BSBDIV501: Managing Diversity in the Workplace - IHG Policy Report

This report provides an in-depth analysis of the International Hotel Group's (IHG) diversity policy. It begins by defining diversity and emphasizing its importance in the hospitality sector. The report examines IHG's commitment to diversity, outlining its vision, policy statement, and implementation strategies. It highlights the benefits of a diverse workforce, including improved recruitment, employee satisfaction, and community understanding. The report includes meeting minutes discussing the policy's application and identifies areas for improvement, such as addressing sexual harassment complaints and promoting equal employment opportunities. Finally, the report recommends enhancements to IHG's products and services, focusing on event management expertise, multilingual staff recruitment, and policy revisions to foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace. The assignment is a comprehensive overview of diversity management within a hospitality context, providing insights and recommendations for practical application.

Running head: DIVERSITY POLICY
Diversity Policy
Student’s name:
University:
Author’s note:

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Task 1. Diversity Policy and Practices of IHG
Diversity is the range of human differences, including but not limited to race, ethnicity,
gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes,
religious or ethical values system, national origin, and political beliefs (Thompson 2016).
Diversity is a reality created by individuals and groups from a broad spectrum of demographic
and philosophical differences. It is extremely important to support and protect diversity because
by valuing individuals and groups free from prejudice, and by fostering a climate where equity
and mutual respect are intrinsic (Barak 2016). In the hospitality sector in particular, diversity and
inclusion are of vital importance. It is imperative for those working in the hospitality industry to
demonstrate a welcoming approach to people who arrive at hotels and resorts for a vacation, and
discriminating against customers on grounds of race, religion or even gender can prove to be
fatal error as it will make such customers feel unwanted and disinclined therefore to pay a visit to
that hotel or resort once again in the near or distant future. Diversity and inclusion therefore need
to form an important component of all types of operations pertaining to the hospitality industry.
The International Hotel Group started business with two small boutique style hotels in
Melbourne, Australia. The group is owned and financed by a large consortium of international
business experts and several large investment companies. Over a period of 15 years it has grown
to now comprise a chain of 20 hotels across 5 different countries in the Australasian region. The
group employs cultural specialists and prides itself on its multicultural expertise that assists with
its success in welcoming guests from all regions of the World. One of the most important
contributions made by the International Hotel Group in Melbourne is its willingness to treat
customers from all types of cultural and ethnic backgrounds with dignity and respect. Customers
can get to enjoy a relaxed, comfortable and welcoming stay at any one of the International Hotel

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Group’s franchise hotels, because of the inclusive and welcoming approach that is adopted by
the hotel authorities towards their guests. Cultural diversity is definitely something that is
respected in each and every one of these hotels, with services and facilities being made available
to people from all types of religious, cultural and ethnic backgrounds over here.
Diversity Policy
Vision
The International Hotel Group (IHG) is committed to creating an organisational culture in
which diversity and equality of opportunity are promoted actively and in which unlawful
discrimination is not tolerated. In fact, every effort is made on the part of the hotel authorities to
make sure that unlawful discrimination is detected as soon as it occurs and measures are then
adopted to hold the guilty accountable, giving customers no reason to suffer for even a moment
because of such discrimination, if it is seen to occur at all.
The IHG recognises the real business benefits of having a diverse community of staff and
to this end, is working towards building and maintaining an environment which values diversity.
It is recognized by the IHG that only when the employees serving organization hail from diverse
economic, cultural and ethnic backgrounds can that organization take the first step that is needed
to adopting an inclusive and welcoming approach to the matter of diversity, and showcase such
diversity in its dealings with customers or clients as well. To this end, efforts are made to recruit
people from all types of financial backgrounds and cultural and religious backgrounds as well
and efforts are also made on the part of the organization to recruit people who do not adhere to a
single gender and who instead identify themselves as transgender or as members of the LGBTQ
community.

