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Impacts of Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity on Retail Companies

March 2022
International Journal of Business and Management Research 10(1):6-18

DOI:10.37391/IJBMR.100102

License
CC BY 4.0

Authors:

Sada Jaman

LAGCC

Dr Desire Luamba

Star Light Consulting LLC

Employee disengagement has become a big concern for retail companies to increase productivity. In the United States, retail companies lose at least $96 billion in revenue every year. Using transformational leadership theory, the purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies needed by retail companies to improve employee engagement and increase workforce productivity. From data collected using face-to-face open-ended interview questions with 4 retail business leaders located in the eastern region of the United States and who have experienced this phenomenon; three major themes emerged. The primary themes that emerged were professional development, collaboration, and work-life balance. Based on the tenets of transformational leadership, the findings indicated that the 3 major themes were strategic to promote employee engagement, improve workforce productivity and financial stability. The findings also reveal that potential leaders could use transformational leadership strategy to improve workforce productivity and financial stability, thereby improving the quality of life for the employees, economic independence, and wellbeing in the local community.

Available via license: CC BY 4.0

Content may be subject to copyright.

International Journal of

Business and Management Research (IJBMR)

Open Access | Rapid and quality publishing Research Article | Volume 10, Issue 1 | Pages 6-18 | e-ISSN: 2347-4696

Website: www.ijbmr.forexjournal.co.in Impacts of Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity

░ ABSTRACT: Employee disengagement has become a big concern for retail companies to increase productivity. In the

United States, retail companies lose at least $96 billion in revenue every year. Using transformational leadership theory, the

purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to explore strategies needed by retail companies to improve employee

engagement and increase workforce productivity. From data collected using face-to-face open-ended interview questions with 4

retail business leaders located in the eastern region of the United States and who have experienced this phenomenon; three major

themes emerged. The primary themes that emerged were professional development, collaboration, and work-life balance. Based

on the tenets of transformational leadership, the findings indicated that the 3 major themes were strategic to promote employee

engagement, improve workforce productivity and financial stability. The findings also reveal that potential leaders could use

transformational leadership strategy to improve workforce productivity and financial stability, thereby improving the quality of

life for the employees, economic independence, and wellbeing in the local community.

KEYWORDS: Job Satisfaction, Workforce Engagement, Business Productivity, Professional Development

░ 1. INTRODUCTION

The retail industry is among business sectors that are rapidly

growing. Per Nakate [1], the retail industry is the second

largest sector industry in the United States and recommends

retail leaders to meet customers’ expectations because of the

market challenge, change customer behaviors, and economic

forces. Rahman [2] added that employee engagement may

influence employee intention to leave the organization which

may affect productivity. Moreover, factor such as

technological advances which makes easier work tasks may

also have an impact on employee engagement and workforce

productivity [3]. Olubiyi et al. [3] added that employee

retention is an endless concern and may cost on average

$10,000 for employee replacement which may affect

negatively the financial wealth of the organization. According

to Rao [4], only 21% of employees are globally engaged.

Leaders should have effective strategies to increase employee

engagement and retention; therefore, reduce the risk of

employee turnover in the workplace because motivated and

engaged employees increase annually by twice the net income

profits.

░ 2. BACKGROUND

The role of business leaders to improve employee engagement,

productivity, and organizational performance is crucial for

business sustainability [5]. Many organizations have invested

in improving employee engagement and productivity;

however, some of them lack managerial tools to sustain their

strategies. Researchers warned that disengaged employees

could affect workforce productivity and sustainability of retail

businesses Consiglio et al. [6] because disengaged employees

cost the United States industries upwards of $345 billion of its

GDP [7]. Retail leaders’ inability to engage employees might

erode profits, expand opportunities, or produce other adverse

business-related outcomes [8]. Then, retail leaders should

apply effective leadership skills to develop strategies in

improving the level of employee engagement and employee

performance to foster a collaborative working environment for

organizational development [9].

░ 3. PROBLEM STATEMENT

Despite the effort of some business leaders to promote

employee engagement and productivity, disengaged

employees often have low self-esteem and unsatisfactory

performance, which can negatively impact organizational

productivity [6]. Results of Gallup research for 2015 and 2016

indicated that employee engagement has reached levels as low

as 15% worldwide [10, 11]. This aspect has been analyzed by

many researchers and the results on business are negative.

Since employee engagement and workforce productivity are of

interest to investigate and analyze low self-esteem and low

performance on sales associates to increase workforce

productivity.

░ 4. RESEARCH OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this qualitative multiple case study was to

explore strategies leaders of retail businesses use to engage

Impacts of Employee Engagement and Workforce

Productivity on Retail Companies

Dr. Sada H. Jaman1, Dr. Kevin C. James2 and Dr. Desire S. Luamba3

1Doctor in Business Administration (Information Systems), Instructor at LaGuardia Community College (CUNY), Queens, NY-USA

2Doctor in Business Administration (International Business Management), Subcontracts Manager, L3Harris Technologies Inc.,

Palm Bay, FL-USA

3Doctor in Business Administration (Finance), Star Light Consulting LLC, Manassas, VA-USA

*Correspondence: Dr. Sada H. Jaman, Email: sada.jaman@gmail.com

ARTICLE INFORMATION

Author(s): Dr. Sada H. Jaman, Dr. Kevin C. James and Dr. Desire S.

Luamba

Received: 19 Dec, 2021; Accepted: 07 Jan, 2022; Published: 28 Jan, 2022 ;

e-ISSN: 2347-4696;

Paper Id: BMN-IJBMR-2021-80;

Citation: doi.org/10.37391/IJBMR.100102

Webpage-link:

https://ijbmr.forexjournal.co.in/archive/volume-10/ijbmr-100102.html

International Journal of

Business and Management Research (IJBMR)

Open Access | Rapid and quality publishing Research Article | Volume 10, Issue 1 | Pages 6-18 | e-ISSN: 2347-4696

Website: www.ijbmr.forexjournal.co.in Impacts of Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity

sales associates and increase workforce productivity. To

respond to this question, this research explored effective

strategies retail businesses need to increase employee

motivation and then promote employee engagement and

workforce productivity.

░ 5. LITERATURE REVIEW

The concepts of employee engagement and workforce

productivity are used in different contexts and contribute to

sustaining organization viability. In the following literature

review, we explored the use of transformational leadership

theory as the conceptual framework in the retail industry.

The additional analysis included a synthesis of employee

engagement, job satisfaction, and workforce productivity to

explore strategies retail business leaders use to engage

employees and increase workforce productivity. When leaders

demonstrate the characteristics of transformational leadership,

employees are motivated and workforce productivity improves

[12].

5.1 Transformational Leadership Theory

The conceptual framework chosen for this study was the

transformational leadership theory. Bass introduced the

transformational leadership theory in 1985 to outline how

leaders could use their leadership abilities to motivate

followers, build trust, promote creativity, engage employees,

increase productivity, reduce turnover, and enhance

professional development for organizational success [13].

