Employee retention in cross-cultural workplaces: Exploring the experience of Aboriginal employees in mainstream Australian organisations

Steel, Lara (2017) Employee retention in cross-cultural workplaces: Exploring the experience of Aboriginal employees in mainstream Australian organisations. Masters by Coursework thesis, Murdoch University.

Abstract

Employment is linked to a variety of positive wellbeing outcomes and many initiatives have been introduced to support and increase Aboriginal engagement in the workforce. However, employment and retention rates for Aboriginal employees are disproportionately lower than the mainstream Australian population. This qualitative study investigates the lived experiences of 10 Aboriginal participants who have been employed in mainstream Australian workplaces. Through semi-structured interviews, the findings highlight the complexity of the cross-cultural workplace; indicating that mainstream views of work may be fundamentally incompatible with Indigenous worldviews which prioritise family and community wellbeing. Success in the mainstream workplace is also implicated as requiring high levels of cultural agility on the part of the Aboriginal employee, implicating that widespread Aboriginal participation in the mainstream workforce may be unrealistic and ethically questionable. In addition, cultural safety within the workplace is implicated as a factor in both retention and turnover of Aboriginal staff.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters by Coursework)
Murdoch Affiliation(s):	School of Psychology and Exercise Science
United Nations SDGs:	Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities
Supervisor(s):	Heritage, Brody
URI:	http://researchrepository.murdoch.edu.au/id/eprint/45267

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