DEI communication and climate for inclusion in Germany and the U.S.: The mediating role of managerial integrity

U.S. presidential orders restricting DEI initiatives impact internal communication, potentially influencing perceptions of managerial integrity and subsequently the climate for minority inclusion. This study examines the effects of organizational communication supporting DEI, employee satisfaction with it, managerial integrity, and inclusion climate and compares the U.S. and the German context. Data were collected via an online survey of employees working in German and U.S. organizations (N = 2,051) and analyzed using structural equation modeling. Across both countries, supportive DEI communication and employees’ satisfaction with it promote a climate for inclusion, partially mediated by perceived managerial integrity. Cross-country comparisons revealed that communication supporting DEI was more strongly related to managerial integrity in Germany, whereas satisfaction with DEI communication was more strongly associated with managerial integrity in the U.S. Furthermore, the link between managerial integrity and the climate for inclusion was stronger in Germany. The mediating effect of managerial integrity was observed only in Germany, not in the U.S. Promoting an inclusive climate and managerial integrity requires organizations to go beyond simply communicating that they support DEI initiatives and to focus on employees’ satisfaction with that communication—particularly in the U.S. Organizations operating in the U.S. need to balance compliance with regulations while still providing communication that resonates with employees’ expectations. This study highlights that both DEI communication and employees’ satisfaction with it are key drivers of perceived managerial integrity and the climate of inclusion. The observed cross-country differences are particularly important for multinational organizations.