Diversity and Me: The Effect of Diversity On Employee Outcomes In Organizations

Despite complications regarding how workforce diversity should be achieved, most job applicants say that a diverse workforce is important when evaluating a company or job offer. While prospective job applicants say that working for a diverse company is important to them, little is known about how diversity actually impacts employees’ individual-level outcomes in organizations. In the current research, we examine how departmental and team-level diversity affects majority group members’ organizational outcomes. We find that when employees perceive more diversity in their departments and work teams, they are more committed to their organization, more satisfied with their job, and more engaged. This research complements existing organizational diversity research and provides new insights into the potential benefits of diversity for organizations.