INTRODUCTION
Employee diversity management is an integrated
approach to the implementation of equality at the workplace. According to
Cascio (2003:121), “Managing employee diversity means establishing a
heterogeneous workforce to perform to its potential in an equitable work
environment where no member or group of members has an advantage or a
disadvantage”. Human resource practitioners and managers are challenged to
create a working environment that addresses the needs and responds to the
opportunities of diverse employees by moving beyond their own cultural frame of
reference to promote strong intercultural communication and promote cultural
synergy in the workplace. Harnessing differences in age, sex, race, background
and personality among other attributes will help the organization to develop a
corporate culture which Armstrong (2001:203) postulates as a pattern of values,
norms, beliefs, attitudes and assumptions that may not have been articulated,
but shape the ways in which people behave and get things done.
The researcher intended to explore into the impact
of employee diversity management as a corporate culture development strategy.
Where diversity exists, conflict is inevitable as different people give
different meanings and views to the same context. Thus the development of a
corporate culture is pivotal as it offers a shared system of meanings which is
the basis for communication and mutual understanding. The research findings
enabled the researcher to articulate the significance of employee diversity
management as a corporate culture development strategy. Thornberg (1994) as
quoted in Redman and Wilkinson (2001:408) asserts that,” A key element is to
move towards ‘cultures of inclusion’, recognizing that various organizational
practices often lead to certain groups feeling left out or unwelcome”.
It is thus imperative for the organization to
implement employee diversity management initiatives as a demonstration to its
commitment to employee diversity management. The study also sought to trigger
organizations to explore the effectiveness of diversity management initiatives,
the extent of management’s accountability and the effectiveness of the current
diversity management strategy in promoting consistent behavioral norms. The
results of the study will help organizations to value diversity and embed it
within the organizational structures so as to eliminate all forms of bias and
stereotypes that may hinder productivity and organizational success. Employee
diversity management has recently been given a profound or elevated status as
organizations have increased the rate of interfacing with different customers
and employees from other countries and cultures around the world. Diversity management involves creating a supportive
culture where all employees can be effective. In creating this culture it is
important that top management strongly support workplace diversity as a company
goal and include diversity initiatives in their companies' business strategies.
CPL Ltd officials thus need to maintain consistence in by innovatively
designing and implementing programs that can instill the values, beliefs and
alignment to the set standards within the organization.
BACKGROUND
OF STUDY
Dick (2003) as cited n Redman and Wilkinson
(2006:313) asserts that most of the studies that do look at diversity
interventions are based in the United States of America. Thus the researcher
found it important to investigate the transferability of the context given the
differences in demographic trends experienced in the USA, which is an
exaggerated version of what is currently happening in Zimbabwe. Racial-ethnic
differences are highly profound in the USA as compared to the Zimbabwean
scenario where such differences are far minute. Liff et al (1994) as cited in
Kirton and Greene (2004:04) argued that highlighting the heterogeneity and
diversity of social groups assists in the task of recognizing and understanding
that discrimination and disadvantaged groups are multifaceted and that it is
important to draw on the experiences of and reflect the needs of all social
groups within the workforce when developing a corporate policy or standards
that govern the organization.
Johnson and Gill (1993) as quoted in Redman and
Wilkinson (2001:417) point out that most HRM literature focuses on cultural
homogenization. This form of cultural management is seen as a way of securing
employees’ identification with and a sense of commitment to the organization.
Miner and Crane (1995:70) also assert that, “Companies are trying to create an
environment where diverse groups can work together towards strategic goals.
They are trying to get rid of biases and stereotypes so that conflicts are
reduced and the organization’s labour force can work as one being guided by a
corporate culture statement. Employee diversity management and corporate
culture development are also reflected in studies conducted by Totta and Burke
(1995) who outlined the process by which the Bank of Montreal became committed
to workforce diversity. The main aim was to integrate issues of diversity and
equality into the day to day working life of the Bank so that each and every
business decision was influenced by diversity issues. The leaders of the
organization recognized the need to develop a corporate culture that valued
differences, recognizing that various organizational practices often lead to
certain groups feeling left out or unwelcome.
According to Cascio (2001:79), “There are five
reasons why diversity has become a dominant activity in managing an
organization’s HR. The five reasons are a shift from manufacturing to a service
economy, the globalization of markets, new business strategies that require
more teamwork, mergers and alliance that require different corporate cultures
to work together and the changing labour market.
1) The shift from manufacturing to a service
economy
Service industries jobs, such as Banking, financial
services, tourism and retailing; imply lots of interaction with customers.
Service employees need to be able to “read” their customers to understand them,
to anticipate and monitor their needs and expectations and to respond
sensitively and appropriately to those needs and expectations. Similarities in
culture and language between service workers customers creates more efficient
interactions between them and better business for the firm. Managing diversity
well is thus an essential part of the HR strategy.
2) The globalization of markets
As organizations around the world compete for
customers, they offer customers choices unavailable to them domestically. To
satisfy customer needs firms have to get closer to their customers. Diversity
must therefore be managed by working through domestic diversity or by merging
national as well as corporate cultures.
3) New business strategies that require more
teamwork
Firms have found that only through work teams can
they execute newly adopted strategies stressing better quality, innovation,
cost control or speed. Work teams promote great flexibility, reduced operating
costs, faster response to technological change, fewer job classifications,
better response to new worker values, for example empowerment of lower level
employees, increased autonomy and responsibility and the ability to attract and
retain top talent. Teams also facilitate innovation by bringing together
experts with different knowledge bases and perspectives. Diversity is an
inevitable by-product of team work, for example young and old, male and female,
better and less well educated.
4) Mergers and alliances that require different
corporate culture
The Managers who have worked out the results of all
the mergers, acquisitions and strategic international alliances occurring over
the past 20years know how important it is to knit together the new partners’
financial, technological, production and marketing resources. However, the
resources of the enterprise also include people and this means creating a
partnership that spans different corporate cultures. Organizations should
therefore be able to bring the differences in the values, norms and ways of
doing business that is brought in by the two cultures. Employees also go
through a shock period where they do not know which culture to follow.
5) The changing labour market
Our workforce will be characterized by more
diversity in every respect, for example the older workers and women. The first
step to attaining the advantages of diversity is to teach all employees to
understand and value different races, ethnic groups, cultures, languages,
religions, sexual orientations, levels of physical ability and family
structures. Only when workers understand and value different differences will
the corporation they work for be able to build trust that essential among
members of high performance work teams. Such teams incorporate practices that
provide their members with information, skills, incentives and responsibility
to make that are essential to innovate, to improve quality and to respond
rapidly to change..
Employee diversity management is
not an exception to Clay products limited which is one of the largest employers
in the production industry with a total workforce base of 200 employees.
Diversity has always been profound given the fact that the organization is a
former Anglo-American setting that saw its inception in 1962 encompassing of
the white and black racial groups. The organization is highly composed of
diverse age groups, cultures, literacy levels, experiences and among other
attributes. The researcher thus felt that there was need to enhance and harness
individual differences as they are also inevitable in the organization’s regional
market of South Africa. There is thus profound need to manage employee
diversity and to establish values and expectations that will reflect on
standards that everyone has to follow in conducting business transactions both
locally and regionally.
