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2021-8

Diversity Management: Perspectives of a Diverse and Inclusive Diversity Management: Perspectives of a Diverse and Inclusive

Workplace. Findings from the ICT sector Workplace. Findings from the ICT sector

Andrea Graham

Angela Wright

Follow this and additional works at: https://sword.cit.ie/dptopdcp

Part of the Human Resources Management Commons

Diversity Management: Perspectives of a Diverse and

Inclusive Workplace.

Findings from the ICT sector

Andrea Graham

Dept. of OPD

School of Business

MTU

Dr Angela Wright

Dept. of OPD

School of Business

MTU

Corresponding email: Angela.Wright@cit.ie

Abstract

Globally, diversity in the workplace has become more prominent than ever before and

continues to rise (Shukla et al., 2019). To strategically manage the diverse workforce, a

significant number of organisations have embraced the practice of diversity management.

Diversity management refers to the formal and informal structures, methods and programs

implemented by an organisation to promote organisational equality for employees (Sukalova

and Ceniga, 2020). Diversity management programs have been introduced with a range of

ostensible aims, including: increasing the rates of participation of women and ethnic minorities,

improving career prospects for such groups, incorporating wider perspectives into the decision-

making processes and helping organisations reach new and formally untapped markets

(Lorbiecki and Jack, 2000).

Originally gaining popularity at the turn of the millennium, diversity management is

proclaimed to provide paybacks such as financial, market access, innovation, productivity,

creativity and motivation, to the organisations and the individual. The infancy of the practice

of diversity management and the dearth of evidence-based research in the area however, has

resulted in a deficiency of evidence on how to design and implement effective diversity

management (Bendl et al., 2015; Janssens and Zanoni, 2014; Kalev et al., 2006; Rivera, 2011;

Williams and O’Reilly, 1998). It has been proven evident that employee support is paramount

to the success of diversity management; however, there is a lack of research on how employees

perceive such practices and the impact the practices have on fostering a diverse and inclusive

workplace.

KEYWORDS: Diversity, Inclusion, Diversity Management, Workforce, Innovation,

Productivity.

1

Introduction

Although presently at its most substantial level, diversity in the workplace continues to rise

(Shukla et al., 2019), resulting in an immense managerial challenge for organisational leaders

(Bernard et al., 2019; Sanyang and Othman, 2019). In an attempt to overcome this challenge,

organisations have introduced diversity management (DM) (Bachnik, 2017). DM is defined,

by Sukalova and Ceniga (2020), as the formal and informal structures, methods and programs

implemented by an organisation to promote organisational equality for employees. The

complexity that constitutes workplace diversity, however, has become one of the most

challenging and important tasks in organisational management (Cletus et al., 2018). Increasing

in popularity over the last decade, DM, in many organisations, specifically focuses on the

inclusion of persons of varied identities such as gender, sexual orientation, racial and ethnic

background, age, disability and religious beliefs (Bendl et al., 2015). The practice of DM

emerged in the United States (US) in the late 1980s (Plaut, 2010), and took prevalence in

Europe in the 1990s (Salway et al., 2020). Despite DM’s widespread use and popularity, as a

theoretical concept, it is classified as relatively new (Hyz and Karamanis, 2019; Kaur and

Mittal, 2014). Research on DM only burgeoned in last decade (Bendl et al., 2015; Zanoni, et

al., 2009) thus evidence on how to design and implement effective DM is sparse with

inconsistent conclusions (Bendl et al., 2015; Janssens and Zanoni, 2014; Kalev et al., 2006;

Rivera, 2011; Williams and O’Reilly, 1998).

There is a significant gap in existing research regarding employee perception of DM

and the employees’ perceived impact in relation to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace.

This research enhances the existing body of knowledge by offering insight into how employees

perceive DM, how DM influences an employee’s perception of a diverse and inclusive

workplace and if DM is mutually beneficial to the employee as well as to the organisation.