Using 228 employees with a multifactor leadership

questionnaire (MQL), Bass [13] also unfolded the relation

between leaders and followers, which included followers’

performance and leaders’ approach for the wellbeing of the

organizations. In concert with Bass [13], Moriano et al. [14]

tested 186 employees in Spain and claimed that the

transformational leaders’ behavior influenced followers to

produce extra effort by sharing an organizational vision and

promoting opportunities for employees to grow in the

workplace. Therefore, exploring Bass’s [13] transformational

leadership theory could help the leaders to improve the

development and efficiency of employees in the organization.

Leaders may learn to use transformational leadership tenets to

enhance their skills in fostering the quality of employee

performance. Bass [13] identified the concepts of

transformational leadership theory to assist leaders in

understanding its effectiveness, which comprises four

dimensions: (a) idealize influence, (b) inspirational

motivation, (c) individualized consideration, and (d)

intellectual stimulation. Bass [13] further added that these four

dimensions helped leaders communicate their vision, achieve

organizational goals, engage followers, display confidence,

address followers’ needs, and involve followers in the

decision-making process. Seemingly, Breevaart et al. [15]

posited that these characteristics empower leaders to stimulate

thought, gain trust, buy-in, and provide mentorship to

followers in the workplace. Moreover, Getachew and Zhou

[16] confirmed that a leader’s competence to improve

employees’ performance coincides with Bass’s reference to

the tenets of transformational leaders. Business leaders' use of

these four tenets might help facilitate strategies to improve

employee engagement, increase workforce productivity,

enhance employee performance, and change the organizational

culture to foster organizational sustainability.

5.1.1 Inspirational motivation

Leaders with inspirational motivation could seek ways to

create a positive work environment. Inspirational motivation

results in self-confidence among employees [13]. In the 2017

study, Nguyen et al. [17] believed that inspirational motivation

incrementally exerts effort through collaboration, which

enabled followers to go beyond the call of duty. Other authors

argued that a safe environment is crucial for employees to

improve performance. Researchers Barling et al. [18] found

that leaders used inspirational motivation to encourage

employees to work beyond their needs by assuring a safe

climate in the workplace. Barling et al. [18] concluded that a

significant relationship exists between transformational

leadership and occupational safety because leaders with

transformational tenets could focus on climate safety and

reduce occupational injuries. While evaluating the variables

related to a worker’s safety, Schulte et al. [19] learned about

the legislation implemented in the organization to sustain

employee safety, such as Occupational Safety and Health Act,

Toxic Substances Control Act, and the Mine Safety and Health

Act. Hence, leaders assuring a safe environment in the

workplace could assure employees to feel positive about their

work environment. Nonetheless, leaders should also focus on

factors that help their followers to fit in the workplace which

will be beneficial for employee engagement and workforce

productivity.

5.1.2 Idealized influence

The concept of idealized influence originates from Bass [13],

and he defined the term as role model tactics, which leaders

could use to create a sense of purpose for employees that may

create organizational commitment. In another study conducted

by Khan et al. [20], the authors defined idealized influence as

a sense of purpose, which is inspirational and embodies the

charismatic attributes of a role model. To better understand

how the use of idealized influence is critical to an

organization, Shaw et al. [21] investigated 12 employees in

Canada to examine whether their behavior aligned with

transformational leadership. The authors essentially showed

that idealized influence enabled leaders to deliver corporate

missions allowing employees to understand the expectations

and thrive to achieve organizational commitment.

Consequently, participants in the study shared how leaders

acted as role models, and because leaders cared about their

wellbeing, employees were inspired to follow their leaders and

remain committed to the organizational objectives. In concert

with Shaw et al. [21], Quintana et al. [22] echoed that leaders

using idealized influence sought to encourage work

commitment by inspiring employees to work with extra effort.

Conducting a series of statistical analyses in hotels located in

Canary Island, Quintana et al. [22] further posited that leaders

with idealized influence encouraged employees to perform

beyond expectations by demonstrating a positive role model.

International Journal of

Business and Management Research (IJBMR)

Open Access | Rapid and quality publishing Research Article | Volume 10, Issue 1 | Pages 6-18 | e-ISSN: 2347-4696

Website: www.ijbmr.forexjournal.co.in Impacts of Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity

Involving 144 teachers, Andinasari et al. [23] conducted a

quantitative study in schools of higher learning and learned

that principals with high expectations enhanced the

commitments of teachers, which influenced the teachers to

demonstrate their best performance and act responsibly.

Hence, the significance of idealized influence within the tenets

of transformational leadership indicated that leaders who

demonstrated attributes of a positive role model tend to

enhance employees’ dedication and commitment to the

workplace.

5.1.3 Individualized consideration

Leaders using the concept of individualized consideration

could help employees bring out their potential. Individualized

consideration is one of the tenets of transformational

leadership theory, which means leaders are addressing the

specific needs of each employee [13]. Other researchers have

further defined individualized consideration as a leader’s

ability to help employees grow professionally by

understanding their employees’ concerns and treating

everyone in accordance with their uniqueness [16, 24].

Leaders who focus on the individual needs of employees may

find that the results of an approach vary.

By empowering employees, leaders could accomplish

organizational goals [25]. When employees find that their

organizational goals are achievable, they are more likely to

work hard for the organization [26]. For example, Cote [27]

evaluated leadership styles and concluded that when

transformational leaders empowered their followers by

focusing on their needs, they eliminated the intrinsic and

extrinsic incentives required by transactional leaders.

Moreover, Nohe and Hertel [26] surveyed 761 employees to

expand on the idea of transformational leadership and found

that transformational leaders help employees to achieve

organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) by making

connections between employees’ roles and organizational

goals. The authors found that OCB enhanced the

organizational environment to achieve extra-role behavior that

leads to improved employee performance that, in turn,

positively impacted the organization [26]. Hence, leaders

should use the attributes of transformational leadership to

empower employees to achieve organizational goals.

5.1.4. Intellectual stimulation

The final dimension of transformational leadership is

intellectual stimulation that varies in the literature. Intellectual

stimulation is leaders’ ability to increase awareness [17],

engender creativity [13, 20], challenge followers to test

assumptions [28], and encourage followers to become

innovative [29]. In a similar study, Choi et al. [30] noted

transformational leaders use intellectual stimulation to build

trust with employees, promote creativity and innovation, and

foster critical thinking. Jena et al. [31] reported that

intellectual stimulation was an important managerial practice

in India within the retail industry as they account for more

than 10 % of the country’s global domestic product. Studying

teachers in the Netherlands, Breevaart and Bakker [15] found

that the school principal had considerable influence on

teachers’ work engagement when leaders approached with

intellectual stimulation. The authors further added that the

school principal demonstrated intellectual stimulation by

listening to the teachers’ problems and guiding teachers to

attend workshops for professional development [15]. The

levels of empowerment granted to employees using

intellectual stimulation may help employees to grow

professionally, enhance creativity, and come up with

innovative solutions to organizational issues.

