DHL Supply Chain: Gender Diversity Impact on Business Performance

This report presents a research project analyzing gender diversity within DHL Supply Chain, focusing on its influence on business performance and corporate culture. The study, conducted at DHL Heathrow Flight Assembly Centre, employs a mixed-methods approach, including a literature review, survey, and thematic data analysis. The research aims to examine the relevance of equality and diversity in the workplace, identifying behaviors supporting equality, analyzing the effects of diversity, showcasing the role of equality, and providing recommendations to reduce diversity issues. Key findings reveal a predominantly female workforce, with the majority of respondents aged 31-50 and holding first-line management positions. The data analysis highlights themes related to gender distribution, age demographics, job roles, and the presence of direct reports, indicating a workplace that values gender equality and provides opportunities for employees of various backgrounds. The study concludes with recommendations for enhancing diversity and inclusion practices within DHL, contributing valuable insights for promoting a more equitable and high-performing workplace.

Research Project Part- 2

Executive summary
Gender diversity plays vital role in key success and growth of companies, in workplace it
means that female and male workers are recruited at a consistent and similar rate, are paid fairly
without making any discriminations. The current study is based on DHL organization which falls
under list of leading services providers in UK. It explains a research method that has been used by
researcher like deductive, thematic as data analysis and others while carrying out their
investigation. Furthermore, organization by following potential suggestions and recommendations
has been enhancing their business performance in effective manner. From current research, it has
been identified that management are doing well job in context of building corporate culture, they
are doing a lot of things which is quite beneficial for overall business practices. It has been
determined that company by providing fair growth opportunities to staff increase satisfaction level
rather than before.

Table of Contents
Executive summary.............................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...............................................................................................................................3
Research aim and objectives...........................................................................................................3
Research Methodology........................................................................................................................4
DATA ANALYSIS.............................................................................................................................6
DISCUSSION..................................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION.................................................................................................................................16
RECOMMENDATION.....................................................................................................................16
REFLECTION...................................................................................................................................17
REFERNCES....................................................................................................................................18
Appendix.......................................................................................................................................19

INTRODUCTION
Research aim and objectives
Research Aim
“To critically examine the relevance of equality and diversity within the workplace. This
helps in managing diversity within the organization. This study is highly significant in accurately
providing the key idea related with the workplace discrimination.”
Research Objectives
 To identify the behaviours that support equality and diversity in the chosen organisation
 To analyse the effect of diversity in the workplace
 To showcase the role of equality to eliminate the diversity from workplace
 To provide a desirable recommendation to reduce the diversity in DHL Heathrow Flight
Assembly Centre.
Research Questions
 What are the behaviours that support equality and diversity in the chosen organisation?
 What is the effect of diversity in the workplace?
 What is the role of equality to eliminate the diversity from workplace?
 What is the recommendation to reduce the diversity in DHL Heathrow Flight Assembly
Centre?
Rationale
This topic in turn has been significantly used because it helps in critically evaluating the key role
related with the equality and diversity and the key inclusion within the workplace. However,
cultural diversity is considered to be one of the most debatable topics. This study is carried out
because of the personal as well as the academic interest. This study will be useful in providing the
key knowledge related with the diversification theory. This study is useful in effectively analysing
the key concepts of diversity helps DHL Supply Chain to provide for their employees diverse
workplace with equal opportunities.

