How exposure to natives in the workplace affects cultural assimilation among non-Western immigrants

Abstract

Employment plays a significant role in the assimilation of immigrants, forming a central assumption of contemporary work-first policies aimed at integrating immigrant populations. This assumption is supported by existing research, which posits that workplace interactions with natives foster immigrants’ cultural assimilation into the mainstream. In this article, we argue that while employment generally facilitates assimilation, it may not be sufficient on its own. Specifically, the potential for assimilation is limited if immigrants are not exposed to natives in the workplace. To examine this, we analysed survey data from non-Western immigrants in Denmark, in combination with Danish register data to quantify their degree of workplace exposure to natives. Our findings reveal that a share of the positive relationship between employment and assimilation observed in previous studies hinges on such workplace exposure. Additionally, we show that experiences of discrimination can undermine the positive effects of intergroup workplace interactions on cultural assimilation. These results highlight the need for assimilation policies that go beyond merely encouraging employment. Therefore, policies aimed at assimilation must ensure that immigrants have exposure to natives and are protected from discrimination to maximise the assimilatory potential of employment.