Literature Review

Diversity

Diversity is defined as the presence of differences within a given setting (Tan, 2019), referring

to any state of difference or variety (Roberson et al., 2017). Nkomo and Taylor (1999) highlight

that the vastness of what might be assumed under the rubric of diversity reflects one of its

major theoretical dilemmas; the lack of specificity of the concept results in a contested

definition, which ranges from narrow to very expansive conceptualisations. Narrow definitions

emphasise race, ethnicity, gender and culture (Nkomo and Taylor, 1999). Broad definitions of

diversity imply that all individuals are unique, encompassing any attribute that is used to

distinguish differences (Haller et al., 2019; Ehimare and Ogaga-Oghene, 2011; Nkomo and

Taylor 1999; Williams and O’Reilly, 1998). Diversity attributes may encompass; country of

origin, culture, sexual orientation, age, individual values, political affiliation, socioeconomic

status, physical abilities, psychological tendencies (Jones et al., 2014), religion (Von Bergen

et al., 2002), sex (Point and Singh, 2003), background, beliefs, skills, personality (Fay and

Guillaume, 2007), skin colour (Lokko et al., 2016), transgender (Arshed and Danson, 2016),

lifestyle and dress (Edelman et al., 2001). Jones et al. (2014) state that each of the seven billion

individuals on the planet are uniquely different, classifying diversity as a global reality. An

individual’s diversity entities may be easily identifiable if they are visible or audible or,

conversely, may be subtle and only discovered by personal disclosure (Berson and Stieglitz,

2013). Diversity in the workplace is defined by the diversity of physical, sociological and

psychological attributes, ability, experience, competency and qualifications among employees

(Cletus et al., 2018; Sukalova and Ceniga, 2020).

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Impact of Diversity on a Workplace

Crockett (1999) contends that viewing diversity as a business strategy and a means of being

distinguished from competition leads to organisational success. A diverse workforce can

increase the effectiveness of achieving goals (Iles, 1995; Cox and Blake, 1991), enhance

creativity, opportunities for growth, reputation, corporate image and organisational position

within local communities (Tan, 2019). Sukalova and Ceniga (2020) state that diversity

increases access to new markets, profits and customer satisfaction and improves innovation

resulting in the development of new products and services. Furthermore, Sen and Bhattacharya

(2001) proposed that diversity influences consumers’ perceptions and purchasing practices. A

study of 1681 organisations globally (Boston Consulting Group, 2018) revealed that companies

with above average diversity scores reported 19% higher innovation revenue than organisations

with below average diversity scores. Similarly, McKinsey&Company (2018) found in a study

that reviewed publicly available gender and ethnic/cultural diversity data of 1,007 companies

across 12 countries that organisations in the top quartile for gender diversity on their leadership

teams were 21% more likely to experience high profitability and those in the top quartile for

ethnic/cultural diversity were 33% more likely to experience an increase in profitability

performance. Dobbin and Kalev (2016) highlight how an organisation’s failure to address

diversity issues can damage the company's reputation and result in large lawsuit expenses. For

example, US firm, Merrill Lynch has paid almost half a billion dollars in discrimination-related

lawsuits since the 1990s (Dobbin and Kalev, 2016). Interestingly, according to Herring (2009)

and Philips et al. (2011), diverse firms outperform their homogenous counterparts as they

capitalise on individuality and different opinions on how to perform a task, outlining that

superior group decisions and predictions are those that draw on unique qualities. Group

members in diverse groups are more likely to consider unique perspectives and engage more

in the task to understand the constellation of agreement and disagreement (Phillips, 2003;

Phillips and Loyd, 2006; Phillips et al., 2009). Nevertheless, for diversity to be successful

depends on workplace inclusion (Asai 2019; Hastings, 2015; Janakiraman, 2011; Sherbin and

Rashid, 2017).

Inclusion in the Workplace

Ferdman (2014) and Ferdman (2010) contend that inclusion in the workplace relates to how an

organisation’s groups, leaders and members provide the means to enable everyone, across

varying dimensions and ability to participate productively, contribute, feel connected and

belong in the workplace without subsuming their individual differences and identities. An

inclusive workplace leverages the diverse talents, backgrounds and perspectives of all

employees (Janakiraman, 2011), utilises differences for the common good (Ferdman, 2010),

and ensures that individuals with different identities are able to fully participate in all aspects

of the work while feeling fairly treated, valued, respected, welcomed (Tan, 2019), recognised

and appreciated (Ferdman, 2010). Dutt (2020) states that, for individuals to feel included, their

