Impact of Diversity and Equality on Employee Performance: A Case Study on Marks and Spencer

This research project focuses on investigating the impact of diversity and equality on employee performance in the organization, specifically through a case study on Marks and Spencer. It aims to identify the advantages of diversity and equality, analyze their impact on employee performance, and recommend strategies to overcome workplace discrimination. The study also explores the significance of diversity and equality in creating a healthy working environment. The research utilizes primary data collection methods, such as questionnaires, and employs data analysis techniques to draw conclusions.

Research Project
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Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Aim..............................................................................................................................................3
Objective......................................................................................................................................3
Research Question.......................................................................................................................3
Significance.................................................................................................................................3
Rationale......................................................................................................................................4
DATA COLLECTION METHODS................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................15
RECOMMENDATION.................................................................................................................15
REFLECTION...............................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19
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INTRODUCTION
Diversity and equality are becoming an essential part of management studies which drawing
attention towards performance of employees. The workforce diversity has rapidly increasing
which identified as well as applied one of important enterprise tools in regards to achieve
significant goal of organization. It provide the best excellent customer in term dynamic,
competitive business environment. Nowadays, the workforce diversity has been received more
attention towards staff members. It automatically increase the overall performance as well as
efficiency of employee at workplace (Ali and Konrad, 2016). Sometimes, it may refer to the
employee performance which are actively discharge of its own duties for achievement in result
or outcome. The documentation will concern about the concept of diversity and equality that has
an impacts on the entire performance of staff members within organization. However, the report
will described the strategic to overcome barrier during organization activities.
Aim
To investigate about the diversity and equality impact on the employee performance. A case
study on Marks and Spencer.
Objective
 To identify the advantage of diversity and equality at workplace.
 To analyse impact of diversity and equality on employee performance within
organization.
 To recommend strategies to overcome challenges of workplace discrimination in the
organization.
Research Question
 What are advantage of diversity and equality at workplace?
 How can impact of diversity and equality on employee performance within organization?
 What are different strategies to overcome challenges of workplace discrimination in the
organization?
Significance
The research will help for identifying the current position of organization and diversity
and equality handle the current situation occurs at workplace. The study will be investigating
about the discrimination and improve their own depth knowledge. In this way, it help for
identifying the specific strength, weakness of research project.
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Rationale
The purpose of study is to identify that how diversity and equality impact on the entire
performance and efficiency of employee within organization. In this way, researcher is accessing
the information about the discrimination in workforce within retail organization. In order to
identify the effect of discrimination of employee motivation, commitment and job satisfaction
level.
PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN
Project management is based on the process that mainly consists of different data. Its
primary objective of plan to identify the essential resources, equipment’s. It provide the facility
to complete the project within specific time intervals. Management plan is one of important
aspects which providing the project details and communicate with other stakeholders (Ali, and
Konrad, 2017).
Furthermore, this type of project management plan is to be considered as fundamental
knowledge require in different areas. In order to find out the risk, quality, scope, time intervals,
communication, cost and other resources that associated with project.
 Cost: It is important part of project which require to calculate overall budget for
completing the project. The manager can be estimated and defined overall price which
easily associated within project. The cost may include resource, risk management and
other mitigation. So as require to make plan and estimate the overall budget. As identified
that overall budget of project is $7000.
 Scope: The project will require to identify the different parameters, scope which defining
goal, deadline, and price. Afterwards, it become easier to define the scope of project.
Sometimes, project manager is broken into different multiple parts in order to manage
their project scope (Booysen, Bendl and Pringle, 2018). The primary scope of project is
that when identify the workplace diversity whereas how it may be influencing the staff
member performance within enterprise. The project must be collecting secondary data in
order to determine way in which improve the workplace environment or culture.
 Time duration: it is an important which mainly defined time intervals in which entire
project will be completed in proper manner. So that project manager has been schedule
the time intervals and define the completing data. It is an essential for managing the
schedule time but dividing into different task in proper manner.
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 Resources: it is also another important concept of project planning where gathering a
necessary resources. It help for providing the better resources and improve the process of
task management. Sometimes, it quite difficult to handle the entire process but require to
use an efficient equipment’s, hardware and software requirement.
