Getting diversity at work to work: What we know and what we still don't know

Abstract

Diversity has the potential to significantly benefit organizations by leading to positive work outcomes when diversity 'works'. Unfortunately, not only is our knowledge limited as to the necessary conditions and the mechanisms by which diversity affects individual, work performance and organizational outcomes, but we still know very little about which diversity management practices are most effective in promoting positive outcomes. We analyse the literature on diversity and its management, and describe how the seven papers included in this section advance our understanding of what organizations can do to get diversity at work to work. Our discussion points to the need for more research on how diversity at multiple levels affects work and organizational outcomes; the development of integrative theory which takes into account that diversity might not only engender separation and variety but also disparity; as well as to the need for more empirical attention to the climates or cultures that facilitate the positive effects of diversity on work and organizational outcomes. We suggest that future research should also identify those people management practices that are most powerful in the creation of a positive diversity climate, and the factors that moderate and underlie its effects on work and organizational outcomes. We conclude with proposals about how this might be achieved.

Managing diversity in organizations: An integrative model and agenda for future research

“…The literature on HRM examined, on the basis of either a social exchange (Avery & McKay, 2010) or social justice logic (Kirton & Greene, 2010), how diversity in organizations can be managed most effectively. In doing so, previous research was able to explain the ambiguous effects of diversity on work group performance (e.g., Homan et al, 2008;Homan et al, 2007;van Dick et al, 2008) and show that a climate for diversity facilitates organizational and individual effectiveness (e.g., McKay et al, 2008;McKay, Avery, & Morris, 2009), but has failed to explain how and when employee dissimilarity affects individual innovation, effectiveness, and well-being (Guillaume et al, 2013). Moreover, previous research paid little attention to how societal, organizational, and work group factors strengthen or weaken diversity's effects on employees' individual work-related Running head: MANAGING DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS 32 outcomes (Joshi, Liao, & Jackson, 2006;Joshi et al, 2011), providing little evidence based guidance for practitioners and policymakers on how diversity in organizations can be managed most effectively (Avery & McKay, 2010;Guillaume et al, 2013).…”

Exploring workplace diversity and organisational effectiveness: A South African exploratory case study

“…Knouse and Dansby (1999) argue that organisational diversity fosters synergy, networks and multi-tasking, and organisations that manage diversity properly are successful in the accomplishment of their objectives. Organisations are motivated by a number of factors to implement diversity management, and it is consideration of this motivation, and a shift from the bottom line to the triple bottom line, that has engendered significant in-roads and influences the way the organisation approaches diversity (Brabet, 2011;Guillaume, Dawson, Woods, Sacramento & West, 2013;Jonsen, Tatli, Özbilgin & Bell, 2013;Klarsfeld, Ng & Tatli, 2012).…”

“…More specifically, the impact of diversity on performance as posited by Guillaume et al (2013) is investigated. Moreover, the fact that the company was dominated by white male and male in general motivated the context of the study.…”

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

“…Also, researchers agree that differences in the women workforce participation rates can be attributed to social norms and culture [1]. Unfortunately, the mechanisms through which societal cultures develop the effects of diversity climate on female workers remain unexplained [32].…”

“…It has been commented that a good diversity strategy must address culture change to create a pro-diversity environment that supports diversity and incorporates differences [31] [32]. Also, researchers agree that differences in the women workforce participation rates can be attributed to social norms and culture [1].…”