PROBLEM
STATEMENT
The interest in employee diversity
management stems from a myriad of reasons which include a shift in demographic
trends in the workplace that have seen the involvement of the female labour
force and this calls for the need to mainstream their acceptance and importance
into the organization’s culture. There is also growing recognition that the
workforce is becoming profoundly diverse and many organizations have not
successfully managed employee diversity. Many organizations are being highly dominated
by dominant cultural groups which often determine work processes, whilst
sidelining minority groups. The failure by organizations to recognize that the
inability to embrace diversity leads to inefficiency in the use of the Human
resource and leads to high staff turnover, low productivity, lost
opportunities, potential employment law mistakes and a restricted pool of
talent. There is need to recognize that various organizational practices often
lead to certain groups feeling left out or unwelcome. Most employees have often
felt invaluable, such is the case with the old aged group and the unskilled
workforce. There was thus felt need by the researcher to try and promote an
environment that values and appreciates everyone. Since diversity is a new phenomenon
in the workplace, it is not a self managing process. Given this fact, it is
thus important that leaders take a dynamic stance in leading diversity
initiatives.
The economic costs associated with
losing talented staff through discriminatory practices, a critical issue for
HRM policy and practice, have often been very high. This calls for the need to
integrate diversity management initiatives with HR policies and practice, train
and educate the workforce and management on the importance of the appreciation
and commitment to employee diversity as a source of competitive advantage and
an essential tool for networking. The researcher was also triggered by the fact
that programs are positive in tone, yet often lack systematic firm wide
integration into other human resource policies.
OBJECTIVES
1.
To establish the impact
of employee diversity management programs on the
development of a corporate culture.
development of a corporate culture.
2.
To identify role of top
management in the development of a corporate culture.
3.
To establish employee
diversity initiatives undertaken in the development of a
corporate culture.
corporate culture.
4.
To establish if
employee diversity management can be an effective tool in the
development
of a corporate culture.
JUSTIFICATION
OF STUDY
Employee diversity management is an integrated
approach to HRM that seeks to value individual differences. Modern
organizations realize that the success of their business strategy is centered
on the ideas and innovations of their tangible assets namely, the human
resource and the knowledge that these people possess.
There is need to develop a culture that empowers
individuals to maximize their potential regardless of any groups to which they
belong. Although employee diversity can lead to
greater creativity and better problem solving; it can also lead to open
conflict and chaos if there is mistrust and lack of respect among groups. This
means that as organizations become more diverse, they face greater risks that
employees will not work together effectively. Interpersonal friction rather
than cooperation may become the norm. Thus the researcher found it
imperative to probe organizations to focus on organizational values and norms
in order to achieve behavioral consistency and commitment to the objectives of
the organization. Valuing employee differences closely fosters for a shared
system of meanings which is the basis for communications and mutual
understanding.
The researcher’s aim was to assist organizations
like Clay products where diversity has manifested itself through a myriad of
ways, such as the presence of the old aged group ranging between the ages of
sixty and sixty-five and the much younger group aged thirty years and less, The
presence of the dominant ethnic groups, that is the Shona and Ndebele groups
and the Malawian origin group being the minority among other groups, there is
also diversity in talent, with a large group of skilled and unskilled labour force
and there is also diversity in sex with the minority group being females and
the majority being males. The organization should therefore make it a core
value to elevate the human worth amongst all organizational members through the
initiation of relevant and a myriad of diversity initiatives. An assessment of
the diversity inherent in the human resource of the organization has also
probed the researcher to assist the organizations to realize the importance of
taking into cogniscence the importance of valuing individual differences as they
lead to the creation of a ‘social glue’ and generate a ‘we feeling’, thus
counteracting the process of differentiations which are an unavoidable part of
organizational life, which if not limited will lead to industrial unrest.
Shapiro (2000) as quoted in Redman and Wilkinson (2001:412) suggests that,
unless organizations explicitly consider the differences that exist between
employees, then they will have difficulty in meeting their key corporate
improvement objectives. Thus there is felt need to come up with diversity
interventions that are being characterized as comprehensive and inclusive.
On a broader level this understanding will provide
helpful information to human resources professionals to develop human resource
systems and policies that support the management of a new work environment that
promotes an appreciation and awareness of individual differences and the
development of an inclusive and open organization culture.
The researcher’s main aim was to assist
organizations to create an environment where diverse groups can work together
towards strategic goals. There is need to get rid of the biases and stereotypes
so as to reduce conflict and the organization’s workforce can work as a
coherent team that aims to achieve a single objective. The effective management
of a diverse workforce can lead to the development of a shared system of
meanings and values that will foster more innovative and creative decision
making, a solid reputation as one of the best places to work, empowered
managers and leaders who empower others, reduced wastage and recruitment costs
which increase productivity and effective global competition. Equal treatment
and accessibility of opportunity on an equal footing amongst all employees can
lead to motivation and commitment as everyone will feel as part of one big
family and supportive of the values espoused by then organization which may be
a tool to competitive advantage.
ONCEPTUAL
FRAMEWORK
The research was based on the best practice model
for creating an organizational culture that appreciates and values diversity.
The model employed was highlighted by Booysen et al (2003:33-6) as quoted in
Nel (2004:180). It was postulated to be the systematic approach model for the
management of diversity which is based on theory, best practices and their
collective consulting transformative issue.
Step 1: Top management support and commitment.
The commitment from top management is imperative in
an organization that takes diversity seriously. Top management should
demonstrate the link between valuing diversity and business excellence. They
should wholeheartedly participate in the planning and implementation of the
diversity initiatives, commit resources to the process and demonstrate personal
commitment.
Step 2: Establish a diversity leadership team to
guide the diversity initiative.
The diversity leadership team should comprise a
vertical and horizontal cross-section of the company, reflect the demographic
diversity and include representatives from top management.
Step 3: Conduct an assessment of the organizational
climate, needs and issues.
The diversity leadership team overseas the
assessment of the organizational climate, needs and issues. The purpose of the
assessment is to gain an understanding of the perception organizational members
have of diversity issues and to determine to what extent diversity is perceived
as an equity issue and to what extent it is valued. The results from the
assessment should be fed back to the entire organization to raise awareness for
the need to change and therefore reduce resistance.
Step 4: Craft a vision that values diversity.
A vision describes a future desired state.
Typically, a vision has two dimensions. Firstly, it touches the heart and mind
of each employee and secondly, it states why it is important to the
organization. Buy-in is achieved through organization wide face to face
discussion of the meaning of the vision, its acceptance and how it translates
into everyday life.
Step 5: Develop and implement a strategic plan for
valuing diversity.
Using the issues raised in the assessment as a
baseline, objectives, strategies and plans are developed. Training should be
conducted and this includes awareness training, knowledge training and
transference of specific diversity skills, such as communication skills. Informal
and social relations should be encouraged among staff both inside and outside
the workplace.
Step 6: Evaluate and measure results.
The impact of the diversity initiative on the
business, attitudes and organizational culture measured by comparing progress
against the baseline data from the first assessment.
Step 7: Ensure integration and accountability.
A successful diversity initiative results in an
organizational culture that really values diversity. The values and skills of
the initiative should become an integral part of the fabric of the
organization, its values, operations, system, policies and everyday practices.
Management should be held accountable for leading diversity throughout the
organization. The developers of this diversity model emphasize the importance
of creating open channels of communication throughout the organization. The
developers of this diversity model emphasize the importance of creating open
channels of communication throughout the process.
The above mentioned steps should be logically
followed and consistently practiced in order to effectively develop a corporate
culture that values and appreciates diversity and that is appealing and can be
easily embraced by everyone in the organization.
RESEARCH METHODS
Introduction
This
sections intends to present the way the study was carried out with the main
focus being on the research method, research design, sampling frame, sampling
techniques, sample size, sources of data, data collection instruments and data
analysis. As a social science researcher there are certain standards of good
conduct that need to be observed they are discussed not forgetting limitations
that were encountered by the researcher.
Research
Method
The
researcher used qualitative methodology. According to Bogdan and Bilken
(1992:30) qualitative research is descriptive research. Qualitative methodology
offers several advantages including the provision of a deeper understanding and
fuller contextual information of the topic. It also allows for a detailed description
of events and situations. It allows the researcher to get personally engaged in
the field of respondents thereby giving access to much hidden values and
artifacts. It stresses interpretations of what people do or say. It also
allowed a very high degree of flexibility i.e. the researcher was open minded
and therefore presents more realistic world view.
