Positive Identity Construction in Diverse Organizations

Abstract

Our desire to cultivate and sustain positive identities has a powerful influence on workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) dynamics. While sometimes the quest for positive identities promotes celebration of diversity and uniqueness, in many other circumstances our inherent motivation to strive toward building more positive identities can have unintended consequences for DEI in organizations. In this review, we organize research on positive identities at work to better understand the experiences of the diverse set of individuals that compose our work organizations today. We invite a critical examination of how individuals with underrepresented and dominant identities deal with identity demands in diverse workplaces in both helpful and harmful ways. We conclude with directions for future research on interventions that mitigate identity threat and promote inclusion.