identities need to be acknowledged and that focusing on diversity without inclusion makes

marginalised groups feel that they merely serve as a diversity statistic where their voices and

experiences aren’t valued. Cissna (2020) found from a mixed method study, (201 survey results

and 7 interview respondents at a Californian University) that diversity without inclusion

cultivates fear and becomes toxic, while inclusion without diversity breeds homogeneity at the

detriment of creativity. Center for Talent Innovation [CTI] (2012) and CTI (2013) maintain

that diversity without inclusion can lead to those of social minority backgrounds having to

conform to dominant norms, reinforcing that they are a minority, and posing a risk of loss of

authenticity. Bagshaw (2004) and Berson and Stieglitz (2013) contend that it is not diversity

itself that matters, rather it is how effectively you lead a diverse workforce to achieve the

organisation’s goals.

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Diversity Management

DM enables employees to perform to their potential (O’Donovan, 2017) by maximising the

potential advantages of diversity and minimising its disadvantages (Cox, 1993). Pathak (2011)

acknowledges that diversity must work for everyone in an organisation, not just members of

underrepresented groups. The DM approach is considered by Ivancevich and Gilbert (2000) as

a systematic and planned commitment by an organisation to recruit, retain, reward and promote

a heterogeneous mix of employees. DM involves addressing and supporting multiple lifestyles

and personal characteristics in the workplace through various management activities such as

educating employees and providing support for the acceptance of and respect for various racial,

cultural, societal, geographic, economic and political backgrounds (Fagbe et al., 2019).

O’Donovan (2017) proposes four steps to achieving DM within an organisation; analyse the

diversity profile and employment process, conduct planning to determine the objectives,

commitment, resources and communication means, implement the plan through training,

managers, policies and procedures and finally, implement an on-going mechanism to monitor

and evaluate progress. Kelly and Dobbin (1998) and Thomas and Gilbert (1996) previously

suggested that the guiding principle of DM is to hire individuals with undeveloped potential

and simultaneously develop their abilities in a manner that generates profits for the organisation

and fosters individual development for the employee.

Purpose of Diversity Management

DM programs have been introduced with a range of ostensible aims, including: increasing the

rates of participation of women and ethnic minorities, improving career prospects for such

groups, incorporating wider perspectives into the decision-making processes and helping

organisations reach new and formally untapped markets (Lorbiecki and Jack, 2000). Dreachslin

(2007) highlights that advocates of strategic DM argue for customisation, touting the

information value of diversity and the importance of celebrating our differences. Conversely

scholars contend advocating DM for homogenisation and that diversity contributes to conflict

because similarity attracts and, therefore, recommended not to draw attention to diversity and

instead emphasise that, as human beings, commonalities surpass differences (Dreachslin,

2007). Sukalova and Ceniga (2020) suggest that organisations introduce DM for legal, ethical

and particularly economic purposes. Furthermore, Sukalova and Ceniga (2020) consider DM

may be implemented through a perspective of perceiving DM as a managerial duty that

emphasises legislation and equal opportunities or as a vision of potential opportunities and

productivity or framed as a Corporate Social Responsibility reflected through the company’s

vision, values and culture. Syed and Kramar (2009) specified business outcomes and company

reputation as drives for introducing DM. Globally, organisation’s expenditure and energy

devotion of supporting DM has become greater than ever before (Scarborough, 2017; Dobbin,

2009). DM enhances profits as it’s touted to improve employee productivity (Gordon, 1992),

encourage innovative solutions (Nathan and Lee, 2013), improve customer relations as value-

based practices are often more attractive to customers (Barak, 2000) and strengthen corporate

competitiveness (Cox and Blake 1991; Sukalova and Ceniga, 2020). DM assists employee

development as it is socially just, creates organisational harmony (Rossett and Brickam, 1994),

encourages attitude alteration (Lorbiecki and Jack, 2000) and attitude commitment (Dodd-

McCue and Wright, 1996), counters prejudice (Lorbiecki and Jack, 2000) and promotes

interaction between ethnic groups (MacNeill and Wozniak, 2018). Thomas and Plaut (2008)

highlight how fears from employees may lead to resistance towards diversity and DM. Von

