Workplace Solidarity Communication

Running head: LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION IN DIVERSITY
LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION IN DIVERSITY
Name of the student
Name of the university
Author note

1LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNICATION IN DIVERSITY
Introduction to the organization, Wesfarmers
The concerned organization, Wesfarmers, is an Australian conglomerate which is headquartered in
Perth since its inception in the year 1914 (Wesfarmers.com.au 2020). The organization operates in Australia
and NZ markets while selling chemicals, fertilizers and safety products that might be required for industrial
activities. The different propositions that are made by the organization enabled the same in acquiring a
competitive vantage over the existing retail chains in the market. Another striking aspect of the organization
is that the business aims at recruiting the Aboriginal and the Torres Strait Islander communities under their
Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) since 2009 (Wesfarmers.com.au 2020). The step of the organization
enabled the businesses in creating different opportunities for growth of the backward communities. However,
the organization has been facing significant challenges in managing the diversity of the workforce due to
incompetent leadership skills or inter-cultural communicational abilities of the management personnel.
Therefore, the report will identify the disability and thereby suggest strategies for improving the situation.
Concerns that are encountered
Inclusion might be considered as one of the major aspects of a diverse workforce. In this connection,
the organization focused towards including the aboriginals into their workplace with the intention of
addressing the diversity related or correlating to the Equal Employment Opportunity related legislation.
However, it has been observed that stereotypical activities have affected the interests of the aboriginals while
creating a situation of exclusion from the workforce. According to Hopkins et al. (2016), leaders play an
important role in maintaining the authenticity of inclusionary activities of a diverse workforce. Moreover,
Gotsis and Grimani (2017) opined that the leadership approach and outlook towards resolving concerns are
major factors that enables an organization in cross- cultural conflicts. In the situation of Wesfarmers, the
leaders reflected a stereotypical attitude towards the aboriginals while providing the same with designations
irrespective of their skills and approach. The discrimination strategy of the leaders affected the interests of
the aboriginals, leading to turnovers. Moreover, the non-aboriginal members of the workforce bullied and
harassed the aboriginals which again affected their job experience with Wesfarmers. The absence of effective