Perceived Workplace Discrimination as a Mediator of the Relationship between Work Environment and Employee Outcomes: Does Minority Status Matter?

The purpose of the current study was to explore the role of six organizational factors (Equal Employment Opportunity, minority segmentation, diversity climate, instrumental social support, emotional social support, and token status) in the perception of discrimination in the workplace by minorities and majority-group members. Five outcomes (job satisfaction, organizational commitment, intention to turnover, physical health, and psychological health) were investigated in response to perceived discrimination. Moderated mediation was used to test hypothesis where perceived discrimination mediated the relationship between organizational antecedents and outcomes; minority status served as the moderators. Support for the mediating role of perceived discrimination was found in the relationship between each organizational antecedent and outcome. In each case, poorer environmental conditions related to increased perceived discrimination which in turn related to more negative workplace attitudes and health outcomes. Implications for workplace design are discussed