Researchers have found that transformational leadership is

effective because it may inspire employees, provide

incentives, and motivate employees to maximize work

performance. As evidenced with much of the findings in the

literature, leaders’ ability to exhibit transformational

leadership traits influenced employees to achieve more than

beyond. The tenets of transformational leadership facilitate

business leaders to improve the quality of employee

performance, which might lead employees to remain active in

the workplace. Business leaders who use these tenets might

provide numerous opportunities to improve the quality of

employee performance that may lead to organizational

success.

5.2 Employee Engagement

The success in engaging employees could depend on how the

leader defines what constitutes engagement. Holland et al. [32]

stated much debate exists behind defining employee

engagement. Anitha [33] defined employee engagement as the

levels of commitment, and involvement employees have in an

organization, while Besieux et al. [29] defined employee

engagement as the vigor, dedication, and absorption an

employee has into their work. According to Vorina et al. [34],

leaders must ensure employees invest time in understanding

the organization’s goals and values. Vorina et al. [34]

supported the rationale by surveying 594 employees of public

and nonpublic sectors in Slovenia using the Gallup

questionnaire, which concluded with a suggestion that

enthusiastic employees bring favorable results for the

organization. Vorina et al. [34] further concluded that leaders

must focus on their needs that make the employees satisfied at

work, which resulted in employee engagement. To further

understand employee engagement, Anthony-McMann et al.

[35] examined 472 information technology professionals

working in community hospitals and concluded that the

success of employee engagement in organizations depends on

three attitudinal factors: identification, involvement, and

loyalty. The three factors highlighted the level of care and

commitment, as well as employees’ emotional investment

towards organizations [35]. Moreover, using a sample of 109

managers in the technology industry, Yaakobi and Weisberg

[5] conducted a quantitative study to evaluate how they kept

employees engaged and argued that transformational leaders

addressed both organizational and individual needs for

positive employee engagement. Each of these approaches by

the researchers indicated that the level of engagement varies

based on leadership tactics. However, leaders should become

aware of other factors to foster employee engagement in the

workplace. Nonetheless, Rao [4] warned leaders that

International Journal of

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Website: www.ijbmr.forexjournal.co.in Impacts of Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity

disengaged employees could become liabilities of the

organizations.

5.3 Job Satisfaction

Job satisfaction is an essential component for employees to

remain active in the workplace. Several researchers have

explored the effect of job satisfaction and employees’ role

within an organization. Job satisfaction is the fulfillment of a

rewarding performance, which provides security to those

engaged in the workplace [6, 36, 37]. While Prabowo et al.

[38] surveyed 78 employees of Hotel Kartika Graha Malang in

Indonesia and discovered that transformational leaders have no

positive influence on employee performance but promote job

satisfaction. Moreover, Bošković [39] surveyed 250

employees and found satisfied employees work harder when

their income could cover the necessary living expenses. To

further explore job satisfaction, Wu et al. [40] surveyed 424

employees from the media sector in Pakistan and concluded

that work and life-related wellbeing influenced job

satisfaction, and a worker’s intention to stay engaged in the

workplace. Additionally, Lindblom et al. [41] tested 208

frontline employees in the retail industry and confirmed that

charismatic leaders, as an aspect of transformational

leadership, promoted job satisfaction by helping them to

understand the jobs and guide them with challenging goals.

Though the findings revealed the significance of job

satisfaction in the workplace, employees may need the

availability of job resources which is crucial to increase

engagement and productivity.

5.4 Workforce Productivity

Multiple methods exist to measure worker productivity. Dal

Maso et al. [42] described the term productivity as the

sustainability of human performance that leads to higher

profitability. Oliver [43] suggested measuring productivity by

subtracting expenses from revenues and then dividing that

number by the number of employees. Oliver further argued

that this sort of assessment of workforce productivity would

provide an analysis of how well leaders are managing human

resources to sustain superior performances over an extended

period.

Several authors have examined factors that influence

workforce productivity [44, 45]. Suhartanto and Brien [46]

argued that psychologically engaged employees delivered high

work productivity, which subsequently enhanced the overall

performance of the organization. Ghosh [47] used methods of

Lean Six Sigma (LSS) to determine if financial incentives

enhance productivity. The author found that the variance of

leadership style is the primary reason for fluctuation in

employee engagement, which can affect low workforce

productivity especially if there is a lack of financial incentives

offered to employees. Dirani et al. [48] also added that

communication, recognition, and involvement in decision-

making could help employees to increase workforce

productivity and the overall success of the organizations.

Moreover, Yaakobi and Weisburg [5] studied employee self-

efficacity to enhance productivity and concluded that

regardless of the leadership style, all leaders should

continuously seek ways to improve workforce productivity.

Employee motivation and retention are ideal strategies to

promote sales. Leading or managing retail organizations may

be challenging to enter new markets and compete efficiently

[49]. Transformational leadership theory revealed that

promoting job satisfaction enables managers to achieve their

mission with success and prevent failure. Per Bass [13], the

lack of engagement and satisfaction are among the primary

factors that decrease productivity. Lantara [50] used a

sampling method of data analysis to examine organizational

factors that affect the human resources information system and

engagement of South Sulawesi gubernatorial office staff. In

his conclusion, Lantara [50] found that the human resources

information system positively affected the motivation and

engagement of the office staff. Tasoulis et al. [51] added that

the role of real leaders should be to promote leadership

integrity and compliance with the organization’s culture which

plays a crucial role in increasing productivity. Retail business

leaders should be aware of using transformational leadership

theory to promote the organization’s culture and employee

engagement to increase productivity.

░ 6. METHODOLOGY AND DESIGN

In this study, we used the qualitative research method to

explore strategies leaders of retail businesses used to engage

sales associates and increase workforce productivity. A

qualitative research method was appropriate for this study

because the goal was to explore what leaders of retail

businesses are doing in engaging the sales associates and

increasing workforce productivity. In a qualitative research

method, researchers explore the participants’ experiences in

detail by examining the collected data from the interview

responses [52]. A qualitative research method was effective in

collecting data about participants’ actions, strategies, and

manners about the phenomenon [53, 52].

In a quantitative research method, researchers examine

empirical evidence to test a hypothesis [52]. The quantitative

research method was not appropriate for this study because we

did not examine empirical evidence to test a hypothesis [52].

Researchers used mixed methods to combine both qualitative

and quantitative methods [52]. The mixed-methods approach

was not appropriate for this study, as quantitative components

were not applied.

The design of this study was a multiple case study. Yin [52]

recommended using the case study design because it requires

direct observations and interviews of more than one individual

involved in the phenomenon. Using a multiple case study gave

us a better understanding of the strategies that leaders used to

engage employees and increase workforce productivity. Other

designs such as phenomenological design, which involves

describing people’s lives, or narrative which elicits stories

using conversational interviews prompting a process of

reflection of a person’s experience were not appropriate for

this study.

International Journal of

Business and Management Research (IJBMR)

Open Access | Rapid and quality publishing Research Article | Volume 10, Issue 1 | Pages 6-18 | e-ISSN: 2347-4696

Website: www.ijbmr.forexjournal.co.in Impacts of Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity

░ 7. METHOD

7.1 Population and Sampling

The population sample of this study included a purposeful

sampling of four retail leaders in the eastern region of the

United States who have used successful strategies to engage

employees and increase workforce productivity. The purposive

sample was useful to select participants according to the needs

of the study, and their knowledge and experience to obtain a

rich understanding of the phenomenon [52].

