Diversity in Dutch Small and Medium Enterprises, the Role of Sense of Inclusion and Organizational Learning Culture

Abstract

With the Dutch labour market getting more diverse it is vital for employers in small and medium sized enterprises (SME’s) to adjust their personnel policies on more diverse work teams. This cross-sectional field study investigates a possible mediating effect of sense of inclusion, the extent to which people experience belonging to a team, in the relationship between perceived diversity and turnover intention. In addition, a possible moderating effect of an orientation towards learning and sharing of knowledge as promoted by an organization (here denoted as organizational learning culture, OLC) is investigated. Employees of a holding in the Dutch automobile industry were invited for the study, in which 28 females and 82 males (n = 110) participated. Results unexpectedly showed a non-significant positive relation between perceived diversity and turnover intention. Moderation of OLC on this relation showed to be not significant. As expected, a significant positive relation of perceived diversity with sense of inclusion was found. Mediation analysis showed a significant, negative mediation effect of perceived diversity on turnover intention through sense of inclusion. These results show that when diversity is perceived within a team, people feel more included and experience less turnover intention. Therefore, addressing sense of inclusion may open up new pathways for employers to reduce turnover intention by influencing the way diversity within their work teams is perceived. Limitations of the underlying study were addressed and suggestions for further research on this topic were made.