Structural inclusion work in migrant-diverse workplaces: managing local–migrant divides for workplace integration in China

Internal labor migration is a defining feature of contemporary China, where hukou-based local – migrant divides shape migrants’ employment experience. Our study examines how these divides hinder internal migrant workers’ workplace integration and how employers respond through inclusive management practices. We identify two major sources of divides: socioeconomic and cultural. In response, we conceptualize employers’ inclusive management practices as ‘structural inclusion work’, which manifests through migrant-inclusive decision-making, equity-based employment practices, and initiatives that integrate cultural differences. We contribute to the Asian migration research and human resource management scholarship with a multilevel understanding of workplace integration.