 Risk: It is another important concept in term of project management plan where it can be
identified the risk without failure (Konrad, Yang and Maurer, 2016). Sometimes, it is
directly associated with project and also increase their impact on the overall success of
project. Furthermore, it can be identified the various risks such as communication gap,
mismanagement of task, financial risk.
 Ethical issues: While ethical issues are indeed a key part of project which require to
identify the standard of conduct. It may include the significance of managing and
controlling the overall task management. The ethical issues includes discrimination
among staff members, dishonesty, misuse information or data. These are considered as
ethical issues within project which require to use an appropriate concept of improving
project capacity. In order to complete project on specific deadline.
TimeLine
Activity 1st week 2nd
week
3rd
week
4th
week
5th
week
6th
week
7th
week
8th week
Identify research
topic
Formation of Aim
and objectives
Methodology
Impact of change
Reflective
Commentary
Conclusion
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Review and
Submission
Gantt chart
DATA COLLECTION METHODS
It is based on the technique for gathering a lot information related to the project. In order
to determine the answer of particular research questions, test hypothesis and evaluate significant
result or outcome. These type of data collection methods are divided into different types: primary
and secondary data collection.
Secondary data collection methods: it is type of technique that has already publish books,
articles, journals, online portals, newspapers and magazine. It is to be consider as abundance of
data available different sources about research areas. It almost consider as nature of research
project and set up criteria to choose an appropriate secondary data. In order to use important role
plays in term of increasing the level of research reliability as well as validity.
Primary data collection method: It is another method or technique for collecting large
amount of information related to research project. It consists of both qualitative as well as
quantitative methods. Qualitative is based on theoretical aspects for identifying information on
the basis of previous studies. Generally, it can be used questionaries’ with close ended,
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regression and median (Nabi and Nabi, 2018). On the other hand, Quantitative is consider as
another method which is based on the mathematical calculation to find out the suitable
information. It mainly involves number or calculation for generating accurate result or outcome.
In this research project, Scholar has chosen primary data collection technique for
gathering the relevant data by using questionnaires. Therefore, it has conducting the
questionnaire for analysing the view point of various respondents on the basis of their
experience.
DATA ANALYSIS
This process is useful for gathering large number of data relevant to the research project.
Therefore, it easily organise effectively and efficiently (RASOOL, KHATIR and NADIR, 2018).
Furthermore, it has drawn the conclusion through observation and interpret as per analysis. The
researcher has chosen questionnaire method by using thematic analysis.
Theme: 1 Diversity and equality impact on the employee performance in the organization
Q1. Do you think that Diversity and equality impact on the employee performance in the
organization?
Option Frequency
 Strongly agree 15
 Agree 10
 Strongly disagree 5
 Disagree 10
Total 40
Table: 1
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Figure 1
Data Interpretation
From above analysis, it has concluded that diversity and equality impact on the overall
performance of employee because it provide better opportunities for improving own capabilities
and abilities. As per discussion, maximum respondent agree with the concept that affect on the
performance of staff members where they can increases their working speed while achieving the
goal and objective. Furthermore, it has determine that 15 respondent strongly agree, 10
respondent agree, 5 strongly disagree and 10 agree. Therefore, it can easily identify their opinion
of respondent because they can be sharing their idea through personal experience in the
organization.
Theme: 2 Diversity and equality beneficial for healthy working environment or culture
Q2. Do you think that Diversity and equality beneficial for healthy working environment or
culture?
Option Frequency
 Strongly agree 12
 Agree 10
 Strongly disagree 10
 Disagree 8
Total 40
Table: 2
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Figure 2
Data Interpretation
The discussion has made on the behalf of diversity and equality that will provide the advantage,
benefits of M&S to create an effective working environment or culture. Therefore, employee
exchange their innovative idea for enterprise development. In above analysis, it has found that
maximum respondents agree with the concept that will create the healthy working environment
through diversity and equality. Furthermore, it has determine that 12 respondent strongly agree,
10 respondent agree, 10 strongly disagree and 8 disagree. Therefore, it can easily identify their
opinion of respondent because they will be sharing their idea through personal experience in the
organization.
Theme: 3 Workplace Discrimination increase difference among staff members and manager in
the organization.
Q3. Do you think Workplace Discrimination increase difference among staff members and
manager in the organization?
