White Individuals and Organizational Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives: Understanding Psychological Responses and Outcomes Through Procedural Justice and Social Identity Theories

Abstract

White individuals’ negative reactions to organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives can impede the success and longevity of these policies and practices. The present research leveraged an integrated process model informed by contemporary Procedural Justice and Social Identity Theory frameworks to examine how White individuals’ perceptions of organizational DEI initiative fairness influence their psychological responses and outcomes through an identity-centric process. Across three studies of White United States workforce members, perceptions of DEI initiative procedural (un)fairness were found to influence outcomes with implications for DEI efforts and organizational functioning partly through the role of social identity judgments. Study 1 demonstrated that DEI initiatives viewed as less procedurally fair to White people were related to decreased perceptions of the organization’s respect for White members, weaker organizational identification, and more adverse DEI and organizational outcomes. Study 2 tested the utility of the full model, finding evidence in support of an identity-centric process through perceived organizational respect for White people and organizational identification. Specifically, favorable evaluations of workplace DEI initiatives’ procedural fairness for White people were associated with positive perceptions of the workplace’s respect for White members, which were then related to positive DEI- and organization-relevant outcomes directly and/or through enhanced organizational identification. Study 3 further supported the integrated process model and expanded its scope to additional outcomes. Collectively, this research suggests that organizations can foster greater support for DEI efforts and organizational functioning among White individuals by developing and implementing DEI initiatives that are perceived as fair for White organization members.