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Policy Statement
The IHG believes in the principles of social justice, acknowledges that discrimination
affects people in complex ways and is committed to challenge all forms of inequality. To this
end, the organisation aims to ensure that:
• Individuals are treated fairly, with dignity and respect regardless of their age, marital status,
disability, race, faith, gender, language, social/ economical background or being lesbian or gay
and any other inappropriate distinction; In other words people of every gender are welcome to
come and work for the hotel and to stay at the hotel without worrying about the fear of being
discriminated against on account of their gender.
• It affords all individuals, and employees the opportunity to fulfil their potential; all employees
get the scope and the opportunity to realize their skills and talents and work in a way that their
abilities get recognized and even rewarded, on grounds of exceptional performance.
• It promotes an inclusive and supportive environment for staff, associates and visitors; All those
who pay a visit to the hotel as customers, those who are working for the hotel etc. get to benefit
from a congenial and happy environment. There is no discrimination and intolerance of any kind
and people are free to express their opinions and ideas, and stay and work in an environment that
is culturally inclusive.
• It recognises the varied contributions to the achievement of the company’s mission made by
individuals from diverse backgrounds and with a wide range of experiences. People from
different ethnic and religious backgrounds, who are seen to be making a valuable contribution to
the business operations of the hotel are acknowledged for the efforts that they make in this
respect. They are made to feel valued in every sense of the term by being provided with rewards,
recognition and incentives for the work that they do.

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Diversity practices
Implementation of the Policy
The successful implementation of all strands of this policy relies on the mainstreaming of
equality and diversity issues within the strategic planning process. This will be achieved through
continual consultation with staff and stakeholders. By engaging in regular dialogue with the staff
who are working for the hotel and also with the key stakeholders of the organization such as the
clients and investors, the hotel authorities will arrive at an understanding of the best type of
diversity policy to implement and the process that they should go about in implementing it.
Benefits of having Diversity policy and its application in the workplace
The following benefits identified of having diverse workforce
 Recognition as an employer of choice. People are without a doubt going to want and
come and work for an employer that exhibits a tolerant and welcoming approach to the
matter of diversity and who is capable of treating people from diverse backgrounds with
equality, with dignity and with respect.
 Recruiting and retaining the best candidates from a broader talent pool
 Reduced turnover. People are not going to want to leave an organization that is tolerant
towards matters of cultural diversity and which works to provide customers with a
welcoming environment in which they can do their work.
 Better knowledge and understanding of the community we are in
 Provision of equal employment opportunity and respectful workplaces
 Increased employee job satisfaction, recognition and productivity. Employees are going
to feel fully content and satisfied to be working for an employer that treats them at par

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with people of other ethnic and religious backgrounds and who does not discriminate
against them on grounds of religion, ethnicity, culture and gender.
 Being recognized as responsive to ‘diverse communities’
 Improved reputation
Meeting Minutes
Date
The names of the participants
1. Teacher/Assessor
2. Student 1
3. Student 2
4. Student 3
5. Student 4
Agenda Benefits of diversity policy and its application in the workplace
Summary  Recent survey of its customers indicated that they prefer
multicultural staff
 Governments are encouraging business
o To provide employment opportunities to
disadvantaged groups
o To promote diversity in their work places
 Currently all senior roles are held by males
 There has been a recent increase in sexual harassment
complaints by females
 No one has gone through any form of EEO or diversity
training
 Currently there is no provision to take employees with
disabilities
 Policies such as work life balance, EEO and staff
grievance policies needs review

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Feedback
 Two female staff members have been promoted to senior
roles
 No one from disability background or aboriginal
background was employed as yet
 Only one more staff member has been added to the
existing two multicultural staff member
 There has been a significant decrease in the number of
complaints relating other sexual harassment
 Only 50 % of the managers have attended training
relevant to EEO and diversity issues
 Several female staff members indicated that the policy
should cover practices attractive to female staff
members such as child care assistance, flexible working
hours etc.
Remarks  The existing policies need a thorough reassessment
 The revised policies are to be implemented more
systematically and effectively
 Employees should be made aware of the policies and
practices
Task 3. B) Recommendation to enhance products and services in IHG
 Identify potential areas to expand business
 Establish expertise for events management
 Implement diversity policy effectively to recruit multi-lingual staff
 Revise and implement policies such as work life balance, EEO and staff grievance
policies.

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Reference
Barak, M.E.M., 2016. Managing diversity: Toward a globally inclusive workplace. Sage
Publications.
Thompson, N., 2016. Anti-discriminatory practice: Equality, diversity and social justice.
Macmillan International Higher Education.