Harnessing the Power of CliftonStrengths®: How Multinational Corporations Can Use Deep-Level Diversity to Enhance Organizational Inclusion

This research explicitly investigated how multinational corporations can enhance workplace inclusion through the novel use of the CliftonStrengths® assessment as a dimension of deep-level diversity. The study gleaned insights from employees’ perspectives, employing a constructivist grounded theory approach to explicate their experiences in rich qualitative narratives. Through open-ended surveys and intensive interviews, participants were selected using purposeful sampling to ensure meaningful data collection from the study organizations’ three global regions. The researcher conducted the analysis systematically through the constant comparison of data utilizing the NVivo14 software to assist in constructing codes, themes, and a theoretical schema. Results highlighted the significance of CliftonStrengths® in fostering inclusion by raising awareness of deep-level diversity, valuing differences, enhancing interactions, and fostering collaboration. The study identified strategies for leaders to influence change, emphasizing the need for an intentional strategy, the evolution of employee knowledge, and applying CliftonStrengths® for organizational success. The developed theoretical schema suggests that leaders grasping the positive influence of CliftonStrengths® can shape employee inclusion using deep-level diversity. This study offered practical implications for enhancing workplace inclusion by leveraging CliftonStrengths® and underscored the importance of recognizing and valuing deep-level diversity to create inclusive workplaces where all employees can thrive.