Innovative Research on Diversity Programs and Workplace Management

Diversity Programs that Work Frank Dobbin, Sociology, Harvard University Alexandra Kalev, Sociology, Tel Aviv University Erin Kelly, Sloan School, MIT Soohan Kim, Sociology, Seoul National University The Israeli Forum for Employment Diversity Tel Aviv, May 4, 2017

Percent of Workers in Management 20 18 16 14 White Men Asian Men White Women Asian Women Hispanic Men Black Men Hispanic Women Black Women 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Private-Sector Employers with 100 Workers

Data and Methods EEO-1 workforce reports, 30+ years All private employers with 100+ workers Race, ethnicity, gender, occupation Retrospective survey of 829 workplaces History of employment practices Labor market controls Analysis: How innovations affect management Change in management composition Percent change in group over 5 years 3

Percent of Managers from Each Group 70 22 5 4 3 2.4 2 1.7 1.3 1.2 1 0.5 0.4 0 White Men White Women Black Men Black Women Hispanic Men Hispanic Women Asian Men Asian Women

Control Self-Determination Theory Job Autonomy Theory

Controlling Managers Decisions 0 -2 Percent Change -4 -6 -8 -10 Civil Rights -12 Job Tests Performance Evaluations Black Men Asian Men Grievance Procedures Black Women Asian Women White Men Hispanic Men White Women Hispanic Women

Tests & Confirmation Bias At group hiring meetings in an elite consulting firm, interviewers discussed math performance on the scenario part of the interview. White men who blew the math: having a bad day. Blacks and women: not a rock star at math. Lauren Rivera, Pedigree, 2015

Grievance Systems & Retaliation More than 90,000 discrimination complaints to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission in 2014. Forty-five percent included a complaint of retaliation.

Grievance Systems & Complacency At Chicago Electronics Inc., the V.P. of HR bragged our executive management team [reads] headlines in the newspapers about difficulties other corporations are having lawsuits and we have not had any of those problems, and in fact as an indication for you, we have gone almost four years without any kind of complaint.

Thought Control 12 10 8 6 Percent Change 4 2 0 -2 -4 -6 -8 Diversity Training White Women Diversity Evaluations Black Men White Men Black Women Hispanic Men Hispanic Women Asian Men Asian Women

Forced Thought Control 15 10 Percent Change 5 Mandatory Training 0 Voluntary Training -5 -10 White Men White Women Black Men Black Women Hispanic Men Hispanic Women Asian Men Asian Women

Legal Control: Training Curriculum 15 10 5 Legal & Cultural Legal 0 -5 Cultural -10 -15 White Men White Women Black Men Black Women Hispanic Men Hispanic Women Asian Men Asian Women

Engagement Cognitive Dissonance Theory Responsibility Theory

Special College Recruitment 20 15 Percent Change 10 5 0 -5 Women White Women Hispanic Women Minorities White Men Hispanic Men Black Men Asian Men Black Women Asian Women

Mentoring & Affinity Groups 25 20 15 Percent Change 10 5 0 Mentoring Affinity Groups -5 -10 White Men Hispanic Men White Women Hispanic Women Black Men Asian Men Black Women Asian Women

Engagement through Taskforces 30 25 20 Percent Change 15 10 5 0 Diversity Taskforce Diversity Manager -5 White Men Black Women White Women Hispanic Men Black Men Hispanic Women

Work-Life Integration Ideal Worker Theory

Work-Family Workshops 9 8 7 6 Percent Change 5 4 3 2 1 0 Work-Family Workshops Black Women White Women Hispanic Women Asian Women

Childcare 20 18 16 Percent Change 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Dependent Care Expense Account White Women Referral Service On-Site Childcare Childcare Voucher Asian Women Black Women Hispanic Women

Sexual Harassment Initiatives 8% 6% 4% Percent Change 2% 0% -2% -4% -6% Training Grievance Procedure Black Men Hispanic Women White Men Black Women Asian Men White Women Hispanic Men Asian Women

Conclusion Control Engagement Work-Life Integration frank_dobbin@harvard.edu