Unveiling rainbow washing: impacts on LGBT+ employees in the workplace

Purpose This study aims to investigate the impact of rainbow washing on LGBT + [1] employees’ well-being, workplace culture, organizational commitment, job performance and perceived organizational support (POS) in Indian workplaces. It further examines how POS mediates these relationships, offering insights into the broader organizational implications of insincere diversity practices. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research approach was adopted, using a structured questionnaire to collect data from LGBT+ employees in various Indian organizations. Structural equation modeling was used to assess both direct and mediated relationships. Findings The results reveal that rainbow washing has a statistically significant and negative effect on all five employee outcomes studied – namely, employee well-being, workplace culture, organizational commitment, job performance and POS – highlighting its harmful impact in organizational settings. Mediation analysis further confirms that POS significantly mediates these relationships, indicating its pivotal role in shaping employee experiences under perceived insincere diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first empirical study to investigate the organizational impacts of rainbow washing on LGBT+ employees, particularly within the Indian context. By examining POS as a mediator, this study adds novel insight into how insincere inclusivity narratives influence key employee outcomes. It extends the discourse beyond marketing into organizational behavior, offering valuable implications for DEI strategy and policy.