Last year I wrote about the value societies reap when they make it easier for refugees to enter the workforce.  It’s a conclusion shared by recent research from the University of Missouri, which found that helping refugees into the labor market helps both their host societies and their own assimilation into that society.  This benefit is particularly pronounced when the host community values diversity.

“The idea is that if you are in a favorable work environment, you will feel less ‘othered.” However, there are factors that can amplify or mitigate that effect,” the researchers say.

The value of work

The researchers wanted to better understand just what it is about being employed that helps refugees to both assimilate into society and to do so productively.

“It’s not just about being employed,” the researchers continue. “It’s the extent to which one perceives one really belongs in that organization that really matters. Do they see themselves as real members? Our findings suggest that’s the first step to feeling like a member of the society in which they have relocated.”

The researchers also believe that when there are those who are different from others, as is often the case with refugees, it’s vital that leaders create a culture of fairness and respect to ensure that all employees feel included.  In essence, it’s about embracing diversity and all it brings.

“While there’s not much the organization can do about an internal belief of stigma in a society, our research showed that having a favorable diversity climate—at all levels—renders that belief much less relevant,” the researchers explain.

Fitting in

The findings emerged after surveying nearly 400 Syrian refugees who were working at 88 different organizations.  They were sampled three times over a two-month period to ask how assimilated they felt at both their employer and wider society.

The researchers highlight the growing number of refugees in the United States, with the number accepted hitting 915 in May 2021, which is a significant increase (albeit still very low) from the 272 that were accepted in February.

From this humble beginning, however, the government has pledged to continue increasing admittances.  As such, any insights that may help society better assimilate newcomers have to be welcomed, both by the refugees themselves and their host society.