Research in the GEDI Lab

Research in the GEDI Lab

Research in the Gender, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (GEDI) lab focuses broadly on barriers to a greater diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and seek solutions for a better promotion of traditionally disadvantaged groups in the workplace. Recent projects and work conducted in our lab can be grouped into three themes:

  • Women in the Workplace and Gender Equality

  • Diversity Policies and Initiatives

  • Other Types of Diversity (e.g., language, socioeconomic status)

Women in the Workplace and Gender Equality

A large number of our projects focus on gender equality and issues surrounding the underrepresentation of women in leadership and other high-level positions. In this work, we study, for example, the role of one prevalent and socially accepted yet not very well understood form of sexism – benevolent sexism. Another big topic that we study is the impact of parental leaves on career outcomes for both women and men. We have recently started examining and expanding the study of gender equality to men and their experiences in order to fully address the issues of persistent gender inequality in the workplace.

Sample publications:

  • Hideg, I., & Krstic, A. (2021). The quest for workplace gender equality in the 21st century: Where do we stand and how can we continue to make strides? Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science / Revue canadienne des sciences du comportement, 53(2), 106-113. https://doi.org/10.1037/cbs0000222 [invited]

  • Hideg, I., & Shen, W. (2019). Why still so few? A theoretical model of the role of benevolent sexism and career support in the continued underrepresentation of women in leadership positions. Journal of Leadership and Organizational Studies, 26 (3), 287-303. https://doi.org/10.1177/1548051819849006

  • Hideg, I., Krstic, A., Trau, R. N. C., & Zarina, T. (2018). The unintended consequences of maternity leaves: How agency interventions mitigate the negative effects of longer legislated maternity leaves. Journal of Applied Psychology, 103 10), 1155-1164. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000327

  • Hideg, I., & Ferris, D. L. (2016). The compassionate sexist? How benevolent sexism promotes and undermines gender equality in the workplace. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 111(5), 706-727. https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000072

Diversity Policies and Initiatives

In our second stream of research studies, we examine issues surrounding the promotion and enhancement of gender and racial diversity in the workplace by studying reactions to various diversity policies and initiatives in the workplace.

Sample publications:

  • Hideg, I., & Wilson, A. E. (2020). History backfires: Reminders of past injustices against women undermine support for workplace policies promoting women. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 156, 176-189. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2019.10.001

  • Hideg, I., & Ferris, D. L. (2017). Dialectical thinking and fairness-based perspectives of affirmative action. Journal of Applied Psychology, 102 (5), 782-801. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000207

  • Hideg, I., & Ferris, D. L. (2014). Support for employment equity policies: A self-enhancement approach. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 123 (1), 49-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.obhdp.2013.11.002

  • Hideg, I., Michela, J. L., & Ferris, D. L. (2011). Overcoming negative reactions of nonbeneficiaries to employment equity: The effect of participation in policy formulation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 96(2), 363-376. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0020969

Other Types of Diversity

In addition to our work on gender and racial diversity, in our emerging work and projects, we examine promotion of diversity in the workplace by examining less traditional diversity dimensions such as “accent” (i.e., non-native English accent). In today’s globalized world there are many employees who speak the language of their new or host country with a non-standard or foreign accent, which can be stigmatizing. Yet, while these employees represent an audible minority, research on diversity has mostly overlooked this group. We have also started examining intersection of different demographics markers such as gender and accent.

Sample publications:

  • Hideg, I., Shen, W., & Hancock, S. (2022). What is that I hear? An interdisciplinary review and research agenda for non-native accents in the workplace. Journal of Organizational Behavior, 43, 214-235. https://doi.org/10.1002/job.2591

In this emerging line of work, we have also started examined social class and more specifically support and promotion of social class-based diversity policies.

Popular Media Dissemination of our Research

In addition to publishing in peer-reviewed academic journals, we actively seek to make our work accessible to wider audiences and a broader community by publishing our work in popular media outlets such as the Harvard Business Review.

Sample publications: