HPWS and climate for inclusion: a moral legitimacy lens

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-12-2016-0112
• Published date: 18 June 2018
• Date: 18 June 2018
• Pages: 491-505
• Author: Jennifer A. Harrison,Janet A. Boekhorst,Yin Yu
• Subject Matter: HR & organizational behaviour,Employment law,Diversity, equality, inclusion

HPWS and climate for inclusion:

a moral legitimacy lens

Jennifer A. Harrison

Department of People and Organisations, NEOMA Business School,

Mont-Saint-Aignan, France

Janet A. Boekhorst

Conrad Business, Entrepreneurship and Technology Centre,

University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada, and

Yin Yu

Department of People and Organisations, NEOMA Business School,

Mont-Saint-Aignan, France

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to apply insights from the moral legitimacy theory to understand

how climate for inclusion (CFI) is cultivated at the individual and collective levels, thereby highlighting the

influence of employee perceptions of inclusion-oriented high-performance work systems (HPWS) on CFI.

Design/methodology/approach –A multi-level conceptual framework is introduced to explain how

employee perceptions develop about the moral legitimacy of inclusion-oriented HPWS and the subsequent

influence on CFI.

Findings –CFI is theorized to manifest when employees perceive inclusion-oriented HPWS as morally

legitimate according to four unit-level features. Employees with a strong moral identity will be particularly

attuned to the moral legitimacy of each of the unit-level HPWS features, thereby strengthening the perceived

HPWS and CFI relationship at the individual level. The convergence of individual-level perceptions of CFI to

the collective level will be strongest when climate variability is low for majority and minority groups.

Practical implications –Organizations seeking to develop CFI should consider the role of HPWS and the

perceived moral legitimacy of such systems. This consideration may involve policy amendments to include a

broadened scope of HPWS.

Originality/value –This paper explores how employee perceptions of the moral legitimacy of HPWS can help

or hinder CFI, thereby offering a novel framework for future inclusion and human resource management research.

Keywords High-performance work systems, Climate for inclusion, Moral legitimacy

Paper type Conceptual paper

Introduction

We have reactionary, negligent individuals on all levels at the university level on our campus and

at the university system level, and so their job descriptions explicitly say that they’re supposed to

provide a safe and inclusive environment for all students […] But when we have issues of sexual

assault, when we have issues of racism, when we have issues of homophobia, the campus climate

continues to deteriorate because we don’t have strong leadership, willing to actually make change

(Student Association Representative (The) Washington Post).

The above excerpt refers to recent protests that occurred in a campus about the failure of a

university to provide an inclusive work environment for both students and faculty. An

inclusive work environment—or, a work climate that encourages a sense of belongingness

and uniqueness among employees (Shore et al.,2011)—is purported to address the challenge

of managing a diverse workforce that comprises individuals who have a broad range of

visible and non-visible differences (Chhokar et al., 2012). Employees from underrepresented

groups frequently report experiencing discrimination (Goldman et al., 2006). In response to

this problem, organizations have dedicated resources toward developing inclusive

environments to improve organizational effectiveness (Shore et al., 2009). For example, in

attempt to addressprotests, the university referenced in the above excerpt took several steps

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

An International Journal

Vol. 37 No. 5, 2018

pp. 491-505

© Emerald PublishingLimited

2040-7149

DOI 10.1108/EDI-12-2016-0112

Received 12 December 2016

Revised 6 July 2017

1 October 2017

Accepted 8 November 2017

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

www.emeraldinsight.com/2040-7149.htm

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HPWS and

climate for

inclusion