Impact of Gender Pay Gap on Employee Productivity at Amazon

This research examines the impact of gender pay gap on employee productivity at Amazon. It explores the concept of equality and diversity in the workplace and suggests approaches to overcome the issue. The research aims to understand the influence of managing cultural diversity on the company's overall performance.

RESERACH
PROJECT

Abstract
This research is based on providing an understanding of equality and diversity
within a workplace. The research explains how gender pay gap can influence overall
productivity of employees within an organization. It also describes what approaches can
be used by an organization in order to overcome issue of gender pay gap. Quantitative
research methodology has been employed in the research and a questionnaire was
used to collect data from respondents. It was found that the findings of the literature
review and data analysis were almost the same with no major differences.

Contents
Abstract.....................................................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION......................................................................................................................................4
Research Aim........................................................................................................................................4
Research Objectives............................................................................................................................4
Research Questions.............................................................................................................................5
Background of Company.....................................................................................................................5
Significance of study.............................................................................................................................5
Literature Review....................................................................................................................................6
Concept of equality and diversity in Amazon....................................................................................6
Influence of gender pay gap on employee productivity in the Amazon.........................................7
Approaches that Amazon should implement to overcome gender pay gap.................................8
Research Methodology.......................................................................................................................10
Introduction..........................................................................................................................................10
Research Philosophy.........................................................................................................................10
Research Approach............................................................................................................................11
Research Strategy..............................................................................................................................11
Research Choices..............................................................................................................................11
Techniques and Procedures of Data Collection.............................................................................11
Sampling Method................................................................................................................................15
Data Analysis.......................................................................................................................................16
Access Negotiations...........................................................................................................................16
Research Limitations..........................................................................................................................16
Ethical Issues......................................................................................................................................17
Gantt Chart..........................................................................................................................................18
Findings and Analysis.........................................................................................................................19
CONCLUSION........................................................................................................................................25
Recommendations..............................................................................................................................25
Reflection.............................................................................................................................................26
REFERENCES........................................................................................................................................27
Appendix.................................................................................................................................................30

INTRODUCTION
Equality is an important concept not only in small but large businesses as well.
The main aim of the concept is to make sure that everyone within the organization gets
access to equal opportunities with no discrimination. On the other hand, Diversity is a
concept which means that people from different backgrounds, cultures, religions, skills,
experiences etc. work within the company (Özbilgin and Slutskaya, 2017). Both equality
as well as diversity are important because they not only impact the employees but the
whole organization. Also, it has been seen that organizations that discriminate among
workers have a staff who productivity is low. By creating a workforce that is diverse and
provided with equal opportunities, a company can gain access to different segments of
the market as well as expand overall business (Altman, 2018).
The main aim of this practice is to ensure that all the employees in the company
get a fair and equal chance to share their ideas and thoughts. This also contributes to
their overall performance as well as levels of productivity. Today, many organizations
promote diversity in their workplace. This is mainly done in order to enhance overall
productivity and performance of not only employees, but organization as well.
Organization chosen for this research is Amazon, which is an American multinational
technology company. It was founded by Jeff Bezos in the year 1994. The company has
operations across various sectors including ecommerce, digital streaming, cloud
computing etc. The company was reported to have a gender pay gap which was
affecting the performance as well as productivity of the employees. The research
examines the impact of managing cultural diversity on the company’s overall
performance.
Research Aim
“To analyze the impact of gender pay gap upon the productivity of employees at
Amazon.”
Research Objectives
 To understand the concept of equality and diversity in Amazon.

 To analyze the influence of gender pay gap on employee productivity in the
Amazon.
 To identify approaches that Amazon should implement to overcome the problem
of gender pay gap.
Research Questions
 What is the concept of equality and diversity in Amazon?
 How does gender pay gap influence the productivity of employees within
Amazon?
 What approaches should Amazon implement in order to overcome the problem
of gender pay gap?
Background of Company
Amazon is an American multinational technology company that primarily focuses
on cloud computing, e-commerce and other technology related services. The company
was founded by Jeff Bezos in the year 1994 and is one of the most widely recognized e-
commerce companies across the world. A wide range of products ranging from gadgets
to household products are offered by the company through its physical stores as well as
online website (Andrews and Parsons, 2018). Apart from this, the company also allows
various sellers to sell their products online. Amazon aims to serve its customers through
both offline stores as well as online website and become the most customer-centric
company in the world. Not only this, the company also manufactures and sells
electronic devices to the customers. The respective company is headquartered in
Seattle, Washington and the largest online retail company in the world. Amazon is also
a market leader in providing digital personal assistant devices with gadgets like Alexa
and Echo.
Significance of study
This research is important because it explains the concept of equality and
diversity along with its importance within a workplace (Ahrens, 2018). The study will
demonstrate why is it important to promote equality and diversity within the workplace
and how can it help in overcoming various challenges like gender pay gap. Today,
almost all organizations promote equality and diversity in their workplaces because it

