The Role of Strategic Internal Communication in Workplace Discrimination: A Perspective of Racial Minority Employees

Abstract

ABSTRACT While numerous organizations have undertaken initiatives to reduce workplace discrimination owing to racial/ethnic backgrounds, racial inequalities in the workplace continue to persist. Providing an inclusive and open work environment has become an important task for organizations. Given that strategic communication management plays an important role in relationship cultivation and management, this study examines the role of strategic internal communication efforts in influencing racial and ethnic minority employees’ perceived work relations. Specifically, this study tests how different aspects of workplace discrimination perceptions – experienced versus observed – are related to transparent internal communication, perceived organizational justice, and employee-organization relationship (EOR). As one of the few empirical studies that examine the role of strategic internal communication in workplace discrimination, this research shows that communicating with employees in a transparent manner can reduce discrimination perceptions, enhance perceived organizational justice, and ultimately establish stronger EORs. While workplace discrimination continues to be a considerable challenge to overcome, this study demonstrates the vital strategic communicative actions that organizations can take to create supportive environments that can mitigate and prevent race-based workplace discrimination.