Importance of Equality and Diversity at Workplace

Research project
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CONTENTS
Contents...........................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Background of research...............................................................................................................3
Research Aim:.............................................................................................................................3
Research Objectives:...................................................................................................................3
Research Questions......................................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................4
The significance of diverse workplace........................................................................................4
The benefits of maintaining equality and diversity in workplace................................................4
Ways through which a company can promote equality and diversity in workplace...................5
The impact of promoting equality and diversity on organisational performance........................5
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY....................................................................................................6
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION.............................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................14
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INTRODUCTION
Equality and diversity has now become current necessity for companies that are operating
at larger scale, specially for those which execute their operations at international level. This is so
because diversified workforce helps in brining understanding about different culture and
customers perception within new market by maintaining employees that are local to new market.
As those employees are familiar with eth culture and support in adjusting the operations of
organisation in accordance with its customer demand and expectation which in turn help in
achieving organisational success at different market (Hatipoglu and Inelmen, 2018). But this
efficiency in operation with the help of diversified workforce is only possible when employees
get equality at workplace. As when they are treated equally and fairly at workplace in return,
they put tehri maximum effort toward enhancing organisational performance. Hence, equality
and diversity are very much crucial for businesses these days. For further investigating about it,
Marks and Spencer is chosen for this study which operates at international level and also known
for managing workforce which is diversified (Wrench, 2015).
Background of research
The equality within organisation support in maintaining group of workers who are highly
skilled and compatible due to varying skills, knowledge, experiences etc. Therefore, hold a huge
importance within effective management of an organisation and for further developing
understanding about this the current investigation is performed which is focused over an
international retailer, Marks & Spencer which is headquartered in United Kingdom (Sanyal and
et. al., 2015). The Marks & spencer operates its business in several different part of world by
offering range of product categories such as Food, grocery items, clothing etc. are few of them.
For maintain its business throughout the world it manages a diversified team that are expertise in
different area and ways through that a company must manages diversity at workplace will
studied.
Research Aim:
"To analyse the ways through which an organisation can promote equality and diversity
in workplace and its impact on its performance. A case study on Marks & Spencer."
Research Objectives:
 To understand the significance of diverse workplace.
 To determine the benefits of maintaining equality and diversity in workplace.
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 To identify the ways through which a company can promote equality and diversity in
workplace.
 To assess the impact of promoting equality and diversity on organisational performance.
Research Questions
 What is the significance of diverse workplace?
 Describe about the benefits of maintaining equality and diversity in workplace?
 Explain about several ways through which a company can promote equality and diversity
in workplace?
 What is the impact of promoting equality and diversity on organisational performance?
LITERATURE REVIEW
The significance of diverse workplace.
Mayhew. R, 2019, said that as the global market is emerging the necessity of diversified
workplace for a business is increasing day by day. This is so because when an organisation
enter into a new market then to gather the understanding about its attribute or customer
demand hiring of local employees become crucial for the organisation. Other than this
there are several importance of diversified workplace which are explained below:
Expand talent pool: For dealing within the global world of competition it become very
crucial for the management of an organisation is to maintain a employee that are from different
knowledge or cultural background. This in turn help in integrating several skills and talent all
together within a team that bring work efficiency.
Innovative ideas: Each business is required to constantly working over improving its
business practices or product to make it more efficient and different in term of market to deal
with competition (Knights and Omanovic, 2015). In this diversified workforce is very much
helpful as when team involve the member that belong to different background will support in
bringing new ideas as per their understanding that give birth to an innovation.
The benefits of managing equality and diversity in workplace.
Petty. L., 2016, state that equality and diversity holds up a huge importance at workplace.
This is so because employees like to prefer work at place where they get better access to equal
opportunity and also get fair treatment regardless of their racial, gender, age etc. It is believed
that by ensuring diversified workforce, an enterprise would be able to thrive people belong to
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several different background that come together and gain success by integrating their knowledge,
experience and understanding all together.
Therefore, by implementing the such practices Marks & spencer become capable to
ensure the growth and development of business by bringing people with diversified capability in
order to open up door for new ways of working and new ideas. Bendl and et. al., 2015, state that
benefits of diversity to Marks & Spencer is that by mainly people from different background it
become easier to have different opinion in a team which in turn help in catering the varying need
of consumers as per their culture or other factors. Additionally it also help in attracting more
talent to approach organisation for being connected and to work at a place where employees are
highly valued and provided with equal opportunity.
Ways through which a company can promote equality and diversity in workplace.
As per the perception of Callister. L., 2019, workplace discrimination remains a main
area of concern for several organisation which not only let down the morale of employees but
also affect the organisational performance and productivity. Therefore, it remains the
responsibility of an employer to promote diversity within workplace. Several methods of
managing it within the of Marks and Spencer are,
Prevent unconscious bias behaviour: The management of M&S must create more and
more awareness about equality among employees so that unconscious bias behaviour can be
eliminated by the employees toward other people. This in turn help in creating respect for the
people as per tehri talent despite of their demographic characteristics which in turn help in
brining equality within organisation.
Develop equality policies: - Moore and Tailby, 2015 said that each and every employee
at workplace must get fair and equal treatment in term of regular activities and while taking
decisions related with daily operations. Other than this the management of marks and Spencer
must focus toward embracing the people’s differences so that it get involved and accepted by
other people effectively.
The impact of promoting equality and diversity on organisational performance.
Cox. T., 2020, state that the increasing diversity within workplace is become a major
point of attraction for several businesses throughout the world for improving organisational
performance. Through implementation of such practices at workplace Marks & Spencer will get
benefited with several different favourable factor which further support it in improving the
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overall performance. These mainly includes problem solving, as diversified perspective creates
better understanding about the issues and help in determining several methods to resolve the that
particular problem. On the other side, diversified workforce also support in creating a flow of
innovative ideas which in turn further support in developing potential to enhance the creativity as
well as innovation which in turn help in improving the operational as well as financial
performance at marketplace. This is so because when the diversity among employees is equally
valued at the workplace then it helps in encouraging the team work which in turn ensures
integration of skills and knowledge that bring up best possible ideas to improve the working
practices to get it done in more productive manner. these all support in enhancing the level of
efficiency in operations performed at Mark & Spencer and thus the overall performance of
organisation can be improved.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Methodology is that part of a research that represent several tools, methods and
approaches which are considered within an investigation by the investigator in order to gather,
interpret, analyse and conclude the facts in more meaningful information so that desired
objectives can be accomplished (Walliman, 2017). The methodology supports the researcher in
directing the activities of investigation in right manner and by presenting this section in report
the researcher would be able to verify the reader about the validity and reliability of data. The
methods involve within this research are presented below:
Research philosophy: - It is about the nature of study which is being consider by the
researcher while performing investigation. The positivism, realism and interpretivism are some
of the philosophies considered within an investigation (Tuohy and et.al., 2013). The researcher
makes use of positivism philosophy while performing this investigation as it is very much
helpful in evaluating the quantified information and presenting the most adequate outcome in
relation with the research aim.
Investigation Type: - The outcome of an investigation is more depend over the type used
for conducting that particular study. Qualitative and quantitative are two type of investigation
(Scotland, 2012). But for this study the quantitative type of research is consider which help in
gathering the numerical facts and figure about the current study area for specifying the
correctness of a particular information.
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