We ensured the sample size was large enough that we could

obtain data saturation to enhance the reliability of the study.

In qualitative studies, there are no set rules to determine the

number of participants; however, selecting the appropriate

number improves the reliability and validity of a study [53,

52]. The participants’ eligibility criteria were (a) be 18 years

or older, (b) have 2 years of leadership experience in the retail

industry located in the eastern region of the United States, (c)

having supervised at least 500 employees in the retail industry,

and (d) knowledge of successful strategies used to engage

sales associates to increase workforce productivity. By

selecting appropriate participants, we expected the participants

to provide valuable and diverse perspectives.

7.2 Procedures

The research question for this qualitative study was: What

strategies do leaders of retail businesses use to engage sales

associates and increase workforce productivity? And the six

interview questions were: (a) What strategies have you used to

engage sales associates and increase workforce productivity?

(b) How did sales associates respond to the different strategies

you used to increase productivity? (c) Which strategies were

most effective and why? (d) What leadership skills did you use

to increase employee engagement? (e)What are your key

measures and indicators of employee engagement and

workforce productivity? (f) What other information would

you like to add regarding strategies to increase employee

engagement?

We organized interviews with participants within 45 minutes

in their chosen locations. We used the interview data and the

company’s documents to obtain data saturation. We also used

the methodological triangulation methods, member checking

process, and enhanced the reliability of the research findings.

We ensured validity and reliability to establish credibility by

mitigating bias and ensuring trustworthiness in the data

analysis. As stated by Yin [52], validity is the integrity that the

researchers can apply to ensure the findings, and reliability is

the consistency of the research analysis in which researchers

use the research method repeatedly to check the credibility of

the findings. Per Yin [52], member checking enhances the

reliability of the research by confirming the data accuracy with

the participants.

░ 8. DATA ANALYSIS

The data analysis includes collection, examination,

categorization, tabularization, and testing [52]. Yin mentioned

in case study research that findings are likely to be more

convincing and accurate when researchers triangulate the data

from multiple sources. Researchers use triangulation to

provide detailed information about additional sources of the

organizations [55, 53]. Using the methodological triangulation

process, we were able to apply multiple types of methods that

included the data gathered from the interview and review of

companies’ documents. The appropriate data analysis process

for this study was methodological triangulation because

methodological triangulation includes multiple methods to

examine the phenomenon [54, 55]. Researchers also use

methodological triangulation to enhance the reliability and

validity of the data analysis [54].

For data analysis, we used the NVivo software to transcribe

and treat the data. NVivo software is the data analysis software

that allows the researchers to analyze data gathered from

interviews and organize the data with the emerging themes and

code and analyze the data by counting and sorting [56]. For

data protection, we assigned the code X1,…, X5 to protect

research participants’ information, as suggested by Yin [52].

Transformational leadership theory provided a lens for

understanding the findings that might assist the leaders in

retail organizations to rely on the strategies to increase

employee engagement and workforce productivity. The results

might provide useful information to improve the lack of

leadership strategies in the retail organization.

░ 9. FINDINGS

Using a thematic analysis, three major themes emerged from

NVivo 12: (a) professional development, (b) collaboration,

and (c) work-life balance.

Theme 1: Professional Development. During data analysis,

we assigned codes to phrases and sentences, constituting the

concepts relating to training and mentoring, which were

categorized under the professional development theme. While

professional development is not new to the organization, the

ability to be able to facilitate employees’ growth successfully

was essential for the organizations to learn. According to

Chidi and Victor [57], professional development practice

consists of training, counseling, and mentoring. Kuijpers et al.

[58] revealed that managers helped employees to identify their

strengths, weaknesses, and interests through a series of

workshops, which resulted in increased employee engagement

and productivity and decreased absenteeism. All four leaders

viewed the professional development strategy as an effective

business practice to increase employees’ capabilities in

improving the productivity of the organization. Participants

further stressed the need for a continuous learning

environment to polish employees’ competency levels that

included soft skills, management style, safety, information

technology, and customer service skills to increase workforce

productivity.

Training. Participants mentioned that they made training

mandatory for their employees because they believed that it

was the best method for employees to upgrade their

knowledge and skills to fit in the workplace [57]. X1 and X2

added that they designed systematic training so that employees

International Journal of

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Website: www.ijbmr.forexjournal.co.in Impacts of Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity

could quickly grasp the purpose and be able to apply their

learning in the workplace. For example, employees working in

the merchandising department go through training in reading

the product labels, shelves adjustment, printing labels, and

stocking merchandise. A well-structured training plan enabled

employees to improve their performance, which resulted in

increased productivity [59]. X3 added, “Since employees are

crucial for the company’s success, we need to provide an

ongoing learning environment for employees so that they

remain emotionally connected to work”. X2 further added that

improvements in the employees’ professionalism were

noticeable after the completion of training programs because

employees were proactive in completing daily tasks, capable

of dealing with customers’ issues in a better manner and

treated their coworkers with increased respect.

X4 and X5 shared the company’s documents, such as a yearly

training program, agenda, and a pie chart of the outlined

topics. Some of the topics presented were customer service,

soft skills, money metrics, safety, time management,

information system application, cultural diversity, growth, and

opportunity. While reviewing the training program documents,

we found that managers grouped the training topics in modules

which included the agenda, assignment, and contextual

materials. For example, in the money metrics module,

managers wanted employees to assess the new opportunity

based on Porter’s five forces model and helped employees to

understand their potential customers, market segment, and

competitive advantage. The robust knowledge gained from the

well-structured training program could empower employees to

become proactive and eager to invest their capabilities to their

fullest.

X2 and X4 said that the training also helped new hires to

understand the use of technological tools and the procedural

steps in completing the planograms. X1 and X4 explained that

all new employees were required and mandated training to

align their skills and job requirements. X2 added that the

benefit of training resulted in employees doing the task

without the supervisor’s involvement. X2 and X5 added that

employees completed a short survey after completing the

training session, which helped them to assess their learning

goals. Participants shared pre-and post-survey data in a graph

that demonstrated employees’ responses in handling the

business processes. The graphs showed employees’ improved

management and soft skills. The survey results also indicated

improvement in employees’ work efficiency after attending

the training.

Mentoring. When leaders act as coaches, they could elevate

employees’ competency levels. Besieux et al. [29] stated that

mentoring employees could increase the level of competence

and engagement. Mentoring is the sharing of one’s experience

to guide the employees to achieve professional growth [57].

Mentoring is crucial in inspiring employees to grow

professionally by following their mentors. Leaders should

mentor employees by empowering them to understand their

capabilities. Gannon’s [60] study revealed that leaders

encouraged employees to realize the importance of developing

their careers. As mentors, participants shared their experiences

with their employees to motivate them. X1 and X2 played the

role of an employee and showed how they would handle a

demanding customer by staying calm and building a rapport.

