Equality and Diversity in the Workplace: A Research Project

This research project, titled "Equality and Diversity in the Workplace," investigates how Aston Martin addresses equality and diversity issues, particularly the gender pay gap. The report begins with an introduction outlining the research aims, objectives, and questions, followed by a literature review that explores the concept of equality and diversity, the problems stemming from gender pay gaps, and HR strategies for resolution. The research methodology details the design, data collection methods, and philosophical approaches employed. The data analysis and interpretation section provides insights into the findings, while the recommendation and reflection section offers actionable suggestions and personal insights. The report concludes with a summary of the findings and a list of references, providing a comprehensive analysis of equality and diversity practices within the automotive company.

Research Project

Contents
Title: “Equality and diversity in the workplace.”...................................................................................3
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................3
Background of research.....................................................................................................................3
Research Aims...................................................................................................................................3
Research............................................................................................................................................3
Research............................................................................................................................................3
Purpose..............................................................................................................................................3
Rationale for selection of topic..........................................................................................................4
Research Time Line...........................................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW......................................................................................................................5
The concept of equality and diversity practices within workplace.....................................................5
Problems develop from gender pay gap within Aston Martin............................................................6
Different ways through which HR manager of Aston Martin resolve issues like gender pay gap......7
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY..........................................................................................................8
Research design.................................................................................................................................8
Data collection...................................................................................................................................8
Research methods..............................................................................................................................9
Research approaches..........................................................................................................................9
Research Philosophy........................................................................................................................10
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION.................................................................................12
RECOMMENDATION AND REFLECTION....................................................................................28
Recommendation.............................................................................................................................28
Reflection........................................................................................................................................29
CONCLUSION...................................................................................................................................30
REFERENCES....................................................................................................................................31

Title: “Equality and diversity in the workplace.”
INTRODUCTION
Background of research
Equality and diversity play important role in organisation as it provide equal
opportunity to each and every individual person working within business firm. In addition to
this, it also results in creating positive working environment as well as equal and fair job
opportunities. This report is based on Aston Martin which is part of Automobile
manufacturing and luxury Goods Company. It was founded in 1913 by Lionel Martin and
Robert Bamford. Headquarter of respective company is located at Gaydon, Warwickshire,
England, United Kingdom as well as serving at worldwide level. This research is based on
topic “To investigate how Aston Martin responded to current issues of equality & diversity
such as Gender pay gap within the workplace”.
Research Aims
“To investigate how Aston Martin responded to current issues of equality & diversity such as
Gender pay gap within the workplace”. A study on Aston Martin.
Research Objectives
 To determine the concept of equality and diversity practices within workplace.
 To identify problems develop from gender pay gap within Aston Martin.
 To analyse different ways through which HR manager of Aston Martin resolve issues
like gender pay gap.
Research Question
 What is the concept of equality and diversity practices within workplace?
 What are the problems develop from gender pay gap within Aston Martin?
 What are the different ways through which HR manager of Aston Martin resolve
issues like gender pay gap?
Purpose and scope of research
The aid of conducting this research is to find out different ways by that equality and
diversity will maintain in organisation as well as problems related to gender gap will resolve.

The scope of the study is that it will help Aston Martin in maintaining equality and diversity
within business firm.
Rationale for selection of topic
Main reason behind selecting this specific topic is to provide vast growth as well as
opportunity to automotive company by which they can grow effectively and efficiently. In
addition to this, it also provides assistance to scholars in enhancing their knowledge on
automobile and luxury goods as well as related to the topic. This will also help these scholars
in getting jobs in the same sector in future after completion of their studies.
Research Time Line
Gantt Chart – It is tool developed by Henry L. Gantt in 1917 by American engineer
and social scientist. Gantt Chart is horizontal bar chart which was developed with motive of
production control. Moreover, this tool frequently utilise in project management as it is
graphical illustration of schedule which assist to plan, coordinate and also for tracking
specific task in project. Gantt Chart is constructed with horizontal axis which represent total
time span of task or project as well as vertical axis shows task which make up the project.
Horizontal bars of varying lengths represent the sequences, timing, and time span for each
task.

Work breakdown Structure – Dividing complex projects within simpler as well as
manageable tasks is the procedure known as Work Breakdown structure. In addition to this,
project manager utilised this method for simplifying project execution. Within Work
breakdown structure larger projector task has been broken down within manageable chunks
of work so that it will easily supervised as well as estimated. Best thing of Work breakdown
structure is that it’s not restricted to specify filed when it comes to application. As it can be
implementing for any type of project management.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The concept of equality and diversity practices within workplace.
As per the view point of Klein, 2016 it has been identified that equality and diversity
play important role in business firm as it assist in providing equal opportunities to the
personnel’s. By implementing such practices of equality and diversity within workplace it
result in enhancing efficiency of staff members within workplace. It has been identified that
there are must be equal opportunities for each and every individual so that they feel
motivated and encouraged while performing their roles and functions. It is necessary for
every organisation to develop equal and diversified culture at the workplace so that they can
easily attain their predefined targets and objectives. Along with this, they feel motivated
when equal opportunities are provided to them and also diversified working environment.

