Reactions to selection processes involving diversity statements

Research examining diversity and employee selection has focused on methods of recruiting minority candidates (e.g., Avery et al., 2013). However, environments for which diverse candidates are selected may not foster inclusion, resulting in turnover (McCay et al., 2007). Although organizations could recruit employees who value diversity and inclusion, the consequences of doing so are unknown. We examined perceptions of job ads requesting a statement that describes how applicants would contribute to diversity (vs. teamwork). We also examined whether individuals higher in other-group orientation would view the request for a diversity statement more positively, as other-group orientation has been associated with organizational attractiveness in diversity-oriented marketing materials (Avery et al., 2013). Black and White participants (N=209; 53.3% Black/African American, 53.6% female), were recruited through Prolific Academic. Participants’ responses to an open-ended question asking them to describe their impressions of the job ad were coded for valence by three trained coders (α=.93). The results indicated that Black participants and White participants who were higher (vs. lower) in other-group orientation perceived the job ad requesting a diversity statement more positively than an ad requesting a teamwork statement. Thus, Blacks and people higher in other-group orientation may be more open to working in a diverse and inclusive organization