Dawson, Niamh E. A., Okimoto, Tyler, Parker, Stacey L., and Steffens, Nik.

Despite growing interest in the importance of workgroup inclusion for unleashing the value of diversity (Shore et al., 2011, 2018), the role of employees as active agents in enacting inclusionary behaviours is seldom discussed (Randel, 2023). Drawing on Shore and colleagues’ (2011) conceptual framework of workgroup inclusion, we derive a set of behaviour characteristics from theoretically and conceptually related constructs (i.e., inclusive leadership and prosocial behaviours) and use a person-centered approach to empirically capture variabilities in employee workgroup inclusion behaviours. We then examine the goal intentionality that shapes the nature of these inclusion behaviours. Specifically, we delve into the differing motivations that drive one’s inclusive actions – whether they are underpinned by a desire to prosocially benefit others, or selfishly benefit oneself (e.g., impression manage).

Using Prolific Academic, we recruited 235 working adults from age 18 to 76 years (MAge = 36.82; 67 men, 162 women, 6 other) to participate in a 25-minute only survey. They were asked to “describe four behaviours they have enacted to make their co-workers feel included at work” and then asked to rate the characteristics of each unique behaviour including its underlying motivation, genesis, goal, resources, and social mindfulness. Using multi-level latent profile analysis, we uncovered five distinct profiles that represented emergent patterns in how employees behave inclusively at work. We then conducted a logistic regression to assess the relationship between behaviour motivation and inclusion behaviour profile membership.

As theorised, behaviours driven by the desire to benefit others (i.e., prosocial motivation) appeared to focus on the needs of others, with behaviours driven by the desire to benefit oneself (e.g., to serve impression management) focused on one’s own needs. In line with past research (Grant & Mayer, 2009), we also determined an interactive effect of prosocial and self-interested motives, demonstrating that behaviours which to do good for others, and oneself, encompass the highest levels of effort. Finally, we revealed insight into between-person differences in the relative frequency of inclusion behaviour characteristic profiles as well as the (null) impact of motivation at a person level. Combined, our findings bring to light the important yet understudied role of employees as active agents in workgroup inclusion. Indeed, a better understanding of employee-driven inclusion motives, and subsequent behaviours, may be critical to cultivating inclusive workplaces.

At the conclusion of this event, attendees will be able to:
* Develop a deeper understanding of workgroup inclusion dynamics. Including being able to identify the feeling of inclusion, as well as the ways in which inclusivity can be enacted in the workplace.
* Implement strategies to effectively motivate effective inclusivity at work. Obtain insight into the interactive effects of various motives that underpin inclusivity, and understand how to best mobilise inclusivity within workgroups.