Resistance to diversity efforts in organizations

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Efforts by an organization to ensure and support a diverse membership (whether along ethnic, racial, gender, or other lines) often face resistance from within the organization. Resistance (sometimes referred to as backlash) refers to thoughts, feelings, or behaviors from individuals within the organization that ultimately undermine the success of diversity-related organizational change. [1] [2] Diversity-related change efforts include practices such as affirmative action, diversity training, and targeted hiring and recruitment. [3] These practices are implemented across many types of organizations including corporate and nonprofit organizations, as well as governments and educational institutions. The use of such practices may be referred to as diversity management, [4] [5] and resistance to these practices in organizations is well-established in the United States [6] [2] and globally. [7]

Contents

In the U.S., resistance to workforce diversification in organizations was noted around the civil rights movement–for example, among White individuals in many business organizations, who faced workplace concerns over supposed displacement by minorities in the 1960s [6] –but broad resistance to diversity efforts largely began after the civil rights movement. [8] Resistance has been documented in business and nonprofit organizations, [9] academic institutions, [10] [11] and governments. [12] [13]

Definition and conceptualizations

Resistance can entail active opposition, covert or passive opposition, a lack of support, or a mix of supportive and unsupportive attitudes or behaviors. [1] Resistance is commonly conceptualized as a spectrum with opposition to diversity efforts on one end and support on the other. For example, two large-scale surveys of countries in the European Union measured respondents' attitudes toward diversity efforts on a scale from "(0) Completely oppose" to "(4) Completely support." [14] The General Social Survey measures attitudes toward race- and gender-based affirmative action using "1 (strongly favors) to 4 (strongly opposes)" items. [15] Other conceptualizations of resistance are unidimensional, meaning they construe resistance as a lack of support. For example, people who disagree with statements like "I support the D&I policy of this organization" have categorized as opponents to diversity efforts. [16]

Resistance to diversity efforts in organizations is likely multidimensional, meaning that employees can exhibit thoughts, attitudes, or behaviors that are ambiguous, or both support and resist organizational diversity efforts. [17] [18] Multidimensional conceptualizations often identify profiles of responses to diversity efforts, characterized by unique attitudes and behaviors. Along these lines, researchers identified "torn shapers" as individuals who see personal benefits from diversity efforts, but exhibit a mix of attitudes and behaviors supporting and resisting these efforts. [17] This approach may explain evidence that individuals [19] and organizations [20] outwardly support diversity efforts but resist taking supportive actions. [1]

What is being resisted

Diversity efforts in organizations are often targeted toward a specific underrepresented or underserved group, such as racial or ethnic minorities, or women. [21]

Resistance to racial or ethnic diversity efforts

Organizations' efforts to increase the representation and workplace experience of minority groups face can backlash from prejudiced employees within the organization. For example, Intel's CEO reported being threatened in response to his diversity efforts, specifically identifying a feeling of threat among White, male employees at the company. [22] Along these lines, some researchers have linked resistance to these diversity efforts to "White male backlash." [23] [24]

In 2016, Facebook's CEO faced challenges with what he considered the malicious behavior of his employees replacing a "black lives matter" message with an "all lives matter" message. [25] Some employees may be resisting the diversity messages of multiculturalism-based ideologies that embrace ethnic differences between groups or colorblind-based ideologies that ignore the ethnic differences between groups—common ideological options for managing diversity in the workforce. [26]

In 2018, employees of Sasol protested against a plan to allocate company shares to Black employees, arguing that the plan was exclusionary on the basis of race. [27] Scholars have identified that zero-sum perceptions may influence resistance to these diversity efforts, such that a policy benefiting a racial minority group creates a disadvantage for others. [28]

Resistance to gender diversity efforts

Gender diversity efforts in organizations address gender inequality in the workplace. Resistance to gender diversity efforts has been documented in the technology field. For example, In 2017, attention was given to the technology industry in light of James Damore's document "Google's Ideological Echo Chamber", [29] [30] which went viral as a prominent example of perceived "anti-diversity" attitudes. [31] [32] The document says Google's diversity initiatives discriminate against overrepresented group members (i.e. males) and foster tension within the organization. [33] Related research has observed a similar pattern of resistance in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM); information that diversity initiatives would increase female representation led to resistance among men who believed there is legitimacy to men best-representing STEM (i.e. prototypicality legitimacy) and those who also had concerns about losing the ability to best represent STEM (prototypicality threat). [34]

In 2024, resistance to gender diversity efforts was documented among employees at Rio Tinto. Employees argued that the organization's gender diversity efforts undermined a culture of meritocracy at the company. [35]

