Organisation team sport interventions to minimise diversity constraints in the workplace

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to explore and determine the effect of an organisation team sport intervention on a number of diversity constraints in two financial organisations. The diversity constraints relevant in this study are race, ethnicity, generation gaps, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, age, physical abilities, religious beliefs, political beliefs, parental status, education and income. The main aim is to determine whether organisation team sport interventions impacted on the participating employees’ relationships, trust and respect towards one another, despite their differences in culture, age, gender and religion. The study was conducted among 26 employees of the two financial organisations that participate in organisation team sport. The data were collected by means of focus group interviews and individual interviews. The results indicated that a strong bond is established between employees in the organisation during organisation team sport. Employees are encouraged to share information, which leads to increased productivity. Business relationships can be created whilst talking sport, attending sport events or playing sport. The conclusions was made that organisation team sport is therefore a vehicle for creating opportunities to share goals and visions, improving individual commitment, improving cohesion, increasing trust and respect in a workforce, improving communication between employees and enhancing employees’ knowledge of other employees. The contributions that organisation team sport makes to an organisation are all requirements for effective diversity management in the workplace. Copyright 2010, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Joubert, YT 2010, Organisation team sport interventions to minimise diversity constraints in the workplace, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02222012-111732 / > C12/4/194/gm