Hispanics and Anglos: The Role of Group Composition on Satisfaction

Modern public and private organizations have to deal with several key changes in their human systems, including increased diversity, and continued reliance on teams. In this study, emphasis is placed on understanding the satisfaction of individuals as they work in groups of mixed ethnicities. In an experiment, Hispanics, who make up the largest minority group in America, and Anglos (Whites) were randomly arranged into all possible compositions of four-member teams, and individuals' satisfaction was measured. Results indicate that the perception of differences between members of the ethnic groups was enough to influence the satisfaction scores so that when a minority (Anglo or Hispanic) was placed into a group, the average satisfaction scores dropped significantly. Implications of this finding are discussed.