Possible explanations

General processes of resisting diversity

Some scholars propose that resistance to diversity can generally be understood to be a result of evolved cognitive processes that impact relations between different groups in society. They point to a disconnect between the once-adaptive way humans evolved sensitivity to group differences (e.g. "us" versus "them" tribal boundaries) and some current social environments that contain unprecedented levels of diversity. They propose resistance to diversity may stem from the conflict between automatic social categorization and modern heterogeneous social environments. [36]

Identity threats

As companies attempt to grow diverse workforces and train them to work harmoniously, research suggests minority group progress may induce a threat response from those in the majority group. Researchers Major and Kaiser argue these types of diversity initiatives jeopardize status hierarchies and that this status instability produces threat, even within well-meaning, "prodiversity" progressives. [37]

Racial progress has been shown to negatively impact Whites' self-worth; Whites may buffer this impact by perceiving anti-white bias (i.e. racial discounting). [38] Similarly, researchers have observed increases in social identity threat among men who discuss the instability of men's high status (i.e. changing gender-status relations) with women's. [39]

Another possible threat-related mechanism that could underlie resistance to diversity is prototypicality threat, or the threat that one's sub-group will no longer best represent the broader, superordinate group. [40]

Feelings of exclusion

Although multicultural ideology is commonly used in workplaces, research suggests White individuals may associate multiculturalism with exclusion and may not readily associate multiculturalism with conceptions of the self. This program of research also found the degree to which Whites feel included, relative to minorities, can help explain racial differences in diversity endorsement. Plaut et al suggest socially contextualized cues to inclusion or exclusion can meaningfully impact resistance to diversity. [41]

In response to the association between multiculturalism and feelings of exclusion among members of dominant groups, scholars have called for the use of All-Inclusive Multiculturalism (AIM), or multiculturalism that explicitly includes the dominant group. These researchers noted that whether non-minorities are included or excluded in an article about multiculturalism can implicitly influence their inclusionary associations with the ideology. [42]

Problems with diversity efforts

Commentators and scholars have speculated that diversity training may itself be creating backlash because employees may feel uncomfortable in training environments or resent being told what to do. [43] [44] [45] [46] When examining the sources of resistance to diversity efforts, researchers have said organizations often use negative, legal-focused deterrents within bias training, designate diversity training as mandatory, and associated the training with corrective action for "problem groups". [43]

