Research Project on Managing Equality and Diversity at the Workplace

This research project investigates the critical aspects of managing equality and diversity in the workplace, focusing on a business context. The report delves into the significance of primary and secondary research, emphasizing the importance of cost, access, and ethical considerations. It highlights the use of thematic analysis to interpret data collected through questionnaires, exploring themes such as awareness of equality and diversity, its impact on employee performance, and the significance of managing cultural diversity. The project also addresses workplace sexual harassment, analyzing its negative impacts and suggesting actions for elimination. The findings reveal insights into strategies for promoting equality and diversity, including highlighting personal uniqueness, developing inclusive policies, and holding individuals accountable. The report concludes with recommendations and lessons learned, emphasizing the importance of creating a fair, inclusive, and respectful workplace environment. The research employs a questionnaire-based approach to gather primary data, followed by frequency analysis and thematic interpretation of the responses, providing a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter.

Research Project

Contents
TASK 2............................................................................................................................................1
P3 Primary and secondary research using appropriate methods for a business research project
that consider costs, access and ethical issues..............................................................................1
P4 Appropriate analytical tools to analyse research findings and data.......................................2
TASK 3..........................................................................................................................................11
P5 Research outcomes in an appropriate manner for the intended audience 500.....................11
TASK 4..........................................................................................................................................12
P6 Reflection.............................................................................................................................12
P7 Alternative research methodologies and lessons learnt in view of the outcome.................13
RECOMMENDATION.................................................................................................................14
CONCLUSION..............................................................................................................................14
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................17

Title: “Managing equality and diversity at the workplace.
TASK 2
P3 Primary and secondary research using appropriate methods for a business research project
that consider costs, access and ethical issues
It is significant for researcher to includes all the necessary aspects at the time of
undertaking research activities includes cost, accessibility and ethical consideration (Fox and
Tang, 2017). All these are play crucial role in making a successful and authentic research
activities that provide valid and reliable outcomes at the end of the investigation.
Cost: It is one of the important factors of research as without this, investigator fail in
undertaking research activities in an effective manner. In order to make entire study more
effective than research is responsible for keeping sufficient and enough fund so that each and
every activities of research can be effectively completed. Along with this, researcher needs to
cover all the expenses that involved in research. This will contribute in attaining positive and
reliable outcomes at the end of the study.
Access: Data accessibility is referring to the important aspect in which researcher have
rights to access the information of respondents so that they can minimise the issue of arising any
kind of issues at the time of gathering data (Powell, 2018). Along with this it is also beneficial in
developing trust among selected respondents so that they feel more confident and safe while
giving their views points to investigation on the basis of research topic and area, This will
directly contributes in making overall research more effective and reliable in nature.
Ethical consideration: At the time of undertaking research, ethical consideration play an
essential role because it help investigator in completing entire activities in an effective manner
and also improve the chances of attaining valid outcomes. For attaining the same, research is
responsible for ensure that all the activities are under the ethics and also follow all the principles
of ethics, This can be beneficial in reducing the chances of arising conflicts in collecting
information from selected respondents (Harnois and Bastos, 2018). In addition to this, researcher
make sure that they respect for the dignity of research participants as per priority that may
develop the trust among selected respondents. Along with this, full consent needs to obtained
from the selected participants so that they can easily share their views points with research as per
research topic.
1

P4 Appropriate analytical tools to analyse research findings and data
Data analysis is defined as process of data inspection, transformation and also cleaning in
order to search for useful information and to achieve a better conclusion. There was a thematic
analysis technique used to interpret the data obtained from the primary data collection method.
Using the primary data collection process, a questionnaire was developed. In thematic analysis,
the themes for questions listed in the questionnaire are developed by the researcher and the graph
is also made using MS-Excel. After this, the descriptions are made by an investigator and the
optimistic conclusion about the relevant research field is drawn.
Questionnaire
Q1) Do you have any acknowledgement about the concept of equality and managing
cultural diversity?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) Does equality and managing cultural diversity support in improving performance
level of employees?
a) Yes
b) No
Q3) According to your perspectives, what are the major significance of managing cultural
diversity at workplace?
a) Increased customer satisfaction
b) Enhance collaboration among employees
c) Creativity and drive innovation
Q4) Does sexual harassment create negative working environment within Marks and
Spencer?
a) Yes
b) No
Q5) As per your view point, what kind of actions needs to be taken by Marks and Spencer
for eliminating the issue of sexual harassment at working area?
a) Raise awareness
b) Update Anti- Discrimination policies
c) Incorporate staff welfare into review meetings and appraisals
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d) Zero tolerance policy
Q6) What kind of alternative ways that can implement by Marks and Spencer in
promoting equality and diversity?
a) Highlighting Personal Uniqueness
b) Develop Policies Adhering to Company Goals
c) Hold People Accountable
Q7) Does providing fair treatment to male and female workers support in building
positive employee at working area?
a) Yes
b) No
Q8) As per your point of view, does promoting quality and diversity help in reducing the
sexual harassment?
a) Yes
b) No
Q9) What are the different strategies used by Marks and Spencer to prevent workplace
sexual harassment?
a) Train their workers 11
b) Take all complaints seriously 9
c) Monitor workplace regularly 6
d) Adopt sexual harassment policy 4
Q10) Recommended the potential ways that can be contributes in promoting equality and
diversity at workplace of Marks and Spencer.
Frequency Table
Q1) Do you have any acknowledgement about the concept of equality
and managing cultural diversity?
Frequency
a) Yes 28
b) No 2
3

