Diversity at work: Alternative diversity management practices: Prof. Maddy Janssens - Faculteit Economie en Bedrijfswetenschappen

Main argument• Assumption of social identity theory

o inequality primarily originates in the negative in-group/out-group dynamics resulting from individuals’ biased cognitive processes (Byrne, 1971; Tajfel & Turner, 1987)

• Although cognitive bias and its consequences help to understand inequality work, interventions focused on these aspects are not necessarily best suited for its remediation

➔ “Understanding the cause of malaria and understanding its treatment are two different things” (Kalev, Dobbin & Kelly, 2006, p 591)

Social Identity Theory (SIT)• Explains intergroup behavior

o positive distinctiveness of own group vs other social group(s) • Strong evidence for negative in/out group dynamic

“To get in, that was no problem, but once you were there, you feel that you are being treated differently. In the beginning even a bit like a leper, everyone who is a bit ignoring you, as if they are scared of you, as if you are Osama Bin Laden in person” (interviewee Moroccan origine)

➔ “The freedom in choosing our identity in the eyes of others can sometimes be extraordinarily limited” (Sen, 2006, p. 31).

Diversity management from SIT• Eliminate cognitive bias against minority individuals

o Bias–free HRM practices objective and pre-specified selection and promotion criteria – – multiple assessors – rewarding solely based on job-related criteria and merit o Diversity training provide information about other groups and process of stereotyping

• Compensate for minorities’ social isolation o Networking and mentoring

• to counter patterns of homophily

However…• Bias-free HRM practices

o Decisions will remain open to the biases of imperfect human decision makers

o HRM systems continue to be culturally biased, valuing the qualities that the majority group brings

➔ System itself is not changed • Training

o Reinforcing group stereotypes rather than creating respect for employees as individuals

o Majority group feeling threatened by the workshop material • Cross-gender or cross-ethnicity mentoring

- Complex relationships, not meeting needs of minorities ➔ Backlash by majority group

However…

• Study on the advancement of minority employees in organizations (Kalev, Dobbin & Kelly, 2006)

o Ineffective types of diversity management mentoring, networking, diversity training o Effective types of diversity programs affirmative action plans, diversity committees and taskforces, diversity managers and departments

➔ programs that embed accountability, authority and expertise

So,…• Interventions need other arguments than cognitive bias

and social isolation • Ingredients of more effective interventions

o Acknowledge the non-neutrality of organizations • Norms reflect culture/interests of the majority

o Acknowledge structural aspects of inequality • Unequal access to and distribution of resources

➔ Need interventions that address institutionalized inequality

In search for diversity-friendly organizations (Janssens & Zanoni, 2014) • Two indicators of equality

o The valuing of multiple knowledge, skills and competencies of a diverse personnel • Rather than valuing solely those of the majority and assessing

those of the minority as ‘lack’ against majority standards (Acker, 1990; Zanoni & Janssens, 2004; 2007)

o The possibility for all employees to bring their entire set of identities to work • Rather than having to assimilate to the majority culture (Cox,

1991, 1993; Linnehan & Konrad, 1999)

In search for diversity-friendly organizations• Search for practices

“any formalized organizational system, process, or practice developed and implemented for the purpose of effectively managing a diverse workforce” (Yang & Konrad, 2011)

• Study of 10 SMEs in Flanders a call center, a wholesale producer dealer, a logistic company, a scaffold construction company, a hospital, a transport company, a chemical company, a hotel, a home for elderly, and an NGO in development cooperation

• Ethnic minorities were mostly employed in lower-rank jobs

Call center as the most diversity-friendly

“The different backgrounds are enriching. I don’t see that somebody is black, disabled, etc. We are family. Here its lively, warm, thanks to differences. There is solidarity and togetherness. Also, the different nationalities make us multilingual, a great advantage for this organization” (female supervisor of Moroccan origins)

Alternative diversity practices• The valuing of multiple knowledge, skills, competencies

o Selection criterion of ‘giving a chance’ o Work design that makes different contributions visible o Evaluation system that focuses on strengths

• The possibility for expression of multiple identities at work o Multicultural stance on religion and social activities o Two-language policy o Flexible work schedule policy o Strict anti-discrimination policy

➔ Practices than enact broader, inclusive norms

The valuing of multiple knowledge, skills, competencies• Selection - A business rationale for recruiting employees

o Linguistic skills – motivation • Selection – Giving a chance to employees

“For example, if four candidates are all good, we look at their specific situations. The Belgian is 25 years old and just got out of school. The African is 45, a refugee. We ask ourselves: ‘Who of the two experiences the most difficulties in the labor market?’ And then we would say, let’s take the African. The other is as good but has more chances. That’s the philosophy behind it” (manager).

