Research Report: Equality & Diversity and Employee Performance at Lidl

This research report investigates the impact of equality and diversity policies on employee performance within the Lidl supermarket chain. The study begins with an introduction to the concepts of equality and diversity, followed by a background on Lidl's operations and its commitment to these principles. The research explores the significance of equality and diversity policies in ensuring equal opportunities and fostering a harmonious work environment. The methodology includes a literature review, research questions, and a questionnaire-based data analysis involving 30 respondents. The findings reveal that a majority of respondents are aware of equality and diversity and recognize its benefits, such as improved brand reputation and access to new skills and talent. The report concludes with recommendations for preventing workplace diversity issues and maximizing the positive impact of equality and diversity initiatives on employee productivity and performance. The study highlights the direct relationship between equality and diversity and employee performance, emphasizing the importance of creating an inclusive environment to enhance overall organizational effectiveness.

Research Project

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
Background of Research.............................................................................................................1
Research Questions/Hypothesis..................................................................................................2
Research Aim & Objectives........................................................................................................2
Limitation of study......................................................................................................................3
PART 2............................................................................................................................................4
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................4
Role of Equality & Diversity policy in increasing employee performance...............................4
Significance of Equality & Diversity policy to ensure Equality & Diversity equality at
workplace....................................................................................................................................4
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY.....................................................................................................5
DATA ANALYSIS..........................................................................................................................7
FINDINGS.....................................................................................................................................16
CONCLUSION & RECOMMENDATIONS................................................................................17
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................17
Recommendations.....................................................................................................................17
REFLECTION...............................................................................................................................18
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................19

TITLE: Equality & Diversity
INTRODUCTION
Equality is related to range of the generational. Cultural and ethnic differences present at
workplace. It is concept of treating all staff members with the equal basis. Diversity is related to
make the differentiation among people based on race, religion, colour and some other
characteristics (Bennedsen and et. al., 2019). LIDL is German global supermarket chain based on
Germany. It operated more than 10000 stores across United Stated and Europe. The present
research report states regarding equality and diversity and collecting the data by using different
sources.
PART 1
Background of Research
Equality and diversity are described by diversity as promoting equal opportunity for all,
providing every person the chance to achieve the potential and also free from any kind of
discrimination. Equality is linked to ensuring equal opportunities for individuals and not being
treated unfairly due to characteristics. Having the diverse workplace means that company can
give wider range of the resources, skills and ideas to business so that it can gain the competitive
edge. Workplace equity and diversity meant that every employee had access to same
opportunities and also fair treatment. Equality states that workers should be treated equally while
diversity is linked to the recognition of differences between the worker and the community
(Chen and Crown, 2019). LIDL company wish to erasure about the equal opportunities in the
employment and also fair treatment to all staff. This company assure that no staff member will
receive the minimum favourable treatment on the grounds which can not be justified. Being a
part of employer means providing cultures which values differences of the each one that
employs. This company provides the equal and fair opportunities for all job applicants and
colleagues regardless of sex, race, gender, national origin etc. This company hires applicants
from different backgrounds because varied experience and knowledge is better source of new
creativity and ideas.
The workplace diversity is related to staff members from different backgrounds which
working in company. This is set of the differences between individual characters consisting
professional variables and socio- cultural demographic variable which can searched on different

levels of company (Council, 2019). LIDL company is large regarding the diversity and also
providing equal opportunities to the people related to ethnic backgrounds. It is helpful in give the
opportunities and fair treatment to employees. Through promoting the equality at workplace,
LIDL company consists developing environment with the high employee morale, develop ability
to be hire the top talent and also making the better image of company. The policy of this
company is to give working environment under which all the staff members can realise about
free from any kind of discrimination. It is a responsibility of employee to assure about practical
application about Equal Opportunities Policy. This company does not tolerate any harassment at
workplace and will seek to assure about working environment that is free from the
discrimination. On the other hand, employee performance is explained as how a staff member
fulfils job duties in the needed tasks. It is related to quality, efficiency and effectiveness of
output. Performance contributes to assessment how employee is valuable to company. The main
focus of LIDL company is to develop the equality or inclusive working environment at
workplace so that every employee can work in an effective manner, enhance employee
performance and focus on attaining the specific objectives.
The better workplace diversity practices are helpful in improving as well as increasing
the organisational performance (Fortin, 2019). As the performance of company is mainly
impacted through employees performance so that the positive impact related to workforce
diversity as employee level would assist in create the better employee cooperation. Other than
this, better workforce diversity is helpful in increase performance level of staff. It is because
managing the diversity consists leveraging differences between skills, creativity and ideas of
employees on order to attain the set common objectives. There is direct relationship among
equality & diversity and performance of employees. The diversity is helpful in contribute
towards develop innovations, wider opinions, explanation about the issues and find out the
effective ways to overcome from the issues at workplace.
Research Questions/Hypothesis
 An effective Equality & Diversity policy leads to an enhance on staff performance.
 Having Equality & Diversity policy in place ensure Equality & Diversity equality.
Research Aim & Objectives
Aim
“To investigate effect of Equality& Diversity on staff performance”. A study on LIDL.

Different research objectives are given below:
 To identify the role of Equality & Diversity policy in increasing employee performance.
 To determine significance of Equality & Diversity policy to ensure Equality & Diversity
equality at workplace.
Limitation of study
Limitation of present research study are characteristics of the methodology which
affected interpretation of the findings from research. Under this investigation, limitation is
related to the collection of data by using the authentic sources because this is complex to find out
the relevant information regarding the specific research area. The equality and diversity both are
the necessary area and effectiveness of equality and diversity on the performance level of
employees. Other than this, limitation is related with research study is about cost which
considered in collection of data and conducting the whole investigation.