Bergen et al. (2002) state that DM can lead to a paradox of reverse discrimination, whereby

discrimination is used against one group to combat the discrimination of another, typically

based on the false premise that any statistical imbalance in the workforce must be the result of

discrimination against the underrepresented group. For example, white males may perceive

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that women and minorities are a threat to career opportunities as such groups may be considered

favourable in an organisation’s attempt to diversify (Jacques, 1997; Solomon, 1991; Von

Bergen et al., 2002). Berson and Stieglitz (2013) contend that diversity practices are required

to be customised to meet the location of the workplace and the customer base. Sessa (1992)

maintains that effective DM is achieved when an organisation values and considers diversity

an integral part of the workplace. Bagshaw (2004) purports that organisational diversity is not

only morally just but also a long-term strategic business factor with significant positive impact

on workforce productivity, motivation, innovation, market competitiveness, teamwork and

customer loyalty. DM can be implemented through a variety of approaches (Sukalova and

Ceniga, 2020), which may be categorised as diversity structures (Edelman et al., 2001).

Diversity Management Structures

Diversity structures can take various forms, including incorporating diversity in the

organisations mission, values and culture (Besler and Sezerel, 2012); recognition of cultural

differences among employees; diversity committees; mandated diversity training; promotion

of diversity awards and successes (Kalev et al., 2006); managerial accountability structures

(Scarborough et al., 2019), Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) (Welbourne et al., 2017), the

appointment of a chief D&I officer (Berson and Stieglitz, 2013; Jayne and Dipboye, 2004) and

targeted recruitment and promotion strategies for underrepresented employee groups (Triana

and Garcia, 2009). Diversity structures offer benefits, including changing norms surrounding

the expression of discrimination, raising awareness of biases and increasing organisational trust

among underrepresented groups (Cheryan et al., 2009; Paluck, 2011; Purdie-Vaughns et al.,

2008). Conversely, Kaiser et al. (2013) contend that diversity structures can also have negative

implications, specifically; the potential to create an illusion of fairness, whereby high-status

group members, in the presence of diversity structures, perceive underrepresented groups as

being valued, treated fairly and with respect regardless of their efficacy. Edelman et al. (2011)

purport that sociology evidence suggests that despite organisations branding themselves as

valuing diversity, evidence is required to prove their egalitarian status. For organisations to

fully embrace D&I they need to commit to D&I, it needs to be part of the culture, mission and

vision of the organisation but most importantly underpinned by formal policies (Zhu and

Kleiner, 2000). DM has also proven more effective when supported by both employees and

organisational leaders (Dobbin and Kalev, 2016; Dobbin et al., 2015; Kalev et al., 2006).

Employee and Management Support for Diversity Management

Scarborough et al. (2019) claim that recent research strongly suggests that employee support

for DM is a critical component to their success. Furthermore, Scarborough et al. (2019)

undertook a survey with 1862 respondents examining the role of inequality beliefs in shaping

worker support of eight different workplace policies which found that respondents were more

supportive of race-based diversity policies to address discrimination as opposed to increase

diversity and expressed lower levels of support for policies where gains by one group may be

perceived as coming at the expense of another.

Executive involvement is pivotal to maintain a diverse and inclusive workplace culture

that reduces discrimination (Zhu and Kleiner, 2000). The organisation’s culture; the concepts,

beliefs, attitudes, norms, roles and values of the workplace (Triandis, 1972), must evaluate and

appreciate identifications of minority groups on individual, team and organisational levels

(Taylor and O’Driscoll, 1998). Executives have the ability and influence to generate change in

organisational culture and procedure and can be fundamental in supporting the diversity

strategy, breaking down barriers and acting as a point of contact (Atomico, 2018). Blancero et

al. (2018) purport that it’s imperative for leaders to enhance their understanding in managing

a diverse workforce that is no longer compliant with discriminatory policies and practices.

