Demographic differences in teachers’ perceptions on Work place inclusion and its relationship with individual and group well-being at higher education

Abstract

<p align="justify">Workplace inclusion is a phenomenon in which all members of the organization are valued equally, due to which they consider themselves as an important part of the institution. The phenomenon stands crucial in HEI’s, where there is a big force, and all need to be valued equally for maximum work related output and well-being of teachers. The objective of the study was to explore teachers’ sense of feeling towards inclusion whether and to what extent, they feel included in departmental activities that lead to individual and group wellbeing at workplaces. The study further examines significant difference in workplace inclusion on the basis of teachers’ demographics. The study was quantitative in nature, where, data were collected from 300 teachers in public sector universities of Punjab Province in Pakistan through self-developed instrument. Mean, percentages, t-Test, ANOVA and Correlation tests were applied. The results revealed that 67% teachers responded that their institutional environment is inclusive while 56% responded that leadership attributes contribute in work place inclusion-exclusion for teachers. Sixty percent and 57% teachers responded that the environment is good for individual wellbeing and group wellbeing respectively. The results showed that institutional environment, leadership attributes are essential to foster workplace inclusion in their institution and perceived its positive influence on teachers individual and group wellbeing. Further, result showed that there was no significant difference with respect to teachers’ gender in departmental environment. Also, more qualified teachers felt more included due to inclusive leadership attributes leading to individual and group wellbeing of teachers. Result also showed that workplace inclusion has strong positive influence on individual and group wellbeing of teachers at higher education. It is recommended that leadership should take steps such as cater diversity, collaboration and shared decision making to promote workplace inclusion in their institutions as it leads to individual and group wellbeing of teachers.