Carers in the hybrid workplace: examining perceived inclusion and inclusion climate

Purpose This article aims to examine differences between the perceived inclusion of carers and non-carers and their perception of the inclusion climate in a hybrid organization. The influence of different inclusion climate dimensions on the perceived inclusion of carers and non-carers is also investigated. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative survey was conducted among 5,311 Government of Quebec employees, including 957 informal carers with responsibility for caring for a member of their family or community. The sense of organizational inclusion was measured using Chung et al.’s scale (2020). Nishii’s scale (2013) was used to measure the climate of inclusion. T-tests, ANOVAs and hierarchical regressions were also performed. Findings The results show that carers have significantly lower perceived inclusion than non-carers. Carers who telework three or more days a week report higher perceived inclusion than those who telework two or fewer days. The results suggest that the integration of differences in the workplace has the strongest influence on perceived inclusion for both carers and non-carers, followed by inclusion in decision-making. Originality/value This is the first study to specifically address workplace inclusion of carers, a group rarely addressed in equity, diversity and inclusion studies to date. By considering new identity factors in the context of the hybrid work practices, this research makes an important contribution to broadening the traditional conception of diversity and in the new workplace.