Such a reflective approach helped employees to stay involved

and take the initiative in the workplace.

X2 and X3 showed that they actively listened to their

employees, which motivated employees to pay close attention

to completing their jobs. Xe added that “Even if it’s a small

issue, I took the time to listen and provide a solution, which

demonstrated my role as a supporting colleague,”. Participants

mentored employees through verbal communication, which

created a strong bonding between employees and managers

which increased mutual respect. For example, X4 presented

some verbal examples such as, “I think you have to leave early

to pick up your kid from school, don’t worry, you can leave

now, I can take care of the next customer.” “You have done a

quiet of lot of work today, thank you so much for moving the

line so fast, keep up the good work” added by X1. Such a

verbal mechanism inspired employees to be proactive and

dynamic. This finding agrees with Shaw et al. [21], who

revealed that leaders mentored employees through

conversation and verbal appreciation.

Participants sought to strengthen employees’ skills so they

could better handle any complex situation. X4 and X5 coached

employees to understand their potential. For example, X4 and

X5 helped employees to navigate the company’s technological

database tools to assist them in learning about the products and

customers’ buying behaviors. In support of the findings of

participants, Nahar [61] reported that leaders in the

organization mentored employees to gain important

knowledge about the organization by using information system

platforms. Such business practice empowered employees to

understand the performance of the organization through

enhanced data, which could assist employees in acting

accordingly.

Because of the managers’ greater responsibilities, they guided

their employees to grow by mentoring, which could strengthen

their employees’ ability to adapt to responsibility. Participants

strongly believed that their mentoring approach helped

employees to perform their tasks responsibly. Hence, they

coached employees to grow and acquire professional skills

through training and mentoring, which would increase

employees’ self-esteem and level of engagement. Through

mentoring, leaders aided employees to reflect on their

performance and increase understanding of their roles and

responsibilities to improve performance.

░ Table 1: Professional Development

Actions

Number of

Participant

Agreement/ 5

Participants

Percentage of

Participant

Agreements/

5 Participants

Training

80%

Mentoring

100%

International Journal of

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Theme 2: Collaboration. X1, X2, X4, and X5 aimed to create

a collaborative environment for employees to increase the

level of engagement. Collaboration is the second theme that

emerged from the responses gathered during the interviews.

All participants often used the phrases decision-making,

ethical culture, code of conduct, safe environment, silo,

fragmentation, and teamwork to communicate expectations

and foster cohesion between employees, which are grouped

under the collaboration theme. Decision-making, ethical

culture, and teamwork are factors that influence the output

from collaboration [62]. Effective collaboration depends on

ethical culture [63], availability of resources and teamwork

[64, 65]. Collaboration is a critical factor for leaders to

promote engagement. Researchers noted that leaders could

increase the level of engagement when employees work in a

collaborative environment, which allows them to have access

to organizational information [62, 64, 65]. The subthemes that

emerged from the theme of Collaboration are decision-

making, ethics, and teamwork.

Decision-Making. Participants noted that working in a silo

created poor performance. When employees work in a silo,

they do not gain much knowledge around the surroundings,

which could impact their engagement leading to poor

performance [65]. According to Tian and Zhai [66],

engagement at work enhances knowledge distribution

resulting in improved productivity. X2 and X4 invited

employees to be part of a decision-making process to deter

organizational silos and build a collaborative working

environment. X3 and X4 noted that employees’ participation

in a decision-making process enabled them to identify

problems, understand implications, and generate innovative

solutions. X4 stated that “when we invited employees to be

part of departmental meetings, employees showed

enthusiasm”. According to Chen et al. [67], leaders should

allow employees to share their voices to promote ethical

practice in the workplace. X2 added, “Employees should have

open space to share their voice, otherwise they won’t be

committed to the organization. And we have to ensure that

their voice matters”. Such enthusiasm results in a sense of

belonging to the team, and in return, employees take

ownership of their work and engage in improving productivity.

Nguyen et al. [17] suggested that business leaders assisted

employees in understanding the scope of decision-making and

its implications. X3 stated that collaboration in the workplace

enabled employees to share thoughtful suggestions during the

decision-making process, which they found beneficial for the

company. Participants stated that they shared the strategic goal

and performance of the organization through a whole staff

meeting, which resulted in collaborative efforts and enabled

employees to think cohesively. X5 stated, “when employees

understand the vision of the organization, they come up with

innovative ideas related to the product design and process

enhancement.” Sharing of the company’s vision could foster

collegiality and social interaction in the workplace [68]. The

findings also revealed the importance of employees’

attachment with the companies by showing that the managers

cared about their employees’ decisions, which increased the

employees’ self-esteem and collaborative thinking and

resulted in an increase in their engagement. X1, X2, X4, and

X5 noted that when employees were part of the decision-

making process, they stayed connected to the organization and

contributed meaningfully. Participants stated that the decision-

making process enabled participants to view the business

through the lens of the company’s leaders. Knowing important

information from the meetings was beneficial as they were

able to understand the expectations. The findings supported by

Amerine et al. [69], who reported that employees attending

meetings as part of the decision-making process are likely to

know the organization better leading to increase employee

engagement. Similarly, Oluwatayo, et al. [70] revealed that

managers inviting employees during the decision-making

process increased employees’ engagement and commitment.

Oluwatayo et al. [70] concluded that employees participating

in the decision-making process developed a resilient working

relationship with the managers and colleagues.

Ethics. Ethical practice in the workplace is essential for

business sustainability. Ethics in the workplace are the rituals

of business tactics that constitute ethical behavior [71]. X1 and

X3 suggested that promoting ethical practices can foster a

collaborative environment in the workplace. X1 added that the

implementation of ethical practices motivated employees,

which lead to improving the level of engagement in the

workplace. Participants ensured that the employees are aware

of the code of conduct to protect employees’ wellbeing and the

reputation of the companies. For example, companies will not

hire any minor who is under 18 years old. X4 also stated,

“When it comes to hiring and promoting employees, we make

fair decisions regardless of the gender. If my employees find

that I am impartial, I will stand out as a role model to them”.

Recognizing gender equality illustrated an ethical culture in

the workplace [72]. Furthermore, all participants noted that a

collaborative workplace involves educating employees about

the companies’ policies relating to ethics, workplace violence,

and workplace safety. X3 said, “Employees must complete the

online training on workplace violence every year. Educating

employees and acquiring knowledge allow employees to avoid

any unethical practice”. Such business practices promoted

collaboration by assuring employees to be aware of the threats

and preventive measures. Therefore, employees valued the

organizational goals and abided by the companies’ rules. The

findings from the participants indicated a strong sense of

collaboration nurturing employees to work with passion. This

finding agrees with Hodges [73], who reported that leaders go

over the companies’ policies in the department meetings,

which resulted in an increased awareness of the companies’

regulations for employees to work with ethics and attention.