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Managers play a key role in contributing to the happiness of employees in the workplace, based

on understanding the employee, the environment and the culture that is created (Howard and

Gould, 2000). Additionally, O’Donovan (2017), maintains that managers are required to

recognise and respond to employee differences in a manner that maintains fairness, retention

and productivity and avoids discrimination. Banks (2016) suggested that managers directly ask

employees about gender and race equity, encourage employees to consider race/gender issues

and engage employees in identifying problems and designing solutions. Contemporary

diversity rhetoric requires a new management style that is respectful of the varying cultural

styles and backgrounds and the diverse abilities, aspirations and attitudes of a modern

workforce (Edelman et al., 2001). Managers must be, flexible, willing to defer to the interests

of individuals, able to resolve new types of conflicts that arise from varying cultural

backgrounds, supportive of varying lifestyles, appropriate in assigning roles, and

accommodating toward different implementation methods and different employee evaluations

(Edelman et al., 2001). Additionally, Van Knippenberg and Schippers (2007) highlight that

managers need to understand that the objective differences that people see between themselves

and others do not necessarily reflect the differences that these individuals have for the relevant

task. McKinsey&Company (2019), in their survey of over 68,500 employees across 329

companies in the US found that when senior leaders are held accountable for performance on

gender diversity, employees are 1.4 times as likely to be happy with their career. Effective

leaders should, be open minded, encourage and facilitate D&I and not hire diverse individuals

and listen to their ideas just because it is politically correct, they should do so to obtain different

points of view that improve results and consider differences (Berson and Stieglitz, 2013).

Contrarily, most leaders are unaware of how to use diversity to drive superior results and lie

between two perspectives of; recognising the significance of diversity and embracing it as a

strategic necessity, and contrastingly viewing diversity as an altruistic concept that rewards

people based on factors other than results (Berson and Stieglitz, 2013).

Methodology

Through primary and secondary research, this study aims to establish an understanding of what

employees classify as a diverse and inclusive workplace and what role diversity management

plays in influencing that perception. The primary research was guided by an interpretivism

paradigm and was designed utilising a qualitative phenomenological methodology. Pertinent

to a phenomenology study, as recommended by Creswell et al. (2007), the research question

is an essence question, focusing on the essence of an individual’s experience of diversity

management, the phenomena. The primary research included ten semi-structured interviews

with individuals of varied gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background and age. All of the

interviewees were working in multinational organisations in the information communication

technology sector (ICT), in Cork, Ireland. The interviewee inclusion and exclusion criteria is

detailed in Appendix A. All of the interviews took place remotely utilising WebEx video

conferencing software. Prior to the interview, a participant information sheet and consent form

was provided to interviewees. The semi-structured interview model enabled the researcher to

obtain clarity and further detail with probing questions, particularly when sub themes were

emerging. Participants were asked to recount factual information, feelings, attitudes and views

about the phenomenon. The creation of the interview guide was influenced by proposals

detailed in Appendix B regarding how to achieve interview quality for phenomenology

research interviews. Numerous iterations of the guide were developed. Revisions were

implemented after various reviews of the guide and after the pilot interview review. The guide

was then cleansed and rechecked for any ambiguities or errors before the interview processed

commenced.

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Once the interviews were completed, they were all transcribed and thematically

analysed. Additionally, transcript approval was obtained from all participants. To thematically

analyse the data, the transcripts were grouped by question according to the interview guide and

given a title code, organising the data in a systematic fashion. The codes were analysed

independently, where transcripts were scrutinised to determine meanings. Identified meanings

were recorded in an excel file using a preliminary name, providing a short description. As

encouraged by Padilla-Díaz (2015) during phenomenological data analysis, the meanings were

recorded utilising the horizontalization technique; each meaning was assigned equal value,

followed by a textual and structural analysis. All of the data was thematically analysed using

open hierarchical coding. The number of occurrences of the meanings from each of the

transcripts was recorded to identify patterns and were then formulated into a meaningful

wholeness under each code and a thematic map of the analysis of the data set. All of the themes

were reviewed and refined, as advised by Braun and Clarke (2006), and to ensure an

appropriate relation of patterns, themes and codes were devised. Clear naming conventions

were utilised to facilitate interpretation of the findings. Charts, as suggested by Pope (2000),

of the themes, meanings and occurrences were created using Microsoft PowerPoint for each

code. The underlying interpretative paradigm dictated that all data collected was interpreted in

the context of place, time and the individual (Wisker, 2008). As recommended by McCaslin

and Scott (2003), for phenomenological studies, the data gathered from lengthy interviews was

reduced to a description of the experiences of several informants to create a central meaning,

or essence of the experience.

