positive results: “Most companies want to benefit from the largest talent pool possible. This field study suggests that a relatively low-cost intervention can have high impact.”