Why unconscious bias training doesn’t work

It’s hard not to feel a bit sorry for Bill Michael, who recently resigned as UK boss of KPMG. While he could have softened the blow, there’s little to find disagreement with in his words: 

‘After every single unconscious bias training that’s ever been done nothing’s ever improved. So unless you care, you actually won’t change.’

Fighting bias is big business. Over the last three years, diversity and inclusion professionals have enjoyed a surge in demand for their services. In the United States alone, organisations now spend billions of dollars a year on diversity programmes. And it’s a practice which is rapidly making its way across the Atlantic.

One of the most prominent manifestations of this trend is unconscious bias training. As you might have guessed, measuring and combating biases people don’t know they have can be challenging. The first step in any such programme is therefore to show the participant just how far from grace they truly are.