Building a Diverse and Inclusive Workforce: Vodafone's Strategies

This project delves into the strategies and initiatives companies employ to cultivate a diverse and inclusive workforce, with a specific focus on Vodafone Group Plc. The project begins with an introduction outlining the aims and objectives, which include evaluating the importance of a diverse workforce and identifying Vodafone's strategies. A project management plan details the cost, scope, and time frame. The research section outlines primary and secondary research methods, including a self-questionnaire administered to Vodafone stakeholders. Findings are presented in a data sheet and analyzed, leading to recommendations for Bandon Tiles Ltd. The project concludes with an evaluation, reflection, and appendices containing the self-questionnaire, project logbook, and performance review. The research reveals that Vodafone prioritizes diversity through various initiatives such as hiring from different nationalities and creating an inclusive environment. Recommendations are made for Bandon Tiles Ltd. to build its own diverse workforce, based on the findings from Vodafone's practices. The project highlights the importance of diversity and inclusion for business success.

Managing Successful Business
Project

Table of Contents
Topic: “What types of strategies and initiatives do companies put in place to build a diverse and
inclusive workforce?”......................................................................................................................1
Section 1 – Introduction...................................................................................................................1
Overview of project.....................................................................................................................1
Aims and Objectives....................................................................................................................1
Section 2 – Project Plan...................................................................................................................3
Project Management Plan............................................................................................................3
Project Milestone.........................................................................................................................3
Section 3 – Research........................................................................................................................5
Primary and Secondary methods.................................................................................................5
Ethical considerations..................................................................................................................5
Section 4 – Findings and Recommendations...................................................................................5
Data sheet.....................................................................................................................................5
Data analysis................................................................................................................................7
Recommendations......................................................................................................................12
Section 5 – Evaluation...................................................................................................................13
Reflection...................................................................................................................................13
Section 6 – Conclusion..................................................................................................................13
References......................................................................................................................................14
Appendices.....................................................................................................................................15
Self-Questionnaire.....................................................................................................................15
Project Logbook.........................................................................................................................16
Performance Review..................................................................................................................17