Research Methodology
Research methodology is specific techniques or process utilized to determine, procedure,
select and analyse information about chosen topic. It is one of the best paths through which
scholars need to conduct their investigation. It shows the right methods through which investigator
formulate objectives and present outcomes from data obtained while conducting research. This
chapter permits reader to critically examine a study’s overall reliability as well as validity.
Research philosophy-
This method helped to achieve study aim and objectives, it can relate to actual view on how
philosophy supports to addressing them. Research philosophy is distinguished into two categories;
interpretivism and positivism. In respect of current study, researcher can use interpretivism
approach, because it aid investigator to comprehend human interest included in research (Pham,
2018). It can help to studied in greater degree of depth. Researcher uses this method because it
helps to inspect assumption existing in current work that explain varied respondents point of view.
Research approaches-
It is the next stage of research onion model that can use by researcher to gather a lot of data
related to above subject. It is divided into two different forms such as descriptive and inductive
research approaches. In context of current study, for finding out suggestions and final outcome of
investigation, scholar has gone with descriptive research method because it help to cater better
hand to support for kind of research form which has been chosen by investigator (Tuffour, 2017).
Investigator uses this approach because it provide flexibility to them and also aid to examine
detailed information.
Research strategies-
This method follow primary research procedure that help researcher to gather more info and
in detailed data in regard to topic. Under qualitative research, investigator prepares open ended
questions to collection information from chose participants relate to diversified culture of
organization (Weller and et.al., 2018). With the help of this method scholar can record and examine
potential suggestions or opinion of respondents about company case study.
Data analysis-
It is simplest and easiest procedure of research methodology, it systematically applying
logical and statistical methods to describe, recap, condense and illustrate as well as examine data.

In respect of current study, investigator has shown trust upon specific method that is thematic data
analysis approach. Through this method researcher interpretate data gathered from each participant
and show their responses in effective manner. By using this approach researcher interpretate
gathered data in ethical and systematic manner (Nowell and et.al., 2017).
Data collection-
In simple words, it is procedure of collecting and then measuring data on variables interest,
in a well established systematic form that allow individual to answer stated questions of research
and examine results. Secondary and primary are two commonly referred tools of this approach. For
this research, scholar has collect varied data with help to primary data collection tool in which
investigator has gone through different data types by conducting survey of chosen participants of
DHL.
Data Sampling-
It is statistical analysis method utilized to chose, examine and manipulate a respective
subset of info points to determine trends and patterns. For selecting right people who are able to
response in effective manner, researcher has been chosen simple random sampling approach
through which they chose 50 employees of company to determine their valuable point of views or
opinion regarding impact of gender diversity on performance & corporate culture of DHL.
Ethical consideration-
In procedure of carrying out the current investigation for firm, scholar has followed the
range of the diverse type of ethical problem which is connected with the same in study. As
researcher, has taken up the approval of all selected participant beforehand themselves. Also they
have made assure that better level of confidentiality is maintained throughout the procedure of
carrying out research in context of firm. They 8also have collected information from the reliable
source, which is really very important. Researcher should also take approval before taking personal
data about company, which is important and cover under this approach

DATA ANALYSIS
Theme 1: The maximum numbers of respondents are female.
PARTICULARS NUMBER OF
RESPONDENTS
% OF RESPONDENTS
Female 30 60%
Male 20 40%
TOTAL 50 100%
Female Male
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
60%
40%
% OF RESPONDENTS
% OF RESPONDENTS
Interpretation: This study is carried out from 50 employees of DHL Heathrow Flight Assembly
Centre. However, among them 60% established the fact that, the maximum numbers of respondents
are female. This in turn states that female within the organization are given much more priority
which helps in maintaining workplace diversity within the company. This states that the company
is not bias between the male and female and there is no gender discrimination. This helps in
boosting up the morale of the employees and work significantly. The respondents tends to state
that, there seems to be a sense of gender equality within the workplace setting where both the
males and females tends to have equal access to the rewards, opportunities, resources regardless of
the gender of the individual person within the organization. 40% of the employees within the
organization are males. There seems to be a degree of gender equality within the company which in
turn is considered to be highly relevant in improving the working performance and operational
efficiency.

