Are we there yet? Diversity management officers’ journey to strategic partnership

Purpose The organizational role of diversity management officers (DMO) is intertwined with the human resource (HR) profession and practices. Nonetheless, DMO ideologies, perspectives and challenges from the perspective of strategic human resource partnership have not been adequately addressed. This study aimed to explore the strategic role of DMOs using the comprehensive scholarly research on strategic HR partnerships. We suggest that DMOs’ limited success in promoting diversity may be due to a lack of strategic positioning of their role. Design/methodology/approach In-depth, semi-structured interviews with 22 DMOs and HR practitioners were used to examine their day-to-day activities and interactions between their diversity-management and HR roles. Findings The findings indicate that DMOs direct their attention to diversity initiatives that address the personal needs and challenges of socially diverse employees and their managers. Thus, most DMOs operate on an administrative rather than a more strategic and transformational level, which also reflects their organization’s perspective on diversity. Research limitations/implications The study was conducted using a medium-sized sample of practitioners in the Israeli business sector. This study focused on practitioners’ descriptions of their daily roles and did not include other organizational stakeholders, such as managers and employees. Practical implications According to the findings, the DMO role lacks strategic positioning. To better implement and promote diversity initiatives, DMOs should increase their strategic influence. Based on the strategic HR framework, we suggest four distinct roles that will enhance DMOs’ strategic positioning. We recommend practical improvements in DMOs’ practices and academic education, as well as training for practitioners. Originality/value This study adds to the scholarly understanding of DMOs and suggests a strategic framework for implementing organizational diversity.