The purpose of this multi-study research program is to examine the dynamics and outcomes of intergroup relationships among diverse working adults, including the effects of diversity on perceptions of organizational fairness, peers and supervisors, as well as turnover, job satisfaction, and performance. Data from over 40,000 U.S. employees of a single organization allows examination of demographic combinations of staff across units, including large numbers of Whites, African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asian-Americans. This research offers a unique opportunity to examine each of these groups in workplaces where they numerically dominate and are in the minority. Dr. Offermann will compare the effects of different supervisor/subordinate racial, ethnic, or gender combinations on individual and organizational outcomes using attitude data, retention and turnover data, organizational performance, and management evaluations. The key hypothesis is that identification with a superordinate social category (the organization) can reduce the effects of demographic differences. Two of the primary methods will be to measure and compare diversity within and across organizational units, and to conduct qualitative examinations of more and less successful diverse workplaces. These methods are aimed at understanding the factors involved in creating successfully inclusive workplaces. Using multiple years of data, longitudinal analyses will help to determine whether increasing staff diversification over time or prolonged exposure to working in diverse units affects responses.
The results of this research will contribute significantly to knowledge of intergroup relations, and advance knowledge of the effects of diversity in multiracial, multiethnic work settings. Implications for the successful integration of diverse individuals into positions of equal employment opportunity can help to improve work relationships and organizational performance, as well as result in increased opportunities for all Americans, independent of background.
