Impact of Workplace Discrimination on Performance and Motivation

This research report focuses on the impact of workplace discrimination on the performance and motivation of employees. It includes a case study on Marks & Spencer and explores different ways to eliminate discrimination. The study aims to understand the concept of workplace discrimination, its impact on organizational performance, and the relationship between discrimination and employee motivation and performance.

Business and Management
Project

ABSTRACT
Workplace Discrimination is one of the issue associated with human resource
management that highly impacts on employees motivation and their performance. It occurs on
the basis of sexual orientation, age, nationality, gender, religion, colour etc. All these highly
contributed in maximizing discrimination at workplace. It impacts the performance and
productivity of organisation as well. Qualitative research method helps in collecting non
numerical data. Primary and secondary data collection methods supports in gathering adequate
information over the topic which helps researcher in drawing valid conclusion of research.

Table of Contents
ABSTRACT.....................................................................................................................................2
TITLE: Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources Management........................................4
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................4
RESEARCH QUESTION AND OBJECTIVES.............................................................................4
Research Aim..............................................................................................................................4
Research Objectives....................................................................................................................5
Research Questions.....................................................................................................................5
PRELIMINARY LITERATURE REVIEW....................................................................................5
Concept of workplace discrimination.........................................................................................5
Impact of workplace discrimination on organisational performance..........................................6
Relationship between workplace discrimination and motivation and performance level of
employees....................................................................................................................................6
Different ways to eliminate workplace discrimination...............................................................7
RESEARCH METHODS................................................................................................................7
TIMESCALES.................................................................................................................................8
RESOURCES..................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

TITLE: Organisational Behaviour and Human Resources Management
INTRODUCTION
Human Resource Management is one of the vital function in an organisation which is
concerned with administration of personnels within a company. All the aspects associated with
employees are handles by human resource department. Workplace discrimination is one of the
human resource management issue that takes place within organisation due to which its
productivity and performance impacts adversely (Armstrong and Taylor, 2020). It occurs when
the employees are discriminated against numerous factors like age, gender, nationality, ethnicity,
colour, physical disability etc. This discrimination results in declining motivation level of
employees as well as their performance is also influenced adversely. In this research, selected
organisation is Marks & Spencer which is one of the leading British multinational retailer that
specialize in selling home products, clothing and food products which are of high quality. The
company was established in year 1884 and its headquarters is located in London, United
Kingdom. The firm performs its operations successfully worldwide from around 136 years ago
with more than 80,500 employees. This research report is based on the topic “To analyse the
impact of workplace discrimination on performance and motivation level of employees. A case
study on Marks & Spencer”. Workplace discrimination is very crucial aspect that needs to be
consider by an organisation in order to stay competitive in market and attain long term
sustainability. This research helps investigator in getting in-depth knowledge on the topic along
with its impact on performance of organisation. It also assists in determining the relation
between workplace discrimination and motivation level and performance of employees and
enables researcher to ascertain various ways that helps in eliminating discrimination from
workplace (Berrey, Nelson and Nielsen, 2017). Apart from this, this study is also helpful for
academic purpose as this supports scholars in conducting further study on the topic.
RESEARCH QUESTION AND OBJECTIVES
Research Aim
“To analyse the impact of workplace discrimination on performance and motivation level
of employees. A case study on Marks & Spencer”

Research Objectives
 To understand the concept of workplace discrimination.
 To ascertain the impact of workplace discrimination on organisational performance.
 To determine the relationship between workplace discrimination and motivation and
performance level of employees.
 To identify different ways through which workplace discrimination can be eliminated in
Marks & Spencer.
Research Questions
 What is the concept of workplace discrimination?
 What is the impact of workplace discrimination on organisational performance?
 What is the relationship between workplace discrimination and motivation and
performance level of employees?
 What are the different ways through which workplace discrimination can be eliminate in
Marks & Spencer?
PRELIMINARY LITERATURE REVIEW
Concept of workplace discrimination
Workplace Discrimination refers to treating someone unfavourably due to their personal
characteristics. It includes unfair treatment of workforce on the basis of prejudice. In the
organisations, discrimination occurs on the basis of religion, gender, disability, sexual
orientation, qualifications etc. As per the view point of Amie Comeau, (2018), in the workplace,
discrimination is upheld by a system in which the power of decision making is uphold by a
specific group. There are various causes of workplace discrimination among which one of the
cause is abusive relationship of workforce and employer by work station assignment, leave
approval and granting of breaks (What Are the Causes of Discrimination in the Workplace?,
2018).
There is direct and indirect discrimination takes place within firm. Direct discrimination
occurs when an individual proposes to treat, treats a person unfavourably because of some
personal characteristics secured by law (Cascio, 2015). It often happens due to unfair
assumptions that are make by people regarding what individuals with definite personal
characteristics are able to do or can not do. For instance: Refuse to hire someone in the firm

