Valuing inclusion was more closely linked to colleagues than to training
Among 2,043 employees who had already received training, leaders’ support was also associated with believing that one’s own actions can make a difference.
The key idea
Perceived support was associated with more favorable beliefs about inclusion. Training format had a narrower link: feeling able to contribute.
The study, in plain language
Training can explain inclusion principles, but colleagues and leaders also send signals at work. An online survey asked employees at large organizations in several countries what support they perceived, what training they had received, and what they thought about inclusion. Everyone had received some form of training.
Colleague support was most strongly associated with viewing inclusion positively. Leaders’ commitment was also associated with this belief, and both types of support were associated with feeling that one’s own actions could contribute.
Digital and instructor-led training formats were associated with the latter belief, without visible links to the other attitudes assessed. Valuing inclusion and feeling able to contribute shared part of their context, but not all relationships were the same.
What they found
- Everyday support from colleagues was most strongly associated with valuing inclusion.
- Encouragement from colleagues and leaders also went along with feeling that one’s own actions could contribute.
- Training format, whether digital or instructor-led, went along with that feeling. Support from the workplace had a broader association.
How they studied it
An online survey of 2,043 full-time employees at large organizations in five countries, conducted in August 2022. All had received some inclusion training and answered questions about perceived support, training, attitudes, and action plans. No one was assigned to a condition, so the results show associations, not causes.
What the study cannot show
- Responses reflect what workers reported; the observed relationships do not establish cause and effect.
- Reported attitudes do not guarantee inclusive practices.
The original study
Workplace Inclusion Initiatives Across the Globe: The Importance of Leader and Coworker Support for Employees’ Attitudes, Beliefs, and Planned Behaviors
Source under CC BY 4.0. English adaptation and explanation by PaperFlow, with AI assistance. The text has been reorganized for a general audience; it is not the complete paper and does not imply endorsement by its authors.
One study alone does not represent a field's consensus. Educational content does not replace professional advice. Report a possible error.
