Workforce Diversity and Managerial Activities of DMBs in Nigeria

The study explored workforce diversity practices among some selected Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in Nigeria; determined the effect of diversity management on employee’s commitment; and examined the influence of workforce diversity on employee performance in the selected Nigerian banks. These were with a view to assessing the role of workforce diversity in the managerial activities of commercial banks in Nigeria. Primary data were sourced for the study. The data were obtained through administration of a questionnaire to 193 respondents of the selected deposit banks in Nigeria. Staff of Human resources department, operation department and marketing department relevant to this study from each of the 21 Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) were purposively selected. Purposive sampling technique was also used in selecting managers, assistant managers, senior managers and executive managers in the purposively selected departments at the regional offices of these banks. These respondents were in the positions to supply the type of information needed for this study. Data collected were analyzed using simple percentages, frequencies distribution, mean, standard deviation and median; and regression analyses. The results for the study as indicated by the respondents revealed that Nigerian banking industry integrated in their workforce settings practices such as age diversity (85.4%), ethnic diversity (86.2%), educational diversity (88.4%), and gender diversity (84.4%). Also, the effect of workforce diversity had significant effect on employees’ commitment as the results revealed that there was significant relationship among the workforce diversity practices integrated by the selected banks in Nigeria and employees’ commitment. Educational Diversity (t= 10.369, P < 0.05); Age Diversity (t = 3.084; P < 0.05). Also, the results revealed that there was significant relationship among the workforce diversity practices integrated by the selected banks in Nigeria and employees’ performance as indicated in parenthesis: Educational Diversity (t = 3.548; P < 0.05). The study concluded that Nigerian Banks integrated workforce Diversity practices in their work settings practices such as age diversity, ethnic diversity, educational diversity, and gender diversity and had positive and significant effect on its employees’ performance. However, institutionalized diversity into their workforce as a standing rule would bring a better performance.