assists in enhancing overall levels of performance as well as productivity of not only the
employees, but organization on the whole.

Literature Review
Concept of equality and diversity in Amazon
Equality and Diversity has become an important concept today in organizations
as it contributes to the overall enhancement of organizational performance. Equality
ensures that all employees working in a particular organization are provided fair and
equal opportunities without any kind of discrimination (Sharma, 2016). On the other
hand, Diversity is all about taking into account that different employees belong to
distinct backgrounds, religions, cultures and values. Equality is a concept that is
relevant to businesses regardless of the number of employees working for the
company. Equality is basically related to ensuring that everyone in the organization gets
and equal opportunity. Organizations that follow the practice of Equality and Diversity
provide their employees with various opportunities in order to create a culture without
any kind of discrimination. Equality and Diversity within the workplace mean to respect
the employees who work for the company for their individual differences. If an
organization hires people from different backgrounds enhances the overall creativity
within the organization allowing the employees to share their ideas. A diverse workforce
also helps the organization in gaining a competitive edge against others in the market
(Why is diversity in the workplace important?, 2020). One of the reasons behind this is
that employees belonging to different backgrounds are more likely to understand the
needs and expectations of different customers in an effective and detailed manner.
Being a multinational company, Amazon has a diverse workplace wherein
employees from different backgrounds and culture work for it. This means that there are
no language barriers as such because the staff has taken the concept of foreign
language to an advanced level. Due to this, the company has been able to relate to a
much larger audience around the world (Baker and et. al., 2016). If an organization
recruits candidates who belong to different nations, the managers get an access to a
large talent pool of candidates. Diverse employees who work from remote areas can
also be beneficial for the company as they can lead it to open offices in new locations.
This helps the organization to expand its business operations in countries or markets
that were previously untapped by it. Amazon is a company the promotes equality and

diversity at its workplace which is why its employees are highly satisfied. The managers
or team leaders do not differentiate or discriminate among the employees belonging to
different backgrounds. Strategic human resource management takes HRM into account
as a integrated and coherent process (Armstrong, 2009).
There are various laws that organizations operating in different parts of the world
are expected to adhere to. There are many advantages of promoting equality and
diversity within a workplace like knowledge of employees in different areas can be
utilized in an effective manner (Barak, 2016). Also, the management of the company
gets a better understanding of different market segments as well as customer behavior
can be achieved. Due to this, respective company has been able to retain its talent pool
for a along duration of time. The main idea of equality and diversity is to treat the
employees of the company without any kind of judgements being made on them. They
should be respected and treated fairly regardless of their backgrounds and culture. This
helps in creating a workplace environment wherein the employees get to feel valued
and are also appreciated for their efforts.
Influence of gender pay gap on employee productivity in the Amazon
Amazon was reported to have a gender pay gap within its system wherein the
female employees were paid a higher salary as compared to the male staff although
both put in equal efforts. Due to this, the overall productivity levels of the company went
down because the male employees were frustrated and were no longer interested in
their jobs. This was also because the female staff members were offered bonuses from
time to time. Gender pay gap can be defined as the average difference between the
wages or salaries of male and female employees working within a company (How
Gender Pay Gap Affects Your Business, 2020). Gender pay gap has many
disadvantages for a company, decline in employees’ productivity being one of the main
effects. When employees working in a company are paid unequal wages for the same
amount and type of work, the performance and productivity levels of the ones who are
being paid less can be affected in an adverse manner. Not only productivity, but their
motivation levels also come down (Stredwick, 2005). There can be many reasons why
employees in an organization suffer from gender pay gap. Many times, the skills,