It
also humanizes the research by raising the role of the respondents to be equal.
Qualitative research was also vital for describing employee diversity
management as a corporate culture development strategy.
Research
Design
Mullins L (2000:159) asserts that Research design
provides the glue that holds the research project together. A design’s main
purpose is to structure the research to show the major parts of the research
projects samples or groups methods work together to try to address the central
research questions.
A research design is a set of plans and procedures
that reduce error and simultaneously help the researcher obtain empirical evidence
(data) about isolated variables of interest (Heppner et al 1992:44). According
to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (1997:101), “A research design is a programme
that guides the investigation in the process of collecting, analyzing and
interpreting observations”. The researcher used exploratory case study research
design. The research design used was the Case study of Clay Products Ltd. This
is a study designed to find out enough formation about a problem to carefully
formulate hypothesis such an approach assumes no preconceived notions. This
design allowed the researcher to use various data collection methods such as
interviews and questionnaires. The case study was an ideal approach, as the
study focused on the various factors that are linked closely to the research.
Sampling
Haralambos and Holborn
(2004:122) assert that a sample is a part of a large population that is usually
selected to be a representation of a population. Panneerselvam (2004:191) also
defined sampling as a process of selecting a subset of randomized number of
members of the population of study and collecting data about their attributes.
The limited members of the population selected are called sampling units.
Sampling
frame
Pannerselvam
(2004:191) asserts that the sampling frame refers to the complete list of all
members or units of the population from which each sampling unit is selected.
The research frame comprised of Clay Products Ltd staff that is top management,
line managers, supervisors, and shop floor employees. The research will be
focused on top management, managerial and non-managerial staff and all groups
will be presented by selected members.
Sampling Method
According to Wegner
(2005:172) Stratified random sampling is a probability sampling method in which
the defined target population is divided into groups called strata and samples
are selected from each stratum. The researcher opted for this method because it
provides adequate data for various sub populations as well gives generally more
reliable data. There is assurance of equal representative in the sample, the
opportunity to study each stratum and the ability to make estimates for the
target population with the expectations of greater precision or less error in
the overall sample. The population was first divided
into categories or strata and then
random samples are selected for each category
The main elements of selecting the population
included, organization level in the Hierarchy (Top management, managerial and
non managerial Staff),the research tried to maintain an equal ratio of
different cultural group, age groups, skilled and unskilled employees among
other things and random selection from each hierarchical stratum helped to
eliminate bias.
Sample Size
Hussey and
Hussey (1997:101) defined a sample size as a subject of population and should
represent the main interest of the study. The sample population consisted of 40
individual staff members of Clay Products Ltd. These include 4 top managers, 18
managerial staff and 18 non-managerial staff. This is shown on table 1 below:
Table
1- Sample Size
|
Designation
|
Sample size
|
|
Top management
|
4
|
|
Managerial or skilled Staff
|
18
|
|
Non-Managerial or semiskilled Staff
|
18
|
|
Total
Sample Size
|
40
|
Data
collection instruments
Data collection is a way of gathering facts using
various means like interviews and questionnaires. The researcher used primary
(interviews and questionnaires) and secondary sources (published articles,
journals) to gather all the necessary information for the research.
Primary sources
Primary data was collected using
questionnaires and structured interviews. The justification for use of primary
sources in this research lies in the fact that data is gathered from the
original source hence more reliable. Primary data is important in that it compliments the
secondary data, which might be outdated and unreliable.
Questionnaire
Cooper (1988) in Nachmias and
Nachmias (1996:103) defined a questionnaire as a list of questions that must be
formulated, constructed and sequenced to produce the most constructive data in
the most effective manner. Laws (2003:306) propounds that a questionnaire is a
written list of questions either given or posted to respondents who fill in
themselves. Self-administered questionnaires were delivered by hand to all
managerial and non-managerial employees and collected later. In this way the
researcher was able to elicit a high response rate since she was able to make a
follow up on each of the participants he had given questionnaires. The
questionnaires consisted of open-ended questions. Open-ended questions were
used in order to give respondents the liberty to express their opinions.
Questionnaires were seen as appropriate in this research because they enable
respondents to answer questions at their own convenient time. The questionnaire
method was used in the research because it was a potential quick, cheap and
straightforward method of gathering data. Questionnaires enabled the researcher
to collect data from many people over a relatively short period of time. The
researcher was however responsible for feeling in questionnaires for the
illiterate group by asking them questions verbally and feeling in the response
answers.
Interviews
According to Happer (1993)
in Nachmias and Nachmias (1996:96) an interview is a two-way conversation
initiated by the interviewer for the specific purpose of obtaining relevant
research information and focused by him or her specified by the researcher’s
objective. The interviews were in the form of structured interviews. A
structured interview consists of ordered questions that are very systematic
where each respondent is asked exactly the same questions in the same order as
all the other subjects. McQueen and Knussen (2002:36) stated that structured
interviews help impose a definite structure on the conduct of interviews. The
interview method was used on top management. This is because the groups consist
of a small population and the researcher could easily interview each one of the
respondents. The
advantages of using interviews were that the researcher was able to clarify
certain questions, there was room for probing if the researcher did not
understand the responses, face to face interviews
enabled to read body language (non- verbal cues).
Secondary
data
According to Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (1997:160) written documents can be important raw data sources in their
own right. They can be used to provide qualitative data. The data source offers
the advantage of easy access due to the fact that it is readily available. This
data was collected from related literature in sources like the Internet,
journals and textbooks. Internal journals, HR policies and minutes from
meetings were used. These written documents were used
by the researcher to triangulate
primary data collected through interviews and questionnaires.
Methods of Data Analysis and Presentation
The Thematic technique was employed in data analysis.
Thematic analysis is about a thorough analysis of different units of data that
is words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, and whole text. The task was
essentially about drawing from the data a set of key themes which summarizes
the important categories within the data and considering how they relate to
each other, so as to organize the data in order to present a coherent and
consistent picture. Laws (2003:395) propounded the following steps in the
analysis of qualitative data which were also employed by the researcher:
Ø
Familiarizations with the data (read and reread notes, notes,
interview schedules,
transcripts and make notes of themes).
transcripts and make notes of themes).
Ø
Making a preliminary list of themes or categories found in
the data.
Ø
Going through the data making notes as to what theme is being
dealt with where.
Ø
Looking again at the list of categories before, during and
after the second reading
of the materials and making changes as problems emerge.
of the materials and making changes as problems emerge.
Ø
Setting out the list of categories in some clear format to
link them with notes,
quotes or references direct from the data.
quotes or references direct from the data.
Ø
Going through the data again and note all material found
relating to each category
under each heading (coding). Coding is locating material in the data which relates
to the codes or categories to be used to analyze it.
under each heading (coding). Coding is locating material in the data which relates
to the codes or categories to be used to analyze it.
Ø
Then look at each category and consider gathered data and
make sense of the
material that has been collected.
material that has been collected.
The researcher analyzed the findings on the relevant parts of
the topic by relating the findings to theory, available literature, personal
information and the conceptual framework.
Ethical
Considerations
Ethical
statements set the standards of good conduct for a researcher. These principals
come out of the experiences that researchers face when conducting studies. The
researcher observes the following standards in his work:
1.
The researcher got permission and informed consent from the
people who are the
subjects of the research before doing the study.
subjects of the research before doing the study.
2.
The researcher
maintained the privacy and confidentiality
of the people who
participated in the research project.
participated in the research project.
3.