➔ Broadening the norm of ‘who is good candidate’

The valuing of multiple knowledge, skills, competencies• Work design - Individual work within multi-ethnic teams

“[Work as a call operator] is individual work, but it becomes team work from the moment that you have the opportunity to listen to different experiences. We help each other. If somebody for instance is not reaching her sale targets, then we can ask each other: ‘How are you doing that?’ We all help each other out. We work as a team” (female operator of Turkish origins). “In the team meetings, we discuss the best way to sell, what can be improved in the calls, changes… Team members can make suggestions. We look together for the best manner to sell a product. If the client has comments, we also discuss them… People learn from each other, they coach each other and exchange tips” (female operator of Moroccan origins).

➔ Challenges the societal belief that minorities are less competent workers

The valuing of multiple knowledge, skills, competencies• Work design - Upstream low-status jobs in a sequential

work flow “Yes, and she’s been here for a while… and still, she does things that she knows she shouldn’t do, she still does them because she thinks that… How can I explain, the peppers come out of the machine, and you have to sort them by size. She takes all the boxes and sets them next to her on the machine, thinking she will set them back on the rest… but then she doesn’t do it, and then they are off the machine, and you have to get them back…Look you take those boxes now four times in your hands, while you should just take them once. And then I begin to steam…” (female majority employee in wholesale produce dealer)

➔ Reinforces the societal belief that minorities are less competent workers

The valuing of multiple knowledge, skills, competencies• Evaluation system based on strengths

o Newcomers allowing time to learn job o Competence-based job classification o Developmental performance appraisal

“I’m strong in helpdesk, less in sales. They know that I like to hold longer calls; I haven’t yet received a remark about that… they also have their goals, want to reach a certain percentage but if they hear that somebody is very good in serving the customer, then it’s less important if you have sold or not; you gave good customer service. And there are other criteria for all calls…. And this way, everybody is good in something.” (male operator of Flemish origins)

➔ Broadening the norm of ‘what is good performance’

The possibility for expression of multiple identities at work • Multicultural stance on religion

o Religion-friendly working hours o Allowing religious practices at work

“So, during that month, there are other working hours for everybody, whether he practices Ramadan or not. That measure is a possibility for every employee and so everybody stands on an equal footing and no distinction is made between employees.” (manager)

➔ Broadening religious norms

The possibility for expression of multiple identities at work • Multicultural stance on social activities

“There are often social events and then we go out together. We once went bowling until midnight. Next to it was Café Ile Afrique. I said, I know a bar here and then we all went there. They [colleagues] liked it, we started dancing in an African way. We laughed, we stayed until 4am… we also went once to a Moroccan bar, or we go dance rai music. Everybody was there, and everybody was Moroccan that day, we laughed a lot. It was fantastic.” (operator of Moroccan origins)

➔ Broadening cultural norms

The possibility for expression of multiple identities at work • Two-language policy

“A matter of being polite” (CEO of the call center)

“… it’s easier for people to talk another language every now and then. Above all French and Dutch. If you can’t speak Dutch very well, but you can understand, then it can happen that you talk French to me and I answer back in Dutch to you” (operator of Moroccan origins)

➔ Allowing expression in the language in which one feels most comfortable

The possibility for expression of multiple identities at work • Flexible work schedule policy

“Our work schedules are adjusted to our needs, because of small children or any other kind of reason… we can almost decide ourselves.”

➔ Broadening the norm of ‘what is a legitimate request’

The possibility for expression of multiple identities at work • Strict anti-discrimination policy

“Here you run into all colors, foreign origins, everything. …If you don’t feel at ease with people with other origins, then you are not going to start here, you wouldn’t get through the first interview, your eyes would fall out… It’s expected, although it’s not required to become best friends or so. I think that they say it explicitly in the beginning: ‘We have people like this and like that here, do you think you fit here?’ (male operator of Flemish origines)

➔ Strictly enforcing the broader norms

Practices creating equality at work• Practices challenging institutionalized norms

o Broader norms on competencies – room for a broader variety of skills

o Broader cultural norms – room for multiple possibilities o Conditions for positive interactions o Sanctioning of those who resist new norms

• Practices approach ethnic minority employees as full subjects

➔ Organization can be a site of social change

Future… • ‘Dis-inventing’ diversity?

o Away from ‘different homogeneous groups’ o Difference as basic condition of life/work

• Search for hybrid forms of living and working together o Inspiration at sites of resistance - arts, urban youth,

hybrid identities,….