Politics and race in the workplace: Understanding how and when trump-supporting managers hinder black employees from thriving at work

Abstract

Our research contributes to the human resource management (HRM) literature that explains the adverse impact of right-wing populism on workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Accordingly, our study adds to the growing literature that examines the Trump effect on workplace dynamics. To this end, we rely on social information processing theory to argue that managers perceived to be Trump-supporting, compared to managers perceived to be Trump-opposing, are less likely to demonstrate inclusive leadership toward Black employees. This decreased demonstration of inclusive leadership is a salient workplace cue for Black employees that they are in an organization where Black employees' thriving at work is undesirable. We also argue this will be especially the case for relatively younger Black employees compared to relatively older Black employees. Across three studies, we find support for our hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.