The researcher did not interfere with the work
processes of the company that
disrupt production.
disrupt production.
4.
The researcher did not expose people to
situations that could cause mental,
physical, psychological and socio-cultural risk and hinders people’s performance.
physical, psychological and socio-cultural risk and hinders people’s performance.
5.
Results from the research will be reported fairly
and accurately.
Limitations of the study
According to
Thomas and Nelson (2001:56),”Limitations are possible shortcomings or
influences that either cannot be controlled or are the results of the
restrictions imposed by the investigator such as:
1.
Limited financial
resources to meet transport, stationery and incidental research
cost. This limitation was overcome by gathering as much information as possible
on each visit that was made to the organization and printing of questionnaires was
done on friends and peers’ computers.
cost. This limitation was overcome by gathering as much information as possible
on each visit that was made to the organization and printing of questionnaires was
done on friends and peers’ computers.
2.
Due to the nature of
the research the time dedicated for the research may have not
been fully sufficient to uncover the impact of the research’s theme element. The
researcher intensively distributed a lot of questionnaires on a single visit that was
made and interviewing time was on limited to management.
been fully sufficient to uncover the impact of the research’s theme element. The
researcher intensively distributed a lot of questionnaires on a single visit that was
made and interviewing time was on limited to management.
3.
Inability of the
respondents to understand the area of study.
This was experienced
with non-managerial or semiskilled and general employees. The researcher overcame this challenge by clearly defining the subject area to a level where all employees got a broad understanding of the area.
with non-managerial or semiskilled and general employees. The researcher overcame this challenge by clearly defining the subject area to a level where all employees got a broad understanding of the area.
Scope/ Delimitation
The research was
conducted at Clay Products Ltd, Bulawayo which is the Head office. The research
was on employee diversity management as a corporate culture development
strategy.
Introduction
This section covers the presentation and the
analysis of the data gathered from top management through interviews and from
employees through the distribution of questionnaires. Casley and Krishna
(1989), assert that,” Data presentation is the way in which data collected
using various methods/method is arranged according to its variables to help
give conclusive meaning”. Data presentation was carried out through editing,
coding and data entry to guarantee its accuracy and consistency in relation to
the questions asked. It starts with the presentation of research findings,
followed by an analysis of the findings, which were categorized, into
meaningful terms. The researcher proceeded to draw up recommendations from the
analysis of the findings that CPL management should consider for employee
diversity management to be embedded within the structure of the organization as
a whole.
Sample
Characteristics
Figure
1 Age profile of employees
|
No of
employees
|
|
Age groups
|
The age distribution of the sampled workforce is
(20-30 years) there are employees, (31-40 years) there are 12 employees, (41
-50 years) there are 8 employees and 7 employees belong to the 60+age group
category.
The sample comprised of forty respondents of which
four were top level managers (three males and one female). The remaining thirty
three employees were then divided according to grade and level of education with
C – D grades who are considered as the managerial employees or the professional
and skilled, had a total representation of eighteen (eight females and ten
males), the other group with A – B grades who are considered as the
non-managerial employees or the semiskilled and general had a total
representation of eighteen (three females and fifteen males).. This is
illustrated in table 2 showing sample characteristics. They also comprised of
employees with diverse characteristics such as backgrounds, languages, age,
experience, marital status, levels of education, attitudes and levels of
specialization which are composed in the workforce. The response rate was 100%
from the two data collection instruments, that is, interviews with top
management and questionnaires administered to managerial and non-managerial
staff.
Sample characteristics –
Table 2
|
Gender
|
Top Management
|
Managerial or
skilled employees
|
Non-managerial
or semiskilled employees
|
|
Males
|
3
|
10
|
15
|
|
Females
|
1
|
8
|
3
|
|
Total
|
4
|
18
|
18
|
PART ONE-TOP MANAGEMENT VIEWS
Part one
summarizes the data gathered from top management using interviews.
A leadership team to guide diversity initiatives
Top management
alluded to the fact that the organization has a leadership team to guide
diversity initiatives. They further went on to acknowledge the fact that the
people who are involved in leading diversity initiatives consistently
demonstrate a commitment to the principles of inclusion. The team also
comprises of members representing some cultural groups that are within the
organization and there is also a representative from top management
Top management support and plans on diversity
The respondents
were asked to highlight if there is any support and/or plans that are directed
to diversity management initiatives. The respondents revealed that top
management support to the articulation of diversity initiatives was the top
priority, indicating that as managers they lead by example as employees tend to
follow in their foot steps in the majority of activities that they engage in
to. They went on to say that as top management they then set the standards that
can be followed by everyone within the organization. Top management propounded
that they usually allocate a budget on an annual basis in order to ensure that the
diversity action plans are not subject to shifting priorities and efforts.
Costs were highly noted in the hiring of mentors and employee training. A two
day training seminar is usually planned for per annum. The respondents went on
to mention the fact that they usually attend to the training seminars for a
very short period of time per each training seminar even though they face
challenges related to their busy schedules.
Organization’s vision vis-Ã -vis diversity or corporate culture
development
The question
required top management to relate to the organization’s vision with regards to
ED or corporate culture development. The organization’s vision is, ‘To be the
global leader in manufacturing and distribution of ceramic, refractory and
allied products’. The respondents implied that it was imperative to engage in
diversity initiatives that would enable the organization to achieve its vision.
Initiatives such as comprehensive attitude change programs and team building
training for employees would facilitate in easy interface between employees and
customers as positive attitudes towards differences will often yield positive
results. Team building exercises will increase efficiency, knowledge sharing
and effective productivity that will enable the organization to reach customers
from all over the world.
Skills imparted on diversity programs
Top management
asserted the fact that there were quite a variety of skills that were being
imparted in the diversity training programs and these shaped corporate culture
development. Top ranking skills were the managerial as well as interpersonal
skills for management. These skills were considered as essential due to the
fact that managers are supposed to be able to move outside their own frame of
reference in order for them to be able to manage diversity by learning to
accept, trust and invest in others and instill the same values and beliefs to
everyone within the organization. The respondents also acknowledged the fact
that training helps where managerial skills will facilitate skeptical managers
and supervisors in understanding that different does not mean deficient. Team
building skills and effective communication skills were said to be imparted in
order to allow organizational members to freely communicate with each other,
share ideas and appreciate the talent inherent in each other. This in turn
creates unity, binding the organization together as a holistic system that has
a single frame of reference with the same basic assumption for everyone.
Conflict management as part of diversity management
The respondents
highly believed that conflict management was a huge part of diversity
management as the organization often emphasizes on collectivism rather than
individualism and this is usually in the form of teamwork which fosters better
relationships. They also alluded to the fact that diversity initiatives foster
among organizational members an acceptance, understanding and ideally an
appreciation of differences that exist among organizational members with the
objective of fostering more harmonious and productive work relationships. Top
management went on to reflect on the fact that giving everyone the room to
express their feelings, preferences and access to opportunities plays a pivotal
role in the alleviation of hidden agendas as everyone will freely express their
point of view without fear of repression or intimidation.
Evaluation of diversity Initiatives
The question was
meant to ascertain how top management evaluates the success of diversity
management initiatives. The respondents cited the fact that the evaluation of
diversity initiatives was conducted through the use of exit interviews that
give a clear picture of whether an employee is leaving the organization due to
diversity related issues or not. This method was also supported by the use of
an annual employee opinion survey that asks employees for their perception of
the culture surrounding diversity. Management also uses the frequency of
reports related to discrimination and inaccessibility of equal opportunity. This
is facilitated through the availability of an open door policy and
encouragement of whistle blowing where unfair treatment is perceived or real.
