An investigation into employee engagement in a workwear distribution company
| dc.contributor.advisor | Price, Linda | |
| dc.contributor.author | van Wyk, Randall Alvin | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2020-02-25T12:12:53Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2020-02-25T12:12:53Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2019 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2020-02-25T08:42:56Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | This study examines the levels and drivers of employee engagement in a South African organisation that distributes personal protection equipment. The organisation relies on its human resources to retain a competitive advantage in the industry. An understanding of employee engagement is essential for the attraction of new talent and the retention of existing employees. The researcher employed a mixed method design, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods. A survey was sent to all employees to determine levels of engagement. It was followed by focus groups to probe deeper into the survey results. The findings of the survey and the focus groups are contradictory. The survey results indicate that respondents are engaged within the workwear distribution company, whilst the findings of the focus groups depict a different narrative. The researcher believes that participant responses to the different methodologies explains this contradiction. The survey contained a number of closed-ended statements, where participants were required to tick a particular box, indicating their responses. The researcher believes that this approach was very clinical and elicited certain responses. Furthermore, participants might not have felt comfortable sharing their true feelings in writing. The approach to the focus group was very interactive and the researcher posed open-ended questions to the participants. This approach was organic and participants might have felt more comfortable sharing their feelings and views in this forum. The study revealed that a work environment characterised by poor communication and conflict impacted negatively on employee engagement. It also revealed that the organisation is characterised by an autocratic leadership style whereby top management make the decisions and are not open to suggestions from employees. While support between co-workers was acknowledged, relationships were also described as strained and that there is no synergy between departments. Maintaining positive relationships with management and co-workers are vital drivers to achieving increased employee engagement. Although these findings are particular to one organisation, they will hopefully assist other organisations to expand their understanding of employee engagement and thus refine their employee engagement strategies. | |
| dc.identifier.apacitation | van Wyk, R. A. (2019). <i>An investigation into employee engagement in a workwear distribution company</i>. (). ,Faculty of Commerce ,School of Management Studies. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31334 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.chicagocitation | van Wyk, Randall Alvin. <i>"An investigation into employee engagement in a workwear distribution company."</i> ., ,Faculty of Commerce ,School of Management Studies, 2019. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31334 | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.citation | van Wyk, R. 2019. An investigation into employee engagement in a workwear distribution company. | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.ris | TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - van Wyk, Randall Alvin AB - This study examines the levels and drivers of employee engagement in a South African organisation that distributes personal protection equipment. The organisation relies on its human resources to retain a competitive advantage in the industry. An understanding of employee engagement is essential for the attraction of new talent and the retention of existing employees. The researcher employed a mixed method design, incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods. A survey was sent to all employees to determine levels of engagement. It was followed by focus groups to probe deeper into the survey results. The findings of the survey and the focus groups are contradictory. The survey results indicate that respondents are engaged within the workwear distribution company, whilst the findings of the focus groups depict a different narrative. The researcher believes that participant responses to the different methodologies explains this contradiction. The survey contained a number of closed-ended statements, where participants were required to tick a particular box, indicating their responses. The researcher believes that this approach was very clinical and elicited certain responses. Furthermore, participants might not have felt comfortable sharing their true feelings in writing. The approach to the focus group was very interactive and the researcher posed open-ended questions to the participants. This approach was organic and participants might have felt more comfortable sharing their feelings and views in this forum. The study revealed that a work environment characterised by poor communication and conflict impacted negatively on employee engagement. It also revealed that the organisation is characterised by an autocratic leadership style whereby top management make the decisions and are not open to suggestions from employees. While support between co-workers was acknowledged, relationships were also described as strained and that there is no synergy between departments. Maintaining positive relationships with management and co-workers are vital drivers to achieving increased employee engagement. Although these findings are particular to one organisation, they will hopefully assist other organisations to expand their understanding of employee engagement and thus refine their employee engagement strategies. DA - 2019 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Employee engagement KW - work environment KW - leadership KW - co-worker relations LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PY - 2019 T1 - An investigation into employee engagement in a workwear distribution company TI - An investigation into employee engagement in a workwear distribution company UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31334 ER - | en_ZA |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31334 | |
| dc.identifier.vancouvercitation | van Wyk RA. An investigation into employee engagement in a workwear distribution company. []. ,Faculty of Commerce ,School of Management Studies, 2019 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/31334 | en_ZA |
| dc.language.rfc3066 | eng | |
| dc.publisher.department | School of Management Studies | |
| dc.publisher.faculty | Faculty of Commerce | |
| dc.subject | Employee engagement | |
| dc.subject | work environment | |
| dc.subject | leadership | |
| dc.subject | co-worker relations | |
| dc.title | An investigation into employee engagement in a workwear distribution company | |
| dc.type | Master Thesis | |
| dc.type.qualificationlevel | Masters | |
| dc.type.qualificationname | MPhil |