Theme 2: The maximum numbers of respondents are between the age group of 31 to 50 years.
PARTICULARS NUMBER OF
RESPONDENTS
% OF RESPONDENTS
under 20 5 10%
21-30 9 18%
31-50 22 44%
above 50 14 28%
TOTAL 50 100%
under 20 21-30 31-50 above 50
0%
5%
10%
15%
20%
25%
30%
35%
40%
45%
50%
10%
18%
44%
28%
% OF RESPONDENTS
% OF RESPONDENTS
Interpretation: This study is carried out from 50 employees of DHL Heathrow Flight Assembly
Centre. However, among them 44% established the fact that, they belong to the age group of 31 to
50 years. The employees within the organization belong to the diverse age groups. 10% of the
employees belong to the age group of under 20. However, 18% of the employees belong to the age
group of 21 to 30 years and the 28% of the employees belong to the age group of above 50 years.
This means people of all age group are respected and are hired in accordance to their skills and
capability to carry out work. This means all the individuals within the company despite of their age
group must be respected. Employees who are young in age have more knowledge associated with
the technology and the older group of people know how the market works and what are the needs
of the customers.

Theme 3: The maximum numbers of respondents are first line managers.
PARTICULARS NUMBER OF
RESPONDENTS
% OF RESPONDENTS
General assistant/Clerk 8 16%
Team Leader/Supervisor 10 20%
First Line Manager 22 44%
Senior manager 7 14%
Other 3 6%
TOTAL 50 100%
General assistant/Clerk
Team Leader/Supervisor
First Line Manager
Senior manager
Other
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
0.16 0.2
0.44
0.14
0.06
% OF RESPONDENTS
% OF RESPONDENTS
Interpretation: This study is carried out from 50 employees of DHL Heathrow Flight Assembly
Centre. However, among them 44% established the fact that, first line managers in turn mainly
focuses on taking key relevant decision and assign roles and responsibilities to each individual.
Each individual within the organization tends to carry out different roles according to their
knowledge and own skill set. This means diverse employees in the company has different job roles
to perform. This means that 16% of the employees are general assistant. However, 20% of the
employees are team leader. 14% of the employees are senior manager. 6% of the employees belong
to other different job roles.
Theme 4: The maximum numbers of respondents tends to have direct reports.

PARTICULARS NUMBER OF
RESPONDENTS
% OF RESPONDENTS
Yes 33 66%
No 17 34%
TOTAL 50 100%
66%
34%
% OF RESPONDENTS
Yes
No
Interpretation: This study is carried out from 50 employees of DHL Heathrow Flight Assembly
Centre. However, among them 66% established the fact that, they have access to the direct reports.
There are supervisors within the organization who in turn tends to have access to the dozen of
decision which helps in making relevant set of information. This is considered to be highly
significant in assigning the key roles and responsibilities and ensuring that work within the
organization is performed with utmost degree of accuracy and efficiency. The direct reports helps
in ensuring if there is any sort of discrimination is going on and helps in taking viewpoints of the
subordinates to improve the operational efficiency of the business.
Theme 5 What's the gender of your line manager (person you are reporting to)?
PARTICULARS NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS % OF RESPONDENTS
Female 30 60%
Male 20 40%
Total 50 100%

Interpretation- Gender diversity increase employees as well as business performance and
productivity even better. It put positive impact on DHL business practices and operations in
positive manner. In context of above statement, respondents said that in organization most line
manager are female, who are able to manage each and every activity in effective manner by taking
right decisions. Out of 50, 30 participants are in favour of first option, they think that female
workers as line manager are handling and managing performance of staff. Rest of 20 respondents
are in favour of second option. According to them, within company gender of line manager is male.
THEME 6 Are you satisfied with the opportunities to progress provided to you by the company
(training, coaching etc.)?
PARTICULARS NUMBER OF
RESPONDENTS
% OF RESPONDENTS
Very satisfied 40 80%
Very unsatisfied 10 20%
Total 50 100%

Interpretation- In recent time, in order to retain skilled applicants for long organizations
like DHL and other do a lot of efforts and give workers chance to grow, which is quite beneficial
for business as well candidates in term of increasing sales and motivational level. Majority of
respondents are in favour of first option, they are highly satisfied with the progress chances
provided to them by organization which direct influence commitment level and enhance their
productivity even better. While rest of 10 out of 50, are not satisfied they think that opportunities
given by firm is not that much good.
Theme 7 In last five years, have you been promoted?
PARTICULARS NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS % OF RESPONDENTS
Yes 35 70%
No 15 30%
Total 50 100%