Accountability of management to diversity
Top management
acknowledged the fact that managers were held highly accountable for diversity
management. Managers, who successfully coach, train and develop their staff in
line with diversity goals are often recognized and rewarded accordingly. The
respondents however highly clarified the fact that although achieving diversity
business success is the responsibility of all employees, long term
sustainability is achieved by holding management accountable for integrating
diversity within all business functions, such as reward management and
performance appraisal among others. Managers are often evaluated based on their
ability to achieve diversity goals of creating awareness and an appreciation of
all individuals regardless of their culture and background. Punitive measures
are also instilled on managers who practice any form of discrimination among
staff members.
Organizational plans/policies towards diverse HR
The respondents
revealed the fact that the organization is still working on crafting a policy
on diversity and will always continue to work towards the goal of being an
employer of choice. They however cited the fact that the Equal Opportunity
policy is made accessible to everyone within the organization so as to allow
corrective action where there is felt divergence from what is stated in the
policy. This policy was crafted in line with the demands of the Labour Act
(Chapter 28:01) on the fundamental rights of employees. They cited section 5 of
the Labour Act which provide that, ‘No employer shall discriminate against any
employee or prospective employee on the grounds of race, tribe, place of
origin, political opinion, colour, creed or sex in relation to any matters
related to employment’. Top management propounded on the fact that such
legislation indirectly forces the organization to become more diverse since it is
illegal to discriminate and could result in increased productivity through the
full utilization of diverse talents.
Employee diversity challenges
Top management
was also required to relate the problems which precipitate due to the creation
of a diverse pool of talent (different employees). They mentioned the following
challenges:
Ø Group
conflict facilitated by differences in points of view, lower productivity,
sabotage and non convergence of ideas, time consumption, divergence of scarce
financial and HR to deal with litigation or to pay damages as a result of
discrimination.
sabotage and non convergence of ideas, time consumption, divergence of scarce
financial and HR to deal with litigation or to pay damages as a result of
discrimination.
Ø Employees
often hold perceived stereotypes and bias towards certain groups
within the organization making it difficult to instill or harness new assumptions
and beliefs about those particular groups.
within the organization making it difficult to instill or harness new assumptions
and beliefs about those particular groups.
Ø The
lack of consistency and financial resources to conduct diversity training
programs.
programs.
Ø There
are usually segmented communication networks where communication
usually occurs between people with the same similarities either by way of gender
or by way of same place. This creates a barrier or room for open and free
communication to people outside their own frame of reference.
usually occurs between people with the same similarities either by way of gender
or by way of same place. This creates a barrier or room for open and free
communication to people outside their own frame of reference.
Solutions to employee diversity challenges
The question was
meant to ascertain what management should consider or engage in to ensure the
effective and efficient management of ED. A number of possible solutions to
counter the above mentioned challenges were suggested and they include the
following:
Ø Consistently
engaging in team building activities and encouraging employee
involvement and participation at all levels in the organization so as to destroy a
sense of ‘them and us’ and all sorts of discriminatory practices.
involvement and participation at all levels in the organization so as to destroy a
sense of ‘them and us’ and all sorts of discriminatory practices.
Ø The
introduction of sports activities can help in opening lines of communication
to everyone regardless of gender or place of origin.
to everyone regardless of gender or place of origin.
Ø Rewarding
those who depict and encourage open communication and workplace
harmony and who are part of the bigger dream ‘diversity management’. This is
because attaching the positive rewards will reinforce consistent behavior and
encourage others to do so.
harmony and who are part of the bigger dream ‘diversity management’. This is
because attaching the positive rewards will reinforce consistent behavior and
encourage others to do so.
Ø There
is need for a diversity policy that will set the parameters or act as a frame
of
reference for everyone to clearly see the profoundness of the need to value all
types of diversity.
reference for everyone to clearly see the profoundness of the need to value all
types of diversity.
Ø It is
high time that diversity management be taken as an investment and not a cost
to be curbed.
to be curbed.
Implications of employee diversity
The respondents
articulated very well the question on the existence of ED implications on
corporate culture development. The presence and progressive increase in the
number of women entering the workforce implies the need for greater flexibility
in working patterns, more variety in benefits programs and employer’s awareness
of gender related legal matters, such as conformance to maternity leave
statutory provisions. The availability of multicultural diversity culminates
into work related conflicts, thus there is need for extensive employee cultural
awareness training and intercultural communication skills. The availability of
an aging workforce within the organization calls for the need to devise HR
practices that seek to accommodate them in order to ensure that their
experience, wisdom and institutional memories (memories of traditions of how
and why things are done as they are in the organization) represent important
assets to the organization.
Executives or
top management looks at the age distribution across jobs, as compared with
performance measures to see what career paths for older workers might open in
the future and what past performance measures have indicated about the kinds of
knowledge, skills, abilities and other skills necessary to hold these
positions. This is done because it is important to identify types of jobs where
older workers can use their experience and talents more effectively.
Diversity strategy vis-Ã -vis corporate culture development
Top management
responded to the question on how the organization’s diversity management
strategy contributes towards corporate culture development by highlighting that
their strategy is of emphasizing on collectivism rather than individualism.
Emphasis is on teamwork which fosters better relationships. This was implied to
be a necessary tool that leads to the instilment of the beliefs in co-operation
and this in turn was considered as shaping the behavior of individuals and
groups towards an acceptance, understanding and ideally an appreciation of the
differences that exist among them and the people around them.
PART TWO-EMPLOYEE VIEWS
This Section
presents the views from managerial and non-managerial employees with regards to
ED management as a corporate culture development strategy.
A leadership team to guide diversity initiatives
The managerial
to skilled employees asserted to the fact that the organization has a
leadership team to guide diversity initiatives. They further went on to say
that the team is composed of one top manager, a single representative from
Ndebele, Shona and Malawian origin. They propounded that the team does not
consist of minority groups such as the Tonga cultural group. The non-managerial
to semiskilled employees articulated the question by indicating the fact that
there is a committee that guides diversity initiatives. The respondents from
the Tonga cultural group however expressed little concern for the magnitude of
the diversity initiatives citing the fact that why they were not being
represented.
Top management support
All the
respondents held that top management is playing a pivotal role in the
implementation of diversity initiatives as they usually allocate funds to
carter for diversity training programs. They also went on to elaborate on the fact
that top management usually attends for a short time, but they however
demonstrated an appreciation of their attendance citing that due to their tight
and busy schedule they put some effort in showing commitment and the importance
of such programs.
Employees’ roles in diversity initiatives
The respondents
were asked about their roles in the articulation of diversity initiatives.
Employees expressed the fact that there are particular diversity initiatives or
programs they participate in and pursue certain roles. The respondents stated
roles ranging from:
Ø Belonging
to an informal network of small ongoing discussion groups that usually
meet o examine their stereotypes.
meet o examine their stereotypes.
Ø Mobilization
of team members in pursuing certain tasks.
Ø Engaging
in job rotation activities so as to work and mix with colleagues in other
sections of the firm and learn different aspects of business, which in turn help
develop cross functional team working.
sections of the firm and learn different aspects of business, which in turn help
develop cross functional team working.
Training programs vis-Ã -vis corporate culture development
The managerial
and none managerial employees responded to the question on whether there is a
linkage between the organization’s training programs and corporate culture
development by indicating that team membership helps members to understand and
appreciate each other and capitalize on one another’s experiences, knowledge
and perspectives. They further went on to say that through effective
communication, members would be able to evaluate problems and situations from
various points of view, determine underlying cultural assumptions and create a
common social reality. Awareness building on the other hand ensures that all
employees understand the business and ethical reasons for implementing
diversity initiatives. They ended up by saying that the involvement of everyone
in the articulation of these diversity initiatives set these measures as shared
expectations for everyone and beliefs in things like co-operation in order to
be able to work well with others.
