Thesis
Climate of inclusion: a necessary ingredient for a successful organizational diversity climate?
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2019
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/103080
Abstract
A positive diversity climate is an important element in the relationship between increasing diversity in the workplace and positive organizational outcomes. However, more empirical research is needed to understand the driving mechanisms behind this relationship and recent evidence suggests that a climate of inclusion (COI) may be an essential ingredient to a successful organizational diversity climate (ODC). A longitudinal online survey was given to a sample of adult faculty, staff, and graduate students at randomly selected four-year universities across the U.S. evaluating attitudes and perceptions of ODC, COI, organizational justice (OJ), physical and mental health, burnout, job satisfaction, innovative work behavior (IWB), and engagement. Moderated mediation analysis was used to test the hypothesis that a more positive ODC would be related to more perceived OJ one month later, which in turn would be associated with better self-reported health and work-related outcomes, and that those relationships would change as a function of COI. Findings indicated that higher levels of ODC predicted higher levels of OJ. However, ODC had no direct impact on health and work-related outcomes outside of the influence of OJ and COI. Furthermore, the effect of ODC on OJ was moderated by COI such that higher levels of COI predicted, positive health and work-related outcomes regardless of the level of ODC. The findings from this study contribute to and extend our current understanding of the relationship between ODC, COI, OJ, and health and work-related outcomes. Additionally, the results from this study point to COI and OJ as the driving forces for positive health and work-related outcomes in higher education. Implications from this study advocate that COI may be satisfying unique criteria to thus be viewed as a valuable resource for employees under the optimal distinctiveness and conservation of resources theories (Hobfoll et al., 2018; Sidanius & Pratto, 2012). Moreover, given the numerous potential organizational benefits of COI, the findings from this study provide strong impetus for organizations to create a fair and inclusive climate for employees. Lastly, this study elucidates the need for future research to examine the boundary conditions under which COI can improve organizational outcomes.
Metrics
95 File views/ downloads
91 Record Views
Details
- Title
- Climate of inclusion
- Creators
- Melissa R. Jenkins
- Contributors
- Tahira M. Probst (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Psychology, Department of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525156601842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis