Research summary
Traditional diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts have tended to focus on changing people’s behaviours. Despite these efforts, systemic workplace biases persist. Dr. Sonia Kang, Canada Research Chair in Identity, Diversity, and Inclusion, is shifting the focus to how system-level interventions can disrupt and reduce bias and how underrepresented groups navigate and avoid discrimination.
She and her research team are deepening our understanding of how people from racialized and gender minority groups experience workplace bias. Their work has already led to new approaches to increase women’s representation and career advancement in male-dominated fields. By offering new evidence-based, organization-wide strategies, their research is moving beyond individual training to transform workplace cultures and policies. These insights will contribute to a more equitable workforce in Canada, ensuring that DEI efforts create lasting change in a society that is increasingly diverse but persistently unequal.