University of the People

BUS 5511: Human Resource Management

Written Assignment Unit 7

Cultural Differences and Diversity in the Workplace

Workplace diversity

Diversity in the workplace is about creating an inclusive environment that accepts everyone's

differences and empowers all employees to reach their full potential so that the business can

reach its full potential (PEEPSHR, 2019). When everyone's differences are valued, it allows

everyone to bring their unique experience, which can have a huge positive impact on work, other

employees, motivation, productivity, and the customer experience. Diversity in the workplace is

not just an inclusive fad, it is something most companies struggle to achieve (PEEPSHR, 2019).

While this will help improve the company’s reputation, there are more tangible benefits that can

impact on the business bottom line.

Project

In this project, I was tasked with developing a proposal to help a company develop a diverse

workforce across its operations and activities. Similarities and differences among employees in

terms of age, cultural background, physical ability and disability, color, religion, gender, and

sexual orientation are known as workforce diversity. work. The proposal will focus on

identifying and promoting techniques, such as policy changes, hiring and recruitment, training,

and performance appraisal procedures, that the chosen organization should follow to implement

successfully implements the workforce diversity process.

Description of Company and Geographic Location

Safaricom PLC is a publicly traded Kenyan mobile network operator headquartered at Safaricom

House in Nairobi, Kenya (Mobile Phones, Tablets, Mobile Money Solutions &

Telecommunication Services - Safaricom, 2019). It is the largest telecommunications provider in

Kenya and one of the most profitable companies in East and Central Africa (Wafula, n.d.). The

company provides mobile phone, mobile money transfer, consumer electronics, e-commerce,
cloud computing, data, music streaming and fiber optic services. It is best known as the

headquarters of the SMS mobile banking service MPESA.

Diversification Plan

The purpose is to compel Safaricom to look at society's most pressing needs and find life-

changing solutions. The diversity and inclusion goal are to ensure that all members of the

community are included. In fiscal year 2021/22, the company continued to embrace diversity and

inclusion as a way of life but not the levels expected (Safaricom | Annual Report 2018, n.d.). The

diversification plan ensures that the efforts are accelerated to ensure that Safaricom reflects the

communities it serves. Companies continue to position themselves as employers of choice and

drive change through the four interdependent levers of attraction, retention, growth, and

development (Safaricom | Annual Report 2018, n.d.). Gender should be maintained a 50/50 from

68/32 balanced workforce and management with ambitious plans to reach 50/50 by the end of

FY22/23 (Safaricom | Annual Report 2018, n.d.).

Currently Safaricom Disabled workforce is at 1.7%. The diversity target plan is to increase this

to 5% by June 2022. Safaricom has so far employed 96 employees with various disabilities

including visual and hearing impairments, paraplegics and people with albinism and dwarfism.

Our aspiration is to create an employee value proposition that positions us as an inclusive equal

opportunity employer, not because we need to, but because it is the right thing to do.

Recruitment and Selection

Talking about diversity in recruitment and selection means using HRM tools so that all

categories of workers have the same opportunities at work (Shen et al., 2009). To achieve this,

and since recruitment is organized and executed by an internal team, we recommend that

Safaricom Group conducts its recruitment and selection process as follows:

 • Identify insurmountable obstacles in the process that may favor the exclusion of certain

groups

• Diversify recruitment and selection teams and train them so that they do not favor

candidates;

• State the intention to reach all existing groups without eliminating any existing groups

and ensure that everything is in place so that employment opportunities are available for

each group;

• Use simple, inclusive, and understandable language throughout the recruitment process;

• Do not require discriminatory criteria in job postings, such as not specifying that the

position requires a woman or a man of a certain age.

Safaricom uses an online platform to recruit suitable candidates. HR creates a job description

that opens opportunities for more qualified people. Once shortlisted as a professional candidate,

they will be contacted by Human Resources for a brief online interview. The HR team

investigates the onboarding process and ensures that the process involves a committee of divers.

Training and development

To better manage its diverse workforce to achieve its own and business goals, The following

recommendations to Safaricom were made:

• Mandatory training on corporate culture and values for all employees;

• Plan a training budget for each employee so that everyone can attend and help them

develop and progress within the company. This may be mentoring for some, capacity

building training for others.

• Develop individualized development plans based on employee goals;

 • Establish systems to ensure that each employee has the skills necessary to fulfill their

responsibilities and roles

• Provide cultural knowledge and other cultural training

• Give employees the necessary means to think about diversity and contribute to the

harmony of their environment

Diversity training is considered the best solution to many racial and diversity-related

discriminations in the workplace (Diversity Training - the Importance of D&I Training in a

Workplace, 2020). The same training program and approach may not be suitable for all

organizations. That is why it is important to bring research and thought into designing a diversity

training program based on your organization's goals. Efforts to customize a training program for

your employees can pay off in several ways (Diversity Training - the Importance of D&I

Training in a Workplace, 2020).