experience and knowledge of female employees are undervalued as compared to the
male staff. Gender pay gap can result in a decline in the overall economic output as
well as productivity of a company.
Employees working at Amazon have been facing the issue of gender pay gap at
their workplace, due to which their overall individual levels of productivity as well as
performance are getting affected (Beaman, 2017). The company has ben paying less to
its female staff for the same amount of work that is done by male staff. Due to this, the
female staff of the company started feeling less important which affected their overall
productivity. And this can lead to an overall impact on the productivity of the entire
organization. Due to this, the overall morale of the female staff also got affected which
could be seen in the output. There were cases wherein some of the female staff
members left their jobs for better opportunities. The managers didn’t use to appreciate
and value the amount of work and efforts that the female staff members used to put in
order to get a task done.
Due to this, the employees’ overall level of motivation and productivity got
affected and they stopped putting in efforts. If the company continues the gender pay
gap, it will have to face negative consequences. And this can further lead to an impact
on its overall performance as well as productivity (Booysen, Bendl and Pringle, 2018).
Therefore, it is important for the company to adopt measures so as to promote equality
within the workplace. If employees working at same level will be paid equal, they will
start taking interest in their jobs and will also be motivated to perform effectively. They
should be provided equal opportunities so that they can work efficiently. Otherwise, the
gap in wages of the employees will continue to increase as well as the risk of
company’s performance getting affected will also increase. This can further lead to the
overall position of the company being affected in the market.
Approaches that Amazon should implement to overcome gender pay gap
A company can adopt various approaches in order to overcome the problem of
gender pay gap. For example – some companies, including Amazon have addressed
the problem by paying equal amount of salary for the equal work that is put in by the
employees. A discrimination policy is developed to ensure that all staff members are

treated equally within the workplace. Amazon can implement various approaches in
order to overcome the problem of gender pay gap in its system. The company should
offer an option of negotiation to the employees due to which both female and male staff
members will get a chance to negotiate for the salary they receive based on their skills
and experience. Apart from this, the company should also follow and adhere to laws
and legislation that are developed in order to make sure that all employees within a
company get equally paid. The employees of the company should be provided an option
wherein they can claim for transparency in their salaries. The management of the
company should revise its wage policies, promotions, benefits as well as bonuses.
Employees who perform better, either male or a female should be provided with
compensatory benefits (Edgley, Sharma and Anderson-Gough, 2016). Apart from this,
the company should also promote the concept of remote working in its system. This will
allow people who live in remote areas to work in an effective manner.
Another approach that can be opted by the company to overcome gender pay
gap in its system is to offer mentoring programs to female employees. During these
mentoring programs, they should be taught how to negotiate their salary as well as
working conditions (Torrington, Hall and Taylor, 2017). Respective company, Amazon,
should provide both male as well as female mentors. This will ease out the process for
female staff members to speak up about the issues in their salary to their respective
mentor (Liu, 2017). Since Amazon itself is an entrepreneurial venture, it should
definitely promote the concept of female entrepreneurship. This will give them a chance
to develop creative ideas and apply them into practice. This will help in narrowing the
gender pay gap and making sure that the overall efficiency of the company is
maintained (Evans, 2016). Training and Development plays an important role in this and
women employees should be provided special training and skills development sessions
so that there is an improvement in their overall access to the market.
This will be beneficial for the company as its overall performance will increase
because the female staff members will be motivated and encouraged. Also, the option
of flexible working will give the female staff members an opportunity to take care of their
children as well as carry out their respective jobs in a much more enhanced manner.

