Beyond a Numbers Game? Impact of Diversity and Inclusion on the Perception of Organizational Justice

Abstract Organizational justice, diversity, and inclusion are central tenets of social equity in public organizations. This study explores the effects of diversity management and inclusive leadership practices on employees' perceptions of organizational justice. Drawing from FedScope and the 2019 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey, we find that an increase in the number of women and Black, Indigenous and other People of Color (BIPOC) is not sufficient to improve employees' perceptions toward organizational justice; rather, as workforce diversity increases, the perception of organizational justice decreases when the relationship is moderated by an active form of diversity management, such as an organization's policies and programs to promote heterogeneous workgroups. The results suggest that as workplace diversity increases, inclusive leadership practices positively influence organizational justice. The findings also indicate that the impact of diversity and inclusion on employees' perceptions of organizational justice differs by gender and race.