Performance management and appraisal

Safaricom’s approach to performance management and appraisal sets the tone for what it values

as an organization and therefore who feels valued and respected as an individual (Bär, 2019).

Here are five ways HR leaders can ensure the approach is one that embraces diversity and creates

an inclusive environment.

• Define and measure performance against specific goals and articulated behaviors,

ensuring the focus is on what people contribute to the organization

• Adding 360-degree reviews to the performance management process ensures inclusion of

multiple sources (managers, peers, reports) and reduces the risk of biased reviews.

• Regularly review the performance management and appraisal system to ensure

employees are on track

 • Communicate policies to employees in inclusive, clear, and understandable language to

avoid misunderstandings

• View employees positively and without discrimination when evaluating performance.

• Use a sample survey question that measures the state of D&I in the organization.

Pay and Incentives

Within Safaricom Group, employees are paid and rewarded based on their job performance. To

promote diversity, we propose to set up a compensation and incentive system that meets the

following conditions:

• The method of payment is transparent and known to all

• The system should be same for everyone;

• allows everyone to receive salary and rewards individually based on achievements.

Non-financial incentive systems can also be envisaged, for example by granting all employees a

day off during the celebration of cultural or religious holidays (Kundu,2001).

Recommendation for Policies and Procedures

Policies and procedures are important to businesses as they define how a business should operate

and establish the moral, ethical, and legal status of a business (How to Improve Policies &

Procedures, 2008). Therefore, improving policies and procedures can enhance a company's

productivity as well as internal and external relationships. This in turn can lead to better revenue

and overall business success.

Recommended policies and procedures for Safaricom group include:

• Written and distributed in simple, clear, and understandable language.

 • Accomplished with respect for cultural differences within the company. For example, we

may consider policies and procedures that include religious practices;

• Hold formal and informal employee meetings, interviews, and surveys to find out what

employees think should be included in policies and procedures. Management may have

different views on the importance of policies and procedures. Incorporating employee

feedback eliminates the risk that policies and procedures may not meet employee needs.

• Encourage and enable employees to facilitate communication online or otherwise

• Divide the policies and procedures into two parts. The first section should describe the

protocols applicable to all employees. The second part should be broken down by sector,

detailing the provisions applicable to each business sector. This allows employees to find

data relevant to their work very quickly.

Policies and procedures should be reviewed periodically to keep them current with the

environment in which the business operates.

In conclusion Diversity plays a significant role for companies like Safaricom Group. By

establishing a dedicated diversity task force and institutionalized channels to report policy

violations, an organization's diversity and inclusion strategy becomes more sustainable, rewards

positive behaviors and takes the business to new heights. of success (Basumallick, 2020).
References

Bär, M. (2019, February 7). 5 ways performance management can foster diversity and inclusion.

Small Improvements. https://www.small-improvements.com/blog/performance-management-

diversity-and-inclusion/

Basumallick, C. (2020, July 13). What Is Diversity in the Workplace? Definition, Importance,

Benefits, Challenges, and Best Practices. Spiceworks. https://www.spiceworks.com/hr/diversity-

inclusion/articles/what-is-diversity-in-the-workplace/

Diversity Training - The Importance of D&I Training in a Workplace. (2020, November 30).

Hurix Digital. https://www.hurix.com/diversity-training-in-a-workplace/

How to Improve Policies & Procedures. (2008). Bizfluent. https://bizfluent.com/how-6744819-

improve-policies-procedures.html

Kundu, S.C. (2001). Managing Cross-Cultural Diversity: A Challenge for Present and Future

Organizations.

Mobile Phones, Tablets, Mobile Money Solutions & Telecommunication Services - Safaricom.

(2019). Safaricom.co.ke. https://www.safaricom.co.ke

PEEPSHR. (2019, August 27). The importance of diversity in the workplace. Peeps HR.

https://www.peepshr.co.uk/resource-centre/the-importance-of-diversity-in-the-workplace/

Safaricom | Annual Report 2018. (n.d.). Www.safaricom.co.ke.

https://www.safaricom.co.ke/annualreport_2018/revamping_our_culture.php

Shen, J., Chanda, A., D’Netto, B., & Monga, M. (2009). Managing diversity through human

resource management: Global perspective and conceptual framework. The International Journal

of Human Resource Management, 20(2), 235- 251. https://doi.org/10.1080/09585190802670516

Small Improvements. (n.d.). How performance management can foster diversity and inclusion.

Retrieved from https://www.small-improvements.com/blog/performance- management-diversity-

and-inclusion/

Wafula, P. (n.d.). Safaricom: Kenya’s most amazing money maker. The Standard. Retrieved

March 15, 2023, from https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2000201499/safaricom-kenya-s-

most-amazing-money-maker