Employee perceptions of diversity management at a tertiary institution

Abstract

Diversity is an inevitable aspect of organisational life, which has to be deal with at one time or other.  How employees perceive diversity impacts on their behaviour and therefore managing it is imperative.  The objective of this study was to investigate perceptions among staff members at a tertiary institution in the Eastern Cape of diversity management.  A further aim was to assist the institution in developing ways to improve diversity management.  A diversity management questionnaire was administered to employees to determine perceptions. Results confirmed that employees perceived a small number of diversity-related problems to be present.  Employees believed that the university understood the value of change and that they were in the non-discriminatory phase of evolution towards becoming multicultural.  A follow-up study in this field is necessary.