The evaluation of diversity initiatives
Both managerial
and non-managerial employees articulated the question very well by asserting
that evaluations of diversity initiatives is very important so that they can be
able to see if everyone was being treated fairly in terms of access to equal
opportunity, allocation of resources and whether stereotypes and
discriminations were all being eliminated. The non-managerial or semiskilled
employees (6/18) alluded to the fact that it is important to conduct
evaluations in order to see if these programs are yielding some positive
results so as to notice if there is any behavior change amongst employees as
there is always a tendency to have permanent subgroups that do not want to
associate with other individuals. One of the respondents ended up by saying
that,” we want to see if these initiatives can instill new behavioral norms
since there are some employees who
consider themselves as more superior than others”.
Diversity initiatives linked to individual and organizational
performance
The managerial
or skilled employees demonstrated high levels of appreciation of the fact that
diversity initiatives are very effective in the improvement of individual and
organizational performance. The effectiveness of the organization was credited
to the impact of the diversity initiatives on improving individual as well as
organizational performance. They remarked the fact that diversity initiatives
such as teambuilding exercises, training on the awareness and appreciation of
diversity and training on interpersonal communication all facilitated for the
non closure and production stoppages within the organization.
(i)Teambuilding
Exercises as a tool to knowledge sharing
The team building exercises were highly
associated with knowledge sharing. The managerial employees posited that teams
are essential for bringing together experts with different knowledge bases and
perspectives leading to the transfer and utilization of knowledge by one
individual to the other. This also was viewed as an opportunity to find errors,
discover information and propose alternative solutions through the synergy of
employees using different talents and perspectives by sharing the same goal and
beliefs in co-operation. Where there is teamwork and knowledge sharing mistakes
are highly eliminated and covered up by other colleagues. This in turn leads to
motivation as individuals feel that their knowledge, skills and abilities are
appreciated and overall leading to increased individual and organizational
performance. However as the downside to these positive results, (11/18)
employees acknowledged the fact that some employees still have problems in
integrating the knowledge, skills, abilities and ideas of their colleagues.
Thus knowledge is not fully being shared and utilized to the highest levels.
(ii) Training on
awareness and appreciation of diversity as a productivity tool
The training
programs on the awareness and appreciation of individual differences lead to an
effective and happy workforce where ideas and skills are appreciated. This
leads to commitment and enhanced productivity due to the satisfaction employees
enjoy on being treated fairly, valued equally and given dignity at the
workplace. The managerial employees regarded the awareness and appreciation of
ED as a key lever to unlocking human capital potential to attain higher
productivity.
(iii)
Interpersonal communication training as a tool to resource utilization
Managerial employees highly considered
interpersonal communication as the most effective tool on improving individual
as well as organizational performance. They stated the fact that they assist in
the elimination of stereotypes and the interfacing of individuals will help in the
removal of preconceived notions held by certain individuals. This again was
said to lead to the successful marketing of the organization’s products to
different types of customers. This in turn decreases labour turnover,
absenteeism and the avoidance of lawsuits which if not minimized can lead to
unnecessary costs such as recruitment, lost production time and litigation
costs. Thus the elimination of these costs was eluded as having a positive impact on the effective utilization
of the organization’s resources towards productive cause by the meeting of
deadlines and increases in demand, allowing individual employees to increase
their performance through motivation brought by salary increases and
organizational competitive advantage as it becomes an employer of choice and
retained customer loyalty.
The
non-managerial or semiskilled employees articulated the question by
highlighting the fact that diversity initiatives helped in eliminating
stereotypes that are being held by the skilled employees who often think that
different means deficient. They demonstrated an appreciation of the fact that a
smaller change in attitudes has led to consistent favourable behavior towards
each other. This in turn leads to motivation through the appreciation of their
ideas and high levels of understanding in the work groups. They elaborated by
commenting on the fact that this increases their levels of performance as they
feel at ease in bringing up business ideas and will in turn strongly identify
with the end result of that particular idea.
Appreciation and awareness of diversity vis-Ã -vis conflict
minimization
The respondents
highly articulated the question by expressing the fact that an understanding of
the fact that they are different in terms of views, frames of reference and
opinions can help in the minimization of conflict. They further went on to
argue that an appreciation and awareness of diversity enables them to be able
to build trust and invest in others. This therefore becomes a pillar behind
conflict management as they can often buy into the ideas propounded by other
employees, thus creating a room for mutual understanding through the
establishment of a community of interests which in turn becomes a culture of
the organisation. However on the other hand (9/18) representatives from the
non-managerial group expressed concern for the fact that employees learn on the
appreciation and awareness of diversity, but they do not practically exercise
it on the ground and most individuals are resistant in accommodating others. This
has often led to conflict as others always find it difficult to work with such
employees as they always want to have an upper hand in decision making issues.
Challenges to employee diversity
Employees
responded to the question by stating that there are quite a number of
challenges that stem from employee diversity. Among the challenges brought
forward are: difficulties in team working brought up by differences in ideas
and frames of reference, differences in language that often lead to poor
communication and misunderstanding thereby fueling to unnecessary or
interpersonal conflicts. Attitudinal differences were also highlighted as
stumbling blocks to employee diversity as differences in attitudes of employees
have always led to resistance in accommodating others thereby leading to
difficulties in team working. Segmented communication was also stated as the
most prevalent challenge to diversity as communication networks only occur
between people with some similarities, for example female employees are the
minority group and therefore tend to communicate amongst themselves. One
elderly employee from the non-managerial group ended by saying, “these young
employees come hear to showcase their degrees and find us as the inferior
group, and they think that because we are not educated we do not know what we
are doing”. This was an explanation for the stereotypes that they often
experience.
Solutions to diversity challenges
The employees
responded to the question by proffering a number of solutions to the diversity
challenges. They firstly responded by advocating for consistency in
interpersonal communication training programs, management should come up with
events that can make them mix and mingle with different people so as to create
a spirit of togetherness and consistent team building workshops so that
employees can see the profoundness of being able to work and accommodate others
and multicultural workshops.
Diversity management and corporate culture development
The respondents
articulated the question which seeked to gain a broader understanding of the
ways in which diversity management at the organisation contributes towards
corporate culture development by reflecting on the fact that management’s
emphasis is always on collective team working and on valuing people around you,
be it other colleagues and customers at large. Others also pointed to the value
that training programs have as they have led to the minimization of conflict
and help in the valuing of differences amongst individuals.
ANALYSIS OF FINDINGS
Thematic
analysis and interpretation was employed for data analysis. Thematic analysis
is all about a thorough analysis of the units of data that is words, phrases,
sentences, paragraphs and the whole text. Themes were extracted from the given
responses and the data was organized to present it in a logical manner. The
conceptual framework was also used to derive themes. In analyzing qualitative
data organizing and indexing (coding) of the data was used.
A leadership team to guide diversity initiatives
The responses
from top management, managerial and non-managerial employees revealed the fact
that the organization has a leadership team to guide diversity initiatives. Top
management also cited the fact that the team is comprised of individuals who often
demonstrate a commitment to the principles of inclusion. From the findings it
is thus imperative to note that the organization perceives the availability of
the leadership team as an opportunity to directly involve employees who often
are the organization’s ‘diversity champions’.
These individuals are the vital members as they are able to act as role
models in order to facilitate for the embedment of diversity within the whole
organization. However, the response stated by some of the employees which were
against the exclusion of a Tonga representative shows a lack of adequacy in
engaging in diversity initiatives diversity which propound that there should be
all inclusive of everyone, the recognition of the differences and their
appreciation. Such exclusive measures often lead to perceived stereotyping.
This in turn leads to the unsuccessful implementation of diversity initiatives.
