Unilever: Analyzing Strategies for Workforce Diversity and Inclusion

This report analyzes Unilever's strategies for building a diverse and inclusive workforce, framed within a project management context. The report begins with an introduction to the importance of diversity and inclusion in modern business, followed by the project aims and objectives, focusing on Unilever as a case study. Task 1 outlines project aims, objectives, and research questions, and includes a project management plan with cost analysis, timelines, quality considerations, risk assessment, communication strategies, and resource allocation. This section also presents a work breakdown structure and a Gantt chart for project organization and scheduling. Task 2 describes the research methodology, encompassing primary and secondary research methods, appropriate for meeting project aims and objectives. Task 3 involves data presentation using appropriate tools and techniques and provides recommendations based on data analysis. Finally, Task 4 reflects on the project's value in meeting objectives and its impact on the student's learning and performance. The report concludes with references. The project investigates the concept of equality and diversity, the importance of building diverse and inclusive workforces, strategies employed by businesses, and the potential impact of these strategies on employee performance, including the cost, time, quality, communication, and risk factors associated with the project.

Managing
Successful
business project
Table of Contents

Title..................................................................................................................................................1
Introduction......................................................................................................................................1
Task 1...............................................................................................................................................1
P1 Devise project aims and objectives for a chosen scenario................................................1
P2 Produce a project management plan that covers, aim and deliverables, time, quality,
communication, risk and resources........................................................................................3
P3 Produce a work breakdown structure and a Gantt Chart to provide timeframes and stages
for completion........................................................................................................................4
Task 2...............................................................................................................................................7
P4 Carry out small-scale research applying primary and secondary methods appropriate for
meeting project aims and objectives.......................................................................................7
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................10
P5 Present findings and data using appropriate tools and techniques..................................10
P6 Communicate appropriate Recommendations as a result of findings and data analysis to
draw valid and meaningful conclusions...............................................................................17
Task 4.............................................................................................................................................18
P7 Reflect on the value of undertaking the project to meet stated objectives and own learning
and performance...................................................................................................................18
References......................................................................................................................................19

Title
“The types of Strategies and Initiatives companies put in place to build a diverse and
inclusive workforce”.
Introduction
Managing successful business project is defined to be the major consideration of a business
or its management to moving ahead in a right direction to accomplish business objectives,
therefore, this study is efficacious to make readers understand about the potential skills and
knowledge required for managing a business project. Thus project management is a critical task
which requires independent investigation and data in order to meet the appropriate business aims
and objectives (Gurung and Prater, 2017). The present project management plan is based on
analysing the type of strategies and initiatives put in actual consideration by the businesses to
develop diverse and inclusive workforce. Thus, in today’s modern business environment the key
motive of the business and its management is to manage inclusive and diverse workforces for the
purpose of developing the operations of the business. In this, Unilever Plc, is the chosen
organisation, thus it is a large British consumer goods company, which has wide customer base
and concern over promoting inclusive and diverse workforce for the intention of enhancing the
operations of the business. The present report contains the aims and objectives of business
project and the project management plan bearing in mind the Multiple aspects such as cost, time,
quality, communication etc., work breakdown structure and Gantt chart to oversee progress of
project, small-scale research using qualitative and quantitative research methods, data analysis,
appropriate recommendations and reflection after undertaking the project (Barak, 2016).
Task 1
P1 Devise project aims and objectives for a chosen scenario
The existing initiates to analyse different strategies and initiates organisations put on place
to develop a diverse and inclusive workforce. Therefore, equality and diversity are two important
aspect that are crucial to be manages by the business and its management to develop effective
workforce that are significant to achieve higher growth and success. Diverse and inclusive
strategies are significant for a business to drive innovative outcomes that are significant for the
growth of business (George and et. al., 2016). Thus, equality and diversity are defined to be the
most crucial aspects that are needs to be manages by the businesses to attain growth and success,
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thus, equality refers as the aspect to provide equal opportunity to the people irrespective of
whether they work remotely in a business, warehouse, shop floor and so on, thus it is about
ensuring individual to access equality at work place without any discrimination. Diversity takes
into actual differences among individual and groups of people, through placing a positive value
on those differences. A diverse and inclusive work place assorted values for individual’s
different backgrounds, knowledge, skills, and experiences, and uses these differences to create a
productive and effective workforce. In today’s business context, equality and diversity are
recognised to be the key issue which is mainly faces by the employees and it affects employees
performance. Therefore, in the context of business it is important for the business and its
management to manage equality and diversity equally as it has positive influence over the
operations and progression of the business. Unilever Plc is a large British Dutch transnational
consumer goods business which has its headquarter is in London, England and Rotterdam,
Netherlands. The company was founded in the year of 1929 by the potential efforts of Willian
Lever and James Darcy Lever. The company is operated in all around the globe with the suitable
support of their 155000 employees, thus the primary obligation of the business is to promote
equality and diversity at workplace for the intention of attaining higher growth and success
(Alvesson and Sveningsson, 2015).
Research Aim
To examine the type of strategies and Initiatives businesses put on place to build a
diverse and inclusive workforce. A case study on Unilever Plc.
