Improving Productivity in Woolworth Limited

TASK

Problem faced by the organisation

 As per the report Woolworth Limited is having more than 205,000 employees and it is difficult for the human resource management to manage such huge workforce. Organisational behaviour is very important as it helps the managers to manage the workforce so that they can work effectively. Company is also having more than 800 stores and have full time and part time employees that help the company to manage the stores. Main focus of the human resource managers is over production and performance part and they are not focusing on employee motivation. Top level manager of Woolworth Limited are not having proper communication with there employees and as a result they are not able to understand the basic requirements of the employees and also about different motivational factors that can help the employees to work productively. Most of the employees working in firm are part time employees.

Employees are having low level of motivation and that is affecting their job responsibility and they are also not finding any future scope in retail sector. This is also leading to high employee turnover(Baum, 2016). To motivate these employees to work effectively human resource management is facing lots of problem as company is having hierarchical structure and top management is not paying attention on general needs of the employees. It also been seen that demotivated employees are giving low quality of services to the customers that can result in poor performance of the organisation.

This also is resulting in high employee turnover as employees are seeing their bring future in retailing and they are also not getting recognition as top management is not focusing on employees needs. Employees are also not getting opportunity to make their own decision and that is the reason they are lacking in innovation. For the same Woolworth Limited have to work in order to create environment where employees work happily and become loyal towards the firm. These all issues are leading to deterioration of service quality and this is affecting overall performance of the firm(Brewster & et.al., 2016).

After analysing the overall organisational behaviour of Woolworth Limited it is being determined that company haver to focus on problem related to human resource management. The major issues in organisational behaviour with respect to human resource management is low level of motivation in the employees and that is further leading to high employee turnover. These issues have been identified with the help of different theories that determined the reasons of these issues arising in the management and giving solutions for overcoming them.

Low level of motivation:-

Management of Woolworth Limited is facing issues related to employees motivation as employees are demotivated to work effectively as there basic needs are not been fulfilled by the firm. Company have to focus on individual needs of the employees as this can motivate them to work more effectively(Kiruja & Mukuru, 2018). The different issues arising due to low level of motivation in employees are as follows:-

• They do not get involved in different organisational activities and there commitment is also not 100%, so it becomes difficult for the human resource managers to manage the daily business operations of the firm.
• Employees behave negatively and change in attitude is seen.
• This also results in lower productivity of the business.

Organisation behaviour if focuses on both the needs of employees and organisation then things would become better within the firm. There are different motivation theories that can help the organisation to analyse the issues that employees are facing. Need motivation theory helps the firm to identify basic needs of the employees and analyse whether firm is able to fulfil them or not.

Maslow's Hierarchy of needs

This theory is very helpful to understand basic needs of the employees that organisation can provide in order to have potential employees. There are some essential motivation needs that encourages the employees to work in the organisation(Lăzăroiu, 2015).

• The most important need is physiological needs that includes food, air and water. Satisfying them motivates the employees to work in the organisation. Woolworth Limited is providing this basic need to all the employees and that is the reason 205,000 employees are working in the organisation.
• But employees also have concern over safety needs that is they are safe and have security of the job. Basically company is able to fulfil the safety need but as top management is having less concern about the employees, they fear about there job security that is not helping them out in order to get motivated.
• Another need is belongingness that employees of Woolworth Limited is not getting and company have to provide happy working environment to there employees to motivate them towards the work.
• When this need get fulfil employees are also have concern about there self esteem that is to get respect in the organisation and society. Employees of Woolworth Limited are respected but there work is not given importance and nor they are appreciated that is the reason they are demotivated. Managers have to give rewards for there efforts so that others also get motivated to work hard(Lee & Hanna, 2015).
• At the end of all these needs comes self actualisation where employee is in need to get new things to learn so that they are able to have new skills and there goals can be achieved. Company have to provide special training programs so that employees get trained and can have new skills that can help them to grow in right direction.

High employee turnover

Company is facing issues related to employees retention and this is being analysed with the help of Herzberg's two factor theory. According to this theory there are factors that results to satisfaction and there are some factors that prevent dissatisfaction.

