So Why, D&I? A Study on Diversity and Inclusion in the Workplace in the Digital Age

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations have adapted new models of work that shifted diversity and inclusion initiatives within the workplace digitally. There is very little research that currently exists on diversity and inclusion initiatives in the workplace in the digital age. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine the relationship between perceived management involvement in diversity and inclusion initiatives and employee performance, commitment, and engagement. Additionally, this study sought out to determine whether work location (remote, hybrid, onsite) moderated the relationship between the perceived management involvement in diversity and inclusion initiatives and employee performance, commitment, and engagement to bridge the gap in literature. A quantitative, correlational design was used to examine the relationship between the independent variable of this proposed study (manager/ employer involvement) on the dependent variables (employee performance, commitment, and engagement) while work location acted as a moderating variable (in-person, hybrid, virtual). Multiple regression analysis was used for data analysis. The results found a significant and positive correlation between management involvement on diversity and inclusions initiatives and employee engagement, performance, and commitment within the workplace while mode of work moderated the relationship with perceived employee engagement, performance, and commitment, and perceived management involvement in diversity and inclusion initiatives. These findings emphasize the importance of management involvement in the workplace and the impact of organizational involvement on employee functioning.