This is an important approach for the company which will help it in overcoming the issue
of gender gap. Also, it should increase the salaries of the females of employees and
pay them equal salaries (Hussain and Ishaq, 2016). They should be promoted if they
perform well and each female employee should have a mentor who guides them
through the different operations of the company. Apart from this, the balance between
male and female employees should be maintained at all times and fair hiring practices
should be followed. The base compensation of the employees who are being paid less
should be increased and made equivalent to their colleagues who do the same job.
Research Methodology
Introduction
This research is based on equality and diversity and how can it help an
organization in overcoming various challenges (Avis, 2018). The ai of this research is to
analyze the impact of gender pay gap upon the productivity of employees at Amazon.
The research questions for the study are as follows -
 What is the concept of equality and diversity in Amazon?
 How does gender pay gap influence the productivity of employees within
Amazon?
 What approaches should Amazon implement in order to overcome the problem
of gender pay gap?
Research Philosophy
A research philosophy can be defined as the way in which data about a particular
research topic should be collected, used and analyzed. There are three types of
research philosophies, positivism, pragmatism and interpretivism. Positivism research
philosophy is based on the view that only factual knowledge, that is gained through
observation is reliable and trustworthy. Positivism explains only those phenomena that
we can know through our senses like smell, sight hearing and so on (GRAY, 2009).
While interpretivism involves the researcher to interpret different elements of the study.
This type of research philosophy pays more focus on qualitative analysis as compared
to quantitative analysis (Coleman, 2019). Positivism, on the other hand, is likely to be
more associated with numbers and quantitative data. For this research, positivism

research philosophy has been selected because it relies on quantitative data and since
questionnaire has been used to collect data, it will help in generating desired results.
Research Approach
A research approach can be defined as a plan that consists of steps of broad
assumptions along with detailed methods explaining how should data be collected,
analyzed and interpreted (Holck, 2018). The research approach for this study is
inductive as the data for the research is collected by the researcher himself along with
creation of own concepts and theory without any use of existing theory. Another type of
research approach is deductive which involves using specific hypothesis and then
collecting data to prove or disprove the hypothesis.
Research Strategy
This research is based on a case study and the organization selected for the
same is Amazon. There are many advantages of using case studies in a research
because they allow the researcher to collect a lot of detail that is not feasible to be
obtained by any other research design. Also, they are conducted on specific and rare
cases wherein large samples of similar participants are absent (COSTLEY, ELLIOT and
GIBBS, 2010). But there are also many disadvantages of using case studies like the
results can’t be generalized to a larger population and are also difficult to replicate.
Apart from this, some case studies are generally on a particular person, which can lead
to creating a bias.
Research Choices
A mono method approach is used for collecting data which means that a single
method is used for data collection. In order to collect first hand, reliable and accurate
data from the respondents, a questionnaire has been used.
Techniques and Procedures of Data Collection
Primary Methods
Primary methods of research help the researcher in collecting information that is
accurate and first-hand information from the respondents (Thompson, 2016). The
different methods by which data for a primary research can be collected are

questionnaires, observation, field tests, surveys etc. The information that is gathered
from these methods usually involve a lot of time and cost. There are various ways in
which data or information can be gathered for a primary research. Observation is one of
the most commonly used primary methods which involves watching and observing how
people behave. This can provide useful insights about the expectations as well as
needs of the customers. This method id commonly used in the retail sector.
Another method is telephonic interviews, wherein the customers’ feedbacks can
be received quickly. But there can be cases wherein some customers are reluctant to
share information and only give short answers. Online surveys are another effective tool
that have recently gained popularity. The reason behind this is that they involve low-cost
and can also be used by small businesses and not only large companies. Test-
marketing is a technique that involves selling a new product within a small market
section in order to assess and examine the customers’ reactions (Marfelt, 2016). This is
a great way to get ideas for product-placement within the market as well as generate
awareness about a new product among customers. Primary research methods allow the
researchers to collect data that are specific and relevant to their respective research.
This helps in addressing a particular research problem.
Also, the researcher has a great control over the tools and techniques as they
can decide the size of the project as well as the number of respondents required to
collect the data from. This, therefore, makes sure that the funds meant for the research
are utilized effectively. One of the biggest advantages of using primary methods for the
collection of data for the research is that the researcher gets a chance to collect or
gather the most relevant, reliable and accurate data. The data which is collected in
highly specific to the needs of the research and are current. The research which is
carried out based on the data which is collected through primary methods is a primary
research and there can be cases wherein the respondents do not provide accurate and
reliable response. This involves an exploration of data as well as facts that are from
various sources and are analyzed at an individual level. In order to conduct this
research, questionnaire has been used.
Secondary Methods

