Correlating the diversity awareness within the organizations of Bangladesh in the era of industry 4.0-Human resource perspective

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue IX, September 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186

Correlating the diversity awareness within the organizations of Bangladesh in the era of industry 4.0-Human resource perspective

Mohammed Kamruzzaman¹, Sunan Islam^2
1Assistant Professor, International University of Business Agriculture and Technology
²PhD Researcher, Putra Business School, Universiti Putra Malaysia

Abstract: Organizations strategically adopt various diversity and inclusion initiatives to encourage the diversity approach of a diverse workforce. Many social science authors and HRM scholars mostly focused on studying diversity models in societal/organizational outcomes. This paper aims to study the correlations of mainly four HR practices in Bangladeshi origin organizations, i.e., employee engagement, diversity training, diversity alignment, and mutual respect, with diversity awareness of diverse workforce working in the organizations. Data was collected through a questionnaire survey of a sample size of 218 employees (108 males, 110 females) from Bangladeshi origin organizations. The statistical tools, such as reliability tests, multiple correlations, multiple regressions, ANOVA, and hypotheses tests, were used for data analysis and interpretations. This research finding showed that employee engagement, diversity training, and diversity alignment is significant to diversity awareness except for mutual respect. The present study contributes to the HRM literature by proposing a conceptual framework of how these four independent variables react to diversity awareness. The study highlights the importance of diversity awareness by diverse employees as a competitive advantage to make multi-cultural firms in the era of industry 4.0.

Keywords: Employee diversity, employee engagement, diversity training, diversity alignment, mutual respect.

I. INTRODUCTION

In recent years, several Bangladeshi origin firms have been rapidly adopting one of the most emerging HR buzzwords, i.e., diversity and inclusion practices. Bangladesh symbolizes diversity in unity, and it also reflects in its people. Usually, these diverse reflections witness in their social, political, cultural, spiritual beliefs, linguistic, ideological, customary festivals, and public life. Although diversity has been a critical characteristic of Bangladesh society, the broader view of diversity is yet fully evident in the behavior of employees working in Bangladeshi origin firms. Encouraging the awareness of diversity and inclusion practices among employees has become an emerging HR concern for Bangladesh based organizations. Large numbers of studies published in Bangladesh which discussed diversity practices in organizations (e.g., Dameron & Joffre, 2007; Maxwell, Blair, & McDougall, 2001; Nishii & Özbilgin, 2007; Sippola & Smale, 2007; Soni, 2000; Subeliani & Tsogas, 2005).

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