Author(s): Nyamupachari Vareta, Bongani Innocent Dlamini
Purpose: Contemporary workplaces consist of diverse and different cultural and ethnical backgrounds. This varied work environment offers prospects for employers to generate and encourage organisational strategies that value and manage diversity while eliminating workplace inequality and discrimination. This research explores employees’ experiences of workplace inequality and discrimination on individual development and organizational performance within South African hospitality contexts.
Design: This article is focused on selected hotels in Durban, South Africa and employs a qualitative case study within the social constructivist/interpretivist paradigms utilizing observations, informal discussions, and semi-structured interviews to obtain data. Purposive sampling with the help of snowballing was used to obtain the required data and was analysed using Thematic Analysis and computer software NVivo.
Findings: In its general findings, the study demonstrates the prevailing workplace inequalities and discrimination within the hospitality industry in the case under scrutiny. More specifically, the results of the study show deplorable working conditions affecting mainly black employees. Racism, sexual harassment, and inequality; remain endemic because of discriminatory and exploitative practices which prevents career development and leading to increased work-related trauma among employees and accumulated stress thus affecting their performance.