Why Should Small Businesses Care about Employee Diversity? Five Areas of Research that Influence Organizational Results

Abstract

With the demographic changes that are rapidly occurring, it is important to understand the research that informs practice. In this article I review the pertinent research literature in regards to diversity along with the implications to organizations. Specifically, research has indicated that businesses have the potential to be influenced in five major areas by changing demographics of workers. Research pertaining to communication, creativity, recruitment, persuasion, and turnover amongst diverse employees is examined.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Brian Gibson

Editor’s Note

This paper is part of the journal’s Policy Action Forum series in which many papers are jointly published in the Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship in Canada. The intent of the papers published in the series is to use research outcomes to offer guidelines to practitioners and policy makers. This paper achieves that intent with respect to issues of employee diversity.