What makes an organization inclusive? Organizational practices favoring the relational inclusion of ethnic minorities in operative jobs

Abstract

This paper investigates organizational practices creating an inclusive organizational context for ethnic minorities in operative jobs. Based on qualitative case studies in four organizations, five themes used by ethnic minority employees to express their experience of inclusion were identified: “I belong to this community,” “I am valued for my work,” “They don’t discriminate me for my culture,” “There is a place for my culture,” and “They give me a chance.” These themes reflect five corresponding dimensions of inclusion, respectively, the social, economic, non-discriminatory, cultural and ethical dimension. From the comparison of the four cases, three types of organizational practices emerged as crucial for creating an inclusive organizational context: a work setting making minorities’ competences visible and valuable, practices allowing the expression of minority cultures such as language and religion, and ethically informed care practices. Our study suggests that, compared to diversity management, an inclusion approach highlights more equal employment relations next to more equal cultural ones.