Assessing How Perceived Inclusion Affects Minority Employees’ Organizational Satisfaction in higher Education Institutions in the U.S.

Abstract

In the present study, the author examines how perceived inclusion affects minority employees’ organizational satisfaction in higher education institutions in the United States. A quantitative exploratory approach was used for this study. The methodology involves measuring the relationship between minority status and job satisfaction for employees in higher education institutions in the U.S. if any, and the relationship between minority employees’ status and their perception of inclusion in their workgroups. Data was collected using an online panel survey of higher education employees in the United States using Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk); a crowdsourcing platform. A sample size of (N = 1,898) subjects were sought to complete the online survey. The present study’s results illustrate a new finding which was that when comparing minority groups engaged in higher education organizations with their minority peers employed at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) or other minority-serving institutions, minority individuals employed in higher education institutions felt less included and satisfied than the ones involved in HBCU or other minority catering organizations. Findings demonstrate there is a statistically significant positive correlation between inclusion and workplace satisfaction. The results also show there are differences in inclusion by demographic status, sexual orientation, disability status, religion, and type of workplace. The study’s results reveal that minority groups employed in higher education organizations have a low sense of belonging, which may result in dissatisfaction with the workplace and eventually force them to quit their jobs.