Organizational Efforts to Affirm Sexual Diversity: A Cross-Level Examination

• Published in: Journal of applied psychology 2001-02, Vol.86 (1), p.17-28
• Main Author: Button, Scott B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Affirmation; Applied psychology; Attitude; Biological and medical sciences; Business organization; Cultural Diversity; Discrimination; Diversity in the Workplace; Diversity training; Employee Attitudes; Employees; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Homosexuality; Human; Humans; Lesbianism; Male; Male Homosexuality; Minorities; Organizational analysis; Organizational Culture; Organizational Policy; Organizations; Personnel; Policy Making; Prejudice; Psychology; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychophysiology; Sex Discrimination; Sexual Minority Groups; Sexual orientation; Sexuality; Social attribution, perception and cognition; Social equality; Social psychology; Studies; Work
• ISSN: 0021-9010; 1939-1854
• DOI: 10.1037/0021-9010.86.1.17

A growing number of organizations have enacted policies intended to recognize and affirm sexual diversity in the workforce. This research demonstrates that the more prevalent these policies, the less likely sexual minority members are to experience treatment discrimination. Further, as expected, more equitable treatment was associated with higher levels of satisfaction and commitment among lesbian and gay employees. Treatment discrimination was also systematically related to the use of 3 identity management strategies (i.e., counterfeiting, avoiding, integrating). Findings also illustrate the importance of considering individual attributes in diversity research. In particular, group identity attitudes were associated with work-related attitudes and identity management. Overall, the research demonstrates the importance of organizational efforts to affirm sexual diversity and highlights the need for future research in this area.