30-03-2019

Inclusivity in LOCY

Onur Şahin
PhD candidate

o.sahin@uu.nl
What is diversity?
 Some facts:

Everyone is biased

Stereotype: Illusory relationship between categories and characteristics

Similarity-attraction: We are attracted to those similar to us

Similar behavior is judged differently, because we expect/desire specific behavior

from groups
PEACE EVIL

MATCHING
PEACE EVIL

NON-MATCHING
EVIL PEACE EVIL PEACE

MATCHING NON-MATCHING

Reaction time (ms)

525

520

515

510

505

500

495

490
EVIL PEACE EVIL PEACE

MATCHING NON-MATCHING

Reaction time (ms)

525

520

515

510

505

500

495

490
Why do we have biases? Why are we prejudiced?
Even if we are aware of our biases, they affect our
behavior and are hard to change
What can we do if we cannot change our biases?
Why is diversity hard to achieve?
Or:
- Organizations are often
tailored to a particular group
Why is diversity hard to achieve?

Is she hired because - Organizations are often

she is a woman or tailored to a particular group
because she is fit for - Mistrust of competence of
the job? those hired in equal
opportunity programs (e.g.
quota)
- High turnover among
minority groups
From diversity to inclusion
 What is inclusion?

- Belonging to a group
- Ability to be authentic

Inclusive climate

- All employees are treated fairly

- Differences are valued
- Everyone is involved in decision-making

(Jansen et al., 2014; Nishii, 2013)

Carter & Phillips, 2017
 Job
Inclusive climate satisfaction

+
Invisible + Work-related
dissimilarity stress

-
+ Work-related
Felt inclusion Turnover
outcomes intentions

Visible Career
dissimilarity commitment

Motivation
To grow
Sahin, van der Toorn, Jansen, Boezeman & Ellemers, under revision
Visible vs. invisible dissimilarity

There is often a focus on visible differences between people (e.g.

age, gender, ethnicity)
- Good reasons: access, legitimacy and representation of groups
(Celik, 2015)

Many other benefits rely on invisible differences between people

(e.g. personality, religion, experience, sexual orientation)
Ellemers, Sahin, Jansen & van der Toorn, 2018
So what can we do?
What to do

Ellemers, Sahin, Jansen & van der Toorn, 2018

What to do?

Take stock: monitor your diversity practices and query your employees

Integrated policy

Facilitate communication on the subject

Take resistance seriously

Don’t solely focus on knowledge transfer

Role models and networks

Create a budget

Pay attention to belonging and authenticity

 How to reach diverse groups?

- Watch language! Inclusive? Elitist?

- Diverse range of channels to reach people

- Personally approach people in your own network

- Tailor or communicatie goals in a way that fits specific

interests of groups.
Focus on creating an inclusive climate
Focus on invisible differences (too)

Effective diversity policy takes time to develop

Use evidence-based ways of designing diversity policy

 DISCLAIMER

The information in this presentation has been compiled with the utmost care,
but no rights can be derived from its contents.

© Utrecht University