Top management support and plans on diversity
The research
findings showed that top management is playing a pivotal role in supporting
diversity initiatives in the organisation. This is done through the allocation
of budgets and the ability to attend training programs briefly. This clearly
shows the reasons why the organization has been successful in gaining employee
‘buy in’ as employees appreciated the support that is being conveyed by top
management. This is also supported by the views espoused by Dessler (2000:66)
who assets that companies that have exemplary reputations in managing diversity
are typically led by top management who champion the cause of diversity. Top
management thus acts as tone setters in order to mobilize all members of the
organization and embed the shared values that can thus be followed by everyone
within the organization.
Organization’s vision vis-Ã -vis diversity or corporate culture
development
Top management expressed the
fact that in order for the organization to achieve its vision which is, ‘To be
the global leader in manufacturing and distribution of ceramic, refractory and
allied products’. The findings reflected that it was imperative to engage in
diversity initiatives that would enable the organization to achieve its vision.
Initiatives such as comprehensive attitude change programs and team building
training for employees would facilitate in easy interface between employees and
customers as positive attitudes towards differences will often yield positive
results. Team building exercises will increase efficiency, knowledge sharing
and effective productivity that will enable the organization to reach customers
from all over the world. Deducing from the findings it is imperative to note
that the organization’s vision highly calls for initiatives that seek to value
differences as this will enable employees to market the organization’s products
to customers from all over the world who are also different from them in
various ways.
The responses highly reflect
on the fact that the organization is more involved in pursuing its
organization’s vision that seeks to yield positive results, whilst ignoring the
importance of a diversity vision in corporate culture development or to the
vehicle that derives the achievement of the overall organizational vision. This
was also supported by the ideas initiated by Booysen et al (2003:34) where he
stated that the organization should craft a vision that values diversity.
Typically, a diversity vision has two dimensions, that is, it touches the heart
and mind of each employee and states why it is important to the organization
which makes a business case for valuing diversity. Buy in can thus be achieved
through organization wide face to face discussion of the meaning of the vision,
its acceptance and how it translates into everyday work life.
Skills imparted on diversity programs
The research was
also intended to recognize if the skills being imparted in diversity training
programs were yielding any positive results in instilling the behavior, beliefs
and expectations that valued individual differences. This was reflected in the
responses by top management on the fact that there were quite a variety of
skills that were being imparted in the diversity training programs and these
shaped corporate culture development. Top ranking skills were the managerial as
well as interpersonal skills for management and team building skills for both
management and employees. This in turn creates unity, binding the organization
together as a holistic system that has a single frame of reference with the
same basic assumption for everyone. This
was also supported by the views brought forward by Brown (1998:89) who remarked
that culture is ‘cement’ that bonds an organisation together. Given the fact
that there are tendencies for organizations to be conflictual and antagonistic,
culture is a useful force for integration and consensus. Individuals within the
organization must reach consensus on how to communicate with each other.
The skills imparted are also
of profound importance in the development of the corporate culture. This is
also supported by the views of Arnold (1997) who assets that, even when we
learn to
appreciate difference, it
doesn’t mean that we necessarily know how to manage it. The management of ED
thus aims to create an organizational climate where employee diversity becomes
a normal condition of organizational life. The team building skills help in
creating an appreciation and an awareness of differences amongst employees.
McEnrue (1993) has argued that the successful management of diversity at the
interpersonal level requires the acceptance of the relativity of one’s own
knowledge and perceptions together with a tolerance for ambiguity and the
ability to demonstrate empathy and respect whilst being willing to change one’s
own beliefs.
Diversity
management as part of conflict management.
Top management
and employees’ responses highly reflected on the fact that diversity management
is an essential tool to conflict management. This was evidenced by the way
respondents articulated various perspectives that lead to conflict reduction
and these involve the idea of collectivism that is highly associated with the
building of relationships that are often positive as there can be the
development of trust and an appreciation of one another. The management of
differences is holistic, unifying and consensual in nature thus eliminating all
forms of conflict. Brown (1998:89) supports this view by asserting that culture
is described as cement that bonds an organization together. The research
evidence also points out to the fact that conflict is minimized when employees
are treated equally and when they personally value the fact that they are
different thus leading to an understanding and valuing of each other’s
opinions, ideas and frames of reference, leading to the minimization of
conflict at all levels within the organization. It is important to note however
the fact that where there are differences conflict is inevitable and thus HRM
practitioners should take corrective action in ensuring that the Code of
Conduct is consistently applied to all employees.
Evaluation of diversity initiatives
The research
findings clearly give a picture of the fact that the evaluations of diversity
initiatives is being taken as an event as top management indicated that these
are done annually. The reliance on attitude surveys can also yield biased
results as individuals tend to pretend as if everything is fine yet there are
loopholes that if corrective action is not taken to amend them they might lead
to inconsistent behavioral norms and resistance to change. To restate,
diversity management is an ongoing process, not a program. It is important that
management evaluates
each component
of the diversity strategy to determine successes, setbacks and new
opportunities in order to revise the diversity strategy.
Organizational plans/policies towards diverse HR
The research was
also directed at availing the depth of diversity management as a corporate
culture development strategy and on the frameworks that guide a diverse HR.
This was evidence by the way the respondents articulated the policies on
diversity. They cited the fact that the organization currently bases on the
Equal Opportunity policy that promotes equal opportunity to everyone n the
workplace and fair treatment. This was also supported by an argument propounded
by Goss (1994:161) where he stated that organizations must be ‘committed to
promoting equality of opportunity in employment and regularly monitor the
results of such commitment’. The absence of a diversity policy might be a huge
barrier to the effective management of a diverse HR as it can lead to
divergence from the real goals of diversity. An Equal Opportunity policy is
more of a legal conformance to the statutory law. Whilst a diversity policy is
often established under the philosophical and moral grounds (meaning that it is
the right thing to do). The purpose of a diversity policy is to encourage an
atmosphere in which all staff embraces the benefits of working in a diverse
community and to provide a framework for the fair and equitable treatment of
all employees, job applicants, customers irrespective of their individual
differences or any personal characteristics.
Challenges and solutions to employee diversity
One of the
research’s objectives was to establish the solutions to employee diversity and
corporate culture development. The respondents articulated the question by
revealed challenges ranging from communication difficulties, differences in
ideas, opinions and points of reference and lack of adequate resources to
undertake the initiatives. Diversity management as a solution recognizes that
ED is not about conformity or following someone else’s ideas but a process of
formulating a synergy in terms of values and expectations, thus moving towards
a diverse workforce. Management should formulate a frame work for understanding
others. Managers should mix teams creating smaller mixed teams for subtasks,
monitoring all team members progress and allowing individuals to volunteer for
roles rather than being cast into their default role as defined by their
stereotypical role. Management can also design ED Codes of Ethics based on the
notion that the treatment conveyed to others will also be retained back to you.
Management should also be committed to the peaceful resolution of interpersonal
disputes and foster a sense of togetherness o a ‘we feeling’ to enable
employees to holistically work as a coherent team with a shared value system.
Diversity implications vis-Ã -vis corporate culture development
The zeal to
probe into the diversity implications on corporate culture development came as
a result of the need to address the challenges of ED. The findings revealed
that ED poses a number of challenges on HR practices and corporate culture
development. The implications forwarded include a progressive increase in the
number of women entering the workforce, the presence of multicultural groups
and the high presence of the old aged employees. Different employees claim their
right to enter the workforce on equal terms hence diversification and the
changing composition of the workforce will continue to require changes in HRM
practices and organizational culture. In responding to the implications of ED,
Mescon et al (1999:268) held that diversity management must be viewed as an
integrated strategic approach, proactive rather than reactive, promotes
individual and organizational change and bridges the connection between people
and business goals and practices. Thus HR should vertically and horizontally
integrate ED issues both to other HR functions and to the business strategy in
order to address the implications of ED.