Secondary methods to collect information within a research include books,
journals, online websites, diaries, research publications etc. These methods
comparatively involve less time and are cost effective as well because the information
required is available. Secondary research is largely based on data that is already
available in the form of journals, online websites, books, report etc. There are many
advantages of using secondary sources of data, ease of access being one of the major
ones (Martinsson and Griffin, 2016). A researcher can make use of these methods if
there is need to complete the research immediately because the tie required to collect
data from secondary sources is much easier as compared to primary sources.
Also, the secondary methods involve low cost because collecting the data is way
cheaper. Apart from this, the research question can be clarified effectively and the
answer to it an also be attained quickly. The data that is collected through secondary
methods may not necessarily be as per the requirement of the researcher and he/she
might have to make alterations. Internet is one of the most common secondary sources
of collecting information and this is because the amount of information available on it is
huge. Once the data is collected, it can be analyzed using various tools and techniques.
This is because they help in analyzing large volumes of data with much ease which is
not possible if the analysis is done manually.
But there can be cases wherein the researcher does not achieve an answer to
the research question. Another drawback is that the results that are obtained by
analyzing the secondary data cannot be relied upon completely and also, there is no
surety that they are accurate (Mertkan and et. al., 2017). Therefore, although secondary
methods of collecting data are convenient and easy to use, there still can be various
setbacks associated with them. A secondary research can be performed easily without
much investment of time as well as cost. Also, the information collected should be
molded carefully as per the research requirements.
Quantitative Research
Quantitative research is a kind of research whose results are represented in the
form of numbers, graphics, statistics etc. Structured methods are used to collect
information for a qualitative research. And all the aspects of the research are carefully

designed before collecting the data (Research Guides, 2020). The main purpose of
quantitative research is to generate effective knowledge and create knowledge. Results
that are obtained by analyzing the data in a quantitative research like size of the market,
demographics as well as preferences of the users provide important insights that
facilitate an effective decision making within a company. Overall, a quantitative research
is more objective and reliable as compared to qualitative research. Also, it can use
statistical tools in order to generalize a particular finding and often reduces the risks and
errors associated with a complex problem. This type of research can also be used in
order to establish a cause and effect relationship between two variables.
Also, this type of research is subjective in nature and the results can be
presented in the form of numbers, graphs or statistics. The data for this type of research
is generally gathered using structured research tools and techniques. Also, the results
of the research are based on large sample sizes that represent a population. There is a
clear research question for which the researcher collects data in order to attain desired
results (Morgner, 2017). Apart from this, before the data is collected, all the different
aspects of the research are carefully designed. This helps in analyzing the data in an
effective manner and also make effective decisions. Different tools like questionnaires
etc. can be used to gather information for this type of research. Its is important to tell the
readers what should they look for in the tables and graphs as well as provide relevant
information in a quantitative research.
Qualitative Research
This kind of research is basically used to understand underlying reasons behind
a problem and the results are represented in the form of thoughts and figures. The
different ways in which data for a qualitative research can be gathered include
interviews, focus groups, observation etc. The number of respondents within a
qualitative research is less as compared to a quantitative research.
This is an in-depth research that uses various techniques that help the
researcher in understanding what do people think and behave (Schachner and et. al.,
2016). One of the advantages of using this research is that the research does not
require any hypothesis. Qualitative research also helps in getting a better understanding

of the behaviors as well as reasons behind an underlying problem. It also provides
depth and detail of the behaviors of people within a population (FLICK, 2011). It also
encourages people to expand their responses about new topics that were not
considered initially. Interviews, focus groups and observation are some common
methods of collecting data for the research. Also, this type of research is more targeted
as compared to quantitative research (Westwood, 2017). A lot of content or data can be
generated with the help of qualitative research which can be used in the future in order
to understand the reason behind a particular problem.
Apart from this, it becomes easier for the researcher to understand the attitudes
of the consumers. Since the sample size of the qualitative research is small as
compared to quantitative research. Also, a qualitative research is always open-ended
which makes it easier for the researcher to collect data in a much easier way (Selwyn
and Stirling, 2016). It can be based on the data which is already available and assists in
generating results that are reliable and accurate. The data in a qualitative research is
collected in detail and also focuses on data accuracy and reliability.
Questionnaire
A questionnaire can be defined as a research instrument that is used by
researchers and consists of a series of questions in order to gather information from the
respondents (Lozano and Escrich, 2017). There are many advantages of using a
questionnaire because they are practical and allow the researcher to collect a large
amount of data that is reliable and first-hand. The information can be collected by any
number of respondents as there is no limitation to this. But there can be cases wherein
respondents can provide wrong answers or leave some of them unanswered. Also,
there can be differences in understanding and interpreting questions by the
respondents. For this research mostly semi-structured questions were used and the
questionnaires were sent to the respondents through email.
Sampling Method
Sampling can be defined as a process in which a pre-determined number of
observations are selected from a large population. There are two types of sampling,
probabilistic and non-probabilistic (Maguire-Rajpaul and et. al., 2019). For this research,

