LABOUR RELATIONS AND WORKFORCE DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT IN DEPOSIT MANAGEMENT BANKS IN PORT HARCOURT

Ogbonda, E. H.

Department of Management, Faculty of Management Sciences, Rivers State University,

Port Harcourt, Nigeria

and

Essien, E. J

Department of Management, Faculty of Management Sciences, Rivers State University,

Port Harcourt, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

This study examined the association between labour relations and workforce diversity management in deposit management banks in Port Harcourt. Labour unions’ collective bargaining and employee participation were used as the dimensions for the predictor variable while workforce inclusion and employee demographics were used as measures for the criterion variable. The Resource Based Theory, Social categorization and Similarity Attraction Theory and Unitarism Theory formed the theoretical based of this study. The study consisted of a total of 150 employees drawn as sample out of a population of 152 managers, line managers, and employees of 24 selected deposit management banks in Port Harcourt. The study uses primary data that is collected through a self-administered questionnaire that consists of both open and closed-ended questions designed to elicit specific responses for qualitative and quantitative analysis, respectively. The hypothesis was tested using z-test at 0.05 level of significance.  The Criterion mean used in scoring the instrument was 2.50 which signified High Extent to a questionnaire item, as items below 2.50 denoted ‘Low Extent. Data collected were analysed using SPSS 25 Package for data analysis. The findings showed that that labour unions actively contribute to shaping the composition of employee demographics, thereby affecting the diversity landscape within deposit management banks. The study therefore recommended that, partnership between labour unions and management, fostering open lines of communication and collaboration should be developed and executed to capture diversity and inclusion initiatives that reflect the collective values and aspirations of the workforce.

Key words: Labour Relations, Labour Unions, Employee Participation, Collective Bargaining, Workforce Diversity Management and Deposit Management Banks.