Statement of business problem
Following a poor performance at the Incredible Ventures Company, a board resolution passed the need to cut down on company spending especially on miscellaneous dockets, and redirect the money to fund a new line of products which the company thought to be a possible recovery path. This meant reduced benefits to the employees and reduced compensation. It was also passed that the hours of work be increased by creating an extra shift for the night as the company went into a 24-hour operation. However, all the shifts were to be compensated equally at an hourly rate. These decisions impact employee morale who insisted that their compensation be honored in spite of company performance and that the night shift be compensated higher because of the safety risks they are exposed to. It has occurred that since then the workers’ morale has gone very low, the vibrancy of the company has been compromised (Kumar 22). Preliminary consideration of the matter by the CEO has shown that there is no feedback being obtained from the unionized employees who are the most affected by the decisions. The union has been upbeat with the matter with threats of industrial action which has operational, people, and financial risks leveled at the company unless the matter is contained.
Tackling the problem
Since the problem at hand is sensitive to the company and to the people the challenge is to understand the reason for the rejection of the proposals from the board meeting. This is suspected to be a communication problem probably the decisions were not communicated to the people in a way that they would agree to (Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Work and Pensions Committee 13). Because other stakeholders in the company feel dissatisfied with the decision there is a need to first engage the people in dialogue by understanding what they feel needs to be done to improve the employment relationship and the welfare of the workers as well. There is therefore a need to conduct an investigation in the company by a team of neutral people through a survey which would be done throughout the company in places and manner that will keep the respondents from the risk of job loss.
Target audience
The designed questionnaire for the survey will be customized to bring onboard the employees in the company especially the subordinate staff that is the most affected by the board decision. However, some information shall be required from the senior management especially those who took part in formulating the plan so that a comparison can be made in a more relevant and balanced manner in a way that will bring both parties to understand the situation in either camp.
Information Required
The information shall be based on issues of governance including institutionalizing of rules, regulations, and policies in the company. Other information scheduled shall be on company norms and culture as well as motivational issues among the workforce. The working environment shall also be investigated in terms of the effects of communication and supervision and the company’s response to their dedicated commitment.
Justification
From the preliminary investigation, it is notable that the problem has resulted from a breakdown in communication which began with the lack of consultation across the board among all stakeholders. This created mistrust and feeling of being cut off from the mainstream activities of the company. Even though the decisions made by the board were soundly based on the current financial situation in the company, it is notable that the way in which the matter was relayed to the employees got them by surprise which led to a lack of support from this group of stakeholders. If the exact cause of the misunderstanding is not immediately established it is likely that the company will be exposed to operational risk (because of strikes), financial risks (due to loss of revenue), and human risks. The survey will therefore offer the management of the company a chance to understand the feeling of the employees on the matter while the employees will get an opportunity to express their feelings to the management. The greatest thing which the survey will be seeking to salvage ids the eminent operational risks which are likely to cut across the company with effects bringing in other risks like financial, human, and legal risks that may, by the end of the day expensive to the company yet the objective of the board will have also failed.
Questionnaire
For purposes of the survey Incredible Ventures will be referred to as “the company”
Level of communication in the company.
What is your general suggestion on dealing with communication issues that would make business environment better in the company? ______________________________________________________________________________
Satisfaction of the employees at the workplace.
Commend on what you feel needs to be adjusted in order to improve job satisfaction in the company.
Opportunity and career development.
For posterity of the company and your career what do you feel should be reinforced to ensure sustainable improvement? ______________________________________________________________________________
Individual appraisals and reward system of the company.
What, in your opinion, is the picture of the company’s reward system?
-
- VERY GOOD
- GOOD
- BAD
- WORSE
Covering letter
To the CEO,
Incredible Ventures Ltd
RE: Survey on Poor Employee Response to a Board Decision
The scheduled survey will be conducted among unionized employees in the company with the aim of establishing why employee performance has gone down and is volatile following a board plan to restore the financial performance of the institution by cutting down on spending on employees and increasing the company’s man-hours. It will give a chance of highlighting the employees’ motivational level and reason for volatility with respect to company policies which are thought to have resulted in low morale and the inconsistent employment relationship.
To collect very relevant information from the employees, the team conducting the survey will use a set of questions in form of a questionnaire to be administered randomly to selected respondents in all company departments. The subjective survey is will take about 6 working days in which we expect to have covered all departments. The independent team will comprise specially trained interviewers who shall work independently in the areas of their assignment to gather primary data that will be used for an informative qualitative assessment of the situation.
Even within the need to cover multispectral matters in the survey, there will be limitations defining the survey as constrained by company objectives and policies. This will ensure that the integrity of the team is not injured while also ensuring the well-being of the company.
Our recommendation to the company is that assurance is given on confidentiality of information in order to gather information from respondents who will not fear being fired for the information they give. This is why the team will be expected to work independently from company management to preserve credibility among respondents as well as the management.
From the data collected an analysis will be made and recommendations made to the management of the company with the hope that action points will elicit positive relationships within the company. Some important benefits the company is likely to tap from the survey include an understanding of the level of dissatisfaction in the company, an action plan that will be favorable to all stakeholders, and therefore reduced exposure to risks which translates to a motivated employment relationship. By the end of the day, the company should be able to regain profitable operation given the motivated workforce.
Works cited
Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Work and Pensions Committee. Decision Making and Appeals in the Benefits System: Second Report of Session 2009-10; Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence. The Stationery Office, 2010.
Kumar, Naresh. Motivation and Morale in Banking Administration: A Study of Four Branches of United Commercial Bank. New Delhi: Mittal Publications. n. d.