The impact of mission-directed work teams on job satisfaction of employees

Abstract

A company’s success is predominantly measured by how well it does financially. Management and shareholders are interested in increased production and profits. In order to increase the profit margin, the issue of productivity needs to be addressed. Research had shown that there is a correlation between job satisfaction and productivity (Clark, 2003:1; Javed, Maqsood&Durrani, 2004:7; Syptak, Marsland&Ulmer, 1999:26). Sugarbird, a division of Pioneer Foods Pty (Ltd), one of South Africa’s leading food manufacturers, has embarked on integrating the Mission-Directed Work Team programme (MDWT programme) into Sugarbird’s daily operating activities. This programme focuses on the development and establishment of meaningful practices that can be implemented throughout an organization in order to provide management and employees with the skills to benchmark themselves against world-best practices. As the basis of this study the researcher had chosen applied research, with the aim to evaluate the impact of the MDWT programme on job satisfaction at Sugarbird and to answer the following research question: “Does the MDWT programme have a positive impact on job satisfaction?” The population considered in this study was the 100 ground-level workers at Sugarbird. On the day and time the questionnaire was administered, 79 employees (23 males and 55 females) were present on site and were included in the study. Before the MDWT programme was launched in April 2007, an internal climate survey was conducted which indicated that employees experienced low levels of job satisfaction and that communication, transparency, decision-making and acknowledgement were issues that needed to be addressed. For the purpose of this study a questionnaire was designed to determine whether the MDWT programme had an impact on these variables. The results of the study indicated that the MDWT programme does have a positive impact on job satisfaction and that employees have taken ownership of this initiative. Employees are in general satisfied with the communication strategies within Sugarbird and it is positive to note that the majority of employees trust their supervisors. The majority of employees stated that they are satisfied with the manner in which transparency at Sugarbird is dealt with. An overwhelming majority of employees think that the opinion of workers is important in decision-making regarding day-to-day activities. When focusing on general opinions of employees, a significant number of employees indicated that their opinions are not being heard. All employees are in agreement that Sugarbird has a formal incentive programme that recognises employees’ achievements and the majority of employees indicated that Sugarbird does indeed acknowledge positive inputs from employees. There is however a strong discrepancy between the acknowledgements of major- versus small accomplishments as employees are of the opinion that major accomplishments are more easily recognised. In conclusion, it could be stated that the MDWT programme do have an impact on the job satisfaction levels of employees at Sugarbird and that communication, transparency, decision-making and acknowledgement did improve due to the MDWT programme. AFRIKAANS : ‘n Organisasie se sukses hang hoofsaaklik daarvan af van hoe goed dit finansieël doen. Bestuur en aandeelhouers stel belang in verhoogde produksie en profit. Ten einde die winsmarge te verhoog moet produktiwiteit aangespreek word. Navorsing het bewys dat daar ‘n korrelasie tussen werkstevredenheid and produktiwiteit bestaan (Clark, 2003:1; Javed, Maqsood&Durrani, 2004:7; Syptak, Marsland&Ulmer, 1999:26). Sugarbird, ‘n divisie van Pioneer Foods Pty (Ltd) wat een van Suid Afrika se grootste voedselvervaardigers is, het ‘n Missie-Gefokusde Werkspan program [Mission-Directed Work Team programme (MDWT programme)] geimplementeer wat geïntegreer word in Sugarbird se daaglikse bedryfsaktiwiteite. Hierdie program fokus op die ontwikkeling en vestiging van betekenisvolle praktyke wat geïmplementeer kan word regdeur die organisasie ten einde bestuur en werknemers toe te rus met vaardighede waarmee hul hulself kan meet teenoor wêreld-beste praktyke. As basis vir hierdie studie het die navorser besluit op toegepaste navorsing, met die doelwit om die impak van die MDWT program op werkstevredenheid by Sugarbird te evalueer asook om die volgende navorsingsvraag te beantwoord: “Het die MDWT program ‘n positiewe impak op werkstevredenheid?” Hierdie studie se bestudeerde populasie was die 100 grondvlakwerkers by Sugarbird. Tydens die voltooiing van die vraelys, was daar 79 werknemers (23 manlik en 55 vroulik) teenwoordig wat almal by die studie ingesluit is. Alvorens die bekendstelling en implementering van die MDWT program in April 2007 is ‘n interne klimaatstudie gedoen wat aangedui het dat werknemers lae vlakke van werkstevredenheid openbaar het. Kommunikasie, deursigtigheid, besluitneming asook erkenning is aangedui as kwessies wat aangespreek moet word. Vir die doeleindes van hierdie studie is ‘n vraelys ontwikkel om te bepaal of die MDWT-program ‘n impak op hierdie veranderlikes gehad het. Die resultate van die studie dui aan dat die MDWTvii program wel ‘n positiewe impak op werkstevredenheid gehad het en dat werknemers eienaarskap van hierdie inisiatief geneem het. Oor die algemeen is werknemers tevrede met die kommunikasiestrategieë binne Sugarbird en is dit positief om te meld dat die meerderheid van werknemers hul toesighouers vertrou. Die meerderheid van werknemers het aangedui dat hulle tevrede is met die wyse waarop deursigtigheid by Sugarbird hanteer word en is van mening dat die opinie van werknemers belangrik geag word tydens dag-tot-dag besluite. ‘n Beduidende hoeveelheid werknemers het egter aangedui dat hulle algemene opinies nie gehoor word nie. Al die werknemers stem saam dat Sugarbird oor ‘n formele erkenningsprogram beskik wat erkenning gee aan werknemers se prestasies. Die meerderheid van werknemers het verder aangedui dat Sugarbird positiewe insette van werknemers erken. Daar is egter ‘n diskrepansie tussen die erkenning van groot- teenoor klein prestasies en die werknemers is van opinie dat groot prestasies meer geredelik erken word. Samevattend kan aangevoer word dat die MDWT-program ‘n positiewe impak op werkstevredenheid van werknemers by Sugarbird gehad het en dat kommunikasie, deursigtigheid, besluitneming en erkenning wel verbeter het as gevolg van die MDWT-program. Copyright