Do DEI programmes need a reality check?

You may feel uncomfortable reading this, as it is a contentious area. But contention must not be left to fester, sides becoming increasingly polarised. 

Companies and educational institutions are pouring billions into Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives. But do they work? DEI has to face up to the evidence, and there is a case for rethinking diversity training. Are we getting it all wrong with billions spent, but does DEI deliver? Mandatory training seems to have a backlash problem and unintended consequences. Turns out, the evidence does not support this spend. Could this training be hurting more than helping and do they need a reality check?

PAPER

This paper by the NCRI points out some serious flaws in some DEI approaches, and adds to the growing body of larger and wider studies that came to the same conclusion.

They mostly have no significant effect as they focus on the wrong thing – training not process. Indeed, some DEI programs stir up resentment and suspicion, making things worse rather than better. 

Mandatory training has led to a backlash, as Forcing people into diversity training can create discomfort and even hostility. Nobody likes feeling blamed and you donpt win people over by accusatory tactics.

‘Anti-oppression’ rhetoric tends to polarise people as it seems explicitly political. Materials (identified in the paper) that emphasise systemic oppression and victimhood often make participants view others through a hostile lens.

Another danger is that perception becomes reality, where DEI narratives lead people to see prejudice and unfairness in neutral situations. This exposure to anti-racism or anti-Islamophobia narratives can increase participants’ willingness to punish perceived ‘oppressors’ without clear proof of wrong-doing.

There is also an interesting  discussion in the paper surfacing DEI narratives to controlling tendencies. Some DEI content appears to foster controlling and punitive mindsets, authoritarian traits of authoritarianism This is interesting, and I true to a degree.

CONCLUSION

I’ve been writing about this for nearly 20 years and this is yet another paper that calls for an honest evaluation of this gargantuan spend and shines a much-needed light on the unintended consequences of many DEI approaches. It’s shocking that so much money is spent on DEI without robust evidence of effectiveness or harm mitigation. Evidence like this should be a wake-up call for organisations to rethink how they handle diversity training—but it won’t. Why not? We are in an evidence-free zone, where even discussion of the evidence cannot happen. That’s why The New York Times and Bloomberg shelved coverage 

EVIDENCE

There is a consistent theme here - mandatory, accusatory, or one-off DEI efforts can do more harm than good. The key is building trust, creating buy-in, and focusing on systemic change rather than short-term fixes. On that front I highly recommend Simon Fanshawe’s excellent book ‘The Power of Difference’. He was a founder of Stonewall and has fought for Gay rights all of his life.

An early study, Kidder et al. (2004), tackled the backlash that DEI programs can trigger when framed as affirmative action. Turns out, calling it affirmative action often sets off alarms about reverse discrimination, making people feel unfairly targeted. Instead of promoting diversity, it can lead to resentment, undermining the very goal of the programs. This research was one of the first to flag the danger of how DEI is framed.

Then along came a big one Kalev, Dobbin, & Kelly (2006), who found that mandatory diversity training doesn’t just fail—it can actually backfire. Employees often resist being told they have unconscious biases, which can foster defensiveness. The researchers suggested that voluntary training or pairing it with programs like mentorship schemes works far better, making employees feel part of the solution rather than the problem. Legault, Gutsell, & Inzlicht (2011) looked at anti-prejudice messaging and found something surprising: when people feel pressured or coerced into thinking a certain way, they dig their heels in. Instead of reducing bias, these messages can actually make it worse. Giving people more autonomy in how they engage with DEI efforts might be a smarter move. Fast forward a few years, to Moss-Racusin et al. (2016) who found that programs dangling carrots or sticks to enforce diversity goals often fail. People respond better when their motivation comes from within. The takeaway? If you want people to embrace DEI, make it about shared values, not external pressure.

Yes it’s Dobbin & Kalev (2016) again, showing why so many DEI programs flop. Surprise, surprise, forcing people to participate doesn’t help. In fact, mandatory sessions can spark resistance. Instead, they found that voluntary programs, mentorships, and leadership support yield better results by creating buy-in and trust. Leslie (2019) shines a light on unintended consequences. Leslie found that bias-focused training can backfire by reinforcing stereotypes and creating perceptions of unfairness. The lesson? A clumsy approach to diversity can end up dividing people rather than bringing them together.

More recently we have a meta-analysis is a big deal because it pulled together loads of research on DEI training by Moss-Racusin et al. (2016).  The verdict? There’s not enough evidence showing these programs work, especially the quick-fix ones like single seminars. Long-term, systemic change is what’s needed, not just ticking the “we did training” box. Iyer (2022) then dug into why people oppose DEI programs, especially those from so-called “advantaged” groups. The big issue? They often feel threatened or unfairly targeted. Ignoring their concerns only fuels resistance, so a more inclusive approach that engages everyone might be the way forward.

Burnett & Aguinis (2024) pointed out that DEI training aimed at specific groups can lead to discomfort and defensiveness, which defeats the purpose. They suggest reframing these programs to be less accusatory and more about shared goals to avoid making people feel unfairly singled out.

Bibiography

Kidder, D. L., Lankau, M. J., Chrobot‐Mason, D., Mollica, K. A., & Friedman, R. A. (2004). Backlash toward diversity initiatives: Examining the impact of diversity program justification, personal and group outcomes. International Journal of Conflict Management, 15(1), 77–102. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb022908

Kalev, A., Dobbin, F., & Kelly, E. (2006). Best practices or best guesses? Assessing the efficacy of corporate affirmative action and diversity policies. American Sociological Review, 71(4), 589–617. https://doi.org/10.1177/000312240607100404

Legault, L., Gutsell, J. N., & Inzlicht, M. (2011). Ironic effects of antiprejudice messages: How motivational interventions can reduce (but also increase) prejudice. Psychological Science, 22(12), 1472–1477. https://doi.org/10.1177/0956797611427918

Moss-Racusin, C. A., van der Toorn, J., Dovidio, J. F., Brescoll, V. L., Graham, M. J., & Handelsman, J. (2016). A “scientific diversity” intervention to reduce gender bias in a sample of life scientists. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 22(3), 295–306. https://doi.org/10.1037/cdp0000070

Dobbin, F., & Kalev, A. (2016). Why diversity programs fail. Harvard Business Review, 94(7-8), 52–60. https://hbr.org/2016/07/why-diversity-programs-fail

Leslie, L. M. (2019). Diversity initiative effectiveness: A typological theory of unintended consequences. Academy of Management Review, 44(3), 538–563. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.2017.0087

Paluck, E. L., Porat, R., Clark, C. S., & Green, D. P. (2021). Prejudice reduction: Progress and challenges. Annual Review of Psychology, 72, 533–560. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-psych-071620-030619

Iyer, A. (2022). Understanding advantaged groups’ opposition to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies: The role of perceived threat. Social and Personality Psychology Compass, 16(4), e12666. https://doi.org/10.1111/spc3.12666

Burnett, L., & Aguinis, H. (2024). How to prevent and minimize DEI backfire. Organizational Dynamics, 53(2), 100981. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orgdyn.2023.100981

Fanshawe, S. (2021). The power of difference: Where the complexities of diversity and inclusion meet practical solutions. Kogan Page Publishers.