Influence of Human Resource Diversity Management Practices on Performance of Non-Commercial Government Agencies in Kenya

Abstract

The shifting demographics, advances in knowledge and technology, and advent of a global economy have brought in diverse workforce in organisations in Kenya. This has paused new challenges in managing the complex human resource in terms of diversity. In more recent years, the view of workforce diversity management practices has changed to a more strategic concept of organizational performance. This prompted a study to investigate the influence of human resource diversity management practices on performance of non-commercial government agencies in Kenya. The human resource diversity management practices discussed were diversity recruitment, diversity training, diversity retention, and institutionalization of diversity. Senior management accountability was studied as a moderator variable. The study was of descriptive nature with a target population of 132 human resource managers drawn from the 132 non-commercial government agencies in Kenya. A pre-test was done with eleven respondents and the full study carried out using census of 132 human resource managers. The data was collected from the primary source using questionnaires. The study used both qualitative and quantitative analytical techniques for data analysis. The findings of the study were presented and discussed guided by the study hypothesis. Descriptive statistics indicated that performance in non-commercial government agencies in Kenya was influenced by diversity recruitment, diversity training, diversity retention, and institutionalization of diversity. Inferential statistics confirmed that performance was highly predicted by human resource diversity management practices. Senior management accountability was found to moderate the relationship between human resource diversity management practices and organisational performance. The study concluded that diversity recruitment, diversity training, diversity retention, and institutionalization of diversity were key human resource diversity practices which if fully utilized could improve performance of non-commercial government agencies in Kenya. The study recommended that the sector should advance its diversity goals by creating all inclusive work environment to enhance performance.