An Analysis of Diversity Management in the Construction Industry: A Case Study of a Main Contractor

Haizelden, Julia, Marasini, Ramesh and Daniel, Emmanuel (2019) An Analysis of Diversity Management in the Construction Industry: A Case Study of a Main Contractor. In: Proceedings of the 35th Annual ARCOM Conference. ARCOM, Leeds UK, pp. 465-474. ISBN 978-0-9955463-4-9

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Abstract

In recent times there has been increasing argument for diversity and inclusivity in work places. Although the construction industry is moving forward to improve diversity, there is still a long way to create a more inclusive workforce. Not only are there legal requirements that organisations must adhere to following the release of the Equality Act 2010, there is also a moral and business case for managing diversity. It has been speculated that improving diversity and reaching out to wider talent pools could help improve the skills shortage and poor productivity that is currently affecting the industry. However, there is limited evidence to substantiate this claim in the construction industry context. The aim of this study is to ascertain a theoretical perspective on how diversity management would improve the construction industry and evaluate whether a main contractor is managing diversity effectively. A theoretical framework was identified through the review of the literature to monitor the effectiveness of the DM strategies. A case study of a major contractor in the United Kingdom was carried out to see the extent to which the company is applying the diversity management requirements. The data were collected using document analysis, observations and three semi-structured interviews to understand their current approach to manage diversity. A questionnaire was also issued to all employees of the three southern region offices of the company to identify if the approach taken from senior management is working. The case study findings highlight that there are policies and tools in place to comply equality legislation and to improve and enhance diversity; the current practice within the case study organisation align with DM requirements identified in the literature. However, there is no coordinated effort to implement diversity management initiatives other than meeting legal requirements and this has not perused for the benefits such as improving productivity or fulfilling skills shortage. This study provides a new insight into how diversity could be managed in a construction organisation and contributes to future study of diversity management in general.

Item Type:	Book Section
Depositing User:	RED Unit Admin
Date Deposited:	21 Oct 2019 12:35
Last Modified:	05 Nov 2020 09:04
URI:	https://bnu.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/17874

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