Dealing with differences at work: How (in)visible dissimilarity relates to employees’ feelings of inclusion

In this contribution, we tested the hypothesis that feeling dissimilar at work will negatively affect feelings of inclusion. Furthermore, we hypothesized that a positive climate of inclusion, where differences are valued and respected, would moderate this effect, buffering the negative effect of feeling dissimilar on feeling included. Analyses of data from 892 employees supported these hypotheses. Feeling less included, in its turn, had adverse effects on job satisfaction, motivation to grow, turnover intention and work-related stress. Notably, the effects of feeling dissimilar were mainly driven by feeling invisibly dissimilar rather than visibly dissimilar. Interestingly, a positive climate of inclusion also increased feelings of inclusion for employees who feel similar to colleagues, indicating that creating a climate of inclusion benefits everyone. This research significantly improves our understanding of how feeling different affects employees by distinguishing between visible and invisible differences and demonstrating the importance of an inclusive work climate.