Research Objectives
 To explore understanding about the concept of equality and diversity in the context of
business.
 To enhance recognition in regards to the importance of building diverse and inclusive
workforces within an organisation.
 To develop recognition in regards to the strategies and Initiatives opt by businesses to
develop a diverse and inclusive workforce. To effectively analyse the potential impact of strategies and initiates over the
performance of employees within Unilever Plc.
Research Questions
 What is the concept of equality and diversity in the context of business?
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 What is the importance of building diverse and inclusive workforces within an
organisation?
 What strategies and Initiatives are opt by businesses to develop a diverse and inclusive
workforce?
 What is the potential impact of strategies and initiates over the performance of employees
within Unilever Plc?
P2 Produce a project management plan that covers, aim and deliverables, time, quality,
communication, risk and resources.
The project management plan isn't a simple errand since change in single factor influences
the accomplishment of an association in different way (Kumar, 2019). Therefore, Unilever Plc is
a large business which has also facing the issue of equality and diversity at workplace due to this
the management of the firm is concern over implementing effective strategies to overcome the
issue and the project management plan is significant in assisting the whole investigation in right
direction and the key aspect of project management plan are defined as below:
Aim of the Project: The potential aim of this project is to examine the type of strategies and
Initiatives businesses put on place to build a diverse and inclusive workforce. Therefore, it is an
effective area of study which helps the business in guiding in the manner of developing suitable
strategies in context of managing the issue of diverse and inclusive workforces.
Cost: Cost and Capital is viewed as most crucial perspective for organization while maintaining
their business and during dealing with an enormous project of Unilever Plc on the grounds that
number of exercises are acquired during this procedure, likewise, advertisement, staffing of
wanted representatives, resources, incidental exercises and some more (Stone and Deadrick,
2015). Thus, appropriate amount of case is required by Unilever Plc to manage equality and
diversity via implementing suitable business strategies and initiates. Forecasted amount for
completing this project is almost 87000 and classification of this fund is described as follows-
Activities Amount in
Staffing of skilled employees 15000
Planning process 14000
Advertisement 8000
Arrangements of necessary resources 16000
Electricity 12000
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All the other miscellaneousexpenses 13000
Total 78000
Time: This factor is worried about the duration in which all the exercises of project is going to
cultivated and set for empowering employees towards their set focuses in a characterized time
allotment. Furthermore, time is tied in with overseeing business tasks in a specified duration by
considering fundamental realities or figures, likewise, Unilever Plc, has set around 9 to 10
months for fulfilling the requirements of the project and complete it in proper manner. Therefore,
the requirement of this present project is high as cultural diversity is a major considered area of
study which needs appropriate time to be complete, thus the duration of 9 to 10 weeks are
required to conduct each task in suitable manner to drawn valid outcome.
Quality: It is the significant component for organization as significant reason for firm is to give
top notch administrations to their potential purchasers with the goal that they can move toward
the firm for satisfying their needs and needs (Brière and et. al., 2015). Quality aides in driving
organization the correct way. Unilever Plc is focuses around creating top notch merchandise with
less use of assets as for acquire more benefits with profits. Therefore, quality management is
required to manage project in effective manner to complete the work in right manner. In the
existing project region, the quality is based over the information accumulated to guide the entire
work in right manner, therefore, the quality of information helps in effectively resolving the issue
in imperative manner. However, for resolving the issue of cultural diversity the researcher is
required to be concerned over gathering information from the valid sources so the viability of
project can be maintained.
Risk: There are such a significant number of unsure dangers are emerges in any business
association, some are connected with change of costs, issue of expenses and unavailability of
unrefined materials as for gracefully of products and ventures (Yi, X., Ribbens, Fu and Cheng,
2015). In the context of this present investigation major risk are associated with the information
that are accumulated for resolving the issue of diversity at work place. In addition to this, cost
and capital is also termed to be the another important risk as few activities like survey,
questionnaire are quite cost consuming in nature and this hindrance affects the entire project.
Communication: It is most significant perspective in firm since it helps in building up a
powerful channel to execute information and data structure one source to another. It is the duty
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of more significant position authority and directors to give a powerful correspondence in every
office for moving fundamental information and data (Sparrow, Brewster and Chung, 2016).
Resources: In an association there are such huge numbers of assets are accessible which are
useful in successfully fulfilment of company's objectives and goals. HR are most fundamental
resources of business through which association can execute different exercises. For undertaking
this present research project the key resources are the suitable source like books, journals,
articles and access to online sites for gathering secondary information. In addition to this, few
key resources are required in the terms of accumulating primary information like suitable
communication aspects, transportation channels, expenses to conduct meeting with participants,
stationary, internet and so on. Therefore, these are the key resources required to complete the
project effectively.
P3 Produce a work breakdown structure and a Gantt Chart to provide timeframes and stages for
completion.
