An analysis of the impact of cultural diversity on grievance handling: A case study of Unilever Nigeria

Abstract

As more companies are striving to be global, their workforce is becoming more diversified. Conflicts are inevitable in any organisation especially one that have employees from different cultural backgrounds. This research aims at analysing the impact of cultural diversity on grievance handling. To further understand this concept, a multinational company; Unilever Nigeria will be used as a case study. This a multinational company that is bases in Lagos, Nigeria and it employs people from different backgrounds be it race, gender, education and culture. In carrying out the research, both primary and secondary methods of data collection were used. A review was carried out on secondary sources such as research journals, articles and text books. Questionnaires were distributed among employees of Unilever Nigeria as a form of primary data collection with questions based on the topics of grievance handling and cultural diversity. This research produced a number of findings: recent studies have confirmed that cultural diversity and effective grievance handling have an effect on employee performance and organizational growth. Research has also proved that as a result of increase in globalization, companies are now more likely to have a culturally diverse workforce. The main conclusion drawn from this research is that ways in which employee grievances are handled is highly linked to their performance and commitment level. This research argues that in the process of grievance handling, management should often ensure that it generates all the relevant facts needed to make informed judgment and decisions on any specific grievance presented to it.