ED effectiveness on corporate culture development
Building from
the above mentioned findings it is important to note that employee diversity
management can be an effective tool in corporate culture development. This can
however be an unachievable dream given the fact that the respondents highly
showed some concern for the stereotypical and bias behavior that is currently
prevailing in the organization. The fact that opinion surveys and diversity
initiatives are annual events lead to failure in exercising consistency which
is pivotal for the successful embedment and buy in by all employees can also be
a contributory factor towards the ailing and slow pace on the achievement of
the ED effectiveness on corporate culture development. However, the
effectiveness of employee diversity management as a corporate culture
development strategy stems from the fact that it the majority of the employee
respondents availed a strong sense of an appreciation and awareness of ED on
conflict management, in increasing individual and organizational performance,
involvement in diversity initiatives and citing the relevant solutions to the problems
aroused by ED.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Organisational,
HR policies and strategies for diversity
Policies on ED
need to be established as they provide a framework for the equal treatment of
employees. The Equal Opportunities policy needs to be revised as it was only
designed by top management as a conformance to the legislation. These should be
highly taken as statements of commitment to fair HRM. A serious equal
opportunity policy requires:
Ø Allocation
of overall responsibility to a specific senior executive
Ø Agreement
of the policy with employee representatives.
Ø An
accurate survey of existing employees in terms of gender, ethnic origin,
disability and the nature and status of their jobs.
disability and the nature and status of their jobs.
Ø An
audit of HR practices and their implications on equal opportunities
Ø Resources
such as training and development capabilities to back up these
objectives.
objectives.
Other strategies
include the empowerment of employees, especially the shop floor employees who
might be in possession of a diverse skills base. All these should promote a
culture that is all inclusive, empowering and open.
Training and
counseling of older worker
CPL is composed
of an old aged group that joined the organization a few years after it was
formulated in 1962 when it was still an Anglo American organization. They
experienced working with people who were profoundly different from them, for
example under the leadership of a white Managing Director and a mixture of
black and white managers. These types of people had their own ways of doing
things, but always worked as one coherent team. Older workers are the HR that
is in high possession of wisdom, experience and institutional memories
(memories of the traditions of how and why things are done as they are in the
organization). They should be given training and counseling in order to avoid
mid career plateauing ( that is, performance at an acceptable but not
outstanding level, coupled with little or no effort to improve one’s current
performance) as well as training programs to
reduce obsolescence (the tendency for knowledge or skills to become out
of date). These programs must reflect the special needs of older workers, who
can learn but may need to be taught differently, for example by means of self
paced programs instead of lectures. This will go a long way in building an
appreciation of the abilities of older workers who often feel inferior and
sometimes taken as the incapable HR.
Consistency in
diversity initiatives
There is the
need for top management at CPL to implement diversity initiatives on a regular
or quarterly basis be all involving with minority groups being equally
represented for a start in order also attain consistent results and to avoid
divergence from the real goals of diversity and to lead to the manifestation of
consistent behavioral norms that shape the organization’s way of doing things
and to establish a value system that is appealing to everyone. Consistency can
facilitate for the elimination of felt stereotypes, bias and network
segmentation among other things.
Integration of
ED initiatives to HR practices and policies
The programs are positive in tone but often lack
systematic firm wide integration into other human resource policies such as
recruitment and selection, succession planning, compensation and reward and performance
Appraisal. This will facilitate the success of diversity initiatives as they
facilitate the idea of changing the attitudes and behaviors of other
organization’s employees, for example, recruitment that is based on written
applications rather than simply relying more on referrals and paternalism,
rewards can be used to reinforce positive behavioral norms. Celebrating
diversity could therefore be reinforced through the use of these tools. This
approach sees diversity as strategic imperative and therefore clearly linked to
HRM.
CONCLUSION
In heralding all the above findings, analysis and
recommendations on ED as a corporate culture development strategy, it seems the
jury is still out to deliberate on whether ED management can be an effective
tool in corporate culture development. The researcher however feels that given
the current lack of adequate research evidence in the field of employee
diversity, these new findings or results will help unveil the stumbling blocks
that lead to ineffective use of employee diversity as a corporate culture
development strategy. Basing on the adequacy of the research findings HRM
practitioners therefore are given a work up call in terms of devising HR
policies that seek to address the implications of employee diversity and
advocate for consistency and commitment to ED initiatives as they should highly
concern themselves with the HR issues given the fact that the HR is the most
indispensable resource that sustains an organization and help it attain its vision.
Having realized some drawbacks of the employee diversity management as a
corporate culture development strategy, the researcher highly advocates for CPL
management to employ the drawn recommendations that can assist in the
instilling of values, beliefs and norms that elevate ED in all levels within
the organization.
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APPENDIX 1
15
March 2010
APPENDIX 2
INTERVIEW GUIDE FOR MANAGEMENT
1.
Does the organization have a leadership
team to guide diversity management
initiatives?
initiatives?
……………………………………………………………………………………………
2.
How does top management support and/or plan
diversity management initiatives?
……………………………………………………………………………………………
3.
How is the organization’s vision related to
diversity management programs and
how do shape corporate culture development?
how do shape corporate culture development?
……………………………………………………………………………………………
4.
What skills are imparted in your diversity
management programs and how do they
shape corporate culture development?
shape corporate culture development?
……………………………………………………………………………………………
5.
How is conflict managed as part of diversity
management?
……………………………………………………………………………………………
6.
How do you evaluate the success of diversity
management initiatives?
……………………………………………………………………………………………
7.
How are managers accountable for diversity
management initiatives?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
8.
Do you have
any plans or policies in place to demonstrate commitment to
employee diversity?
employee diversity?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
9.
What challenges have you encountered in
implementing employee diversity
initiatives?
initiatives?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
10.
Suggest possible solutions to counter employee
diversity challenges you have
mentioned in Question 9 above.
mentioned in Question 9 above.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
11.
What are the implications of employee diversity
on corporate culture
development?
development?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………
12.
How does a Clay Products diversity management
strategy contribute towards
corporate culture development?
corporate culture development?
……………………………………………………………………………………………
APPENDIX 3
QUESTIONNAIRE FOR EMPLOYEES
Good day, my
name is Primrose Makodza from MSU. I am conducting a research on employee
diversity management as a corporate culture development strategy. The
information you provide will be kept confidential and used for academic
purposes only.
Demographics
Age :
Sex :
1.
Does the organization have a leadership team to
guide diversity management
initiatives? Do you feel that all employees are being fairly represented?
initiatives? Do you feel that all employees are being fairly represented?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
2.
Do you think that top management is
playing a pivotal role in the implementation
of diversity management initiatives? Please explain
of diversity management initiatives? Please explain
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
3.
What is your role in the articulation of
diversity initiatives?
..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
4.
Do you think there is a linkage between the
organization’s training programs and
corporate culture development? Please explain
corporate culture development? Please explain
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..
5.
Do you think that it is important for management
to conduct evaluations on the
successful implementation of diversity initiatives? Give reasons why you say so
successful implementation of diversity initiatives? Give reasons why you say so
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
6.
Do you think that the management of diversity
initiatives are effective in
improving individual and organizational performance?
improving individual and organizational performance?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
7.
Do you think that an appreciation and awareness
of employee diversity can lead
to the minimization of conflict in the organization? Please explain
to the minimization of conflict in the organization? Please explain
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
8.
What challenges have you encountered that emanate
from employee diversity?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....
9.
Suggest possible solutions to counter employee
diversity challenges you have
mentioned in question 8 above.
mentioned in question 8 above.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
10.
In which ways does diversity management at Clay
Products contribute towards
corporate culture development?
corporate culture development?
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