Research Findings

The findings provide an insight into what employees perceive as a diverse and inclusive

workplace, how significant a diverse and inclusive workplace is for employees, how diversity

management influences employee perception of a diverse and inclusive workplace and whether

or not employees feel their workplace is diverse and inclusive. Specifically, this study revealed

that employees believe organisations are not well informed on the perceptions and viewpoint

of their employees regarding diversity management or diversity management’s effectiveness,

and that diversity and inclusion holds great significance for employees and results in

predominantly positive impacts for the organisation, including a more efficient, effective and

productive company. This study found that an individual’s background, skill set, religion and

gender were the most prominently recognised diversity attributes. Additionally, explicitly

inviting individuals to partake, having a non-homogenous workforce and providing equal

opportunities for all employees were classified by respondents as key actions to fostering a

diverse workplace. The findings categorised inclusion and equal treatment of all employees as

well as equal access to opportunities as fundamental components of an inclusive workplace.

Employees outline that inclusion involves bringing employees together and making diverse

groups feel like an integral part of the organisation. Additionally, this study reveals that

inclusion can be achieved by asking individuals to participate and actively involving diverse

groups. This study revealed that when an organisation was deemed diverse and inclusive, the

workplace for employees improved; employees felt happier, included, motivated, with more

understanding and empathy being experienced overall in the workplace. Employee resource

groups, cultural and religious educational initiatives and unconscious bias training were found

to be the primary desired diversity management initiatives of employees. Specifically, the

research findings demonstrate that despite the evolution of DM, organisations are not well

informed on the perceptions and viewpoint of their employees regarding DM or DM’s

effectiveness. Furthermore, organisations, despite their efforts, face a considerable challenge

while proving their egalitarian status on diversity and inclusion to direct and prospective

employees. A significant number of contributors (60%) believe that their organisation classifies

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D&I and DM as itemised requirements, and that the motivation for the organisation’s efforts

aren’t rooted in genuine intentions towards employees. Instead, the motivation is perceived by

employees as a marketing ploy, an effort to remain competitive by replicating the practice of

other firms and an attempt to establish an external perception of a diverse and inclusive

workplace. Half of contributors (50%) however, suggest that possessing certain attributes such

as being a proactive, extraverted, assertive or confident person, or, with an ability to stand up

for oneself results in an enhanced feeling of inclusion. A number of incidents (3) of female

gender bias, disrespectful or unfair treatment was also found in this study highlighting the

importance of education in unconscious bias and the need to consider alternative perspectives.

Showcasing the complex nature of DM, an interviewee comments that their “Caucasian origin

nullifies any relevance D&I” would have for them while concurrently discussing feeling

“aggrieved” by a perceived exclusion from D&I events. Overall, DM holds great significance

for employees as they long for a diverse and inclusive workplace that satisfies an innate desire

to be educated on the differences between individuals, brings people together and cultivates

good relationships with colleagues; resulting in an ability to disclose whole social identities.

The importance of human interaction; fair, equal, respectful and inclusive, treatment of all

employees and a clear communication channel between employees and managers are clearly

demonstrated by this research as a requirement to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace.

This study also revealed that the success of diversity management is heavily dependent on

managerial support and actions. Specifically, respondents recommended that management

focus on listening to employee opinions, understanding and responding to employee concerns

and allocating time for employees to get involved in initiatives.

Discussion/ Recommendations for Practice

Utilising the primary research findings, this study presents five fundamental recommendations

to foster a workplace that employees perceive as diverse and inclusive.

1) Engrain Diversity and Inclusion within the Organisation

The findings of the study reveal instances of participants perceiving that management view

D&I as an itemised requirement, the organisation isn’t egalitarian and that the practice of DM

is solely for marketing purposes. To abolish such perceptions and prove the organisation's

egalitarian status, this study recommends that D&I becomes ingrained in the organisation and

part of the organisation's strategic plan. It is proposed that organisation’s incorporate D&I into

the vision, mission, values and strategy and culture. It is imperative that the organisation

provides evidence that it is ensuring the workplace is diverse and inclusive. The vision

statement defines what the organisation aspires to be, formulating the core ideology and

purpose of the company (Johnson et al., 2008). The mission statement provides clarity on how

the vision will be achieved (Johnson et al., 2008). The strategy, through goals and objectives,

defines how the organisation will achieve what is defined in the mission and vision (Johnson

et al., 2008). The organisations values are the guiding principles on how employees should

behave in the workplace (Buchko, 2007). The organisational culture defines the system which

integrates the executing values and behaviours of employees whilst executing the strategy (Del

Rosario et al., 2017). Additionally, it is recommended that strategic success measures to ensure

objectives are being achieved.