Topic: “What types of strategies and initiatives do companies put in place to
build a diverse and inclusive workforce?”
Section 1 – Introduction
Overview of project
For expansion of business from small scale to large one, it is essential for every firm to
think about strategies which needs to be taken, for building an inclusive and diverse workforce
first. Having such workforce, aid employers to create innovation and meet its objectives on time,
because with skilled employees a business cannot be run in desired manner (Sharma and et. al.,
2020). In context with Bandon Tiles Ltd, as it also operates at small level, therefore, before make
planning for expansion of workforce, it is essential for its employers to carry out a research on
large companies for evaluating their way to build a diverse and inclusive workforce. For this
purpose, a study is conducted on Vodafone Group Plc, which is one of the biggest
telecommunication firm of UK. Making research on this firm, will help in investigating the
different types of strategies as well as recommending ways, that help Bandon Tiles Ltd. in
expanding its diverse workforce. The present report includes a project management plan,
appropriate aim and objectives with primary and secondary research sources, to conduct study on
chosen organisation.
Aims and Objectives
Project Aim: “To identify the strategies and initiatives that companies put in place for building a
diverse and inclusive workforce”. A case study on Vodafone Group Plc.
Project Objectives:
 To evaluate the importance of diverse and inclusive workforce in business entities
 To determine the strategies and initiatives taken by Vodafone for bringing diversity in its
workplace
 To recommend ways that helps Bandon Tiles Ltd. in building diverse and inclusive
workforce
Literature Review:
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Importance of diverse and inclusive workforce:
As per theoretical prospectus of Swartz and et. al. (2019), it has been analysed that today,
every business entity is highly concerned on building diverse workforce, by giving employment
to most eligible people, belongs to different-different background (not limited to education,
culture, race, community and more). But as only diversity cannot bring an entity ahead from
competition, therefore, inclusion also needs to be built at workplace, where culture and views of
every individual is equally valued, empowered and respected, for developing a true sense of
belonging (The Importance of Diversity and Inclusion in the Workforce, 2019). In context with
Vodafone Plc, this telecommunication firm of UK has expanded its business almost in every
nation. Therefore, to gain a better competitive image, increase business productivity, promoting
creativity and innovation, it highly concerns on developing and maintaining diverse with
inclusive workforce, within its organisation (Combs, Milosevic and Bilimoria, 2019).
Strategies and initiatives for building diverse workforce:
As per views of Karakhan, Gambatese and Simmons (2020), it has been identified that
Vodafone Group Plc highly believe that customers’ experience and business performance, both
are majorly depended on ability to attract and retain the talented people at all levels (People and
Culture, 2020). For creating a place, where all employees of diverse background feel a sense of
belongingness, its management concern more on integrating the inclusive environment. It has
given employment to more than 92,963 employees on full-time and 11,244 on contract basis
from 21 different markets, to create diversity at workplace (Lindsay and et. al., 2019). Along
with this, it has large workforce that have been employed from 136 approx. different
nationalities, for building diversity and attaining initiatives from it to create innovation in
business. While for creating inclusive environment, it has given commitment to embrace all
employees at every level and embedded them in ‘Spirit of Vodafone’, specified ‘Code of
Conduct’ and ethical ‘Business Principles’. The Diversity and Inclusion agenda of this firm
continues to be one of its key priorities, by primarily focusing on gender balance, disability,
LGBT+ and ethnicity. It also supports allies via global Ally training programmes, where Friends
of LGBT+ training webinars are introduced for creating such a culture that empowers employees
to be opened about sexual orientation as well as gender identity of them (Syed and Ozbilgin,
2019).
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Section 2 – Project Plan
Project Management Plan
It is one of the most important part of a project, that entails cost, budget, time, scope and
more. Through this plan, project makers can analyse activities which needs to be conducted,
within a set duration for addressing given objectives more efficiently (Hughes, 2019). In context
with present study on diverse workforce of Vodafone Group Plc, a suitable project management
plan (PMP) has been prepared in following way –
Cost: It is one of the main key consideration of PMP that depicts estimate cost, requires to
complete a project in efficient manner. In this regard, for present project near about £300 has
been projected, for successfully evaluating the strategies and approaches taken by Vodafone firm
in making its workforce diverse.
Scope: The potential scope of the present investigation is analysing what initiatives a
company can take, from its inclusive and diverse workforce (Syed and Ozbilgin, 2019). This
would help in recommending better strategies to Bandon Tiles Ltd. for building its workplace
more diverse, so that productivity can be increased.
Time: It is considered as the main essential component that describes duration required for
completing all planned activities of the project (Hughes, 2019). Therefore, for present project
near about two to three months will be taken.
Communication: This part entails techniques require for making interaction among team
members, to complete each set activity within a timeframe. In present study, emails and mobile
phones are used for developing and making communication within team members, so that quality
of outcomes can be maintained.
Project Milestone
This part of project entails activities which are going to be completed within limited time
duration (Lindsay and et. al., 2019). For this purpose, two main techniques will be used that are
Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and Gantt Chart to divide the major activities into smaller
ones and frame in a duration, in following way –
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Figure 1: Work Break Down Structure
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Strategies for making workforce diverse
Collect secondary data about title Collect primary data about title
Prepare Questionnaire Prepare Data sheet
Collect Primary data
Conclude Result
Make Recommendation

