From Tokens to Trailblazers: A Motive Fulfillment Approach to Minority Employee Identity

Scholars have long been interested in how employees experience minority status as tokens, overlooking the possibility that many employees may view themselves in a different way - as trailblazers. I present a theoretical framework for why and how minority employees’ work-related experiences lead to token versus trailblazer identities, as well as occasions when employees may experience both identities simultaneously. This article redirects literature on tokenism toward a broader and more balanced consideration of minority identity at work and the foundations of that identity. Further, I explain how the interplay between token and trailblazer identities influence minority employees’ persistence and advocacy - behaviors that are critical for cultivating more equitable, inclusive, and diverse workplaces.