Conference

The Business Case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace

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Abstract

Many organizations are making efforts to improve diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) but struggle to maintain a diverse workforce. Retaining higher-level managers from underrepresented groups is particularly challenging. In this session, Dr. Kathryn Holmstrom will discuss the “business case” for DEI in the workplace and share insights about how workplace diversity affects the experiences and retention of employees. Dr. Holmstrom and her coauthors conducted interviews with a diverse population of employees of professional service organizations. The interviews help us understand how employees’ backgrounds impacts their experiences, job satisfaction, and retention in the workplace. The interviews also shed light on the ways in which employees of all backgrounds contribute to building a more inclusive and welcoming workplace. This research identifies employee behaviors that can complement larger scale office- and organization-wide efforts.