Future direction in HRD: the potential of testimonio as an approach to perturb the dominant practices in the workplace

Abstract

Purpose Marginalization exists in many organizations, despite a zero-tolerance stance on discrimination, abuse and harassment. Human resource development (HRD) professionals are increasingly asked to respond to the calls for crucial conversations on race and diversity. However, traditional HRD methods and tools may not be sufficient to address and eradicate racism in the workplace. The usage of testimonio could enable oppressed groups to communicate their narratives to counter stereotypes. This paper aims to describe testimonio and the various ways it can be used as a research methodology and to perturb the dominant practices in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach This conceptual paper uses testimonio, a narrative methodology with Latin American roots in indigenous oral storytelling, to expand beyond Eurocentric qualitative approaches to capture the voices of marginalized groups. This study gives examples and theorizes how leaders, including human resource professionals, may use this approach to give voice to underrepresented stakeholders in the margins of organizations. Testimonio serves as a non-Eurocentric framework and venue to legitimize their stories. Their voices are assets, enriching while transforming and perturbing and so are needed for communities and organizations to foster a just and sustainable culture and climate. Findings The use of testimonio as an HRD approach to amplify unrepresented voices in the workplace may be an asset to HRD professionals. However, to realize the full potential of this research tradition in HRD, researchers and practitioners must create more space where trust is present for these groups to tell stories that matter most to them. Research limitations/implications This study on the testimonio approach provides a view into organizational power dynamics and voices from the margins. It serves as a means to acknowledge the voices of underrepresented stakeholders in the workplace. HRD scholars should contribute to organizational effectiveness and inclusive workplace climate by using scholarship to highlight the harm of marginalizing policies and behaviors. Practical implications Testimonio implies that HRD practitioners in positions of privilege should use their authority to foreground the voices of marginalized individuals who are typically silenced. This can be accomplished by prioritizing unheard voices in the work of HRD professionals. Testimonio as a methodological approach and workplace tool highlights the personal experiences of oppressed groups who experience social injustice, particularly racism. This method encourages organizations that do not operate in a culturally sensitive and inclusive environment to reconsider the discourse that influences their social position. Originality/value While there is a clear need to address inequities, few practical inquiry tools are presented. Moreover, through their epistemologies and research procedures, scholars and practitioners may unintentionally maintain and reinforce existing inequitable structures and processes. This paper presents testimonio as a non-Western alternative to Eurocentric qualitative research methodologies to perturb dominant practices in HRD.

Testimonio as a methodology in the study of sexual and intimate partner violence

“…However, testimonio methodology has also been utilized in many topical areas. For example, there have been recent calls to use testimonio methodology in liberation psychology (Silva et al, 2022) and current applications in various research areas and fields such as parental incarceration research (Monreal, 2021), human resource development (Salcedo et al, 2022), and family science (Viramontez-Anguiano et al, 2022).…”

Engaging First Nations People at Work: The Influence of Culture and Context

“…This argument is flawed, particularly in public organisations where we expect the workforce to represent a diverse society. Through minority rights movements and legislation, increasing numbers of organisations are encouraged to change their practises to support inclusivity, yet deeply ingrained patterns of behaviour and systemic discrimination still exist (Emerson and Murphy 2014;Offermann et al 2014;Salcedo et al 2022;Wiecek and Hamilton 2014). Despite legislated employment equity laws in North America and attempts at diversity training, minorities working in homogeneous organisations are often subjected to negative stereotypes, stricter performance evaluations, higher levels of inspection of their work, and social isolation (Ben-Cheikh 2022; Habib et al 2022;Roberts et al 2014;Thomas-Hawkins et al 2022;Wiecek and Hamilton 2014).…”

“…Indigenous people in Canada cite a lack of cultural understanding from peers and managers as a significant barrier to retaining employment (Althaus and O'Faircheallaigh 2019;Brunnen and Jankovic 2009;Canadian Chamber of Commerce 2013;Delic and Abele 2010;Howard et al 2012;Human Resources and Skill Development Canada 2013;Kunz et al 2012;Salcedo et al 2022;Statistics Canada, Labor Statistics Division 2010). A lack of cultural understanding and unwillingness to accommodate cultural preferences can exacerbate experiences of discrimination, racism, or exclusion (Adu-Febiri and Quinless 2010; Ambtman et al 2010;Ben-Cheikh 2022;Popken et al 2023).…”