The incidence and impacts of diversity management: A survey of New Zealand employees

Abstract

There have been few studies of how New Zealand employers manage the increasing diversity in their workplaces and how workers respond to these efforts. This paper reports a telephone survey of 500 New Zealand workers’ perceptions of, and responses to, diversity management activities. Conducted in 2010, the survey was designed to reflect the gender and ethnicity profile of the contemporary workforce, and enables us to compare responses across different types and sizes of organisation. While the use of formal diversity policies and support activities is higher in the public sector, we find widespread use of family-friendly employment practices and a general perception of a good climate for diversity. Employees who report higher levels of family-friendly and proactive EEO practices are more committed to their organisation, more satisfied in their jobs, and more trusting of their employer. This helps to underline the ‘employee case’ for diversity management.