Unconscious Racism not stopped by Staff Training

A new study has emerged, questioning the effectiveness of courses designed to combat unconscious racial bias in the workplace. Could these well-meaning interventions be falling short of their intended impact?

The study scrutinizes the evidence for numerous workplace initiatives aimed at improving diversity, only to reveal that their impact might be negligible. This is even true for the most comprehensive, well-received courses. Despite a receptive audience, they appeared to have zero effect.

The increase in unconscious bias training has largely been driven by the perception that even individuals who explicitly reject racism may unconsciously harbor and act on racial prejudices. This belief has led to the proliferation of such training programs.

For example, in response to criticism over Labour's handling of the Black Lives Matter protests, Sir Keir Starmer introduced unconscious bias training across the entire party. He voiced his belief that "everybody should have unconscious bias training."

This groundbreaking work was undertaken by Moa Bursell, an associate professor of sociology at Malardalen University and the Institute for Futures Studies. Will her findings usher in a new era of diversity training, or will they reveal an uncomfortable truth about these well-intentioned courses? Only time will tell.