This essay broadly explores the relationship between workforce diversity and
resulting perceptions of inequity in the workplace, presenting communicative
openness as a solution to many organizational problems associated with
increasing diversity. More specifically, it documents communication and inter
personal problems commonly experienced by organizational members who are
perceived as being dissimilar, and it supports a two-pronged approach to
fostering a more equitable workplace. This approach suggests that organiza
tions use mentoring programs solely as a long-term strategy and that they use
discreet and consistent supervisory disclosures of task-relevant information as a
short-term strategy for achieving real equity and fairness in business communi
cation.
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