Discourses of DE&I in Practice: Employee Perspectives on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in an International Company
Translated title
Diskurser om DE&I i praksis: Medarbejderperspektiver på diversitet, lighed og inklusion i en international virksomhed
Author
Weiberg, Lukas
Term
4. term
Education
Publication year
2025
Submitted on
2025-06-02
Pages
66
Abstract
Diversitet, lighed og inklusion (DE&I) fylder stadigt mere i organisationers strategier, men der er ofte afstand mellem idealer og medarbejderes hverdag. Dette speciale undersøger, hvordan medarbejdere i en stor international virksomhed (Virksomhed X) forstår, forhandler og praktiserer DE&I på tværs af organisatoriske niveauer. Med afsæt i en kritisk diskursanalytisk ramme, inspireret af Norman Fairclough og Teun A. van Dijk og forankret i socialkonstruktivisme og hermeneutik, bygger studiet på kvalitative, semi-strukturerede interviews med tre medarbejdergrupper: mekanikere, HR-business partnere og teamledere. Analysen viser markante forskelle i opfattelser og praksis: Mekanikerne udtrykker grundlæggende respekt for forskellighed, men også “diskursmæthed” og sproglig usikkerhed over for normer, de oplever som restriktive. HR-business partnerne ser DE&I som både strategisk og relationelt arbejde med fokus på data, dialog og kulturel bevidsthed. Teamlederne bevæger sig mellem organisatoriske forventninger og personlige værdier og balancerer pragmatisme med etiske hensyn. På tværs af grupperne identificeres spændinger mellem formel og substantiel ligestilling, mellem strategisk branding og reelt tilhørsforhold samt mellem top-down initiativer og bottom-up erfaringer. Specialet konkluderer, at DE&I er et dynamisk og omstridt felt, hvor varig inklusion kræver både strukturelle tiltag og plads til refleksion, dialog og kritisk arbejde med de normer, der former arbejdslivet.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) have become central to organizational strategy, yet a gap often persists between stated ideals and employees’ everyday experiences. This thesis examines how employees in a large international company (Company X) understand, negotiate, and enact DE&I across organizational levels. Using a critical discourse analytical framework informed by Norman Fairclough and Teun A. van Dijk, and grounded in social constructionism and hermeneutics, the study draws on qualitative, semi-structured interviews with three groups: mechanics, HR business partners, and team leaders. The analysis finds notable differences in perceptions and practices: Mechanics express fundamental respect for difference alongside “discourse fatigue” and linguistic insecurity in relation to norms they perceive as restrictive; HR business partners approach DE&I as both strategic and relational work, emphasizing data, dialogue, and cultural awareness; team leaders navigate between organizational expectations and personal values, balancing pragmatism with ethical considerations. Across groups, the study identifies tensions between formal and substantive equality, between strategic branding and genuine inclusion, and between top-down initiatives and bottom-up experiences. The thesis concludes that DE&I is a dynamic and contested field, and that successful inclusion requires not only structural changes but also space for reflection, dialogue, and critical engagement with the norms shaping organizational life.
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