Reference no: EM132959120

TRANQUILITY RESORTS

Tranquillity Resorts consists of a game lodge and two luxury boutique hotels in Mpumalanga. They currently employ 46 full time employees. The management staff includes the Managing Director, Sam Petersen and three operational managers (one for each of the venues) who are Johan Liebenberg, Heinrich Rossouw and Christo van Zyl. They also employ an HR manager, Patricia Mohale.

This core management team is responsible for the numerous receptionists, administrative personnel, game rangers, spa therapists, gardeners and janitors. The managers and administrative personnel in the three locations deal with day to day HR matters that are coordinated by Patricia Mohale, the only HR manager who is located at the Sabi Lodge.

Tranquillity Resorts do not appoint catering and cleaning staff but enter into contracts with labour brokers, who render specialised services, to fill these positions. The resorts are well known for their superior facilities and exceptional service. They cater for overseas visitors and the upper income class and have an annual turnover of well beyond R20 million. They wish to maintain their high standards which have been the secret of their success and therefore employ only the best people. They are currently in the process of filling a receptionist position at one of the hotels. They have interviewed a number of people and have compiled a list of three possible candidates. However, they do not see eye to eye on the matter. During a heated management meeting the following conversation takes place:

Patricia: We currently have three candidates with the required qualifications and experience. As far as we could determine they are all equally competent to fill the position. The only difference is their race and gender: one white woman (Megan Smith), one black woman (Liz Hlongwane) and a black man (Lucas Sadiki). For me it is quite clear. In terms of legal requirements, the black woman should get the job.

Sam: Hold on Patricia. I don't agree with you.

What legal requirements are you referring to? We are not bound by the Employment Equity Act. We only employ 46 people. Why do you think we have opted to use labour brokers to keep our numbers down? We don't want to be bothered with all that affirmative action nonsense. We want to employ the best person for the job.

Johan: I only agree with Patricia on one thing. We should not even consider appointing a man as a receptionist. We all know women are better at that job even if this guy seemed to be quite in touch with his feminine side. What self-respecting man would want to be a receptionist anyway?

Heinrich: Maybe it would be a good thing to bring a man into the mix. We already have too many women. They drive me crazy. They either socialise all the time or they have cat fights. Not to mention the fact that I have to make a plan each time one of them has a sick child that needs to be taken care of. It's just so much simpler to appoint a man. They don't come with all the additional baggage.

Question

Discuss the dimensions of diversity. Which of these dimensions of diversity are evident in the case study?