Discriminated against but engaged: The role of communicative actions of racial minority employees

ABSTRACT Grounded in the situational theory of problem-solving (STOPS), two survey studies investigated how racial minority employees in the U.S. perceive and communicate about discriminatory situations within their organizations and how they are related to their engagement levels. Results of Study 1 suggested that experiences of discriminatory acts at work are negatively associated with racial minority employees’ engagement, whereas their situational perceptions are positively associated with their communicative behaviors toward direct supervisor and peers. Communicative behaviors with supervisors, not peers, in turn, fostered their engagement. Study 2 replicated and extended Study 1 in different contexts, revealing the moderating role of a diverse climate in affecting employees’ situational perceptions about workplace discrimination. Theoretical and practical implications for communication studies are discussed.