UNIT 4 WORKER / EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION

2. UNIT 4WORKER / EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT AND PARTICIPATION

3. Learning Outcomes After studying this unit, the student should: • Evaluate the underlying reasons for introducing worker participation • To analyse the various forms that employee participation in an organisation may assume • Determine what is required to ensure the success of employee involvement in the organisation • Analyse workplace forums and the law relating to them.

4. What is employee involvement? • Concept used to describe a set of practices aimed at improving the quality of life of employees in an organisation • Aims at increasing input of members in decision making that affect production.

5. Four key elements affecting employee involvement • Power-empower employees to make work related decisions • Information-employees to have enough information to make meaningful decisions • Knowledge and skills- organisation to provide training and development to improve skills • Rewards- to motivate; provide feelings of self-worthy and accomplishment (Performance bonuses)

6. Effects of employee involvement • Improved communication • Improved productivity • Improved capabilities • Improved coordination among departments Above primary effects Secondary effects below • Employees well-being and satisfaction • Attraction and retention • Improved productivity • Improved employee motivation

7. Employee Involvement Applications • Parallel Structures • Applied in bureaucratic organisations with ill defined and complex problems • Also referred to as ‘’collateral structures,’’ ‘’dualistic structures,’’ and ‘’shadow structures.’’ • Provide members with alternative setting free from the formal organisational structure and culture to facilitate problem solving and change and act in new ways

8. Two types of parallel structures • Cooperative union – management projects and, • Quality circle intervention • Employees involved in above parallel structures make suggestions only and proposals only • Managers still make decisions • Managers make implementation decisions • Work well in organisations with no history of worker participation, endemic of top to down management approaches

9. Steps to be followed • Step1: define purpose and scope • step 2: form steering committee • Step 3:Communicate with organisation members • Step 4:Create forums for employee problem solving • Step 5: Address the problem and issues • Step 6: Implement and evaluate the changes

10. TQM • Focuses on process and quality improvement • Increases knowledge and skills • Provides relevant information to employees • Pushes decision making downwards in organ. & ties rewards with performance • TQM aligned with overall business strategy • Attempts to make business focus towards continuous quality improvement

11. Deming –originator of TQM • Guidelines for effective application of TQM on page 79 • Steps of TQM page 80

12. High Involvement Organisations • Create organisational conditions that support high levels of employee participation • FEATURES /CHARACTERISTICS OF HIOs • Flat lean organisation structures • Job designs • Career systems • Open information systems • Selection • Training • Reward systems • Personnel policies • Physical layouts that support team structures and reduce status differences and promote equality among members