Transcending Tribal and Ethnic Barriers to Building Inclusive Workplaces: An exploration of HR Managers' initiatives in supporting inclusive workplaces in Nigeria

The new complexity of work which requires diverse workforce, maximisation of diverse talents, notwithstanding ethnic and tribal affiliations means that inclusive approach is even more urgently required. Researchers have noted that in a country such as Nigeria, with large composition of ethnic and tribal affiliations, the issues of inclusion and diversity should be the priority of managers in all types of organisations.

A number of researchers have recently investigated workforce diversity in Nigeria and rightly so, due to the fact that Nigeria is one of the most diverse countries in the world. However, current concerns should rise above workforce diversity to consider workplace inclusion. Inclusion matters as much as diversity. In a recent study on inclusion, it was found out that employees considered inclusion as of great importance and not always aligned to organisational strategy. Additionally, the institutional framework of diversity and inclusion in Nigeria organisations is either weak or non-existing. This is especially true when one notes that Nigeria organisations are product of weak institutions in the country. It is therefore important to consider strategies for inclusive practices in Nigeria. This study therefore, undertakes a qualitative approach to explore the initiatives of HR managers in workplace inclusion that transcends ethnic and tribal barriers with the view to contributing ways of improving workplace inclusion in Nigeria.