based on their age as the management thinks that they are too old in order to learn new skills. On
the other hand, indirect discrimination takes place when an unreasonable or indefensible
condition is imposed by a company that disadvantages an individual with personal
characteristics. It happens when the behaviour, policy or practice at workplace seems to treat all
workers in similar manner, but in actual, it unfairly disadvantages someone due to characteristics
protected by law (Denissen and Saguy, 2014).
Impact of workplace discrimination on organisational performance
As per the view point of Lisa Finn, (2017), discrimination in work place can have
annihilating outcomes on the offender as well as victim. When it is widespread, trust is broken,
morale drops and this impacts the bottom line of company (The Effects of Discrimination in the
Workplace, 2017). Discrimination adversely impacts the environment of workplace and leads to
ineffective work culture. This ultimately lowers down the morale of employees and resulted in
decreasing productivity and performance of employees as well as organisation. At the time of
recruiting employees, organisations invests much amount of money. If they quit company
because of discrimination, then it resulted in high losses to company and it ultimately impacts its
productivity as well as performance. Hiring new workforce is a strain on budget of company as
training, educating and administering them on technology and policies is expensive and time
consuming and if an employee leave company because of workplace discrimination then, it
influence its performance adversely. In addition to this, if the employees are discriminated within
firm based on any of the factor like age, gender, nationality, religion etc., then the have the right
to take legal action against company by filing complaint to government. This ruin the image of
firm in market and resulted to this, its performance is also impacted negatively (Gassman‐Pines,
2015).
Relationship between workplace discrimination and motivation and performance level of
employees
In an organisation, motivation and performance level of employees are highly interlinked
with workplace discrimination. Existence of healthy workplace within company helps in
improving morale and motivation level of employees and encourage them to work towards
attainment of organisation's goals and objectives. This also assists in improving their
performance as motivated workforce tends to work productively within firm (Hagelskamp and
Hughes, 2014). On the other hand, if there is high discrimination takes place at workplace, then it

will create an unhealthy environment within firm which decreases the motivation of employees,
that ultimately impacts on their performance. As per the view point of Neslie A. Etheridge,
(2015), perceived discrimination impacts on work environment as well as employees. It involves
poor culture of work when workers losses focus and manifest counterproductive behaviours like
leaving work early, not completing duties on time and arriving late (Effects of discrimination in
the workplace, 2015). Unhappy employees work ineffectively, they may refuse to perform their
duties and act hostile towards one another. In this way, workplace discrimination and
performance and motivation of employees are interrelated with each other.
Different ways to eliminate workplace discrimination
As per the view point of Joanna Weekes, (2017), there are various ways to prevent or
eliminate discrimination from workplace. It is the responsibility of company to monitor, manage
and eliminate discrimination from workplace. Some of the preventive measures that can helps
firm like Marks & Spencer in eliminating discrimination from work place are mentioned below: Educate employees regarding discrimination: It is required by an organisation to
provide training to its employees and educate them regarding workplace discrimination.
Firm needs to make the work force aware about what the discrimination is and what are
its consequences if it takes place within firm. It requires ton teach its employees about not
to discriminate others on the basis of their age, gender, disability etc.
 Develop effective practices and policies: Organisation is require to formulate effective
practices and policies that prohibits discrimination at workplace and implement them
effectively in order to ensure that the workplace is free from any kind of discrimination
among employees and all are treated equally within firm (8 ways to prevent
discrimination in your workplace, 2017).
RESEARCH METHODS
Research Methodology refers to an appropriate procedure that is applied by researcher to
include several effective information which is related to the field of study chosen. It is one of the
most important chapters within research which is associated with the methods that are applied for
the research purpose.
Hence, in context of the same, there are two effective sources of information which are
required to be considered by researcher in relation to collect relevant data associated with the

