Experienced and Perceived Diversity and Inclusion at the Workplace and its Impact on Employee Well-Being: A Comparative Case Study of Employee and Leadership Perspectives
2025 (English)Independent thesis Advanced level (degree of Master (One Year)), 10 credits / 15 HE credits
Student thesis
Abstract [en]
This thesis explores how workplace diversity and inclusion experienced, enacted and interpreted by employees and managers within a multinational organization and how these experiences shape employee well-being. Although many organizations publicly commit to diversity and inclusion, such strategies often remain symbolic unless they are consistently embodied in everyday practice. Drawing on Practice Theory and the Strategy-as-Practice framework, this study adopts a qualitative, interpretive approach based on semi-structured interviews with ten participants representing different roles and cultural backgrounds. The findings reveal a significant gap between formal diversity strategies and their practical implementation. While diversity is often promoted at a structural level,the actual diversity and inclusion experience and psychological safety are realized, or undermined, through interpersonal interactions, leadership behaviors and the nuances of communication across cultures. Employees’ sense of belonging and psychological safety was found to depend not only on visible diversity and inclusion efforts, but on relational trust, informal support and the recognition of lived difference. The study underscores that diversity and inclusion are not a static goal but an evolving process shaped by context, power and practice. It contributes to a more nuanced understanding of diversity and inclusionas dynamic organizational experiences, offering insights for both academic research and practical strategies to foster authentic well-being in diverse workplaces.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2025.
Keywords [en]
Workplace Diversity, Inclusion Practices, Employee Well-Being, Psychological Safety, Diversity Climate, Lived Experience, Inclusive Leadership, Organizational Power Dynamics, Practice Theory, Strategy-as-Practice, Qualitative Case Study
National Category
Business Administration
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:du-50827OAI: oai:DiVA.org:du-50827DiVA, id: diva2:1980935
Subject / course
Business Administration and Management
2025-07-032025-07-032025-10-09