2) Introduce Adequate Diversity and Inclusion Policies

To prove that an organisation is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace, it is

recommended that organisations introduce and adhere to policies that accurately reflect their

commitment to establishing and fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. Specifically, it is

proposed that policies exist to ensure all employees are treated fairly and are presented with

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equal opportunities regardless of their diversity attributes. Furthermore, organisations need to

ensure that the policies themselves are fair, as the research findings also revealed that the 50%

gender ratio policies being introduced left men feeling that they are being pushed out of the

workplace. Regarding equal opportunities policies, it is imperative that employees don’t feel

they need to have certain diversity attributes to obtain certain opportunities. Findings from the

study reveal a number of unfair scenarios projected towards women. A number of participants

(20%) also discussed females feeling that they needed to work harder and questioning if they

will be taken seriously. A rigorous equality policy will crystalize that the organisation does not

favour gender or any diversity attribute in the workplace. Additionally, it is recommended by

this study that policies for inappropriate conduct, discrimination, bullying and harassments and

the consequences for not adhering to the policies are in place. The policies should clearly

outline the responsibilities of both managers and individual contributors in the workplace and

the appropriate course of action to take if there is any misconduct witnessed in the workplace.

3) Management Support for Diversity and Inclusion

The findings revealed that a number of contributors feel that management in their organisation

do not “buy-in” to D&I, nor do they support employees getting involved in initiatives. To

overcome such challenges, this study recommends that all managers are educated with regard

to the organisation’s vision, mission, strategy, values and culture regarding D&I and take

actions to execute the strategy. Managers play a significant role in impacting an employee’s

experience and they are in a position of influence. Managers need to be aware of the purpose

and aspirations of D&I in the organisation and lead by example, taking action to achieve the

organisational objectives. Additionally, it is crucial that managers adhere to the organisations

policies and procedures, specifically regarding fair treatment of employees and the presentation

of equal opportunities. Furthermore, it is proposed that managers then educate their

subordinates on D&I in the organisation, emphasising the importance of D&I in the

organisation and allocate time for employees to get involved in D&I initiatives. It is proposed

that the educational content is developed by senior leadership to ensure consistency with the

communicated message and alignment with the organisations strategic plan. It is recommended

that the content for management includes additional detail on how to lead by example and

ensure subordinates are treated equally and presented with equal opportunities.

4) Requested Diversity Management Structures

This research recommends that organisations introduce ERGs, specifically ERGs that are

relevant to the workforce and educational cultural and religious initiatives, a strong desire from

interviewees to learn about others and understand their cultural and religious beliefs was

discovered. Additionally, to promote fair and respectful treatment unconscious bias training

available to managers and employees is proposed by this study.

5) Fair and Unbiased Employee Recruitment and Development

This study recommends that organisations practice fair and equal recruitment and development

of employees. The findings reveal that some individuals would not work for an organisation

that was not diverse and inclusive. For an organisation to prevent itself from being dismissed

by individuals, it is proposed that organisations train their recruitment and development staff

appropriately to ensure that fair treatment and equal opportunities are presenting during the

advertisement of positions, shortlisting candidates, interview process, section process and

development of employees.

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Model for Practice

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Research Limitations

Due to the limitations of this paper, not all of the content of the model for practice was

discussed in the findings and discussion section. The detailed content is found in the full

research thesis. The research also faced limitations, the interpretivism approach selected by the

researcher to understand and describe individuals’ experiences dictates that the research should

be conducted in a natural workplace setting (Chilisa and Kawulich, 2012) Although this was

the original intention of the researcher, such plans were obstructed due to Covid-19 health

pandemic, thus, interviews had to be undertaken remotely using WebEx video software.

