A Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Perspective on Organizational Socialization in the New Age of Remote Work

Introduction

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizations had to be agile in transitioning employees from in-person to remote work. Within the first few months of COVID-19, over one third of U.S. employees were working from home in at least some capacity (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2020). Increasing reliance on remote work is predicted to remain a prevalent business strategy as the pandemic subsides, with 74% of CFO’s reporting plans to make remote work permanent for some employees (Lavelle, 2020), and prominent organizations, such as Google, Target, and CITI Group, planning to make hybrid options accessible to the majority of employees (Diaz, 2021; McGregor, 2021). In tandem with this shift towards remote work, commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) has become increasingly essential as COVID-19 tensions and new ways of working have put DE&I concerns center stage, presenting unfamiliar challenges and opportunities (Deloitte, 2020). The accelerated organizational adoption of new remote work norms and increasing investment in DE&I efforts have necessitated the adaptation of a variety of organizational processes and practices. One such process that has been relatively overlooked, thus far, is the remote socialization of organizational newcomers.

Successful organizational socialization or onboarding involves transitioning newcomers from outsider to insider status and is related to knowledge acquisition, job satisfaction, self-efficacy, person-job fit, intentions to stay, and performance (Bauer et al., 2007; Ellis et al., 2014; Saks et al., 2007; Van Maanen & Schein, 1979). Remote onboarding brings with it new opportunities and challenges for promoting successful integration of newcomers into their role, team, and the broader organization. The new age of remote work opens doors for the improvement of many aspects of work life — the effective management of diverse work and family responsibilities, incorporation of diverse perspectives from varying locations and backgrounds, and participation of people who face physical barriers in the in-person workplace, to name a few. However, it also introduces novel challenges to socializing organizational newcomers, such as difficulties in ensuring that essential knowledge about the role and organization is being acquired and that social connections within the organization are being fostered (Gruman & Saks, 2018). Some challenges with fostering DE&I in the socialization process include the potential isolation of minority status and underrepresented newcomers, stereotype threat limiting information seeking and self-efficacy, and limited access to role models and mentors (Hart, 2018; Kammeyer-Mueller et al., 2013). Considering the challenges associated with transitions to remote work and the promotion of DE&I early in the socialization process, it becomes essential for organizations to take a proactive approach to facilitate a smooth and inclusive onboarding process in a world of hybrid and fully remote work.

In this chapter, a DE&I perspective is applied to better understand the dynamics associated with socializing remote workers, encouraging organizations to proactively implement remote socialization practices that are supportive of a diverse and inclusive workforce. This chapter provides a contrasting perspective to reactive approaches in which organizational DE&I concerns are addressed only as they become apparent. Addressed first are the unique challenges organizations and leaders face in in creating a remote socialization experience that fosters DE&I, focusing the discussion on newcomer development of a) cognitive, regulative, and normative knowledge, b) self-efficacy, and c) social integration components of successful socialization. Following, is a series of evidence-based socialization strategies designed to help organizations and leaders start on the right path when it comes to DE&I in the new age of remote work.