same (Noe, Hollenbeck, Gerhart and Wright, 2017). Thus, two of the most prominent sources of
information are discussed below: Primary Sources: These sources are the ones which are primarily used by individuals to
gain information that has never been acquired before. For this purpose, Questionnaires
and Surveys are prominent methods through which responses from a sample of
individuals are acquired on the specific research topic.
 Secondary Sources: These sources are the ones which have been accessed by previous
researchers for their research purpose. For instance, internet, books and journals are
effectively considered as secondary source.
Moreover, there are several ways to analyse the information gathered, some of which are
mentioned below: Qualitative Analysis: This analysis utilises several subjective judgements that are based
upon qualitative information (Okechukwu, Souza, Davis and de Castro, 2014).
 Quantitative Analysis: This type of analysis emphasises upon evaluation of several
numerical data that are found within secondary information such as statistics and balance
sheets.
Out of both these methods, the research uses qualitative analysis as a method to analyse
the information segregated for the research purpose. The reason for this is because it would
appropriately and effectively enhance the scope of evaluation of the information segregated.
TIMESCALES

RESOURCES
There are several resources which the research would be involving to serve the purpose
of the research study. Some of these key resources are evaluated below: Cost: One of the most important resource that would be involved within the research is
related to cost. Money is an appropriate and effective requirement for research which is
associated with travelling and photocopying the information effectively (Velez and
Moradi, 2012).

 Time: Another resource that is related with actively accomplishing the research objective
is time. Effective time is needed to identify the research topic and study several
information from various sources. Moreover, it is also required to segregate the
information required, analyse the same as well as include the findings within the research
to appropriately and effectively complete the information in an effective manner.
 Human Resources: People are the biggest assets and resources that are used to
accomplish the research purpose in an effective way. For the same, there are two type of
individuals related to the same. The first ones are those towards which, the questions of
primary research are subjective towards (Wood, Braeken and Niven, 2013). The other
type of individuals are the ones who carry out the research, acquire the findings, analyse
and compile the same in a contemporary and professional manner. Hence, in this context,
human resources become one of the biggest requirement of the research in order to
accomplish the research purpose effectively.

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Armstrong, M. and Taylor, S., 2020. Armstrong's handbook of human resource management
practice. Kogan Page Publishers.
Berrey, E., Nelson, R.L. and Nielsen, L.B., 2017. Rights on trial: How workplace discrimination
law perpetuates inequality. University of Chicago Press.
Cascio, W.F., 2015. Costing human resources. Wiley Encyclopedia of Management, pp.1-1.
Denissen, A.M. and Saguy, A.C., 2014. Gendered homophobia and the contradictions of
workplace discrimination for women in the building trades. Gender & Society, 28(3),
pp.381-403.
Gassman‐Pines, A., 2015. Effects of Mexican immigrant parents’ daily workplace discrimination
on child behavior and family functioning. Child Development, 86(4), pp.1175-1190.
Hagelskamp, C. and Hughes, D.L., 2014. Workplace discrimination predicting racial/ethnic
socialization across African American, Latino, and Chinese families. Cultural Diversity
and Ethnic Minority Psychology, 20(4), p.550.
Noe, R.A., Hollenbeck, J.R., Gerhart, B. and Wright, P.M., 2017. Human resource management:
Gaining a competitive advantage. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Okechukwu, C.A., Souza, K., Davis, K.D. and de Castro, A.B., 2014. Discrimination,
harassment, abuse, and bullying in the workplace: contribution of workplace injustice to
occupational health disparities. American journal of industrial medicine, 57(5), pp.573-
586.
Velez, B.L. and Moradi, B., 2012. Workplace support, discrimination, and person–organization
fit: Tests of the theory of work adjustment with LGB individuals. Journal of Counseling
Psychology, 59(3), p.399.
Wood, S., Braeken, J. and Niven, K., 2013. Discrimination and well-being in organizations:
Testing the differential power and organizational justice theories of workplace
aggression. Journal of business ethics, 115(3), pp.617-634.
Online
What Are the Causes of Discrimination in the Workplace?, 2018. [Online]. Available through:
<https://careertrend.com/facts-5833018-causes-discrimination-workplace-.html>
The Effects of Discrimination in the Workplace, 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<https://careertrend.com/effects-discrimination-workplace-2727.html>
Effects of discrimination in the workplace, 2015. [Online]. Available through:
https://www.army.mil/article/142799/effects_of_discrimination_in_the_workplace
8 ways to prevent discrimination in your workplace, 2017. [Online]. Available through:
<https://www.healthandsafetyhandbook.com.au/8-ways-to-prevent-discrimination-in-
your-workplace/>