The value of public organizations’ diversity reputation in women’s and minorities’ job choice decisions

Despite the increasing attention given to promoting demographic diversity in the public sector, empirical explanations of what influences people, particularly women and racial minorities, to work in organizations remain insufficient. Based on signalling theory, we provide a theoretical lens that focuses on organizations’ diversity reputation. Using survey data drawn from the US public and non-profit workforce, it examines whether the public sector, particularly redistributive agencies, attracts people with greater concern for organizations’ diversity reputation. The findings shed light on the importance of individuals’ perceptions of organizations’ reputation for diversity in job choice decisions.