D&I policy
Definition
D&I policy refers to organizational efforts to improve the representation, treatment, and outcomes of historically marginalized groups through structured initiatives and practices. Effective D&I policy depends on both attitudinal endorsement (beliefs about fairness, credibility, and trustworthiness) and behavioral enactment (actions that promote implementation), which may diverge due to distinct motivational drivers. Support for D&I policy is multidimensional and grounded in diverse rationales: employees and managers cluster into five profiles—Champions (supportive in both attitude and behavior), Opponents (resistant in both), Ambivalents (ambivalent in both), Bystanders (attitudinally supportive but behaviorally passive), and Reluctants (behaviorally engaged but attitudinally skeptical)—each rooted in distinct reasoning patterns including ideological endorsement, policy unawareness, implementation concerns, and meritocratic beliefs. D&I policy support and resistance vary meaningfully across organizational positions and group membership, with managers overrepresented among Champions and Reluctants, and minoritized group members showing more critical engagement profiles and advocacy-oriented reasoning.
Sources: Bokern et al. (2026)
Related Terms
Applications
D&I Policy and Organizational Position
Managerial and non-managerial positions show distinct patterns of D&I policy support. Managers are overrepresented among Champions and Reluctants and underrepresented among Ambivalents and Opponents, suggesting that hierarchical role shapes motivations for supporting D&I policy.
Sources: Bokern et al. (2026)
D&I Policy and Group Membership
Perceived minority status relates significantly to more critical D&I policy support profiles and to advocacy-oriented reasoning about policy implementation. Minoritized group members demonstrate distinct motivational drivers and engagement patterns compared to majority-group members.
Sources: Bokern et al. (2026)
D&I Policy and Policy Awareness
Policy awareness and accessibility function as key reasoning patterns shaping D&I policy support profiles. Opponents and Ambivalents frequently express policy unawareness or inaccessibility, whereas Champions and Bystanders more often articulate ideological endorsement, indicating that understanding and access to information influence whether employees engage with D&I policies.
Sources: Bokern et al. (2026)
