Sixty years of discrimination and diversity research in human resource management: A review with suggestions for future research directions

Abstract

This article reviews discrimination and diversity research published in Human Resource Management (HRM) over the past 60 years. While discrimination and diversity are very different constructs, it is often informative to study them together, because when people recognize each other's diversity, this can result in bias, stereotyping, and discrimination. We conducted bibliographic searches for terms related to discrimination and diversity as well as a manual search through every title and abstract published in HRM over the last 60 years to assess article relevance. The search resulted in 135 research articles with 136 unique studies (i.e., samples) which are reviewed in this article. Sex and race are the demographics that have been examined the most in HRM, while religion has been examined the least. Moreover, the number of studies examining lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) employees in the workplace in HRM has grown quickly within the past 10 years, culminating in a recent meta-analysis. Our review looks at some of the earliest research published, the most recent research published, and the overall trends we identified in the research over the years for both discrimination and diversity articles. We then make future research suggestions and recommendations to advance the study of discrimination and diversity in the coming years.

BIAS Word inventory for work and employment diversity, (in)equality and inclusivity (Version 2.0)

“…As labour market inequality and discriminatory practices come under growing scrutiny, normative pressure, broader social movements, legislation and regulatory oversight, employers have sought to boost the presence and inclusion of 'historically underrepresented' groups. This can be seen in a range of EDI pledges, policies and initiatives, as well as pro-diversity language, that seeks to attract specific groups of workers and/or emphasize the value of cultural diversity (Koellen 2021;Konrad et al 2006;Triana et al 2021;Yadav & Lenka 2020).…”

When rights collide: Examining conflicts between gender identity, sexual orientation, & religious discrimination protections

“…While there are policy and academic studies that examine employment discrimination based on religious expression or gender identity and sexual orientation, these types are relatively understudied in the literature, as compared to studies examining race or sex discrimination (Triana et al, 2021: p. 146). The impact of faith on the workplace is dramatically understudied in human resources (Héliot, Gleibs, Coyle, Rousseau, and Rojon, 2020; Messarra, 2014) and gender identity and sexual orientation are considered emerging areas in the literature (Triana, et al, 2021).…”

“…While there are policy and academic studies that examine employment discrimination based on religious expression or gender identity and sexual orientation, these types are relatively understudied in the literature, as compared to studies examining race or sex discrimination (Triana et al, 2021: p. 146). The impact of faith on the workplace is dramatically understudied in human resources (Héliot, Gleibs, Coyle, Rousseau, and Rojon, 2020; Messarra, 2014) and gender identity and sexual orientation are considered emerging areas in the literature (Triana, et al, 2021). In their 2021 survey of discrimination and diversity research published in Human Resource Management during the past 60 years, Triana, et al, found that 12 of 135 articles examines gender identity or sexual orientation and only one literature review examines religious identity at work, examining both U.S. and global populations (p. 146–147).…”

“…None of these studies examine these two legal rights in competition with one and other. Instead, studies typically focus on one type of employment discrimination or discrimination generally (Rubin and Alteri, 2019; Triana, et al, 2021).…”

Assessment of Management Competencies According to Coherence with Managers’ Personalities

“…An organization's performance and competitive advantage can enhance human resource practices [7]. The means by which to increase the efficiency of human resources are the competencies that [8] are characterized as knowledge, skills, abilities, or personality characteristics that affect a person's performance. Furthermore, [9] perceives them as the ability to behave in a way that meets work requirements in the organization's environment parameters while bringing the desired results.…”