Managing a Diverse Workforce in Zambian Firms

Abstract

This study aims to examine the impact of workforce diversity on organizational performance within Zambian firms, specifically focusing on how diversity constructs like gender, age, and cultural background are mediated through leadership and organizational policies and procedures. Employing a cross-sectional research design, primary data were collected from 197 informants using a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to test the relationships among the variables. The analysis revealed strong positive correlations between organizational performance and leadership (68%) and organizational policies and procedures (81.1%). Both models confirmed statistically significant relationships (p < 0.01) between performance outcomes and diversity constructs, including gender, age, and cultural background, as well as mediating variables like leadership and policies. The findings offer theoretical foundations and practical insights into the nexus between diversity constructs and performance outcomes in the context of Zambian firms, emphasizing the crucial mediating roles of leadership and policies. This study contributes to the existing literature by focusing on an under-researched context i.e. Zambian firms and by introducing the mediating roles of leadership and organizational policies and procedures in the relationship between diversity and performance.