Q2) Does equality and managing cultural diversity support in
improving performance level of employees?
Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
Q3) According to your perspectives, what are the major significance of
managing cultural diversity at workplace?
Frequency
a) Increased customer satisfaction 14
b) Enhance collaboration among employees 10
c) Creativity and drive innovation 6
Q4) Does sexual harassment create negative working environment
within Marks and Spencer?
Frequency
a) Yes 20
b) No 10
Q5) As per your view point, what kind of actions needs to be taken by
Marks and Spencer for eliminating the issue of sexual harassment at
working area?
Frequency
a) Raise awareness 9
b) Update Anti- Discrimination policies 9
c) Incorporate staff welfare into review meetings and appraisals 6
d) Zero tolerance policy 6
Q6) What kind of alternative ways that can implement by Marks and
Spencer in promoting diversity?
Frequency
a) Highlighting Personal Uniqueness 12
b) Develop Policies Adhering to Company Goals 10
c) Hold People Accountable 8
Q7) Does providing fair treatment to male and female workers support Frequency
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in building positive employee at working area?
a) Yes 20
b) No 10
Q8) As per your point of view, does promoting quality and diversity
help in reducing the sexual harassment?
Frequency
a) Yes 28
b) No 2
Q9) What are the different strategies used by Marks and Spencer to
prevent workplace sexual harassment?
Frequency
a) Train their workers 11
b) Take all complaints seriously 9
c) Monitor workplace regularly 6
d) Adopt sexual harassment policy 4
Theme 1: Acknowledgement about the concept of managing equality and cultural diversity.
Q1) Do you have any acknowledgement about the concept of equality and
managing cultural diversity?
Frequency
a) Yes 28
b) No 2
5

Interpretation: In a dynamic business, diverse workforce are involved for attainment of all the
set goals and objectives in an appropriate way. This is the reason that managing cultural diversity
is crucial responsibility because at a workplace employees are belongs to different culture. It
may create issue at the time of executing their task activities at a same platform. By managing
culture at working area, company can easily improve the positive working environment wherein
employee can effectively perform in a team and give their higher contribution. In this regards, 28
out of 30 people give their views that they are aware about the culture diversity within the
business environment. On the other hand, remaining 2 participants are not much familiar with
this statement.
Theme 2: Equality and managing cultural diversity support in improving performance
level of employees.
Q2) Does equality and managing cultural diversity support in improving
performance level of employees?
Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
6

Interpretation: Managing diverse culture within the business is one of the significant activity
for manager because workplace diversity refers to the difference between different people at
working area. In this, diversity is not only includes how individuals determine themselves but
also evaluate how others are perceive them. At working area, diversity includes race, gender,
religion, sexual orientation and many more. All these are affect entire working activities of
company and its workers performance as well. According to the view point of 25 respondents,
effective management of diverse culture may help in improving employee performance by
developing positive relation with others. Along with this, remaining 5 participants think that
managing culture diversity is not improve performance as it may create issue between people due
to their different status, culture and many more aspects.
Theme 3: Major significance of managing cultural diversity at workplace.
Q3) According to your perspectives, what are the major significance of
managing cultural diversity at workplace?
Frequency
a) Increased customer satisfaction 14
b) Enhance collaboration among employees 10
c) Creativity and drive innovation 6
7

Interpretation: From the above mentioned graph, it can be analysed that majority of business
organisations are face diversity at working area but at the same time managing diverse culture
and workforce provide various benefits to company. This may assist in improving positive and
famous brand image wherein in diverse workforce are effectively perform their job duties. In
relation to this, 14 out of 30 people give their view point that it may increased customers
satisfaction because diverse employees can easily interact with diverse customers and also
understand their actual needs and wants. Furthermore, 10 participants think that is also increase
collaboration among workers that may contributes in developing positive and healthy relation.
This will aid in creating healthy working environment in which employees give their best efforts
for accomplishing their job roles. On the other hand, 6 people said that effective management of
diverse culture may promote creativity and innovation because employee share their views and
ideas with others that support in determining alternative and innovative ways to execute their
task activities in an effective way.
Theme 4: Sexual harassment creates negative working environment within Marks and
Spencer.
Q4) Does sexual harassment create negative working environment within
Marks and Spencer?
Frequency
a) Yes 20
b) No 10
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Interpretation: As per preceding graphical representation it is evaluated that, 20 respondents
feel that sexual harassment in the workplace is an ongoing risk to the safety of the employees
and for business. The implications of sexual harassment in the workplace have a far-reaching
impact on everything from company’s bottom line to employee morale and reputation. Sexual
harassment impacts employee health and Other ways sexual harassment affects the workplace
are tardiness, absenteeism, project neglect, and employee distraction, also effects of the
harassment undermined employees job performance. Sexual harassment impacts hiring, retention
and discourage potential employees from joining the company. Sexual harassment impacts brand
which actively discourage potential customers from purchasing products or services from their
employer. Overall there is very much chance that sexual harassment can create negative
environment for employees and for the company too.
On the other side 10 respondents do not think that sexual harassment effect the working
environment of the company.
Theme 5: Actions needs to be taken by Marks and Spencer for eliminating the issue of
sexual harassment at working area.
Q5) As per your view point, what kind of actions needs to be taken by
Marks and Spencer for eliminating the issue of sexual harassment at
working area?
Frequency
a) Raise awareness 9
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