The Dynamic Recursive Process of Community Influences, LGBT-Support Policies and Practices, and Perceived Discrimination at Work

Abstract

Scholars in organizational psychology have found that organizational factors (such as policies, practices, norms, and climate) influence the psychological process of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) employees, yet it is unclear how community characteristics beyond the organizational context affect the psychological experiences of LGBT employees. In this chapter, we explore the extent to which a local community’s legal, social-normative, and cultural-cognitive features exert great influence on an organization’s stance on its LGBT policies, which in turn affect its employees’ perception of discrimination based on sexual orientation. The regulative, social-normative, and cultural-cognitive processes in a community are also influenced by individuals, groups, and organizations, particularly in relation to stigma and stigmatization toward LGBT individuals residing in the community, and in relation to the degree to which LGBT-related policies and practices are adopted within and across organizations in a community. We also offer directions for future research.