Most organizations strive to develop a culture that employees identify strongly with, in the belief that this will encourage people to go the extra mile. Research from Rutgers University suggests that these efforts may have unintended consequences, however, as managers who do strongly identify with their organization are less likely to back any diversity initiatives as they believe that inequality is unlikely to exist.
Securing buy-in
The researchers highlight that getting buy-in from senior managers is crucial if diversity and equity efforts are to succeed. Indeed, in various surveys, there have been concerns raised that managers tend to just go through the motions rather than truly commit to them.
“Previous theories point to demographics and ideology as to why managers resist diversity initiatives. We suggest that being in a position of power may be an overlooked explanation,” the researchers explain. “It’s like a NIMBY, or ‘not in my backyard,’ bias. Inequity exists and we want to solve it, but it can’t exist in my organization. After all, who wants to oversee an inequitable workplace?”
A prime example of this is Marc Benioff, who famously denied the existence of inequality at Salesforce due to its exceptional culture. It was only after he was persuaded otherwise that things improved at the company.
“What turned it around for him was that he was given data by his fellow employees and he had to look the data in the eye,” the researchers explain.
High esteem
The study found that the higher up a manager is in their corporate hierarchy, the more likely they are to hold that organization in extremely high esteem.
“Senior managers’ perception of their organizational ethics is more positive than lower level employees. This is because among highly identified individuals, admitting that their organization contains inequity would reflect negatively on the organization and therefore, reflect negatively on one’s self-identity,” the researchers explain.
The study reminds us that for senior managers to buy-in to tackle diversity issues in their organization, they first have to perceive that it exists, to begin with. An unhealthy devotion to the culture of the organization can often get in the way of accepting that.
To support diversity efforts at work, the researchers believe that leaders can take these steps:
- Addressing Inequality: Encourage managers to look for examples of unfairness within their own teams. This helps them realize that these issues exist in their workplace, counteracting the belief that it’s not a problem for them.
- Changing the Discussion: Instead of saying that managers who resist diversity efforts have a personal flaw, focus on the positive aspects of their view of the company. This can make discussions about diversity more productive.
- Raising Awareness: Give managers ways to learn about inequality in their teams. This could involve using anonymous surveys and summaries of data (like charts) that show things like pay differences, opportunities for growth, and how included people feel. This information helps leaders make better decisions about diversity.