Thus, in simple term it can be said that everyone in company will have equal opportunities as
well as rights. Whereas if talking about diversity practices, it has been said that it is highly
associated with human rights & opportunities. It has been said that for every business entity it is
quite necessary to provide equal and diversified culture so they can put their full efforts in the
attainment of organizational goals and objectives. It has also been analysed that there are large
number of business entity where male employees get higher priority and extra opportunity and
indulge them in order to take decisions. As a result this might decline or reduce the level of
confidence of female employees and might influence their mind in a negative manner. Any kind of
unequal behaviour arise at workplace creates negative environment at the workplace which as a result
reduces the whole performance of the individuals as well as organisation as a whole. Therefore, by
providing equal opportunities and growth chances it becomes easy for the business entity to attain
their organizational goals and targets within given time period. It has been said that culture plays very
essential role in the growth and development of an organization as norms, customs, values plays very
crucial part in the overall behaviour and attitude of individuals. On the other hand, diversified culture
refers to a system in which managers provide opportunity to different cultural background so they can
attain all the predetermined objectives in an effective manner. These are the factors which needs to be
consider in order to promote equality and diversity practices at workplace so that they will be able to
gain positive outcomes and attain their predefined targets in an effective manner.
Problems develop from gender pay gap within Aston Martin.
On the basis of thought of Cardoso, Guimarães and Portugal, 2016, it is said that there
are different issues create from the unjustifiable sexual orientation pay hole which influence
the entire execution of the organization. In this respects it has likewise been distinguished a
portion of the issues which impact the business usefulness in negative way. It has been said
that there are various problems and issues arise at the workplace due to inequality in the
gender pay which highly affects the overall performance or environment of the company in a
negative manner. Some of the main issues arise at workplace includes demotivation among
staff members, disappointment or satisfaction between the workers, decline in performance
and so on. In case of demotivation arise between the workers it is said that if a person get
high pay on the basis of their performance and the another person did not get enough amount
this might create anger, frustration and demotivation between them. This as a result develop
negative working atmosphere and disputes, conflicts at workplace which then reduce the
overall efficiency and performance of employees. A portion of these issues incorporates
demotivation, decline in general execution of staff individuals, uneasiness, disappointment,
dis fulfillment and some more.

Apart from this, sometimes because of not satisfactory appraisal according to the
performance of employees, dis-satisfactory might arise in the mind of employees. This affects
their efficiency and effectiveness which leads towards the development of low quality
products and services at the marketplace. Every one of these elements emerges inside the
working environment because of inconsistent sexual orientation pay framework. This
accordingly makes negative condition inside the work environment which influences the
entire execution of individual just as association all in all. In this manner, it is basic to
consider every one of the issues in a fitting way with the goal that positive results will be
created. All these issues affect the person mentally as well as physically which at the end
increases dissatisfaction feeling among them. They become angry, feel depressed, burst on
the subordinates which ultimately leads towards conflicts and disputes at the workplace.
These issues and problems arise at the business premises and reduce the performance of staff
members. This affects the goodwill, brand reputation and publicity at the competitive
marketplace and reduces the overall revenue and sales in a negative way. Therefore,
considering all the basis related to equality and diversity are essential for the management
team so they create positive and healthy working environment which motivate them to
perform their work in more effective and efficient manner.
Conceptual framework related to gender pay gap
There are several approaches that are basically considered as the main one in order to
develop understanding on the gender pay gap which is supportive in acknowledging best
possible way through which it can be overcome. Here, it has been analysed that the main
theoretical approach towards the same are labour market discrimination, human capital model
and theory of occupational segregation. The main focus of the framework is used to identify
core reasons that why women are getting less pay as compared to men. The human capital
model usually states even though the women has equivalent job experience, qualification,
skills and knowledge as compared to men then also they will not similar salary like men
because society gives more preference to male staff because they thinks due to additional
responsibilities women might not stay longer in the company. Thus, companies believe to
provide higher salary to men in order to satisfy them and influence them to stay longer with
the company for longer period of time.