Furthermore, conducting interviews in private homes made it difficult for the researcher to

ensure privacy and to control unplanned interruptions. Additionally, a further limitation

inflicted by Covid-19 was the closure of physical access to libraries, limiting access to online

research only. During the period upon which the study took place, the researcher was engaged

in full time employment, resulting in certain time constraints to complete this research. As with

all qualitative research, a wider sample would have further supported this study, as well as

expanding the workplace type cohort to other groups outside of ICT.

Research Value

Workforce diversity is considered a global phenomenon (Salway et al., 2020) and, for an

organisation to succeed, an underlying commitment ensuring that diversity is an integral part

of the workplace is essential (Kowo et al., 2020). The complexity that constitutes workplace

diversity, however, has become one of the most challenging and important tasks in

organisational management (Cletus et al., 2018). The evidence of this research is beneficial

and provides insights and value to diversity and inclusion leads within organisations, policy

12

writers, management at all levels, and employees of any organisation type aiming to establish

a diverse and inclusive workplace for the future and betterment for all.

Conclusion

As diversity in the workplace continues to amplify, the importance of DM becomes more

evident. Employee expectations of organisational behaviour and practices have significantly

evolved beyond exclusively adhering to employment legislation. Employees expect to be able

to bring their whole identity to the workplace and subsequently feel they belong, they are

included and respected, that their opinions are heard and that they receive fair, equal, non-

judgemental and unbiased treatment. In response, organisations have implemented DM

structures and practices, yet have little evidence regarding their success and effectiveness.

Strongly evident however, is that the success of DM is dependent on employee support. Thus,

through primary and secondary research, this study evaluated employee perceptions of DM

and how it influences employee perspectives of a diverse and inclusive workplace. This study

concludes with the recommendation that organisations, aiming to foster a diverse and inclusive

workplace, should classify D&I as an integral part of the organisation, including it in the vision,

mission, strategy and culture of the workplace. Additionally, organisations should introduce

adequate D&I policies that ensure employees receive fair treatment and equal opportunities.

Organisations should ensure managerial support for D&I, achievable through adequate training

and strict compliance with D&I policies. Finally, the introduction of ERGs, educational

cultural and religious initiatives, unconscious bias training and the practice of fair and unbiased

employee recruitment and development is recommended.

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Appendices

Appendix A: Interviewee Inclusion and Exclusion

Interviewee Inclusion Criteria

● Individuals employed in a multinational organisation in Cork in the Information

Communication Technology sector.

Justification: personal area of interest for researcher to utilise learnings while leading

a team and establishing diversity management in an organisation in Cork in the ICT

sector.

● Individuals who work directly with colleagues in more than one geography

Justification: more than one geography to increase the likelihood of exposure to

diversity i.e., nationality, race, religion, culture. Multinational also chosen to enable

this purpose.

● Individuals who are voluntarily:

a member of one or many Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and/or

have participated in diversity and inclusion initiative(s) in their organisation

Justification: Such individuals have voluntarily shown interest and have direct

experience with at least one of the organisation’s diversity management initiatives

therefore based on their experience can provide a well-founded contribution to how

diversity management influences an employee’s perception of a diverse and inclusive

workplace.

Interviewee Exclusion Criteria

● Individuals involved in writing diversity and inclusion policies within the organisation.

● Individuals in a diversity and inclusion position i.e., Chief Diversity and Inclusion

Officer.

Justification: Such individuals are involved in determining the type and structure of

diversity management in the organisation and they may have a bias with regard to the

success of the current practice.

Appendix B: Descriptive Phenomenology Interview Quality Criteria

McCance and Mcilfatrick (2008) outline six interview quality criteria, specific to descriptive

phenomenology interviews, listed below:

● Extent of spontaneous, rich, specific and relevant answers from the interviewee.

● The shorter the interview’s questions and the longer the subjects’ answers the better.

● The degree to which the interviewer followed up and clarified the meaning of the relevant

aspects of the answers.

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● The ideal interview is to a large extent interpreted throughout the interview.

● The interviewer attempted to verify his or her interpretation of the subjects’ answers in the

course of the interview.

● The interview is self-communicating – it is a story contained in itself that hardly requires

much extra descriptions and explanations.