Marjolein Dennissen

11 Introduction Introduction “In my opinion all those diversity clubs are nonsense. I fear the day I turn 35 and fall out of the target group of the [young employee network]. As a non-disabled, white, heterosexual man you sometimes feel like an intruder in this organization.” (Anonymous respondent) The diversity clubs this man is referring to are the key focus of this dissertation: diversity networks. Diversity networks, also referred to as employee network groups (Friedman, 1996; Scully, 2009), employee resource groups (Foldy, 2019; Githens, 2012; Welbourne, Rolf & Schlachter, 2017), or affinity groups (Briscoe & Safford, 2010; Douglas, 2008), are specific social identity-based networks within the workplace that are initiated to inform, support, and advance employees of historically marginalized groups (Foldy, 2002). Many different types of diversity networks exist, focusing on, for example, gender, ethnicity, race, sexual orientation, religion, age, class, or disability. Thus, organizations can have a wide range of diversity networks, such as women’s networks, ethnic minority networks, networks for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees, disability networks, young employee networks, Christian networks, and Moroccan networks. Diversity networks are an increasingly popular practice to promote diversity, equality, and inclusion, and many present-day organizations introduce them as part of their diversity management. Although the man in the aforementioned quote believes that diversity networks are “nonsense”, these diversity networks are considered valuable to provide employees who are historically excluded and marginalized in organizations with support (Green, 2018; Pini, Brown & Ryan, 2004), career advice (Friedman, 1996; O’Neil, Hopkins & Sullivan, 2011), and voice (Bell, Özbilgin, Beauregard&Sürgevil, 2011; Creed, 2003; McNulty, McPhail, Inversi, Dundon&Nechanska, 2018). Diversity networks have been referred to as catalysts for inclusive organizations (Douglas, 2008), the missing link in employee involvement (Van Aken, Monetta & Sink, 1994), and the holy grail of human resource management (McDevitt-Pugh, 2010). The idea that diversity networks are a valuable diversity management instrument that helps to advance (career) opportunities of women and other historically marginalized groups in organizations is widespread. Yet, despite the proliferation of diversity networks in organizations, scientific knowledge about their functioning remains hitherto limited. Although there is an emerging stream of literature on diversity networks in organizations (cf. Foldy, 2019; Colgan, 2016; Greene, 2018; Welbourne et al., 2017), the studies present a fragmented field and are inconclusive about whether these networks that supposedly promote marginalized employees’ voices achieve their intended effects (Benschop, Holgersson, Van den Brink & Wahl, 2015; Bierema, 2005; Foldy, 2019). While diversity networks are initiated in various organizations and uncritically applied to all types of employee groups (Foldy, 2002), the claim that diversity networks are a best practice of diversity management remains unsubstantiated.