Option Frequency
 Strongly agree 12
 Agree 10
 Strongly disagree 10
 Disagree 8
Total 40
Table: 3
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Figure 3
Data Interpretation
As per conclusion, it has identified that maximum respondents strongly agreed on the
concept whereas workplace Discrimination increase difference among staff members and
manager in the M&S. So as required to implement the concept of diversity and equality that will
provide the advantage, benefits of M&S to create an effective working environment or culture.
As per analysis, it has found that workplace conflict increase a lot of differences among
staff members. Employees cannot agree on the particular decision of organization. Furthermore,
it has determine that 12 respondent strongly agree, 10 respondent agree, 10 strongly disagree and
8 disagree. Therefore, it can easily identify their opinion of respondent because people have been
exchanging own opinion through past experience in the M&S.
Theme: 4 Diversity and equality improve the organizational productivity as well as profitability
in marketplace.
Q4. Do you think diversity and equality improve the organizational productivity as well as
profitability in marketplace?
Option Frequency
 Strongly agree 15
 Agree 10
 Strongly disagree 7
 Disagree 8
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Total 40
Table: 4
Figure 4
Data Interpretation
According to table, it has analysed the diversity and equality which can improve the
organizational productivity as well as profitability in marketplace. it has concluded that
maximum respondents agreed on the concept because they can identify the current enterprise
situation. So as needed to maintain the proper policies and procedures which help for increasing
business profitability as well as productivity in marketplace.
Furthermore, it has found that diversity and equality improve the overall business
activities. Employees also agreed within the particular decision of organization. Furthermore, it
has determine that 15 respondent strongly agree, 10 respondent agree, 7 strongly disagree and 8
disagree. Therefore, it can easily identify the opinion of respondents because they can participate
in the session for expression their opinion related the concept of diversity as well as equality.
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Theme: 5 employee succeed to do better in the job satisfaction if company resolve discrimination
through diversity as well as equality.
Q5. Do you think that employee succeed to do better in the job satisfaction if company resolve
discrimination through diversity as well as equality?
Option Frequency
 Strongly agree 15
 Agree 10
 Strongly disagree 7
 Disagree 8
Total 40
Table: 5
Figure 5
Data Interpretation
From above discussion, it has been found that employee succeed to do better in
the job satisfaction if company resolve discrimination through diversity as well as equality.
Therefore, employee express their innovative idea for business growth. Based on analysis,
maximum respondent agree with the statement where staff member easily resolve discrimination
among conflictions. Furthermore, it has determine that 15 respondent strongly agree, 10
respondent agree, 7 strongly disagree and 8 disagree. Therefore, it can easily identify their
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opinion of respondent because they can participate in the session for expression their opinion
related the concept of diversity as well as equality in the M&S.
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Theme: 6 Discrimination policies and procedures supports for maintaining the workplace
environment.
Q6. Do you think that discrimination policies and procedures supports for maintaining the
workplace environment?
Option Frequency
 Strongly agree 15
 Agree 9
 Strongly disagree 7
 Disagree 9
Total 40
Table: 6
Figure 6
Data interpretation
From above discussion, it has found that discrimination policies and procedures supports
for maintaining the workplace environment. According to this, employee exchange their own
opinion related to the innovative idea in term of business enhancement. Furthermore, it has found
that maximum respondents agreed on the statement where staff member easily resolve
discrimination among conflictions. Furthermore, it has determine that 15 respondent strongly
agree, 9 respondent agree, 7 strongly disagree and 9 disagree. Therefore, it can easily identify
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their opinion of respondent because they can participate in the session for expression their
opinion related the concept of diversity as well as equality in the M&S.
Theme: 7 equality act support for providing the equal right of each employee at workplace
Q7. Do you think that equality act support for providing the equal right of each employee at
workplace?
Option Frequency
 Strongly agree 13
 Agree 9
 Strongly disagree 10
 Disagree 7
Total 40
Table: 7
Figure 7
Data Interpretation
The discussion has been analysed the equality act support for giving the equal right of
staff members within organization. it has identified that maximum respondents agreed on the
concept because they can identify the current enterprise situation. So as require to adapt equality
act which providing the right of employee at workplace. Therefore, they can express their own
idea in business enhancement in global world.
