IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/bushor/v67y2024i2p173-182.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How to prevent and minimize DEI backfire

Author

Listed:
  • Burnett, Lauryn
  • Aguinis, Herman

Abstract

Implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives is an ongoing process that poses benefits and potential risks. One of the major challenges organizations face in implementing DEI initiatives is backfire, which occurs when well-intended initiatives result in unintended negative outcomes (e.g., discrimination against and decreased performance of members of underrepresented groups). Many leaders need an understanding of how and why DEI practices may backfire. As such, we provide five evidence-based recommendations to help organizations successfully implement DEI practices while preventing and minimizing backfire. We recommend they (1) broaden engagement in targeted recruitment, (2) adopt a context-conscious perspective on diversity training, (3) create DEI accountability structures, (4) align DEI with communication and culture, and (5) use a multilevel approach to monitor and evaluate DEI practices.

Suggested Citation

  • Burnett, Lauryn & Aguinis, Herman, 2024. "How to prevent and minimize DEI backfire," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 173-182.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:bushor:v:67:y:2024:i:2:p:173-182
    DOI: 10.1016/j.bushor.2023.11.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0007681323001179
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.bushor.2023.11.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Aguinis, Herman & Burgi-Tian, Jing, 2021. "Measuring performance during crises and beyond: The Performance Promoter Score," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 64(1), pages 149-160.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alphun Cihan & Turker Nuray & Sainaghi Ruggero, 2023. "The Strategic Performance Measurement System and Organisational Performance Through the Lenses of Contextual Factors: Empirical Evidence from the Hotel Industry," European Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Recreation, Sciendo, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. GORSKI Andra-Teodora & DUMITRAȘCU Dănuț Dumitru, 2023. "Exploring The Dynamic Landscape Of Performance Management: A Bibliometric Analysis Of Emerging Trends," Studies in Business and Economics, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 18(1), pages 342-366, April.
    3. Martin, Ursula M. & Thapa, Urusha & Aguinis, Herman, 2024. "Punishing the good? How to minimize an unfair CSR-washing label," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 67(2), pages 199-207.
    4. Agag, Gomaa & Ali Durrani, Baseer & Hassan Abdelmoety, Ziad & Mostafa Daher, Maya & Eid, Riyad, 2024. "Understanding the link between net promoter score and e-WOM behaviour on social media: The role of national culture," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    5. Kanyangale MacDonald Isaac & Chikandiwa Christopher, 2022. "Five Pitfalls and Solutions of Performance Management in a Selected South African University During Covid-19," Foundations of Management, Sciendo, vol. 14(1), pages 111-126, January.
    6. Yifan Zhong & Yameng Li & Jian Ding & Yiyi Liao, 2021. "Risk Management: Exploring Emerging Human Resource Issues during the COVID-19 Pandemic," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-23, May.
    7. Gabriel, Kelly P. & Aguinis, Herman, 2022. "How to prevent and combat employee burnout and create healthier workplaces during crises and beyond," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 65(2), pages 183-192.
    8. Sasmita Misra & Abhilash Ponnam & Pratyush Banerjee, 2023. "COVID-19 Induced New Workplace HR Practices: Practitioners’ Perspectives from India," Management and Labour Studies, XLRI Jamshedpur, School of Business Management & Human Resources, vol. 48(2), pages 261-279, May.
    9. Daniel Nkansah & Raymond Gyimah & Daniel Agyemfour-Agyemang Sarpong & James Kwasi Annan, 2024. "Nexus Between Employee Engagement and Job Performance: A Study of MSMEs in Ghana During COVID-19: The Moderating Roles of Job Demand and Job Resources," Jindal Journal of Business Research, , vol. 13(1), pages 30-56, June.
    10. Gheorghe Zaman & Nicoleta Valentina Florea & Constantin Aurelian Ionescu & Dan Marius Coman & Doina Constanta Mihai & Nicoleta Luminita Gudanescu Nicolau, 2022. "Mathematical Model for Determining Costs of Unsatisfied Customers of HoReCa Industry," The AMFITEATRU ECONOMIC journal, Academy of Economic Studies - Bucharest, Romania, vol. 24(59), pages 268-268.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:bushor:v:67:y:2024:i:2:p:173-182. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/bushor .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.