Aiming to connect: the business case for diversity in public organizations in The Netherlands

Abstract

This paper examines the effectiveness of diversity policy and interventions in the Dutch public sector and shows that business case interventions can affect employees’ commitment to their organization, contributing to staff retention rates and improving overall performance. Leadership style, as well as organizational culture, are shown to play a crucial role in the effectiveness of the interventions that were analysed.

Keywords:

• Diversity
• diversity perspectives
• diversity policy
• public organization
• The Netherlands

Acknowledgements

This paper is based on Saniye Çelik’s dissertation research which was completed in 2016 at Leiden University, supervised by Professor S. M. Groeneveld. The support of T. S. Ashikali, a PhD candidate at Leiden University in aspects of the research is also highly appreciated.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Saniye Çelik

Saniye Çelik is Professor of Diversity at the Faculty of Management and Business, University of Applied Sciences, Leiden, The Netherlands.

Gürkan Çelik

Gürkan Çelik is Professor of Cross-Cultural Entrepreneurship at the Faculty of Business, Finance and Law, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.