Following the business policies promoted organizational

success and sustainability [74]. Likewise, Colaco and Loi [71]

in their research, concluded that the identification of business

ethics required clarity of work responsibilities and

transparency of safe working conditions. Leaders who possess

the attribute of transformational leadership theory encourage

employees to work in an assuring a safe climate in the

workplace [18]. Hence, the collaboration in the workplace

involved cohesion, a safe working climate, and an ethical

infrastructure to enhance employee engagement.

International Journal of

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Teamwork. Participants stressed that teamwork in the

workplace could enhance employees’ creativity and

collaboration. Teamwork enables a group of people to work in

collaboration to achieve a common goal [64, 65]. X1 and X3

stated that reducing conflict and sharing knowledge was an

essential function of an organization to promote collaboration.

Participants further mentioned that they promoted job rotation

and team flexibility by incorporating team building, which led

team members to share their expertise and increase knowledge

sharing. X1 identified the need for teamwork and helped the

team members to create goals to promote collaboration among

team members. Supervisors allowed employees to work in a

group in tasks relating to inventory management, sales,

customer issues, and complaints. Teamwork helped the

employees to engage in gaining and sharing knowledge, which

led to completing the tasks productively. X4 also added,

“Team members will not be engaged if they don’t have an

effective communication plan, so I have to make sure that

regular meetings are taking place among members to stay on

top of the progress.” Clear communication between the team

members is crucial to avoid confusion and help leaders enforce

expectations [75]. To promote a collaborative setting, X3

stated, “we ensure that employees understand the goal of the

organization when working in a team context, which helps

them to carry out their job responsibilities with dedication”.

Per Dirks [75], employees must work in the team context to

achieve the organizational goal.

░ Table 2: Collaboration

Actions

Number of

Participant

Agreement/5

Participants

Percentage of

Participant

Agreements/

5Particiapnts

Decision Making

80%

Ethics

100%

Teamwork

80%

Theme 3: Work-Life Balance. The establishment of a work-

life balance enables employees to stay engaged in the

workplace. Participants stated a thorough understanding of

factors affecting work-life balance to foster employee

engagement. Work-life balance refers to employees’ ability to

balance work and life to obtain a sense of purpose, pleasure,

and comfort to meet the demands of the workplace [76].

Leaders should promote a healthy work environment for

employees by providing workshops and promoting healthy

habits such as exercise, nutrition, music listening, relaxation,

and meditation [77]. The sub-themes under work-life balance

are burnout and stress, recognition, and employees’ wellbeing.

Burnout and Stress. When employees feel stress in the

workplace, they are more likely to experience burnout [78].

Burnout is an exhaustion that employees experience at work

[79]. X1 and X2 added that they do not monitor their

employees because close monitoring resulted in employee

burnout. When leaders micromanage employees closely,

employees experience burnout [80]. Instead, X1 and X2

approached employees in a friendly manner and inquired

about employees’ wellbeing. For example, when employees

call in sick, X1 inquired about their health condition and

showed supportive action. X3 also invited employees for lunch

out to promote social interaction. X5 added, “it is very

important to promote social interaction because this gives

them a chance to talk and relax. They also discuss important

aspects of work, for example, the deadline to complete the

tasks, or discussing a product on sale”. While X1 added, “I

intentionally take a lunch break with my employees and have a

casual talk. In doing so, I noticed that my employees shared

their tension.” Harjanti and Todani [81] posited that leaders

fostered social capital by increasing trust among employees

and reducing insecurity, which led employees to remain

engaged and decrease burnout. Harjanti and Todani [81]

defined social capital as the values and potential, achieved

through social interactions with other employees. Likewise,

Kuriakose et al. [82] concluded in their study that leaders care

for the employees’ wellbeing by inviting them for a group

lunch to foster social interaction, which improves collegiality

and engagement.

The companies’ documents from participants revealed that

participants incorporated a healthy work-life balance for the

employees. A review of the company’s documents revealed

that employees are eligible to take annual sick leave. X1, X2,

and X5 added that they promoted healthy habits for their

employees by encouraging them to take short breaks in the

workplace and supported employees to use their annual leave

for vacation.X4 added, “working for long hours can be

stressful, so I have to make sure that my employees are taking

a break and not exceedingly more than 8 hours shift”.

According to Hsu et al. [83], long working hours resulted in

work-life imbalance and job dissatisfaction for employees. X1,

X4, and X5 stated such business practices helped their

employees to mitigate stress and show commitment. All

participants found an increase in employee engagement after

implementing a work-life balance strategy. Lack of resources

in the workplace impacted the motivation of employees to

remain energetic in completing the task [84].

Recognition. The level of engagement may increase when

leaders recognize employees’ efforts and competent

performance in the workplace. Zelles [85] found that the level

of employee engagement increased when leaders appreciated

employees’ work. X1 and X2 claimed that when they provided

verbal appreciation to their employees for their efforts, the

employees remained enthusiastic in the workplace. All

participants added that they noticed a sense of job satisfaction

and enthusiasm in their employees’ behavior when supervisors

recognized and appreciated their employees. X3 and X5

shared that they even celebrated employees’ efforts by

awarding them for their outstanding performance in the

workplace. For example, X4 stated that “when employees

received an award like Employee of the Month, they become

very energetic and excited in performing their regular task and

work more than they are asked for.” X4 further added, “It’s

quite competitive to achieve the award because they have to

fulfill the criteria such as being punctual at work, taking

customers’ efficiently, effectively completing the task, and so

on.” This mechanism of recognizing the employees enhanced

the employees’ motivation as added by X1, which aligned

with Lin and Kellough’s [86] study. X2 added that the award

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takes place twice a year, which inspired the employees to

prove themselves and remains engaged in the workplace.

While X4 said, “Employees have some expectation in return

for their hard work. Sometimes, they communicate with me

about promotions or salary increases. As a manager, my

responsibility is to take care of my employees, rather than

thinking about the profit only”. The finding is in agreement

with Huertas-Valdivia et al. [87], who revealed in their study

that recognizing employees on time enhanced employee

engagement. The participants focused on developing

optimistic attitudes that resulted in the physical and mental

fitness of their employees.

When managers praise employees for their skilled

performance, employees gain a sense of accomplishment as

added by X1. Interestingly, X2 and X5claimed that positive

compliments to their employees are an important aspect of

practice in the workplace. For example, X1 stated, “every time

I walk by the employees, I simply talk about the positive

aspect of their work. I use phrases like a good job, really thank

you for your stunning contribution this afternoon. Customers

seem happy when you serve them”. X4 and X5 even confirmed

that they praised their employees in person and in the presence

of other employees, which motivated them to play an active

role in the company. Seemingly, Khan et al. [20] confirmed

that a leader’s ability to praise their employees increased the

level of engagement in the workplace. Furthermore, Bass [13]

confirmed that leaders with transformational leadership tenets

motivated employees through their proactive personalities.

Employees’ Wellbeing. Employees’ well-being is one of the

important factors of work-life balance that included workplace

safety, quality, and job satisfaction [88]. X1 and X3 claimed

that sometimes they did not make employees’ wellbeing a

priority, which might create stress and dissatisfaction for the

employees. As suggested by Wu et al. [40], X1 and X4 stated

that, when leaders cared about the wellbeing of their

employees, the level of engagement and retention increased.