Consistent with this thinking, researchers documented evidence of a "counter-response" (i.e. rebellion/defiance) when administering brochures or priming participants with controlling conceptualizations of prejudice-reduction, compared with autonomy-supporting conceptualizations. The controlling conceptualizations focused on the need to reduce prejudice and comply with norms of non-prejudice, whereas the autonomy-supporting conceptualizations focused on drawing attention to the choice and personal value involved in non-prejudice. Finding negative outcomes associated with the controlling conditions, they said common organizational efforts to reduce prejudice via control may be unintentionally increasing resistance. [47]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Gündemir, Seval; Kanitz, Rouven; Rink, Floor; Hoever, Inga J.; Slepian, Michael L. (December 2024). "Beneath the surface: Resistance to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives in organizations". Current Opinion in Psychology. 60 101922. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2024.101922. PMID   39395355.
  2. 1 2 Thomas, Kecia M. (2012-10-02). Diversity Resistance in Organizations. Psychology Press. ISBN   9781136677533.
  3. ↑ Nishii, Lisa H.; Khattab, Jasmien; Shemla, Meir; Paluch, Rebecca M. (January 2018). "A Multi-Level Process Model for Understanding Diversity Practice Effectiveness". Academy of Management Annals. 12 (1): 37–82. doi:10.5465/annals.2016.0044. hdl: 1765/105759 . ISSN   1941-6520.
  4. ↑ Kidder, Deborah L.; Lankau, Melenie J.; Chrobot-Mason, Donna; Mollica, Kelly A.; Friedman, Raymond A. (2004). "Backlash Toward Diversity Initiatives: Examining the Impact of Diversity Program Justification, Personal and Group Outcomes". International Journal of Conflict Management. 15 (1): 77–102. doi:10.1108/eb022908. S2CID   143383811.
  5. ↑ Definition of diversity management. (n.d.). Retrieved December 10, 2017, from http://lexicon.ft.com/Term?term=diversity-management
  6. 1 2 Dobbin, Frank; Schrage, Daniel; Kalev, Alexandra (2015-10-01). "Rage against the Iron Cage: The Varied Effects of Bureaucratic Personnel Reforms on Diversity" . American Sociological Review. 80 (5): 1014–1044. doi:10.1177/0003122415596416. ISSN   0003-1224.
  7. ↑ Greig, Samantha M.; Coundouris, Sarah P.; Fletcher, Genevieve L.; Henry, Julie D.; Hippel, Courtney von (2023). "The help that hinders? A meta-analysis of reactions to affirmative action". European Journal of Social Psychology. 53 (7): 1475–1523. doi: 10.1002/ejsp.2991 . ISSN   1099-0992.
  8. ↑ Mihaylova, Iva; Rietmann, Konrad (2025-10-16). "Diversity, equity and inclusion at a crossroads: a scoping review of the characteristics of its workplace backlash". Journal of Sustainable Business. 10 (1): 18. doi: 10.1186/s40991-025-00122-5 . ISSN   3059-3174.
  9. ↑ Wentling, Rose Mary (2004-06-01). "Factors that assist and barriers that hinder the success of diversity initiatives in multinational corporations" . Human Resource Development International. 7 (2): 165–180. doi:10.1080/1367886042000243781. ISSN   1367-8868.
  10. ↑ Breen, Stephanie M.; Olson, Travis H.; Gonzales, Leslie D.; Griffin, Kimberly A. (2025-04-01). "Barriers to Change: A Collective Case Study of Four Universities' Efforts to Advance Faculty Diversity and Inclusion" . Innovative Higher Education. 50 (2): 513–539. doi:10.1007/s10755-024-09742-4. ISSN   1573-1758.
  11. ↑ Thoman, Dustin B.; Yap, Melo-Jean; Herrera, Felisha A.; Smith, Jessi L. (December 2021). "Diversity Interventions in the Classroom: From Resistance to Action". CBE—Life Sciences Education. 20 (4): ar52. doi:10.1187/cbe.20-07-0143. PMC   8715788 . PMID   34546104.
  12. ↑ Soldan, Zhanna. "Employee Receptivity to Diversity Management : Perceptions in a Federal Government Agency". cgscholar.com. Retrieved 2025-11-16.
  13. ↑ Soni, Vidu (2000). "A Twenty-First-Century Reception for Diversity in the Public Sector: A Case Study". Public Administration Review. 60 (5): 395–408. doi:10.1111/0033-3352.00103. ISSN   1540-6210.
  14. ↑ Blommaert, Lieselotte; Coenders, Marcel (2024-02-23). "Understanding public support for workplace diversity and antidiscrimination policies in Europe". Frontiers in Sociology. 9 1256751. doi: 10.3389/fsoc.2024.1256751 . ISSN   2297-7775. PMC   10920274 . PMID   38463237.
  15. ↑ Hsu, Hung-Yi; Riccucci, Norma M. (2025-06-01). "Support for Affirmative Action in the Workplace: Gender, Race, and Sector Differences" . Review of Public Personnel Administration. 45 (2): 399–418. doi:10.1177/0734371X231226380. ISSN   0734-371X.
  16. ↑ Jansen, Wiebren S.; Otten, Sabine; van der Zee, Karen I. (2015-11-01). "Being part of diversity: The effects of an all-inclusive multicultural diversity approach on majority members' perceived inclusion and support for organizational diversity efforts". Group Processes & Intergroup Relations. 18 (6): 817–832. doi:10.1177/1368430214566892. ISSN   1368-4302.
  17. 1 2 Kanitz, Rouven; Reinwald, Max; Gonzalez, Katerina; Burmeister, Anne; Song, Yifan; Hoegl, Martin (October 2024). "Supportive, resistant, or both? A person-centric view on employee responses to diversity initiatives" . Journal of Applied Psychology. 109 (10): 1635–1658. doi:10.1037/apl0001190. ISSN   1939-1854. PMID   38619475.
  18. ↑ Oreg, Shaul (March 2006). "Personality, context, and resistance to organizational change" . European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology. 15 (1): 73–101. doi:10.1080/13594320500451247. ISSN   1359-432X.
  19. ↑ Brown, N. Derek; Jacoby-Senghor, Drew S. (June 2022). "Majority members misperceive even "win-win" diversity policies as unbeneficial to them" . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 122 (6): 1075–1097. doi:10.1037/pspi0000372. ISSN   1939-1315. PMID   34516185.
