Diversity in the Retail Industry

1. Organizational Diversity
Leah Snider

2. Diversity in Retail
Divide in the Retail industry

3. Women and Diversity in Organizations- Today’s Org.
Problems
Glass Ceiling
Color Discrimination
Mommy Track
Lean in
Greater difficulty climbing the ladder
Greater difficulty getting a job

4. This graph shows the majority of retail workers are white, non-hispanic. The
minority of retail workers are Asian, non- Hispanic.

5. This graph shows the amount to Female workers in the retail industry. The
most women the work in retail are Black, non-hispanic.

6. Minorities in Retail
Diversity in the retail industry is comparable to the labor force as a whole, with White, non-Hispanic workers
accounting for two-thirds of those employed in the industry and the other one-third composed of people
of color.
Another similarity to the overall workforce is a persistent opportunity gap for the Black and Latino retail
workforce.
Our research indicates that, like in other sectors, people of color are overrepresented in the positions with the
lowest pay and the least stability and underrepresented in management positions
(Ruetschlin, 2015)

7. Diversity in Retail
There are more than 15 million people working in retail jobs today, accounting for more than 1 out of every 10
employed workers in the country and 1 out of every 6 private sector jobs added to the economy last year
Among Black workers, retail is second only to the broadly inclusive Education and Health Services industry
as a source of employment.
More than 1.9 million Black workers are employed in the retail industry, as are 800,000 Asian American
workers, more than 2.3 million Latino workers, and nearly 10 million White, non-Hispanic workers who
make up the largest share of retail employment.
Yet despite a high and growing demand for retail workers, jobs in the industry frequently fall short of meeting
workers’ needs.
(Ruetschlin, 2015)

8. Diversity in Retail
Across the economy, Black and Latino workers are less likely to work in
professional, management, and related occupations—the highest paid
occupational category in the labor force.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2013 Black workers were 11 percent
of those employed, but held just 7 percent of management jobs.

9. Barriers in Organizational Systems
Stereotyping, Prejudice, Discrimination
Women and ethnic minorities experience limited access to or excluded from
informal communication networks
Critical because of the widespread informal information communication
Socialization, decision making, conflict management
Minority Employee Networks (affinity groups)-
Members of a particular gender or ethnic background meet
Found that minority employees experience most success when they develop a differentiated network
consisting of both majority and minority members and of individuals on a wide range of
hierarchical levels

10. Barriers in Organizational Systems
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-
This legislation prohibits discrimination based on disability and requires that organizations make
“reasonable accommodations” for disabled workers
The ADA has had historical effects on access in public and workplace but scholars and activists note
that there is still work to be done
Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)-
Antidiscrimination laws regarding sexual orientation

11. Why Diversity is Good
Managing diverse groups poses communication challenges
When first formed, diverse groups can be inferior
Over time, groups develop both communicative strategies and wider range of
alternatives

12. Why Diversity is Good- Cox and Blake
1. Cost Argument
a. As organizations become more diverse, the cost of a poor job in integrating workers will increase
2. Resource-Acquisition
a. Companies will develop reputations as prospective employers for women and ethnic minorities
3. Marketing Argument
a. For multinational organizations, the insight and cultural sensitivity that members with roots in other
countries bring to the marketing effort should improve that effort in important ways
4. Creativity
a. Diversity of perspectives and less emphasis on conformity

13. Questions
In the retail industry, Black and Latino workers are less likely to
work in professional or management jobs. Why do you think
that is?

14. Questions
According to Cox and Blake diversity is a good thing. In your
work experience, how has diversity helped you?
To this day, women are only making 70 cents to a man’s dollar.
Do you think that is fair?

15. Work Cited
Ruetschlin, C., & Asante-Muhammad, D. (2015, June 2). The Retail Race Divide: How the Retail Industry Is Perpetuating Racial
Inequality in the 21st Century. Retrieved March 30, 2016, from
http://www.demos.org/publication/retail-race-divide-how-retail-industry-perpetuating-racial-inequality-21st-century