Effect of Human Resource Management Practices on Workplace Diversity in Public Universities in Kenya

Abstract

The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of human resource management practices on workplace diversity in Public universities in Kenya. The HRM practices selected for the study and which formed the specific objectives of the study were to determine the effect of the Hiring, Performance Appraisals, Employee Compensation and Training and Development practices and the role of Organization Culture on Workplace Diversity. Empirical and theoretical literature on the effect of HRM practices and workplace diversity as articulated by various scholars has been discussed and from the theories and models developed a framework. The study adopted a quantitative research with the specific research design being a descriptive cross sectional survey design. The population of the study was the public universities in Kenya. The sampling frame was the 22 chartered public universities out of which a sample size of 245 managers surveyed. The sampling technique used was purposive sampling. Primary data was collected by use of questionnaires with closed-ended questions and open-ended questions and were administered through drop and pick method. Descriptive statistics were used to compute percentages of respondents’ feedbacks. Factor analysis was used to test whether measures of a construct are consistent with the nature of that construct (or factor). Correlation and regression analysis were used to determine the relationship between the research variables. The study findings indicate significance relationship between workplace diversity with hiring practices, performance appraisal, employee compensation and organizational culture. The study findings indicate that, public universities in Kenya have undertaken HRM practices which are aimed at helping them to achieve their goals but they are not consistent in their application. The study recommends that the public universities in Kenya to adopt human resource management practices that favour diversity. This is by ensuring that all human resource personnel and administrative managers at the public universities are trained on human resource management skills. The HR department should play a strategic role in training and implementing diversity policies and practices. The selected HRM practices should be bundled together, because they have a synergistic link so that the impact of each on workplace diversity is enhanced when the others are present than when used individually.