• Hygiene factors:- These factors are essential in order to have motivation in the company. Not having these factors lead to dissatisfaction and employee turnover ratio may increase. Woolworth Limited is not having rigid company policies and that is the reason employees are dissatisfied as they are not getting flexible working hours. Relationship between the employees and employers are also lacking due to various conflicts in the organization(Alshmemri, Shahwan-Akl & Maude, 2017). Woolworth Limited have to provide job security and such conflicts must be resolved in order to satisfy the employees and this can result in low employee turnover.
• Motivation factors:-Another factor is motivation that motivates the employees to have high performance. As Woolworth Limited is not giving recognition to there employees they are less motivated towards there performance and employees have to be given rewards for there good efforts so that other employees get motivated(Mathieu & et.al., 2016). Company is not bringing growth opportunity for the employees that is demotivating the employees and to overcome this employees must be given promotions for there best performance.

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Intervention design

 Woolworth Limited can have a change program that can help the company to improve the current situation of the organization. Company can use different techniques in this change program in order to have organizational behavioural development. These techniques are as follows:-

• Sensitivity Training:- Woolworth Limited managers can have interaction with the employees and groups so that they get to know about the problems that employees are facing. This can also help the company to solve various interpersonal conflicts. This can motivate the employees to work on there skills and they will retain for long period in the organisation. This type of training also help in fulfilling there self esteem needs as their skilled get enhanced and this helps them to improve as an employee.
• Survey feedback:-Senior managers have to ask the feedback of the employees so that they can take appropriate decision to solve the conflicts that are creating differences in the employee and employers relationship. It is very important to have a good relation with the employees as company can make the employees working towards the growth of the firm and they will listen to the managers patiently. Making improvement according to employees feedback can motivate them as they are getting consideration and this will result in low employee turnover.
• Team building:- High interaction groups have to be created in order to develop trust among the members and this can also help the employees to come up with innovative ideas. If employees are hesitating to share there ideas it is not good for the organization as lack of innovative ideas can not bring competitive advantage to the firm. Company can conduct different activities that can motivate the employees to work in team and this results in retention of the employees as they are getting happy working environment(Mali, Froese & Merchant, 2017).
• Goal setting:- Setting goals can make the employees motivated to perform well in order to receive rewards. There are many employees who only get motivated to work only when some rewards are put up by the company. For the same promotions or rise in payment can motivate them to work hard. This will lead to better performance of employees and their self esteem need will be fulfilled as they will be getting recognition in the organization. Goals have to be assign according to capability of the employees so that they can work easily without feeling pressure.

Read Also: Strategic Human Resource Management of Woolworths

CONCLUSION

From the above report it is concluded that Woolworth Limited is facing problem related to organisational behavioural management as human resource management is not working properly. Company is have less motivated staff and they are not retaining for long period in the organisation. It is being seen in the organisation that most of the employees are doing part time job in the stores of Woolworth Limited. The reason is that employees are not getting motivation to work for long period in the organisation. From Maslow's' hierarchical of needs it is been concluded that company is required to focus on security and self esteem of employees as it is lacking behind. Not only this company also have to fulfil there employees belonging and self actualisation needs by conducting various activities and training programs. These activities can help the employees to retain for long period. To have low employee turnover and retain employees for long period Herzberg's two factor theory have been used that analysed the reason of high employee turnover. By designing intervention it is being concluded that company can solve these issues by using different techniques like Goal setting, Team building, Survey feedback, Sensitivity Training that can make the employees motivated towards there work and this can also help in solving problems related to human resource management.

REFERENCES

• Alshmemri, M., Shahwan-Akl, L., & Maude, P. (2017). Herzberg’s two-factor theory. Life Science Journal. 14(5). 12-16.
• Baum, T. (Ed.). (2016). Human resource issues in international tourism. Elsevier.
• Brewster, C. & et.al., (2016). International human resource management. Kogan Page Publishers.
• Kiruja, E. K., & Mukuru, E. (2018). Effect of motivation on employee performance in public middle level Technical Training Institutions in Kenya. IJAME.
• Lăzăroiu, G. (2015). Employee motivation and job performance. Linguistic and Philosophical Investigations. (14). 97-102.
• Lee, J. M., & Hanna, S. D. (2015). Savings goals and saving behavior from a perspective of Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Journal of Financial Counseling and Planning. 26(2).
• Malik, A., Froese, F. J., & Merchant, H. (2017). National Business Systems in Asian Countries: Impact on Human Resource Management, Employment Relations Practices and Organisation Behaviour (Vol. 13). V. Pereira (Ed.). Emerald Publishing.
• Mathieu, C. & et.al., (2016). The role of supervisory behavior, job satisfaction and organizational commitment on employee turnover. Journal of Management & Organization. 22(1). 113-129.

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