DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

MIT Sloan Management Review | The Invisible Barriers Holding Top Talent Back | This research reveals how recognising hidden disadvantages in the workplace can shift perceptions of fairness and promote equity, especially for diverse employee groups.

📊 DID YOU KNOW?

✨ OVERVIEW

This research explores how people's perceptions of fairness in workplace decisions shift when they become aware of invisible barriers certain groups face, particularly women. The study reveals that when people learn about women's specific disadvantages in a work context, their judgements of fairness in promotion decisions change significantly. The research emphasises the importance of considering structural factors and equal opportunity in equity discussions rather than focusing solely on demographic categories. It also highlights how individual beliefs about the causes of success influence interpretations of fairness, suggesting that open discussions about these beliefs can shape organisational attitudes towards equity.

🧩 CONTEXT

Creating an environment where all employees feel valued and empowered is crucial in today's diverse workplaces. While previous research has identified various factors contributing to workplace success, the specific impact of invisible barriers on diverse employee groups still needs to be explored. This study addresses this gap by examining how awareness of structural disadvantages affects perceptions of fairness in reward allocations. The research comes when organisations increasingly focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, making its findings particularly relevant for business leaders seeking to create truly inclusive work environments.

🔍 WHY IT MATTERS

Understanding and addressing invisible barriers in the workplace is crucial for several reasons:

↳ Challenges assumptions about equal opportunity—Many people assume equal opportunity exists unless presented with evidence to the contrary. When participants learned about women's invisible disadvantages in a specific work setting, their fairness judgements shifted significantly. This highlights the importance of making these barriers visible to decision-makers and observers.

↳ Shifts focus from demographics to specific barriers—The research suggests moving away from broad demographic categories and focusing on specific, unique barriers individuals face in localised contexts. This approach aligns with recent legal opinions that mandate focusing on individualised experiences rather than demographic characteristics.

↳ Reveals the complexity of equity issues—The study shows that addressing disparities requires considering multiple aspects, including pay inequalities and unequal work opportunities. This multifaceted approach is necessary for genuinely addressing equity issues in the workplace.

💡 KEY INSIGHTS

↳ Awareness of invisible barriers shifts fairness perceptions—When participants learned about women's invisible disadvantages in a specific work context, their judgements of fairness in promotion decisions changed significantly. Promoting a woman over a man was initially rated 1.5 times less fair. However, when informed about gender-based invisible disadvantages, promoting either employee was judged similarly fair.

↳ Beliefs about success influence fairness judgements—People's assumptions about the structural causes of success act as an interpretive lens for ambiguous situations. Those who strongly believed in structural causes of success (one standard deviation above the mean) rated promoting a woman over a man as 1.3 times fairer. Conversely, those with weaker beliefs in structural causes (one standard deviation below the mean) rated it 1.2 times less fair.

↳ Invisible disadvantages are prevalent and impactful—Research shows that work performed by women often yields lower productivity levels or less favourable ratings than identical work by male colleagues despite equal effort and skill. For example, peers rate research abstracts by men as higher in scientific quality than similar abstracts by women, and consumers evaluate identical online courses and software codes less favourably when produced by women rather than men.

↳ Framing matters in DEI discussions—The study suggests that resistance to affirmative action and other DEI programmes may stem from framing them around abstract or historical societal wrongs. Focusing instead on specific, context-dependent invisible disadvantages can more clearly reveal task inequality and shift perceptions of fairness.

🚀 ACTIONS FOR LEADERS

↳ Don't assume equality of opportunity—Seek and share information about potential barriers in your work environment. Make this information salient for decision-makers and observers to potentially change perceptions of reward allocations.

↳ Consider multiple aspects of disparity—Address both pay inequalities and unequal work opportunities. Addressing disparities requires evidence of both to create a truly equitable workplace.

↳ Get specific—Move away from broad demographic categories and understand individuals' unique barriers in your particular organisational context. This approach can change people's intuitions and aligns with recent legal opinions on DEI initiatives.

↳ Openly discuss beliefs about success causes—Encourage conversations about beliefs in structural versus individual causes of success. These discussions can help managers anticipate reactions to reward allocations and shape fairness attitudes in the organisation.

🔗 CONCLUSION

This research provides valuable insights into how perceptions of fairness in the workplace can be shifted by increasing awareness of invisible barriers faced by certain groups, particularly women. Organisations can foster more nuanced and compelling discussions about equity by focusing on specific, context-dependent disadvantages rather than broad demographic categories. The findings highlight the importance of considering individual and structural factors in success and suggest that open discussions about these beliefs can lead to more inclusive and fair workplace practices. As businesses continue to prioritise diversity, equity, and inclusion, this research offers a roadmap for creating truly equitable work environments that recognise and address the invisible barriers holding top talent back.

🎯 KEY TAKEAWAY

Recognising and addressing specific, context-dependent invisible barriers can significantly shift perceptions of fairness, leading to more equitable and inclusive workplace practices that benefit all employees.

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