WORKFORCE DIVERSITY MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES PERFORMANCE OF FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRES (FMCS) IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

Abstract

The workforce of Federal Medical Centres in Nigeria is made up of diverse groups of people in terms of ethnic affiliation, religious inclination, gender, sexual orientation and several other dimensions of diversity. It is therefore imperative for this diverse group of people to be well managed as to get the best in the organisation. The objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness of diversity management in enhancing workforce performance of FMCs in Southwest Nigeria, with specific objectives (1) examine the influence of communication system in the management of diversity on workforce quality of service and (2) to investigate the influence of task interdependence in the management of diversity on workforce commitment. To achieve these objectives, a cross-sectional survey design was employed. The population of the study consists of all medical and non-medical staff of the four (4) FMCs located in southwest Nigeria. Taro Yamane sample size determination gave a total of 363 staff, which was allotted to the institutions. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested using Multiple Regression statistical technique. Result showed that communication system in the management of diversity positively and significantly influenced workforce quality of service (R-squared= 0.718, P ≤ 0.05) and that task interdependence in the management of diversity positively and significantly influenced workforce commitment (R-squared= 0.729 P ≤0.05). The study concluded that communication system and task interdependence in the management of diversity affect workforce quality of service and commitment. It is recommended that virile and pervasive communication system and bringing workforce of different diversity dimensions be brought together to accomplish task in order to understand and appreciate one another.