Diversity in the workplace

Despite the progress made in recent years, some individuals from historically disadvantaged groups remain underrepresented and face discrimination in the labor market. The workplace operates within a constantly changing socioeconomic context. This complex relationship between the organization and the social context gives rise to major challenges in diversity management. It is important to better understand the consequences—both positive and negative—of the legal framework and various management practices for the individuals concerned, in order to lay the groundwork for equitable and inclusive diversity management that is free from marginalizing effects.

This anthology presents research findings and theoretical reflections on the topic of managing diversity in groups striving for equity. The two sections of this volume examine the professional experiences of women and people of color or from diverse ethnic backgrounds in the workplace, taking into account legal aspects of anti-discrimination efforts as well as organizational and union practices within a specific socioeconomic context.

The first section analyzes the distinct career paths of women in the workplace. More specifically, it addresses the situation of women in the professional sphere, which—despite some improvements—remains unequal to that of men. Gendered social relations and the institutionalization of discrimination penalize women in the labor market, leading to the persistence of a glass ceiling and the creation of second-class career paths, particularly for mothers. Chapters 1 through 6 address this issue of gender. The second section focuses on the ethnocultural mosaic in the workplace. The persistent barriers faced by racialized individuals or those from diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds in the workplace are discussed in chapters 7 through 11. These chapters examine the experiences of people who face discrimination, as well as the intercultural competencies and organizational practices that shape the management of ethnocultural diversity in the workplace.

With the collaboration of: Alexandre Gagné-Deland, Catherine Le Capitaine, Charles Fleury, Delphine Théberge, Diane Gagné, Élise Dumont-Lagacé, Frédéric Deschenaux, Hubert Doyon, Hugo Asselin, Jean-Michel Beaudoin, Laurence Hamel-Roy, Mouhamadou Sanni Yaya, Marco Alberio, Marie-Noëlle Albert, Marie-Pier Bernard Pelletier, Nadia Lazzari Dodeler, Nancy Côté, Pascal Vallières, Sébastien Arcand, Yves Hallée.