probabilistic sampling method has been used which involves the researcher choosing
samples from a relatively large population by using the method of probability. A total of
30 respondents have been selected to be a part of the sample.
Data Analysis
The nature of data collected is quantitative, which means that it can be
represented in the form of numbers, graphs and tables. In order to analyze the data
collected from respondents, excel has been used. There are some limitations for using
excel for quantitative data analysis like, it does not cover many advanced statistical
techniques that are used in modern research. Apart from this, it also lacks many tools
that are commonly used by researchers and widely taught in statistics (Manfredi,
Vickers and Clayton-Hathway, 2018). Also, it is difficult to replicate data and errors
cannot not be spotted easily. The default graphs present in excel are also not up to the
standard and it is easy to make mistakes while using formulas and hard to track
mistakes.
Access Negotiations
The negotiated access to conduct research on the selected organization, i.e.,
Amazon was gained through one of the senior managers. There were different
accessibility issues that the researcher encountered while collecting data (Parry and
McCarthy, 2017). The employees of the company who were the respondents seemed to
be busy most of the time. Due to this, the process of collecting data initially got delayed
and afterwards took a lot of time. In order to deal with these difficulties, a time schedule
was set wherein all the respondents were asked to fill in the answers in the
questionnaire either during the lunch time or whenever they got some free time. Also,
nearly three attempts were made by the researcher to get the permission so as to
conduct the research.
Research Limitations
The limitations of a study are those features or characteristics of design or
research methodology that impacted the overall interpretation of findings from the
research. They are the shortcomings that are a result of either non-availability of
resources, small sample size or inappropriate methodology. No research is completely

accurate and exclusive of flaws. While conducting this research, time and availability of
funds posed to be limitations. This was due to the busy schedule of the respondents
within the company and also, due to the lack of funds the analysis was completed using
excel. This impacted the overall quality as well as value of the research.
Ethical Issues
Ethical issues in a research are problems or situations that require an
organization or a researcher to choose between if they are ethical or unethical. For this
research, before collecting information from the respondents, consent forms and
information sheets were distributed among the respondents in order to make them
understand and explain about the research and the main aim behind it (Johansson and
Ringblom, 2017). The confidentiality of the responses was maintained and the data that
was collected was stored and secured effectively. Apart from this, the respondents were
also provided with the freedom of opting out if they did not want to contribute their
responses for the research. Research ethics are important because they promote
expansion of knowledge as well as the ai of the research to people.
Work Breakdown Structure
WBS or Work Breakdown Structure is the breakdown of a large project into small
and manageable tasks. This makes it easier for members of a team to complete the
whole project in the most efficient manner. The primary purpose of a WBS is to reduce
unmanageable and difficult tasks in to small and manageable tasks. This is an important
aspect for the project manager of the respective company because this makes it easier
to track the overall performance of the team members. The different tasks of the project
should be independent as well as clearly defined. This will make it easier for the team
members to understand their respective tasks. There are many advantages of work
breakdown structure, for example- it defines and organizes the work of a project in an
efficient manner and can also be used to identify potential risks associated with the
project that can affect it.
Since all the tasks in a work breakdown structure are measurable, the project
manager can assign costs to each of them (The Importance of a Work Breakdown
Structure, 2020). Also, the manager can allocate different tasks among his team

