Exploring the mechanism of diversity training through on-the-job embeddedness in a diverse workplace

ABSTRACT This paper proposes an explanation of how diversity training can reduce employee turnover in a diverse organization. Researchers have paid much attention to the positive, and sometimes negative, effects of workforce diversity. Much has been learned, but there remain unanswered questions such as: How does firm behavior affect employee turnover in a diverse workforce? What individual attributes of employees need to be considered in order to facilitate an inclusive workforce climate? The goal of this paper is to explain the consequences of workforce diversity training on employee turnover in an integrative model. We propose that diversity training can generate an inclusive organizational climate, which in turn can increase employees’ job embeddedness and consequently decrease turnover. As a caveat, we propose that mindset, a psychological construct, moderates the effectiveness of diversity training on organizational climate, as well as the relationship between an inclusive climate and on-the-job embeddedness.