Warning! Diversity Recruitment Could Backfire

Many companies have adopted diversity recruitment initiatives to garner the interest of minority job applicants. The implicit message in these initiatives is that firms maintain supportive diversity climates. Minority job applicants that are subsequently hired may believe that the recruitment tactics used to entice them were misleading if actual work-place diversity climates are unfavorable. This article utilizes the person-organization fit, realistic job preview, and psychological contract literatures to illustrate how common diversity recruitment practices may contribute to increased turnover among new minority hires. Several suggestions are presented for strengthening the link between diversity recruitment and minority employee retention.