members based on their skills and interests. It also provides a visual of the entire
project and the different factors that can have an impact on the project. A work
breakdown structure ensures that no deliverables, that are important for the project are
forgotten. Not only this, it also acts as a tool for team collaboration and brainstorming
apart from providing an opportunity to make members of the team to feel a part of the
project. A wok breakdown structure is an important component for a project because it
ensures that project planning, controlling, motoring and execution is done in a proper
and structured manner. The timeframe for this research is 7 weeks.
Gantt Chart
A Gantt chart is a type of bar chart that outlines that schedule of a project and
was developed by Henry Gantt. It is basically used in project management and helps in
planning, coordinating as well as tracking different tasks within a project. Originally, the
chart used to be developed by hand, but today various software tools are used to
prepare it. Most companies today use Gantt charts to track schedules of projects
(Kyuchukov and New, 2016). This includes maintaining a record of how each task within
the project is progressing, what resources are being used for each task and how they
relate to each other. The chart is basically developed by with a horizontal axis that
represents the total time span of a particular project. It is broken down into small
increments and also, there is a vertical axis that represents the tasks of the project. The
horizontal bars of different lengths represent the timespan and sequence of the tasks.
Gantt charts are important in order to plan and schedule different projects within
a company. In simple words, this chart helps in demonstrating how a particular task will
run. Gantt charts are one of the most effective tools used in project management
because they help project managers of a company to visualize the resources that are
available with them. This further allows them to allocate tasks effectively among the
team members so that the resources are utilized in the most efficient manner (Top 5
Benefits of Using Gantt Charts for Project Management, 2020). Also, the complex
information of a project can be managed and completed in a more enhanced manner.
This leads to the overall productivity of the team members being enhanced because

Gantt charts also act as motivational tools. Lastly, the planning and execution of the
project can be done in a much more refined and efficient manner.
Findings and Analysis
Q1 Do you have any understanding of the concept of equality and diversity within
a workplace?
Yes 20
No 10

Yes No
0
5
10
15
20
25
Frequency
Interpretation
On the basis of above graph, it can be stated that 20 respondents had an
understanding of the concept of equality and diversity within the workplace because
they had either read about it somewhere or heard it from a colleague. On the other
hand, 10 respondents were not aware of the same.
Q2 What are the major problems that Amazon is facing due gender pay gap within its
workplace?
Decreased morale of employees 12
Loss of Productivity 9
Low job satisfaction 2
All of the above 7
Decreased morale of
employees Loss of Productivity Low job satisfaction All of the above
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Frequency

Interpretation
From the above graph, it can be concluded that 12 respondents think that
decreased morale is one of the biggest problems that Amazon is facing due to gender
pay gap. This is because the company is not paying equally to its male as well as
female employees. On the other hand, 9 respondents consider loss of pay to be a
problem while 2 respondents think that the gender pay gap has resulted in low job
satisfaction among employees. Lastly, 7 respondents are of the viewpoint that all the of
the options stated are problems that are a result of not paying equally to all employees.
Q3 What is the legislation to be adhered to for having equality and diversity in an
organization?
Human Rights Act, 1998 5
Education Act, 1944 7
Equality Act, 2010 18
Human Rights Act, 1998 Education Act, 1944 Equality Act, 2010
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Frequency
Interpretation
On the basis of above graph, it can be said that as per the viewpoint of 5
respondents, Human Rights Act, 1998 is the legislation for equality and diversity in the
workplace. 7 out of the remaining respondents think that Education Act, 1944 is the
legislation for equality and diversity, while the remaining 18 respondents think that
Equality Act, 2010 should be adhered to in order to have equality and diversity within
the workplace.

Q4 What are the advantages of having equality and diversity at workplace?
Enhanced productivity of employees 15
Reduction in absenteeism 8
Improved creativity 7
Enhanced productivity of
employees Reduction in
absenteeism Improved creativity
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Frequency
Interpretation
By analyzing the above graph, it can be said that 15 respondents think that
enhanced productivity of the employees is an advantage of having equality and diversity
in their workplace. On the other hand, 8 respondents think that reduction in
absenteeism while remaining 7 respondents think that improved creativity are
advantages of the same.
Q5 What approaches can Amazon adopt in order to encourage equality and
diversity in its workplace?
Promote teamwork 12
Recognize various cultural practices 10
Treat all employees equally 8

Promote teamwork Recognize various
cultural practices Treat all employees
equally
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Frequency
Interpretation
On the basis of above graph, it can be said that there are different approaches by
which equality and diversity can be encouraged in the workplace. And for this, 12 out of
30 respondents are of the opinion that promoting teamwork can help in encouraging
equality and diversity in Amazon. 10 respondents believe that recognizing various
cultural practices and 8 respondents think that treating all employees equally can help in
encouraging equality and diversity within the workplace.
Q6 Has Amazon taken any initiatives to implement equality and diversity in the
system?
Yes 19
No 11
Yes No
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
Frequency

