title: A mixed-method investigation of the implementation of diversity and inclusion policy in an Australian workplace
Creators: name: Faaliyat, Rosa
Publisher: name: Griffith University
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: diversity policy
subject: inclusion policy
subject: workplace practice
subject: employment relations

description: Diversity and inclusion strengthen workplace innovation, change, creativity and employee’s productivity. Therefore, it is important to understand from the employee’s perception to what extent diversity and inclusion policy and practices play an effective role in shaping perceptions of inclusion. This research focused on investigating non-English speaking background and English speaking background employees’ perceptions of effectiveness of diversity and inclusion policy and practices. Previous research suggested that organisations often fail to implement diversity and inclusion policies effectively, but researchers left employees’ perceptions largely unaddressed. In this study two theoretical frameworks and one model were used to investigate employees’ perceptions of diversity and inclusion: labour market segmentation and strategic human resource management theories and the multicultural organisation development model. This research is theoretically informed using labour market segmentation theory to conceptualise the effectiveness of diversity and inclusion policy and practices, how employer diversity and inclusion strategies, policy and practices, labour supply and the regulation of the labour market influences labour market segmentation; and as a result, to explain how inequality and exclusion can occur. Strategic human resource management theory explains the effects of diversity and inclusion policy and practices on the internal environment in the workplace and on the external environment including the labour market. Strategic human resource management theory provides a fundamental structure for thinking about and understanding better ways of implementing workplace diversity and inclusion. The multicultural organisation development model is used to explain six stages through which workplaces can move from exclusion (including strategy, policy and practices) towards inclusion. In particular, the model is used to evaluate diversity and inclusion policy and practices as perceived by employees in the workplace. A case study organisation was selected, and a mixed-method approach was used. The research was conducted in three phases. The first phase was a document analysis of the organisation’s diversity and inclusion policies, processes, and procedures to ii determine the effectiveness of the supporting documents. The second phase used semistructured interviews with line managers and senior managers to assess how they understood policies and practices and whether they were implementing them. In the third phase, an online survey was used to identify the non-English speaking background and English speaking background employees’ perceptions of inclusion. range of issues were found relating to diversity and inclusion implementation. For example, in phase one of the research, although the organisation’s policies were found to be straightforward, they were generic. There were silences in the policy that had implications for how managers interpreted and practised diversity and inclusion policy, which were reflected in non-English speaking background employees’ perceptions of inclusion. Managers and employees were interviewed to understand how managers operationalised policies in practice. While many managers embraced diversity and inclusion policies and tried to use them effectively, it was evident that managers sometimes struggled to support their diverse employees. It was found that managers’ interpretations of diversity and inclusion policy and practices were inconsistent. The online survey explored perceptions of diversity and inclusion of employees from non-English speaking backgrounds and English speaking backgrounds. The data highlighted similarities and differences between the perceptions of the two groups. Supervisory fairness and overqualification were similarly perceived as impacting on inclusion. The groups showed differences in their perceptions pertaining to organisational inclusion, communication of diversity policy, treatment of employees and employment relations issues. The thesis contributes to the understanding of diversity and inclusion policy and practices as perceived by employees. This thesis builds on prior research to describe the relevant characteristics of NESB skilled employees’ perceptions of inclusion and the impact this has on the workplace, management practices and the labour market. It also recommends implementing effective training in diversity and inclusion for managers.