Work break down structure: It refers to division of exercises into little parts that will be
executed in culmination of undertaking inside assigned time span. It is urgent piece of
undertaking that will make simple for administrators to convey work to a group in the wake of
investigating their presentation and capacities. With the setting of task the board, it is
increasingly valuable in isolating the exercises into little components so the odds of confronting
any issues by the staff individuals while execution of undertaking will be less (Farndale and et.
al., 2015). Hence, it is considered as a powerful technique so as to execute multi-step just as
perplexing task done. In this existing work, The fundamental target of work breakdown structure
is to make simple for staff individuals to comprehend their jobs and duties via cautiously
regulating the exercises into little part divisions. It helps in effectively identifying the potential
strategies and initiates to develop inclusive and diverse workforce to develop the operations of
the business. It upgrades the efficiency and productivity of executed venture in future time frame
(Bauer, Matzler and Wolf, 2016). This process is also valuable in categorising the project
activities within small parts to gather valuable information to generate valuable outcome.
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Gantt Chart: It is a kind of the graphical portrayal of timetable that is valuable in plan,
encourage and moreover track the particular exercises in venture. It is plot under which the
course of action related to level lines that demonstrated proportion of the finished work inside
time span which is dispensed toward the start of venture (Stahl and Tung, 2015). In this, the
exercises of task are significant that dependent on express time period. It give the goal to
workers with the objective that they can focus in playing out the allocated exercises in a fixed
time allotment. It will give the positive outcomes to extend in future time duration. In the
effective execution of the project based on examine the type of strategies and Initiatives
businesses put on place to build a diverse and inclusive workforce, Gantt chart is effective in
resolving the issue via following the entire investigation process in effective manner. Therefore,
Gantt chart is effective in designing a time scale in which activities are presented within a
estimated time to finish the task, thus this support the investigation via prioritising the activities
as per their requirement.
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Task 2
P4 Carry out small-scale research applying primary and secondary methods appropriate for
meeting project aims and objectives
This section of research is imperative in assisting the investigation based on determining the
suitable strategies and initiatives to develop inclusive and diverse workforce, in right manner
with the assistance of making suitable selection of suitable methodologies (Gannon and Pillai,
2015). the suitable methodologies are for analysis are defined as under:
Type of Investigation: In the suitable implementation of an analysis it is important for the
researcher to make suitable selection of methodology to carry out the work in right manner to
drawn valid and reliable outcome, this section is mainly relay upon, qualitative and quantitative
research methodology, thus Qualitative research is mainly centred around gathering information
of subjective methods which is all around upheld by the pertinent realities and hypothetical point
of view (Asrar-ul-Haq and Anwar, 2016). On the other side, Quantitative is significantly,
accentuation on gathering and estimating data in factual and numeric terms. For undertaking the
present research based on examine the type of strategies and Initiatives businesses put on place
to build a diverse and inclusive workforce, quantitative research has been applied by the
researcher to executed detailed evaluation via the support of gather information based on actual
facts and figures.
Data Collection tools: It refers to social event of significant information that related with the
subject of research utilizing various strategies, for example, primary and secondary. In the
context of the present investigation work, both primary and secondary tools are applied by the
researcher, thus these sources are effective in assisting the whole work in appropriate way to
gather effective data (Helmreich and Merritt, 2019). Thus, primary research has been
implemented via the assistance of survey in which questionnaire has been developed to gather
first hand data and secondary investigation is significant in developing theoretical base via
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gathering information through books, journals, published articles, non published journals and so
on. to enhancing recognition of individual.
Sampling: It is the way toward choosing constrained respondents which speaks to the
perspectives and musings of entire populace. This section mainly encompasses over probabilistic
and non-probabilistic sampling tools, thus Such respondents incorporates workers, directed
individuals and so on. By utilizing such technique, the analyst select 40 respondents as an
example size of populace so as to accumulate significant information related with the subject of
research (Landy and Conte, 2016).
Questionnaire
Name:
Age:
Gender:
Email:
Q1) Are you aware about the concept of equality and diversity in the context of business?
Yes
No
Q2) As per your view point, it is important for the businesses to manage strategies and initiates in
relation to equality and diversity for the growth of business?
Yes
No
Q3) Do you think that, it is essential for Unilever Plc to implement effective strategies to develop
inclusive and diverse workforce?
Yes
No
Q4) According to you, what are the significance of building diverse and inclusive workforces?
Reduce employee turnover
Increase employees engagement
Enhancing business profit
Developing business performance
Q5) As per your view, what are the key strategies that are effective for a business to develop
inclusive and diverse workforce?
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Use inclusive business model
Open a dialogue about gender pay inequality
Build A Multigenerational Workforce
Foster Diverse Thinking
Q6) According to your view, what are the potential initiates that are taken by the businesses to
promote inclusive and diverse working culture?
Educate business leaders
Communicate Goals and Measure Progress
Encourage employees interaction
Empower employees to succeed
Q7) As per your perspective, what key measures are requires to be opt by Unilever Plc to build
effective diverse and inclusive workforce?
Be Inclusive in Hiring
Suitable equality and diversity training
Foster A Company Culture Where Every Voice Is Welcome, Heard, And Respected
Communicate Goals and Measure Progress
Q8) Do You think that, the suitable implementation of strategies and initiatives are effective for
the performance enhancement of employees within Unilever Plc?
Yes
No
Q9) Provide recommendation to Unilever Plc in regards to promoting inclusive and diverse
working culture.
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