Publisher
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga
Place of Publication
Chattanooga (Tenn.)
Abstract
Many organizations implement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs to promote a diverse workforce, reduce bias, and improve organizational culture to foster inclusivity and belonging. However, research shows that the mere presence of DEI programs does not necessarily lead to significant change (Kalev & Dobbin, 2016). Despite the increasing adoption of these programs, their effectiveness remains inconsistent. Moreover, recent trends have shown a backlash against DEI efforts, with over 80 anti-DEI bills introduced in the American legislative system (Lamparksi, 2024) and major companies like Ford Motor, Lowe’s, and Meta scaling back their DEI initiatives (Elias, 2023; Yildirim, 2024). These developments highlight the need to assess whether organizations and their employees are genuinely prepared to support DEI initiatives, which can inform how these programs should be developed and implemented effectively. Despite the growing prominence of DEI initiatives in organizations, there is a significant gap in the academic literature regarding organizational readiness for DEI. Research has focused on outcomes and best practices of DEI programs and organizational readiness for change, but no research has examined readiness for DEI change. This gap is concerning, as organizations may struggle to create sustainable change if they neglect the critical preconditions and organizational capacities necessary for the successful integration of DEI initiatives into the workplace. The development of an organizational readiness for DEI scale would provide valuable insights for determining factors that enable or hinder the success of DEI initiatives. Navigating change management can be a difficult feat and is no different when introducing DEI initiatives. Despite these difficulties, there is a history of implementing effective programs in organizations that can be used as a foundational background for a DEI readiness scale. A DEI readiness scale could help organizations understand gaps between current and desired states, and build employees' confidence in the organization's ability to achieve change (Mladenova, 2022). This research project will aim to assess perceived leadership capabilities and inclusiveness (Hundschell et. al., 2024), employee behavioral intentions (Turner, 2023), and organizational support and resources (Wells-Cheeks, 2024; Billsten et. al., 2018; Hagan et. al., 2020) in the context of DEI initiatives. Study procedures include a comprehensive literature review, survey development, and pilot testing with Appalachian State University students and then administration to a partnering organization. The result of this research will be a practical tool that can measure an organization's readiness for DEI initiatives, impacting the success of DEI program implementations.
Date
11-9-2024
Subject
Industrial and organizational psychology
Document Type
posters
Language
English
Rights
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Included in
Scaling DEI: Evaluating Change Preparedness in Organizations
Many organizations implement Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs to promote a diverse workforce, reduce bias, and improve organizational culture to foster inclusivity and belonging. However, research shows that the mere presence of DEI programs does not necessarily lead to significant change (Kalev & Dobbin, 2016). Despite the increasing adoption of these programs, their effectiveness remains inconsistent. Moreover, recent trends have shown a backlash against DEI efforts, with over 80 anti-DEI bills introduced in the American legislative system (Lamparksi, 2024) and major companies like Ford Motor, Lowe’s, and Meta scaling back their DEI initiatives (Elias, 2023; Yildirim, 2024). These developments highlight the need to assess whether organizations and their employees are genuinely prepared to support DEI initiatives, which can inform how these programs should be developed and implemented effectively. Despite the growing prominence of DEI initiatives in organizations, there is a significant gap in the academic literature regarding organizational readiness for DEI. Research has focused on outcomes and best practices of DEI programs and organizational readiness for change, but no research has examined readiness for DEI change. This gap is concerning, as organizations may struggle to create sustainable change if they neglect the critical preconditions and organizational capacities necessary for the successful integration of DEI initiatives into the workplace. The development of an organizational readiness for DEI scale would provide valuable insights for determining factors that enable or hinder the success of DEI initiatives. Navigating change management can be a difficult feat and is no different when introducing DEI initiatives. Despite these difficulties, there is a history of implementing effective programs in organizations that can be used as a foundational background for a DEI readiness scale. A DEI readiness scale could help organizations understand gaps between current and desired states, and build employees' confidence in the organization's ability to achieve change (Mladenova, 2022). This research project will aim to assess perceived leadership capabilities and inclusiveness (Hundschell et. al., 2024), employee behavioral intentions (Turner, 2023), and organizational support and resources (Wells-Cheeks, 2024; Billsten et. al., 2018; Hagan et. al., 2020) in the context of DEI initiatives. Study procedures include a comprehensive literature review, survey development, and pilot testing with Appalachian State University students and then administration to a partnering organization. The result of this research will be a practical tool that can measure an organization's readiness for DEI initiatives, impacting the success of DEI program implementations.
Department
University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Dept. of Psychology