Drivers of employee engagement with organizational diversity: The power of strategic internal communication

Abstract

Although businesses are increasingly adopting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, the role of employees’ proactive and voluntary actions that contribute to organizational diversity and justice remains unexplored. The current study aims to examine how employees’ engagement with diversity—their active behaviors in support of a diverse and inclusive work environment—can be encouraged by organizations’ strategic internal communication, both at a corporate level and a supervisory level. The results of an online survey with full-time employees in the United States suggested that diversity-oriented leadership and dialogic internal communication cultivate a quality employee–organization relationship and clarify employees’ role as workplace diversity contributors, which in turn increases their diversity engagement. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings for public relations and internal communication are discussed.