Recent attacks on diversity initiatives are unwarranted, since merit and diversity are compatible and result in better outcomes when applied together, new research from UNSW Canberra has found.
Led by Associate Professor Sue Williamson, who specialises in human resources management, a research team interviewed 76 public servants across three jurisdictions to assess whether merit was being sacrificed to increase diversity in the public sector.
Senior managers, selection panel members and job applicants in ACT, Queensland and New Zealand public services were among the dozens of participants interviewed in an attempt to interrogate the argument (instigated largely by US president Donald Trump) that diversity corrupts the merit principle of hiring ‘the best person for the job’, and that ‘diversity hires’ are obtaining employment over more meritorious candidates.
A/Prof. Williamson said the research showed no evidence of such arguments being true, and that merit and diversity are complementary.
“The merit principle is typically described as hiring ‘the best person for the job’. Of course that should be the case, but in practice it often isn’t,” she said.
“Unconscious biases often result in the best candidate being unsuccessful or not even being in a position to apply for the job. Judging merit has traditionally incorporated an assessment of skills, qualifications and experience, but often fails to recognise other skills like cultural competency or lived experience in communities, which can greatly benefit organisations.”
A/Prof. Williamson responded directly to Trump’s dismantling of diversity initiatives in the US, calling his attacks on DEI programs “wide off the mark and do nothing but direct undeserved criticism towards hard-working public servants.”
“Public sectors aim to be model employers, and these recruitment and selection practices are being reformed to ensure that the public sector reflects the different communities it serves,” she explained.
In recent months, private corporations and public sector departments have been falling under political pressure to drop DEI initiatives and efforts since Trump’s second presidential term commenced in January this year.
Closer to home, opposition leader Peter Dutton appears to be mimicking the tactics of Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), announcing last month his ambitions to cut 36,000 federal employees jobs in order to save the government $6 billion a year.
Dutton has also said that culture, diversity and inclusion roles in the Australian Public Service (APS) “do nothing to improve the lives of ordinary Australians.”
Researchers from UNSW Canberra found in their latest study that while there were positive signs diversity was being considered during recruitment, merit and diversity was still being understood differently across the jurisdictions.
They recommended greater workplace flexibility to allow groups to properly implement diversity and inclusion practices to suit their organisation, such as alternative methods with how job candidates are assessed.
For example, interviews are not always the ideal way to assess prospective employees. Researchers suggested that for First Nations candidates, yarning circles and practical activities can be much more effective.
Suitable HR resources can include “having a variety of interview formats provides flexibility for selection panels and job candidates,” the researchers said. “This flexibility is linked to increased ability to assess and demonstrate (job candidate) merit, particularly as it relates to fit for the job and fit for the team.”
“Furthermore, flexibility in interview format accommodates diversity by facilitating culturally appropriate practices. Providing reasonable adjustments to application processes, especially interviews, is important for supporting a diverse applicant pool.”