X1, X2, and X5 expressed concern that often they found it

challenging to pay close attention to employees’ needs.

Despite the negligence, participants made an effort to inquire

about the needs of the employees. X1 believed that their

supportive actions would help employees to complete their

tasks routinely and increase the level of engagement. For

example, X1 offered schedule flexibility for employees, which

created a positive state of mind and increased employee

engagement. X1 also guided their employees in understanding

and completing the task. For example, X1 added, “I loved

helping my employees with day-to-day tasks such as

completing the data entry to prepare inventory and sales

report.” X1 added, “I also reminded employees about their

upcoming tasks so that employees did not feel overwhelmed.

Sometimes, employees forget to check the temperature of the

refrigerator, for which the food could get stale”. Thus, X1

gave them a friendly reminder, which motivated the

employees to stay on top of their tasks. Such actions helped

the employees to feel that their efforts are not in vain, and their

managers cared about their hard work. The need for the

managers to pay close attention to the employees’ schedule

flexibility is significantly important in achieving task

completion [89].

X4 and X5 also mentioned how they provided extra attention

to disabled employees’ needs, which can motivate them to

work hard. If the disabled employee felt tired, X1 and X2

offered spare break time to rest. X4 stated, “We have to ensure

that employees get thoughtful attention, so they exhibit extra

efforts at work”. Hughes et al. [90] examined employees with

disabilities and found employers promoted employee

wellbeing by supporting them to take a break, coping up with

stress, using electrical gadgets to track their tasks, and

providing the flexibility of the schedule. “We even have office

parties, where we invite all employees regardless of their

position in the organization,” added X4. Such recreational

activities helped the employees to have a positive state of

mind, which improved collegiality and motivation”.

Researchers investigated 400 employees from 35 firms in

Pakistan and found that fostering cultural programs and

recreational activities enhanced employees’ wellbeing [88].

░ Table 3: Work-Life Balance

Actions

Number of

Participant

Agreement/5

Participants

Percentage of

Participant

Agreements/5

Participants

Burnout and Stress

80%

Recognition

100%

Employees’ Wellbeing

100%

░ 10. IMPLICATIONS

10.1 Implication for Business

The application of this study to professional practice included

providing retail leaders with strategies to increase employee

engagement and improve workforce productivity. Retail

leaders need to understand the important factors that

contribute to disengaged employees and strategies to decrease

their impact on workforce productivity. Employee

disengagement is a concern for the retail organization because

it affects negatively productivity [91]. An engaged employee

would benefit the retail organizations in improving customer

service, increasing employee and customer retention, and

enhancing productivity [13].

Exploring effective strategies may help retail leaders to

understand the phenomenon that affects employee engagement

in the retail organization. Retail leaders may better understand

effective strategies needed to engage employees from this

research study. Retail leaders may use this research as a guide

to improve their business practice. The results from this study

could contribute to an understanding of these effective

business practices in-depth, in which retail leaders, business

consultants, and business owners may seek to improve the

level of employee engagement and workforce productivity.

10.2 Implication for Social Change

The implications for positive social change include the

potential of retail leaders to identify effective business practice

that improves employee engagement and workforce

International Journal of

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productivity. Business leaders need to understand the business

practices that influence workforce productivity and affect the

local community and the country’s economy [92]. If the

business leaders contribute to the increase of employee

engagement, financial gain may increase, which may result in

job stability.

Employees’ job stability may affect social change by

generating more revenue for the government, which could help

the government invest in multiple social activities. To promote

a positive social change, Fowler et al. {93] suggested that

business leaders need to implement social activities to enhance

positive social change for the wellbeing of the local

community members. Business leaders and employees pay

taxes, which would increase the development of the local

community and the country’s economy. The government

leaders could invest for example in public schools to educate

students on global warming. The findings from this study

could also help the retail leaders to work on social projects like

global warming to create awareness in the local community.

The implications for social change also include exploring

effective strategies that might increase the level of employee

engagement to enhance workforce productivity, local

community, and the economy.

░ 11. CONCLUSION

The employees’ poor performance harms the profitability and

sustainability of the business. Some retail leaders lack

strategies to improve employee engagement and increase

workforce productivity. The objective of this qualitative

multiple case study was to explore the tenets of

transformational leadership theory as the lens to analyze

strategies some retail leaders used to increase employee

engagement and workforce productivity.

The three emerging themes or strategies that emerged from

data analysis included: (a) professional development, (b)

collaboration, and (c) work-life balance. Retail leaders used

these three strategies as managerial tools to improve employee

engagement and workforce productivity. All four participants

confirmed using professional development, collaboration, and

work-life balance as effective strategies to improve employee

engagement. Using transformational leadership as the lens in

analyzing the multiple case study involving the retail

organization filled a gap in the literature. Owners and

managers of retail organizations could use these themes to

improve the level of employee engagement and workforce

productivity.

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Jun 2002

The authors developed, tested, and replicated a model in which safety-specific transformational leadership predicted occupational injuries in 2 separate studies. Data from 174 restaurant workers (M age = 26.75 years, range = 15–64) were analyzed using structural equation modeling (LISREL 8; K. G. Jöreskog & D. Sörbom, 1993) and provided strong support for a model whereby safety-specific transformational leadership predicted occupational injuries through the effects of perceived safety climate, safety consciousness, and safety-related events. Study 2 replicated and extended this model with data from 164 young workers from diverse jobs (M age = 19.54 years, range = 14–24). Safety-specific transformational leadership and role overload were related to occupational injuries through the effects of perceived safety climate, safety consciousness, and safety-related events.

Here's No Fear When You're Having Fun, Evaluating the Influence of Recreational Activities on Employees' Well-Being

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2019

The role of cultural and recreational activities has been underestimated. Purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of cultural and recreational activities on employee's well-being, and the mediating role of Psychological contract based on the conservation of resource theory. A questionnaire, designed as a self-reported survey, was distributed to full-time employees working in 35 firms (manufacturing sectors) in Pakistan. Data were collected from 400 employee-supervisor dyads. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Recreational activities predicted employee's well-being while psychological contract remained mediator. The research conclusions not only enrich the theoretical research in the field of trade unions but also provide theoretical support for strengthening trade union-enterprise cooperation and building harmonious labor relations.

The impact of Human resource management practice on Organizational performance

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Jan 2021

Using computer assisted qualitative data analysis software (CAQDAS; NVivo) to assist in the complex process of realist theory generation, refinement and testing

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2020

There have been several calls for more transparency in realist methods, particularly in the complex process of programme theory development and refinement. This paper will describe the way in which Computer Assisted Qualitative Data Analysis Software, specifically, NUD*IST Vivo (NVivo), was used to build and refine programme theories (using literature and interview data) in a realist evaluation. This article presents the evolving and complex process of coding several data sources to nodes and child nodes, whilst writing ‘attached memos’ to highlight the process of theory generation. In this project, NVivo helped create an explicitly documented and evidenced audit trail of the process of programme theory refinement, answering to calls for further transparency in realist analysis. RAMESES I and II have provided a platform to improve transparency in reporting realist research, by developing consensus and evidence-based reporting guidelines. We propose that the use of NVivo in realist approaches can help structure the iterative and by nature ‘messy’ process of generating, refining and testing complex programme theories when drawing on multiple data sources simultaneously. This effectively creates a structured track record of the analytical process, which increases its rigour and transparency.

