An Inclusive Climate, Not So Inclusive For Underemployed Workers?

Melissa R Jenkins

doi:10.7273/000004412

In today’s ever-changing world of work, employers are focused on leveraging inclusion to improve organizational outcomes, while employees are faced with taking jobs where their skills and time may be underutilized. This study used longitudinal data collected from a sample of workers in the United States to examine how perceived inclusion and underemployment (skill- and time-based) impact employee performance, well-being, and job satisfaction. Further, this study examined whether conditions of skill- and time-based underemployment weaken the positive effects of perceived inclusion. Findings revealed that an inclusive climate positively predicted performance, well-being, and job satisfaction. Further, this study found that skill-based underemployment predicted organizational citizenship behaviors, and that time-based underemployment predicted in-role behaviors, mental health, and job satisfaction. Finally, moderation analysis revealed that skill-based, but not time-based, underemployment attenuated the positive effects of an inclusive climate on performance and well-being outcomes, but not job satisfaction. In line with optimal distinctiveness theory and organizational embeddedness theory, these findings suggest that employees who perceive their workplace to be inclusive feel accepted, valued for their uniqueness, and rooted within the organization, while employees experiencing time-based underemployment may feel less embedded and have less opportunity to distinguish themselves in the workplace. Contrary to organizational embeddedness theory, yet in line with optimal distinctiveness theory, overqualified employees may feel embedded within their organization and use their advanced skills and knowledge to differentiate themselves in the workplace. Exploratory latent profile analysis revealed that employees tend to experience either low or high levels of both time and skill-based underemployment. Further, a majority of those experiencing higher levels of skill- and time-based underemployment tend to be from historically marginalized groups. Altogether, the findings from this study provide strong evidence for fostering an inclusive climate and extending full-time and equitable pay opportunities to part-time or contingent workers within organizations. Additionally, the findings from this study elucidate the need for future research into the dampening effect of skill-based underemployment on the positive impacts of an inclusive climate. Finally, the latent profile analysis results revealed that understanding racial differences in underemployment may be a fruitful area for future research.

An Inclusive Climate, Not So Inclusive For Underemployed Workers?

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