Managing diversity in the North West Department of Health

Abstract

The study established the extent to which diversity is being effectively managed in the North West Department of Health. The study will assist in identifying and discussing the main factors contributing to employment equity, and managing diversity in the North West Department of Health. The study will further assist the North West Department of Health to evaluate the extent to which its workforce is diverse. The population of this study comprised of approximately 495 employees at the Head office. A structured questionnaire was used to collect the data. The researcher chose a stratified random sampling because of its relevance to the study. A total of 100 respondents were sampled from the North West Department of Health employees. This was twenty percent of the 495 employees forming the population of the head office staff. The results revealed that the North West Department of Health ensures fair, nondiscriminatory practices which respect the rights and dignity of all its employee irrespective of gender. The staff were comfortable working with diverse race groups, and that they have benefitted from diversity management. Management of the North West Department of Health is appropriately intervening to deal with challenges pertaining to diversity management. The North West Department of Health ensures that minorities (people with disability including women) are included in applicant pools and consults with employees on government policies relating to diversity management and its application. The North West Department of Health adopted policies and practices that protect the rights and dignity of all persons and which provide equal access to resources. The staff at the North West Department of Health are not confusing diversity for promotion opportunities, they believe there is a clear distinction between the two. The staff is not disturbed by working in a department with predominantly Setswana speaking employees. The study recommends that the North West Department of Health must ensure that consistent training of employees on diversity management and all the processes involved in its application are adhered to. Workshops, awareness campaigns, training and continuous education should be encouraged within the department of Health to emphasize the development and growth of employees on the subject matter. The North West Department of Health employees further recommend that the department must ensure relevant policies and legislations are implemented consistently and monitored throughout by relevant officials designated. The accounting officer must direct the Department Management Committee to have diversity as a standing agenda item in their monthly management meetings to report on progress made at different intervals.