Colorblind or colorful? How diversity approaches affect cultural majority and minority employees

W.S. Jansen, M.W. Vos, S. Otten, A. Podsiadlowski, K.I. Van der Zee

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

We examined how perceived organizational diversity approaches (colorblindness and multiculturalism) relate to affective and productive work outcomes for cultural majority and minority employees. Using structural equation modeling on data collected in a panel study among 152 native Dutch majority and 77 non-Western minority employees, we found that perceptions of a colorblind approach were most strongly related to work satisfaction and perceived innovation for majority members, while perceptions of a multicultural approach “worked best” for minority members. Moreover, these effects were fully mediated by the extent to which employees felt socially included in the organization. Thus, while inclusion is an important factor for both groups to enhance work outcomes, it is facilitated by different diversity approaches for majority and minority members.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Applied Social Psychology
Early online date6 Aug 2015
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2015
Externally publishedYes

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