Redefining the way we look at diversity: a review of recent diversity and inclusion findings in organizational research

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to summarize the findings of studies presented at the 24th annual conference of the Society of Industrial and Organizational Psychology (SIOP) in relation to how diversity is studied, microaggressions, when diversity is perceived, and employment outcomes for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) job applicants. Design/methodology/approach – A select group of presentations are summarized based on observation, notes, discussions, and reading of material. Findings – Researchers are beginning to redefine how diversity is studied as well as focus more on within‐group variation that might uncover considerable interpretation differences based on study results. More subtle forms of racism are being explored in addition to examining experiences of sexual orientation minorities. Originality/value – The diversity and inclusion presentations at the 2009 SIOP conference continue to evolve diversity theory and inform evidence‐based organizational practice. This report summarizes a variety of findings during this conference.