Interpretation
From the above graph, it can be said that 19 respondents say the respective
company, Amazon has taken initiatives to implement equality and diversity in the
workplace, while 11 believe otherwise.
Q7 How will equality and diversity help in overcoming the problem of gender pay
gap?
Promote fair and consistent treatment 12
Sense of belonging among employees 7
Different perspectives to a problem 8
All of the above 3
Frequency
Promote fair and consistent treatment Sense of belonging among employees
Different perspectives to a problem All of the above
Interpretation
On the basis of above graph, it can be said that according to 12 respondents,
promoting fair and consistent training of employees can help in overcoming the issue of
gender pay gap. 7 respondents think that a sense of belonging can help while 8
respondents think that equality and diversity allows different perspectives to a problem
which can help in overcoming the problem. Lastly, 3 respondents think that all of the
options are helpful in overcoming the issue.
Q8 Any suggestions or recommendations?

Interpretation
The company is suggested to adopt various measures in which it can promote
equality and diversity in its workplace. This is because they will help it in overcoming the
issue of gender pay gap.
CONCLUSION
From the above research, it can be concluded that equality and diversity is a
concept that organizations are incorporating in their systems gradually. It not only helps
the company to grow but also improves its overall performance in the market. When
people from diverse cultures work for a particular organization that are likely to bring in
more ideas that are innovative and creative. On the other hand, companies that do not
practice equality and diversity tend to have lower levels of productivity and motivation
among the employees. It also impacts their level of creativity because if employees of a
company will not be involved and treated equally, they will gradually start losing interest
in their jobs. Equality and Diversity help in eliminating various issues from the system of
the company thereby improving its overall performance and helping it gain a competitive
advantage against other companies. Also, Equality and diversity within an organization
can be affected by various external factors.
Recommendations
After conducting the above research and understanding the concept of equality
and diversity, it has been found that it plays an important role in the overall success of
an organization. Respective company, Amazon is recommended to promote equality
and diversity in its workplace by treating all its employees in a fair and consistent way.
One of the many ways of doing so is to eliminate the issue of gender pay gap from its
system and paying equal salaries to both male as well as female employees. This will
help in increasing the overall morale as well as productivity levels of the employees and
as a result, they will be more engaged as well as committed to their respective jobs. The
company is also recommended to value the different cultural backgrounds and diversity
of its workforce.

Reflection
While conducting the respective research, I got an opportunity to learn and
enhance my overall knowledge bout the concept of equality and diversity within a
workplace. The research method employed for the collection as well as analysis of the
research proved out to be effective. The questionnaires used to collect information from
the respondents were effective and helped in achieving the objectives of the research.
Apart from using primary methods of collecting the information, secondary sources
could also have been used. The results and findings obtained from this research can be
used as a learning for conducting a future research. It is also observed that using
secondary methods can also be an effective way of collecting information.

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Appendix
Questionnaire
Q1 Do you have any understanding of the concept of equality and diversity
within a workplace?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2 What are the major problems that Amazon is facing due gender pay gap
within its workplace?
a) Decreased morale of employees
b) Loss of Productivity
c) Low job satisfaction
d) All of the above
Q3 What is the legislation to be adhered to for having equality and diversity in
an organization?
a) Human Rights Act, 1998
b) Education Act, 1944
c) Equality Act, 2010
Q4 What are the advantages of having equality and diversity at workplace?
a) Enhanced productivity of employees
b) Reduction in absenteeism
c) Improved creativity
Q5 What approaches can Amazon adopt in order to encourage equality and
diversity in its workplace?
a) Promote teamwork
b) Recognize various cultural practices
c) Treat all employees equally
Q6 Has Amazon taken any initiatives to implement equality and diversity in the
system?
a) Yes
b) No

Q7 How will equality and diversity help in overcoming the problem of gender
pay gap?
a) Promote fair and consistent treatment
b) Sense of belonging among employees
c) Different perspectives to a problem
d) All of the above
Q8 Any suggestions or recommendations?