Figure 2: Gantt Chart
Section 3 – Research
Primary and Secondary methods
While executing an investigation work, project makers are required to concern on selecting
the most suitable research methodologies also. This would help in making plans and setting
strategies about sources, from where required data can be collected, analysed and interpreted, to
obtain valid result outcomes (Combs, Milosevic and Bilimoria, 2019). In this regard, both
primary and secondary data research will be conducted to gather information on importance of
diverse and inclusive workforce, with strategies required for developing the same. Hereby,
literature review is done by gathering secondary information from books, journals, business
report and more. While primary data is collected by carrying out self-questionnaire test on
stakeholders of Vodafone Group Plc (as shown in appendix). For this purpose, 10 stakeholders as
a sample size has been selected randomly for carrying out primary research.
Ethical considerations
For carrying out a research, it is essential to collect data from authenticate sources only, so
that reliability and accuracy can be maintained (Sharma and et. al., 2020). Therefore, information
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is collected from copyright sources only. Along with this, to maintain ethics, personal
information of each respondent keeps safe, with maintenance of confidentiality.
Section 4 – Findings and Recommendations
Data sheet
Questionnaire
Q1) Are you familiar with the concept of diverse and inclusive
workforce?
Frequency
a) Yes 8
b) No 2
Q2) What initiatives a firm can gained by diverging its workforce? Frequency
a) Better Competitive Advantage 3
b) Promotes creativity and innovation 3
c) Close talent gap 2
d) Reduce labour turnover 2
Q3) Do you really think that to gain competitive advantage, it is
essential for business entities to build diverse and inclusive
workforce?
Frequency
a) Yes 7
b) No 3
Q4) Which strategies Vodafone Group Plc has taken to bring
diverse workforce in its business?
Frequency
a) Giving employment to LGBT+ 2
b) Promoting women on management position 2
c) Hiring workers from different nationalities 2
d) All of the above 4
Q5) According to you, is it essential to create inclusive
environment in diverse workforce?
Frequency
a) Yes 8
b) No 2
Q6) What are the approaches a firm can use for creating inclusive Frequency
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environment at workplace?
a) Creating equality 2
b) Developing a sense of belongingness 3
c) Zero-tolerance policies on discrimination and harassment 5
Q7) Recommend the ways which help Bandon Tiles Ltd. in its expansion of diverse
workforce
Data analysis
Theme 1:
Q1) Are you familiar with the concept of diverse and inclusive
workforce?
Frequency
a) Yes 8
b) No 2
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Interpretation: From this figure, it has been analysed that among 10 respondents, 8 of them are
aware with importance and necessity of diverse workforce in today’s business entities for
running business successfully.
Theme 2:
Q2) What initiatives a firm can gained by diverging its workforce? Frequency
a) Better Competitive Advantage 3
b) Promotes creativity and innovation 3
c) Close talent gap 2
d) Reduce labour turnover 2
Interpretation: It has been interpreted from above presentation that 3 out of 10 respondents
believe that from diverse workforce, better competitive advantage can be gained by
organisations. While other 3 are in favour with promotion of creativity and innovation, whereas
other 2 to close talent gap and remaining 2 respondents with reducing the labour turnover.
Theme 3:
Q3) Do you really think that to gain competitive advantage, it is
essential for business entities to build diverse and inclusive
workforce?
Frequency
a) Yes 7
b) No 3
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Interpretation: As per this figure, 7 respondents out of 10 strictly believe that competitive
advantage is the main initiative which firm can gain from its diverse workforce. While remaining
3 do not agree with the same statement.
Theme 4:
Q4) Which strategies Vodafone Group Plc has taken to bring
diverse workforce in its business?
Frequency
a) Giving employment to LGBT+ 2
b) Promoting women on management position 2
c) Hiring workers from different nationalities 2
d) All of the above 4
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Interpretation: For promoting diversity at workplace, 2 respondents believe that Vodafone
mainly concerns of giving employment to LGBT+ community. While other 2 are in with
promotion of females on higher position, where 2 respondents give their concern towards hiring
workers from various nationalities across UK. Apart from this, remaining 4 states that this firm
has used all approaches to build diverse and inclusive workforce.
Theme 5:
Q5) According to you, is it essential to create inclusive
environment in diverse workforce?
Frequency
a) Yes 8
b) No 2
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