Economic and Management Sciences
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Browsing Economic and Management Sciences by Subject "absorption"
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Item Open Access Employee engagement at Free State Provincial Treasury (FSPT)(University of the Free State, 2020) Booi, Siphumle; Massyn, L.The primary objective of this research was to determine employee engagement at Free State Provincial Treasury (FSPT). Employee engagement is important and should be a human resource priority in all organisations as engaged employees boost retention and enhance productivity. Literature has confirmed that there is minimal empirical research about employees in the public sector. Additionally, FSPT as a public sector organisation has never conducted employee engagement surveys in the past twelve years. A sample of 372 was chosen for this study and data was collected electronically from employees at FSPT using the UWES-17 questionnaire. Schaufeli and Bakker’s theory on employee engagement forms the basis of this study as the variables for the UWES-17 directly link with engagement dimensions such as emotional, cognitive, and physical elements. The quantitative data was then analysed using statistical methods. The results of the study revealed that employee engagement at FSPT is at an average level. Furthermore, the results also found a significant link between employees’ age, years of service, marital status, occupational level, and gender. The recommendations of the study are that the engagement efforts should have a specific focus on millennials as they now make up more than half of the workforce and are less loyal to the organisation. Training and development should be a continuous service from the department to employees because it improves employee performance which will be beneficial to the department, as the government is under immense financial strain and that affects the employee performance rewards. The department should introduce non-monetary rewards that will ensure that employees feel valued and that their contribution towards the departmental goals is recognised. These findings can assist to increase the number of empirical studies on employee engagement in the public sector.Item Open Access Employee engagement at Maluti Mountain Brewery(University of the Free State, 2020) Mashopha, Kefuoe Mathenjiwe; Massyn, L.The primary objective of this study is to investigate employee engagement at Maluti Mountain Brewery (MMB). The problem at MMB is; the declining level of employee engagement, despite changes being implemented. If employees continue to be disengaged, sales and production will be affected which will affect the bottom line. A quantitative research design was used. Questionnaires were sent to all 338 employees of MMB to collect data. The secondary objectives which were to analyse factors that influence employee engagement and to assess engagement according to their gender, age and educational level. The results from the study show that engagement at MMB is average, with absorption relatively high in all areas. According to the data collected, money and flexible hours are the factors what will keep most respondents engaged. The majority of the respondents also seem to think that MMB should improve on salaries. Respondents seem to be engaged differently according to their gender, age and educational level where money seems to be the main thing that would engage respondents followed by flexible hours. The main recommendation is for MMB to benchmarking salaries. Other recommendations included leadership training, effective use of resources, flexible working hours, alternative positions for older employees and re-evaluation of engagement.Item Open Access A systems approach to work engagement in the Department of Finance at the University of the Free State(University of the Free State, 2016) Du Plessis, Perle Johene; Massyn, L.The purpose of the research was to determine how a systems approach could enhance work engagement in the Department of Finance at the University of the Free State (UFS). Drivers for work engagement were identified. Theoretical principles for assessing work engagement were identified through a literature review and key variables influencing work engagement determined. Models to evaluate and assess work engagement were reviewed to define the key drivers of a systems approach to work engagement. A research survey was conducted to validate, compare and contrast interpretations made with regard to a systems approach in order to enhance work engagement in the Department of Finance at the UFS. A quantitative research design from the perspective of a pragmatist research approach was used. The descriptive study assisted the researcher in providing an overview of the theoretical principles to assess employee engagement, assessing how the theoretical principles relate to the employees at the Department of Finance at the UFS, identifying the drivers of employee engagement to develop a systems approach and identifying areas for further research. The study was quantitative in nature, which limited researcher involvement and eliminated preparation for respondents. The results of the study indicated that work engagement is driven at three levels at the UFS, namely the individual level, team level and organisational level. The individual level portrayed the employees' internal perspective through vigour, dedication and absorption. The average investment made in individual-level work engagement averaged at 71.5% engagement input. When work engagement at team-level was considered, the drivers derived to assess work engagement at a team level were autonomy, supervisory coaching, performance management and teamwork. Team-level work engagement averaged at 70%. Organisational-level engagement measured three drivers, namely inspiring trust and integrity, extra-role performance and a culture of innovation, to average at 72%. Recommendations towards addressing existing challenges at an individual work engagement level were to develop clear career paths and increase focus on work for higher productivity. Work engagement at a team level will be enhanced by increasing supervisory coaching. The supervisor should give regular feedback on performance and communication, knowledge of divisional processes among teams should be enhanced and supervisors should be equipped to form better teams. Organisational work engagement would be enhanced by understanding how actions influence the trust relationship between supervisors and employees. The benefits of a systems approach to work engagement would be to improve the impact, understanding and monitoring of work engagement strategies by identifying role players and assigning responsibilities at each level. The perception that the success of work engagement is solely in the hands of the employee is diminished, and the influence of the team and organisation can also be considered. Taking the three levels of work engagement into account, time and money can now be directed where they are needed so as to maximise the return on work engagement for the organisation.