PART 2
LITERATURE REVIEW
Role of Equality & Diversity policy in increasing employee performance
On the basis of Louise Petty (2016) Equality and diversity policy states that the main aim
of an organisation is to safeguard those which may face inequality because of the some
characteristics. It is helpful in give the equality and diversity in all employment irrespective of
their ethnic origin, age, sexuality, social class etc. This oppose all form of the unfair and
unlawful discrimination. Equality and diversity policy is helpful at workplace to promoting the
equality and diversity in an effective manner. It helps in increasing the performance level of
employees because policy regarding equality and diversity give benefits to employees as give
them better working environment, develop positive communication and enhance organisational
productivity. With the help of implementing equality and diversity policy, LIDL company assure
that each one has the accession to related opportunities and also fair treatment at workplace. The
employers have obligation to give staff members with safe working environment which free
from intimidation, discrimination and harassment. With the help of providing training, diverse
workplace can become work together and manager will focus on remove the unfair practices.
Significance of Equality & Diversity policy to ensure Equality & Diversity equality at workplace
According to opinion of Dr. Kelly S. Meier (2019) Equality and Diversity helps in
develop the strength and harmonious working environment to protect the staff members from
any kind of the inequitable treatment and also promote equality at workplace. With the help of
implementing equality and diversity policy, LIDL company can promote equality at workplace
by developing environment with the motivate the staff members, capability to hire the top talent
and creating better image. The equality and diversity policy is helpful in providing the equal
opportunities for all the staff members at workplace so that each one can work effectively at
workplace and focus on attaining the specific objectives.
4

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
It is systematic research in to new and existing knowledge. This aids in develop the facts,
solve issues and also support theorems. Under this, research onion framework has been used as
doing effective research methodology. The different layer included in research onion mention
below:
Research Philosophy- Interpretivism and positivism are two different research
philosophies. In conducting the present report on equality and diversity, there has been
positivism philosophy has been used because it gives the specific knowledge and collected the
specific data for getting out the positive outcomes within less time period (Frintner and et. al.,
2019).
Research Approach- This is described as process for an investigation that continuance
steps from the wider anticipate to the data collection and evaluation methods. Inductive and
deductive are two various research approaches. In conducting investigation, there has been
deductive approach used because it is based on the quantitative method and it permits an
investigator to deal with the main points included in research (O'Neill, 2019).
Research Choice- There are qualitative and quantitative two different research choices.
There has been quantitative research choice used because this helps in give the in- depth
information and analysis on the equality and diversity issues and its influence on the
performance level of staff members at workplace (Kirton and Greene, 2015).
Research Strategy- This layer of research is helpful in develop the methods to conduct
research. There are different strategies for an instance questionnaire, observation, focus groups
and others. In conducting the present investigation, there has been questionnaire used as a
research strategy because this helps in collect the data from large population within less time
period.
Time horizon- There are cross sectional and longitudinal two different time horizon.
Among both the methods, researcher has been used the cross sectional time horizon because it
helps in conducting the research within specific time period (Kulkarni and Gopakumar, 2014).
Data collection- There are primary and secondary various methods of data collection. In
conducting the research, there has been primary method used because this gives better
understanding about the research area. Through using this method, researcher will generate the
questionnaire on the specific subject area by developing the different questions.
5

Sampling- It is mainly used in the statistical analysis in which the fixed number of
observations is taken from the population of large size. The technique used to sample from the
population of large sizes is dependent on form of analysis. 30 Respondents were selected by
random sampling, since this approach is not biased (Kumar, 2019).
6

DATA ANALYSIS
QUESTIONNAIRE
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Q1) Do you have information about equality and diversity?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) What are advantages of equality and diversity to an organisation?
a) Add the new skills to teams
b) improves your brand reputation
c) Opens up new talent
Q3) What is major role of the human resource to develop equality at workplace?
a) Provide training
b) Develop equality policy
c) Take strict action
Q4) In what manner, equality and diversity influence performance of employees in LIDL?
a) Positive
b) Negative
Q5) What are issues faced by LIDL company from arising the diversity at workplace?
a) Cultural Differences
b) Language and Communication
c) Physical disabilities
Q6) What are different ways management of LIDL use to inclusive working environment?
a) Interact with Different People
b) Hold Better Meetings
c) Educate Your Leaders
Q7) Does equality and diversity influence on the productivity of company?
a) Yes
b) No
7

Q8) What are the benefits LIDL can be achieved by promoting equality and diversity at
workplace?
a) Increase creativity
b) Maximise productivity
c) Maximise employee performance
Q9) Recommend ways to prevent workplace from diversity issues.
THEME 1: Information about equality and diversity at workplace
Q1) Do you have information about equality and diversity at
workplace?
Frequency
a) Yes 26
b) No 4
8

Interpretation: There are 26 respondents which are aware about equality and diversity. 4
remaining respondents do not have knowledge regarding this concept.
THEME 2: Benefits of equality and diversity
Q2) What are the advantages of equality and diversity to company? Frequency
a) Add the new skills to teams 10
b) Improves your brand reputation 10
c) Opens up new talent 10
9
a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
30 26
4
Column B

Interpretation: On the basis of 10 respondents that the equality and diversity helps in add new
skills to team so they can properly work. 10 respondents said that improving brand reputation as
employees will work in proper manner then it increase company reputation. 10 respondents are
agree with the opens up new talent.
THEME 3: Human resource role in develop the equality at workplace
Q3) What is role of HR to develop equality at workplace? Frequency
a) Provide training 12
b) Develop equality policy 10
c) Take strict action 8
10
a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
30 26
4
Column B