forbes.com
Workplace Equity: Advantaged Employees' Role in Driving Change
A Journal of Management study reveals that white employees' support for minority colleagues can either inspire positive change through "positive gossip" or negative reactions through "negative gossip", depending on their self-efficacy in taking courageous actions.
- What role does self-efficacy play in shaping the responses of advantaged employees to acts of oppositional courage by their peers?
- The study highlights the role of "oppositional courage"—challenging the status quo to address unfairness—among advantaged employees. White employees' self-efficacy in taking such actions influenced their response to witnessing a colleague's courageous act: high self-efficacy led to positive support, while low self-efficacy led to negative gossip.
- How does the support of marginalized colleagues by advantaged employees impact workplace equity, and what are the immediate consequences?
- A study in the Journal of Management found that when advantaged employees support marginalized colleagues, it can inspire positive change or negative reactions within their group. Positive reactions involve "positive gossip" and increased support for equity, while negative reactions involve "negative gossip" and feelings of moral inferiority.
- What are the long-term implications of focusing on the role of advantaged employees in driving workplace equity, and what strategies can organizations use to foster oppositional courage?
- This research shifts the focus from marginalized employees to advantaged employees as agents of workplace equity. By empowering advantaged employees to act courageously, organizations can reduce the burden on marginalized groups and create more sustainable systemic change. Future research should explore interventions to boost self-efficacy among advantaged employees.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The framing emphasizes the role of white employees and their reactions to courageous acts. While this is a valuable contribution, the focus might inadvertently downplay the agency and efforts of marginalized employees in driving change. The headline, if there were one, could benefit from more inclusive language.
Language Bias
The language used is generally neutral and objective, using terms like "oppositional courage" and "self-efficacy." However, phrases like "positive gossip" and "negative gossip" might be slightly loaded, implying a value judgment on the nature of the gossip.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the reactions of white employees to acts of oppositional courage, potentially overlooking the perspectives and experiences of employees from marginalized groups who are the direct targets of the unfairness or harm being addressed. While the study acknowledges the burden on marginalized employees, a more in-depth exploration of their experiences and perspectives would provide a more complete picture.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a somewhat simplistic dichotomy: positive gossip versus negative gossip as the only two outcomes of witnessing a courageous act. The reality is likely far more nuanced, with a broader range of potential responses.
Sustainable Development Goals
The study highlights how actions by employees from advantaged groups to support marginalized colleagues can significantly impact workplace equity. Positive actions inspire similar behavior, while negative reactions, though present, don't negate the overall positive potential for change. This directly addresses SDG 10, which aims to reduce inequalities within and among countries. By focusing on the role of advantaged group members in driving change, the research offers a strategy to reduce inequality without solely relying on marginalized groups to lead the effort.