Furthermore, it has found that diversity and equality improve the overall business
activities. Employees also agreed within the particular decision of organization. Furthermore, it
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has determine that 13 respondent strongly agree, 9 respondent agree, 10 strongly disagree and 7
disagree. Therefore, it can easily identify their opinion of respondent because they can
participate in the session for expression their opinion related the concept of diversity as well as
equality in the M&S.
CONCLUSION
From the discussion on the research project, it has been concluded that equality and
diversity are two most necessary things that are required to be focused upon by every
organization. Most of the issues or challenges faced by employees within an enterprise are
equality and diversity issues or challenges such as gender pay gap, diversity issues within
projects, cultural issues and many more. Organizations need to focus upon developing policies or
strategies so that they can tackle such kind of situations and also reduce chances of these type of
situations to occur can also be reduced. Maintaining equality and diversity within a workplace
helps the organization in many different ways. it has been analysed that with maintenance of
diversity and equality companies can enhance engagement of their employees, help in motivating
their staff members and also helps in enhancing overall performance of the employees in a much
better and appropriate manner. it has also been analysed that it is important for organization to
work upon identifying major types of issues faced by the employees as it can impact overall
morale and motivation of the employees.
From the primary analysis it has been analysed that workplace discrimination is one of
the major types of equality and diversity issue which is being faced by the employees within an
organization. It is extremely important for companies to bring changes within their workplace
policies, rules and regulations by identifying types of discrimination faced by employees within
workplace so that it can be resolved and workplace culture and environment can be enhanced in
a proper manner that can further help and organization to increase employees engagement within
the organization and can also help in enhancing overall performance of their employees in a
positive manner.
RECOMMENDATION
As per discussion, it has recommended that improve the diversity and equality at workplace.
This research project has provided the brief idea about the overall organizational capabilities. in
order to determine that how diversity & equality influence the performance or efficiency of
employee within organization.
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 Communicate the diversity policy regularly and properly: it is an important thing that
require for considering policies which always supports for organization’s values. It come
to make an effective workplace a more inclusive place. This policy will support for
implementing as anti-discriminatory practices in organization so that provide equal right
of employees.
 Training and development: it is another way to suggest when providing the training
session of employees so that they can easily use their own right at workplace. It is very
important for staff members to know about the significant right and follows the policies
for maintaining overall business profitability. In another way, it can be understand that
training in the significance of diversity, particularly when it comes to recruitment.
 Consider for providing more flexibility at workplace: It has recommended that help for
employee who always manage their time according to requirement. The organization has
require to adapt this thing for providing the benefits, advantage while taking care of their
family. In order to provide the flexibility in their working hours. Therefore, employee can
easily maintain coordination between personal as well as professional life.
REFLECTION
It was extremely important for me to choose appropriate research methods as it helps in
properly completing the research project effectively and efficiently. In order to complete the
research project effectively there were different types of research methods that were chosen and
applied by me in this research (Roberson, Buonocore and Yearwood, 2017). Choosing
appropriate methods helps in completing the research in a timely manner not only this, it further
helps in increasing overall effectiveness of the research method in a proper manner. For
successful completion of this research project, researcher has used qualitative type of research
methods as it helps in answering the research question in a much better and appropriate manner.
research philosophy that has been focused and applicable in project study such as intepretivism
research philosophy. This philosophy was used because it helps in interpreting research elements
as the human interest in the study and is one of the most appropriate philosophy that can be used
and applied within a research. Not only this, it is one of the best philosophies that can be applied
to a qualitative research type. For this research inductive approach was used as this approach
helps in proposing theories at the end of the research. In order to collect appropriate data or
information for this project primary data collection method was used in which I had distributed
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questionnaire to selected respondents in order to collect appropriate data or information. In in
project questionnaire was distributed to 40 employees of Marks and Spencer and with the help of
thematic data analysis method collected data was analysed. All the above selected research
methods helped me in analysing the data, gaining appropriate results and answering the research
questions in a much better and appropriate method.
