Expanding Insights on the Diversity Climate–Performance Link: The Role of Workgroup Discrimination and Group Size

Abstract

The present study extends knowledge of the performance consequences of workgroup diversity climate. Building upon Kopelman, Brief, and Guzzo's (1990) climate model of productivity, we introduce workgroup discrimination as a behavioral mediator that explains the positive effects of diversity climate on workgroup performance. In addition, we investigate group size as a moderator upon which this mediated relationship depends. We test these moderated-mediated propositions using a split-sample design and data from 248 military workgroups comprising 8,707 respondents. Findings from structural equation modeling reveal that diversity climate is consistently positively related to workgroup performance and that this relationship is mediated by discrimination. Results yield a pattern of moderated mediation, in that the indirect relationship between workgroup diversity climate (through perceptions of workgroup discrimination) and group performance was more pronounced in larger than in smaller workgroups. These results illustrate that discrimination and group size represent key factors in determining how a diversity climate is associated with group performance and, thus, have signifi cant implications for research and practice.

Diversity Climate in Organizations: Current Wisdom and Domains of Uncertainty

“…Aggregate-level diversity climate studies consist of (a) multilevel studies that consider individual-level and unit-level variance in employee outcomes (e.g., Chung et al, in press;Gonzalez & DeNisi, 2009;McKay et al, 2008), (b) unit-level/group-level studies designed to explore climate effects on unit-level outcomes (Boehm et al, 2014;McKay, Avery, Liao, & Morris, 2011;McKay, Avery, & Morris, 2009), or investigations that examine the antecedents of unit-level diversity climate (Herdman & McMillanCapehart, 2010;Pugh, Dietz, Brief, & Wiley, 2008), and (c) firm-level studies (Chen, Liu, & Portnoy, 2012). Contrary to individual-level studies, aggregate-level diversity climate studies examine the influence of aggregated diversity climate scores (i.e., the average climate perceptions of all employees working in each business unit or firm).…”

“…Individual diversity climate perceptions, also known as psychological diversity climate, involve individual employee perceptions of the degree that work settings are fair and inclusive (e.g., Boehm et al, 2014;McKay et al, 2007). The authors used a single survey to collect data from 775 employees (281 White men, 318 White women, 83 racioethnic minority men, 40 racioethnic minority women) of a large, U.S.…”

The Impact of Diversity Climate for Women on Female Employees’ Intentions to Stay: A Cross-Cultural Study on South Korea and Norway

“…On the other hand, others assert that diversity sometimes leads to less favorable outcomes, such as more conflict, weaker employee attachment, more absenteeism, and more discrimination [11] [12]. However, many scholars agree that more research is needed to find a way to strengthen the potential positive outcomes of diversity while preventing its negative impacts [13]. Many efforts have been exerted for that research.…”

“…At the individual level, a positive diversity climate is linked to many desirable outcomes, such as increased career and organizational commitment, increased job satisfaction, reduced turnover intentions, and lowered absenteeism [8]. At the organizational level, it is positively associated with crucial performance indicators like return on profit, store sales, and customer satisfaction [13]. Among the effects of diversity climate, this research focuses on the impact on employees' perceptions and behaviors.…”

“…Although it has been shown that a pro-diversity climate has a positive impact on women workforce [5] [21], surprisingly little is known about how those effects occur and which intervening processes and mechanisms are important to explore [13]. Scholars typically depend on moderators to explain the intervening processes and mechanisms.…”