Project 4.2

This PhD project investigates how organizations can foster cohesion within and between employee groups and across the organization as a whole. We examine under what conditions, and through which mechanisms, organizational segregating forces—arising from formal policies and structures (top-down) or voluntary individual and group initiatives (bottom-up)—either strengthen or undermine cohesion. Focusing specifically on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, the project explores their role in promoting the integration of minoritized employee groups while maintaining trust, collaboration and inclusion across the organization. The research combines sociological and psychological perspectives to inform evidence-based organizational strategies.

The overarching project aim is to examine how organizations can foster cohesion within groups of employees, between groups of employees and across the organization as a whole. Specifically, we are interested in under what circumstances and through which mechanisms organizational segregating forces – whether induced through imposed organizational policies and structures (top-down) or emerging through voluntary individual and group initiatives and choices (bottom-up) – promote or undermine cohesion within groups of employees and across group boundaries. Moreover, we aim to uncover how these conditions and mechanisms can be harnessed to strengthen cohesion at all levels. We address these questions in the context of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, focusing on their impact on the integration of minoritized employee groups in the organization.

To study multiple dimensions and levels of integration as well as the underlying mechanisms, the project adopts a multimethod approach. Structural, social and psychological integration outcomes will be assessed using data on observed employee outcomes (e.g., retention intentions and behaviour, job satisfaction, organizational commitment and belonging) derived from register microdata (such as employment registration data) and labour force surveys (e.g., the National Survey of Working Conditions [NEA]). By linking these sources through individual identifiers, employees’ demographic backgrounds can be identified, enabling analyses of differences in integration outcomes across groups.

These data will be connected to large‑scale, longitudinal organizational surveys measuring policies. For example, the Employers Survey on Labour (WEA) includes items on policy types, such as provisions to promote the hiring of disadvantaged groups (e.g., migrant workers, refugees), anti‑discrimination efforts and needs‑based investments in workforce productivity. It also provides information on organizational characteristics (e.g., size, workforce composition, accountability practices) that may condition how policies affect employee outcomes. Data-linking and analysis will take place within the CBS remote access environment, supported by the Netherlands Integrated Data Infrastructure of Inequality in Organizations (NIDIO; see https://osf.io/9b2xh/). Multilevel and longitudinal regression modelling techniques (in R or Stata) will be applied.

To uncover underlying mechanisms, the project will employ vignette experiments. These survey experiments will present hypothetical scenarios that manipulate policy types, assessing how minority and majority respondents perceive out-groups and experience belonging. Further experimental conditions may be explored to assess the circumstances under which policies yield favourable outcomes across employee groups