Correlating the diversity awareness of blue-collar employees with select HRM practices in Indian-origin firms: An empirical study

Abstract

Organizations strategically use diversity and inclusion initiatives to promote diversity in their workforce. This paper studies the correlations of four HR practices (i.e., employee engagement, diversity training, diversity alignment, and mutual respect—independent variables) with diversity awareness (dependent variable) of the blue-collar workforce in Indian-origin firms. The majority of social science authors and HRM scholars study diversity models in light of societal/organizational outcomes. Numerous studies have been conducted on workplace diversity, particularly for executives, women, and top leaders. Despite this, research on correlations between specific HRM practices and diversity awareness for blue-collar employees has received limited attention. A questionnaire survey was conducted in four large Indian companies with a sample size of 218 employees (108 males and 110 females). Except for mutual respect, employee engagement, diversity training, and diversity alignment contribute significantly to promoting diversity awareness. The study contributes to the DEI literature by finding associations between diversity awareness and four specific HR practices. Diversity management is an integral part of human resource management, and it becomes necessary for HR managers to know the relationships between diversity management and various HR practices. In addition, the study further aims to find correlations between diversity awareness and other HR practices. The current study will provide scope for further investigation of diversity awareness and other HR practices. Implications and future research directions are discussed.