  20. ↑ Larcker, David F.; McClure, Charles; Shi, Shawn; Watts, Edward (2025). "The Limited Corporate Response to DEI Controversies". SSRN Electronic Journal. doi:10.2139/ssrn.5313744. ISSN   1556-5068.
  21. ↑ Nishii, Lisa H.; Khattab, Jasmien; Shemla, Meir; Paluch, Rebecca M. (2018-01). "A Multi-Level Process Model for Understanding Diversity Practice Effectiveness". Academy of Management Annals. 12 (1): 37–82. doi:10.5465/annals.2016.0044. ISSN   1941-6520.{{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ↑ "Intel CEO Brian Krzanich says he's received threats for trying to hire more minorities". Business Insider. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  23. ↑ Solomon, Charlene Marmer (1991). "Are white males being left out?". Personnel Journal. 70 (11): 88–92.
  24. ↑ Prime, J., Foust-Cummings, H., Salib, E. R., & Moss-Racusin, C. A. (2012). Calling all White men: Can training help create inclusive workplaces. Catalyst, New York.
  25. ↑ Nunez, Michael. "Mark Zuckerberg Asks Racist Facebook Employees to Stop Crossing Out Black Lives Matter Slogans". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  26. ↑ Stevens, Flannery G.; Plaut, Victoria C.; Sanchez-Burks, Jeffrey (2008-03-01). "Unlocking the Benefits of Diversity". The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. 44 (1): 116–133. CiteSeerX   10.1.1.567.1869 . doi:10.1177/0021886308314460. S2CID   46447538.
  27. ↑ "White South African workers protest over 'racist' share scheme". SBS News. 2018-09-07. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
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  29. ↑ "Diversity problems in the tech industry go far beyond Google". Vox. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  30. ↑ "Diversity debate divides Silicon Valley". USA TODAY. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  31. ↑ "James Damore, the Google employee fired for his controversial manifesto, is (almost certainly) not a victim of a free-speech violation". Business Insider. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  32. ↑ Ehrenkranz, Melanie. "Google Reportedly Fires Author of Anti-Diversity Screed". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  33. ↑ Conger, Kate. "Exclusive: Here's The Full 10-Page Anti-Diversity Screed Circulating Internally at Google [Updated]". Gizmodo. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  34. ↑ Danbold, Felix; Huo, Yuen J. (2017). "Men's defense of their prototypicality undermines the success of women in STEM initiatives". Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 72: 57–66. doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2016.12.014.
  35. ↑ reporter, Peter KerResources (2024-11-20). "Rio Tinto workers push back against its diversity efforts". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2025-12-07.
  36. ↑ Crisp, Richard J.; Meleady, Rose (2012-05-18). "Adapting to a Multicultural Future". Science. 336 (6083): 853–855. Bibcode:2012Sci...336..853C. doi:10.1126/science.1219009. ISSN   0036-8075. PMID   22605761. S2CID   21624259.
  37. ↑ Major, Brenda; Kaiser, Cheryl R. (2017-06-25). "Ideology and the maintenance of group inequality". Group Processes & Intergroup Relations. 20 (5): 582–592. doi:10.1177/1368430217712051. S2CID   148884131.
  38. ↑ Wilkins, Clara L.; Hirsch, Alexander A.; Kaiser, Cheryl R.; Inkles, Michael P. (2017-11-01). "The threat of racial progress and the self-protective nature of perceiving anti-White bias". Group Processes & Intergroup Relations. 20 (6): 801–812. doi:10.1177/1368430216631030. ISSN   1368-4302. S2CID   46226823.
  39. ↑ Scheepers, Daan; Ellemers, Naomi; Sintemaartensdijk, Nieska (2009-10-01). "Suffering from the possibility of status loss: Physiological responses to social identity threat in high status groups". European Journal of Social Psychology. 39 (6): 1075–1092. doi:10.1002/ejsp.609. ISSN   1099-0992.
  40. ↑ Danbold, Felix; Huo, Yuen J. (2017). "Men's defense of their prototypicality undermines the success of women in STEM initiatives". Journal of Experimental Social Psychology. 72: 57–66. doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2016.12.014.
  41. ↑ Plaut, Victoria C.; Garnett, Flannery G.; Buffardi, Laura E.; Sanchez-Burks, Jeffrey (2011). ""What about me?" Perceptions of exclusion and Whites' reactions to multiculturalism". Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 101 (2): 337–353. CiteSeerX   10.1.1.673.6339 . doi:10.1037/a0022832. PMID   21534702.
  42. ↑ Stevens, Flannery G.; Plaut, Victoria C.; Sanchez-Burks, Jeffrey (2008-03-01). "Unlocking the Benefits of Diversity". The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. 44 (1): 116–133. CiteSeerX   10.1.1.567.1869 . doi:10.1177/0021886308314460. S2CID   46447538.
  43. 1 2 Dobbin, Frank; Kalev, Alexandra. "Why Diversity Programs Fail". Harvard Business Review.
  44. ↑ Karp, H.B.; Sammour, Hael Y. (2000). "Workforce diversity: Choices in diversity training programs & dealing with resistance to diversity". College Student Journal. 34.
  45. ↑ Pierson, David; Lien, Tracey (2017-08-09). "Diversity training was supposed to reduce bias at Google. In case of fired engineer, it backfired". Los Angeles Times. ISSN   0458-3035 . Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  46. ↑ "Is Your Company's Diversity Training Making You More Biased?". Psychology Today. Retrieved 2017-11-25.
  47. ↑ Legault, Lisa; Gutsell, Jennifer N.; Inzlicht, Michael (2011-11-28). "Ironic Effects of Antiprejudice Messages". Psychological Science. 22 (12): 1472–1477. doi:10.1177/0956797611427918. PMID   22123778. S2CID   14206109.
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