Different ways through which HR manager of Aston Martin resolve issues like gender pay
gap.
As per the thought of Van der Vleuten, 2016, it has been said that there are different
techniques with the assistance of which issues, for example, sex pay hole. Human resource
manager plays very essential role in the formulation and development of practices and
strategies. These methods provide assistance to the employees in order to perform their task
in an effective manner. There are different systems utilized by Human asset chief which help
in settling issues emerge inside the working environment. Methods and tools used by human
resource manager assist in implementing equality and diversified culture at the company so
all the individuals must feel safe and secure as well as satisfied and motivated. Supervisory
group embrace techniques, for example, customary premise coaching program, advancement
and profession movement, reasonable contracting rehearses and a lot more which impact the
exhibition of staff individuals in a viable way. All these strategies help in creating positive
working environment and reduce issues and problems arise at the workplace due to unequal
gender pay gap. Every one of these techniques help in settling issues emerge inside the
association because of sex pay hole with the goal that positive result will be created in a
powerful way.
It becomes essential for the higher authorities to implement some legislation related to
employment protection and security so they can feel motivated and encouraged. This as a
result might assist workers to perform their task in more efficient and effective manner and
fulfil all the requirements within given time period. Also these human resource methods
which are related with gender pay gap are implemented in an effective manner at the
organizational premises so there might be less disputes and conflicts arise. Each and every
person gets equivalent opportunities on the basis of their performance within the business
entity which assist them in order to attain growth and development at the competitive
marketplace.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research methodology is important part of entire research project as it help in
collecting information as well as data for purpose of making business decision. It may
involve publication research, surveys, interviews as well as several other research techniques
and also involve both current and historical information.

Research design
Research Design is a particular method which utilised by researcher for gathering and
collecting commerce exam in as well as interpreter information in relation to selected issue or
problem. In case of research design, there are various approaches which includes descriptive,
exploratory and experimental (Kumar, 2019). In the present research, investigators use
descriptive design so that they will be able to conduct the whole research in an effective
manner and get authentic information. With the assistant of this type of research design,
investigator enhance it’s knowledge along with reader. There are three methods with the help
of which researcher can accomplish it’s task these are case study, survey and observation. In
the present research, investigator adopts survey method for gathering information in order to
accomplish the research. For this, researchers collect data through questionnaire. It is an tool
which utilise by researcher for gathering information and data from individuals. In addition
to this, it involve set of questions which are answered by respondents so that authentic data
will be gathered in effective manner. It is one of the easiest method through which researcher
can gather primary data and produce positive outcome.
Data collection
There are two type of data collection method i.e., primary and secondary methods.
Both utilise for gathering authentic information or data. Explanation of these are as follows :-
 Primary data - Primary data is conducted by researcher in order to gather authentic
information. It is type of first hand data which has been never utilised or published in
any books, journals etc.. There are several sources of collecting or gathering primary
data such as questionnaires, interviews, online survey and many more (Alvesson and
Sköldberg, 2017). Through this data collection tool researcher will be able to
gathering authentic
 Secondary data - Another method of data collection is secondary, it involve
information and data which has been published before. There are several sources of
gathering secondary data such as television, newspaper, articles, journals, books and
many more.
In the present research, both primary as well as secondary method is used for collecting
data. For this, questionnaires, articles and journals are used by researcher. As these both

methods will provide assistance to researcher in completing research within effective manner
as well as help in coming out with better outcomes.
Research methods
- It refers to a research which develop a method for conducting research. Methodology
aid in identifying different ways for gathering data with the help of which they can
accomplish their goals and objectives effectively (Silverman, 2016). It refers to a systematic
procedure used by researcher while conducting research. In order to gather and collect data
researchers use two methods i.e. quantitative and qualitative research.
 Qualitative Research – In qualitative research, investigator use open ended questions
for collecting information. It is the kind of research which is based on observations of
individuals. Main focus of this research is to examine various factors, beliefs and
experience of individuals. In this, research collect data other than quantitative
research.
 Quantitative Research – It refers to a type of research which is used by researcher in
order to describe the characteristics of the population. In this, questions are close
ended and data which is gathered are in numerical manner (Flick, 2015).
While conducting this research, investigator use qualitative method as it will aid in
gaining knowledge related to a particular topic.
Research approaches
Research approach is commonly acknowledged as the range of steps which are
followed by the researcher for conducting the study in such a manner with the intention of
ultimately helping in attaining research outcome in rightful manner. Research approaches are
of mainly of two types such as inductive and deductive kind of research approach. Adoption
of right approach simply helps investigator in attaining proposed research outcome in best
possible manner (Silverman, 2016). Inductive research approach is mainly adopted by the
investigator for evaluating qualitative data gathered from different sources. In this, theories
and observations are effectively tested by the investigator so that they can easily identify that
whether it is true or not. Whereas, deductive type of research approach is mainly acquired by
the researcher for the evaluating quantitative data that is consist of numerical data. In this
testing of data, simply specifies that whether the analysed data supports the generalised
theory or not. For conducting present investigation in best possible manner, the respective
investigator have given main preference to use inductive form of research approach as in