Ethnographically-informed Methods of Exploring Employees Lived-experience of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging: A Photovoice Example

• In Event: 2481 - Sociology in Practice Settings Symposium Roundtable Session
  In Informal Discussion Roundtable: Table 03. Emerging Methods

Abstract

While the business case for diversity has been clearly evidenced and articulated for well over a decade, companies struggle to fully promote and unlock the value of a more diverse and inclusive workforce. Increasingly companies are also understanding the value of cultivating a sense of belonging within their employee-base. From a methodological perspective, clients tend to rely heavily on quantitative methods to capture employee attitudes and experiences – particularly in the form of staff engagement surveys. While diversity on key demographic characteristics can be measured through analysis of employee data, as Sherbin & Rashid (2017) note, quantifying feelings of inclusion and belonging is a more complex endeavour. They suggest that the narrative needs to be understood along with the numbers. In an effort to explore and unpack these issues, the author (a human capital consultant at a Big Four professional services firm, and a sociologist at University College Dublin) has explored the use of ethnographically-informed qualitative methodologies to capture employee experience of inclusion and belonging with clients across industry sectors.

Specifically the photovoice method, pioneered by Wang and Burris (1997) has been used to explore the lived-experience of employees, enabling us to enrich statistics regarding diversity with more nuanced meaning. Photovoice has limited use currently within the study of organisations, but is a method with great potential to give voice to employees in a way which allows them to become active participants in their own research journey .

Through case examples of client engagements, this presentation will provide the audience with an overview of how photovoice can be used to capture nuanced actionable-insight for companies on their organisational culture, and can assist them in building cultures which promote equality of opportunity for all.

Author

• Maria Quinlan, Deloitte