Leadership competencies and the essential role of human resource development in times of crisis: a response to Covid-19 pandemic

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Full-text available

Jul 2020
Hum Resource Dev Int

The aim of this paper is to investigate the roles of domestic and global leaders and organizations to COVID-19 and to consider the new role(s) of Human Resource Development (HRD) based on the ramifications of pandemics in general, and COVID-19 in particular. The research questions guiding this work are: What are the leadership competencies required during and post times of crisis? And What roles do human resource development practitioners envision to support their organizations during and post times of crisis? In this manuscript, we provide several themes, based on the literature and case studies from international and domestic contexts, that we see as essential competencies for leadership practices in response to a global crisis. We explored leadership competencies required in the time of crises, followed by exploring cases of best practices of leadership in different contexts, followed by reflections on new roles for HRD researchers and practitioners post a global crisis.

Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Turnover Intention: Evidence from Bangladesh

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Full-text available

Jun 2020

Shaikh Moksadur Rahman

Nowadays job satisfaction and turnover intention are the most important and widely researched variables. Job satisfaction increases loyalty and professional commitment to the organization which leads to productivity. On the other hand, the turnover intention has serious negative consequences for effective organizational operations. The purpose of this exploratory study is to find out the relationship between job satisfaction and turnover intention of employees working in some selected sectors in Comilla, Bangladesh. The study considered a sample of 355 employees across various sectors to find out the different opinions about the levels of their satisfaction related factors and turnover intention. For the purpose of in-depth analysis, statistical tools, inter-correlation matrix, and multiple regression techniques had been used. The results indicate that there were a significant inverse relationship between job security-turnover intention, pay-turnover intention, and promotion-turnover intention. The results will help organizations understand how to address employees’ demands and concerns toward their jobs and discover successful ways of retaining them. This in turn will reduce the turnover rate and the associated costs.

Human factors in production and logistics systems of the future

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May 2020
ANNU REV CONTROL

The way humans work in production and logistics systems is changing. The evolution of technologies, Industry 4.0 applications, and societal changes, such as ageing workforces, are transforming operations processes. This transformation is still a “black-box” for many companies, and there are calls for new management approaches that can help to successfully overcome the future challenges in production and logistics. While Industry 4.0 emerges, companies have started to use advanced control tools enabled by real-time monitoring systems that allow the development of more accurate planning models that enable proactive managerial decision-making. Although we observe an increasing trend in automating human work in almost every industry, human workers are still playing a central role in many production and logistics systems. Many of these planning models developed for managerial decision support, however, do not consider human factors and their impact on system or employee performance, leading to inaccurate planning results and decisions, underperforming systems, and increased health hazards for employees. This paper summarizes the vision, challenges and opportunities in this research field, based on the experience of the authors, members of the Working Group 7 (WG7) “Human factors and ergonomics in industrial and logistic system design and management” of the IFAC Technical Committee (TC) 5.2 “Manufacturing Modelling for Management and Control". We also discuss the development of this research stream in light of the contributions presented in invited sessions at related IFAC conferences over the last five years. The TC 5.2 framework is adapted to include a human-centered perspective. Based on this discussion, a research agenda is developed that highlights the potential benefits and future requirements for academia and society in this emerging research field. Promising directions for future research on human factors in production and logistics systems include the consideration of diversity of human workers and an in-depth integration of Industry 4.0 technologies in operations processes to support the development of smart, sustainable, human-centered systems.

A Case Study Exploration of Strategies to Improve First-Line Supervisor Problem-Solving Abilities in the Retail Supermarket Industry

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Jan 2017

First-line supervisors in U.S. retail organizations are unable to resolve nearly 34% of typical daily customer problems for their organizations. The purpose of this single-case study was to explore the strategies retail supermarket managers have used to improve first-line supervisor problem solving abilities within a retail supermarket company in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with four retail store manager participants with a successful record of improving first-line supervisor problem solving abilities. Based on inductive data analysis and methodological triangulation of the data collected, four themes emerged after the data analysis: (a) the importance of communicating expectations with first-line supervisors, (b) coaching first-line supervisors on performance, (c) first-line supervisor learning and development, and (d) measuring first-line supervisor performance. Findings from this study warrant additional empirical exploration of strategies for improving first-line supervisor problem solving abilities.

Organizational Citizenship Behavior Predicts Quality, Creativity, and Efficiency Performance: The Roles of Occupational and Collective Efficacies

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2020

Although numerous studies have shown that prosocial behavior impacts performance within organizations, the mechanisms that encourage or discourage these effects have rarely been explored. Two studies were conducted to shed light on the role of psychological beliefs on prosocial dynamics in predicting organizational performance. In Study 1, employees’ beliefs in their inner job-related resources (Occupational Efficacy – OE) were examined as a predictor of OCB. It was posited that OE, which is an inner resource, should positively predict OCB. Study 2 examined whether Collective Efficacy (CE), which is an external resource over which employees have less control, would moderate the OCB-performance prediction. Overall, performance and three core dimensions of performance (quality, creativity and efficiency) were assessed to better capture the specific influence of OCB effects on performance. In Study 1, employees completed inventories measuring their OE, OCB and performance. In Study 2, employees completed inventories measuring their CE and OCB. In addition, their managers completed inventories measuring the CE of their employees’ teams and their employees’ performance. The results of Study 1 revealed that OE emerged as an antecedent of OCB in predicting performance. In Study 2, OCB positively predicted employee performance above and beyond and the effects of their managers’ tenure in position, and CEs. In addition, both employees’ and managers’ CEs moderated the effects of OCB on performance: the performance effects of OCB increased as employees’ and managers’ CE increased, and specifically performance efficiency and performance creativity. These findings contribute to a better theoretical and practical understanding of the core factors that affect the organizational dynamics of prosocial behaviors that can lead to higher performance, and the ways in which OCB positively predicts performance in organizational settings.

Vision of Effective Leadership

Article

Aug 2017

Bob Cote

The purpose of the paper will be to develop a framework for the objective evaluation of leadership styles, including effective and dark side leadership. In the framework, various leadership approaches are identified, such as (1) Transformational Leadership, (2) Transactional Leadership, (3) Charismatic Leadership, (4) Situational Leadership, (5) Pseudo-Transformational Leadership. Using this framework, two historical leaders will be compared and contrasted according to their leadership style. In the final section, dark side leadership dimensions will be reviewed and evaluated. Based on the framework, a vision of leadership strategy plan will be completed for incorporating effective leadership, including recognizing darker characteristics and providing solutions to avoid the emergence of dark leadership.

Impacts of Employee Engagement and Workforce Productivity on Retail Companies

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