However, in have realized that other than this, there were various kinds of other research
methods that could have been used in this research which could have helped in increasing
effectiveness of the research in a much better and appropriate manner. For this research
quantitatively type of research could have been focused upon. This type of research would have
helped in reaching to a conclusion and achieving research objectives numerically (Zhuwao,
Ngirande and Setati, 2019). But this method was not chosen because as compared to qualitative
type of research it is quite complex to conduct this research. In this instead of thematic data
analysis, statistical data analysis method could have been chosen but this method was avoided
because it is a time consuming, costly and a bit complex method of data analysis.
There are different types of challenging issues or problem that were faced by me doing this
project. First challenge faced by me was in collection of primary data. As I has least experience
in collection of primary data, I was facing lots of difficulty in collection of primary data. All the
40 respondents were taking lot of time in submitting the sample or questionnaire after answering
because of which overall time required for data collection is getting impacted. Another challenge
faced by me was in designing of the questionnaire. I was required to design a questionnaire with
limited number of questions that can provide maximum data required for the research. Not only
this, questionaries’ should not consist of questions that can offend the respondents or breech
organization’s policy. While completing this project I have identified various kinds of strengths
and weaknesses in my skills and knowledge during completion of this research paper. One of the
main strengths in this research was research skills numerically (Zhuwao, Ngirande and Setati,
2019). I was quite good in researching about previous research that have been done in this field
for collection of secondary data in order to gain knowledge about the research project and build a
base for the research. Despite of challenges in collection of primary data, I had good
communication skills. I was able to communicate with all the participants and make them
understand main research aim and objectives of our project so that they can understand main
motive behind collection of primary data. I had also realized that I need to bring improvement
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within my decision- making skills. I was facing lots of difficulties in making appropriate
decisions required for the overcoming difficult situation or for selection of appropriate methods
so that research project can be completed in a timely and appropriate manner.
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REFERENCES
Book and Journals
Ali, M. and Konrad, A.M., 2016. Antecedents and consequences of diversity and equality
management systems: A moderated mediation study.
Ali, M. and Konrad, A.M., 2017. Antecedents and consequences of diversity and equality
management systems: The importance of gender diversity in the TMT and lower to
middle management. European Management Journal. 35(4). pp.440-453.
Booysen, L.A., Bendl, R. and Pringle, J.K. eds., 2018. Handbook of Research Methods in
Diversity Management, Equality and Inclusion at Work. Edward Elgar Publishing.
Konrad, A.M., Yang, Y. and Maurer, C.C., 2016. Antecedents and outcomes of diversity and
equality management systems: An integrated institutional agency and strategic human
resource management approach. Human Resource Management. 55(1).pp.83-107.
Nabi, N. and Nabi, N., 2018. Workforce Diversity Andorganizational Performance. Journal of
Management and Human Resource (JMHR). 1. pp.34-46.
RASOOL, A., KHATIR, G. and NADIR, N.S., 2018. DIVERSITY AND ITS IMPACT ON
EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION AND PERFORMANCE. CLEAR International Journal
of Research in Commerce & Management. 9(7).
Roberson, L., Buonocore, F. and Yearwood, S.M., 2017. Hiring for diversity: The challenges
faced by American and European companies in employee selection. In Corporate social
responsibility and diversity management (pp. 151-171). Springer, Cham.
Zhuwao, S., Ngirande, H., Ndlovu, W. and Setati, S.T., 2019. Gender diversity, ethnic diversity
and employee performance in a South African higher education institution. SA Journal of
Human Resource Management. 17(1). pp.1-8.
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Questionnaires
Q1. Do you think that Diversity and equality impact on the employee performance in the
organization?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Strongly disagree
 disagree
Q2. Do you think that Diversity and equality beneficial for healthy working environment or
culture?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Strongly disagree
 disagree
Q3. Do you think Workplace Discrimination increase difference among staff members and
manager in the organization?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Strongly disagree
 disagree
Q4. Do you think diversity and equality improve the organizational productivity as well as
profitability in marketplace?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Strongly disagree
 disagree
Q5. Do you think that employee succeed to do better in the job satisfaction if company resolve
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discrimination through diversity as well as equality?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Strongly disagree
 disagree
Q6. Do you think that discrimination policies and procedures supports for maintaining the
workplace environment?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Strongly disagree
 disagree
Q7. Do you think that equality act support for providing the equal right of each employee at
workplace?
 Strongly agree
 Agree
 Strongly disagree
 disagree
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