Towards a theory of fostering workplace dignity across social identity differences: Practices of exemplary supervisors

Workplace dignity is a foundational but often underexplored contributor to human flourishing. While much research emphasizes dignity violations, this constructivist grounded theory study examined the positive practices of exemplary supervisors who promote dignity across social identity differences. Specifically, the study developed a theory of dignity promotion as an iterative, relational process involving six core and primary dimensions: Being a conduit of power, navigating paradox, attending to intuition of misalignment, negotiating collective alignment, developing shared meaning, and seeking the edges of the whole person. Findings further indicate that supervisors foster workplace dignity by attuning to individual uniqueness, remaining open to influence across difference, and applying those insights to cultivate dignity-centered team cultures. The resulting theory offers new insight into how leaders can cultivate a dignified positive organizational culture and sustain flourishing employee relationships across social identity differences.