Understanding Employee Engagement in the International NGOS - Thesis Proposal Example

Understanding Employee Engagement in the International NGOS: A Study of International NGOs Employees in Eastern Africa Research Summary The proposed dissertation intends to determine how employee engagement is being undertaken among non-profit organizations, and the challenges faced by human resources managers in NGOs. There is an inherent difference in the manner the workforce is motivated in the conventional business organization, from that in non-profit organizations. The former is operated to realize economic gain, which is likewise reflected in the personal goals and incentives the company offers its employees. NGOs, on the other hand, do not usually provide for substantial monetary compensation, since most, if not all, of its work force are volunteers. As such, workers are motivated more by their love and dedication to the mission of the organization and the cause for which it stands. Because of this fundamental difference, workers in NGOs cannot be persuaded to remain with the organization and contribute their best by the usual means of increasing pay and monetary incentives. Although employees are drawn to the job because of the psychic income, such may not be sufficient to sustain the commitment of these volunteers in the long term, without the necessary and appropriate support and action by the human resources manager. The threats posed by the social and physical environment on the continued commitment of an NGO’s staff will remain a source of challenge to its HR managers, which this dissertation shall aim to explore. 2. Introduction to Research Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are indispensable agents in spearheading the economic advancement of developing nations (Nikkah & Redzuan, 2010). While governments are held primarily responsible for spurring development, seldom do governments have the resources, manpower and expertise necessary to carry out socio-economic programs at the grassroots level. Effective implementation requires partnership with a private counterpart that links efforts between communities and the bureaucracy (UNICEF, 2010). This role is undertaken by the various NGOs which specialize in particular issues for which they are particularly equipped in resources and know-how (Ulleberg, 2009). The African states are those developing countries which tend to benefit most from the activities and programs of NGOs. Studies have shown that the long-term commitment of NGOs in this region is critical to the social and economic progress of the peoples living there (Abdel-Kader & Billy, n,d; Vale, 2010). It is therefore imperative to determine whether the long-term capacity of NGOs to retain skilled and experienced staff are concerned, is sufficient to assure continuity of service for years to come. 3. Research Objectives and Research Questions The research objective is to determine to what extent the drivers of employee engagement are present in non-governmental organizations operating in East Africa. The purpose in pursuing this objective is to provide an assessment of whether or not these NGOs provide a working environment conducive to employee engagement so as to encourage the retention of valuable employees in their service. In support of this objective the study aims to answer the following research questions. (1) In profiling four representative NGOs (i.e. Care International, World Vision International, Samaritan’s Purse, and the International Red Cross), do the facts support a finding that the NGOs are geared towards employee engagement? (2) Do the employees at these four NGOs perceive that their organizations support the enhancement of drivers for employee engagement in their operations? 4. Conceptual Framework Figure 1: The Employee Engagement Driver Spectrum (Lakshmi, 2012, p. 65) The foregoing drivers of employee engagement are defined as follows: (1) Innovation in the work place – Held by many to be not only the key to success, but also the key to employee engagement and retention. Companies employing the transformational leadership style encourage their employees to introduce and adopt innovations within the sphere of their work responsibilities. When employees are intellectually stimulated to exercise their creativity, they are challenged to realize their intellectual potential, a principal component in employee engagement (Ul Haq, Ali & Azeem, 2010). At the same time, the company is better able to attain its desired outcomes in terms of quality, productivity and profitability (Lakshmi, 2012). (2) Employee participation – When employees are encouraged to participate meaningfully in the decision-making functions of the organization forges a stronger bond between the employees and the firm (Cummings & Worley, 2009). Employee participation strengthens the feeling of connectivity with the organization; this connectivity is employee engagement (Lakshmi, 2012). (3) Creation of a stress free and hassle free environment – The first and second drivers above, considered the requisites of employee engagement, can only be attained if employees feel free from intimidation and undue constraints, in order to venture into creative innovations and openly express their ideas and comments when participating in decision-making (Carroll & Buchholtz, 2012). A stress-free and hassle-free environment engenders workers’ best efforts and allows them to take the kinds of risks that furthers performance excellence (Lakshmi, 2012). (4) Hygienic environment – The phrase “hygienic environment” connotes a healthy employee-employer relationship, characterized by dynamic information interchange and the absence of barriers between them (Lakshmi, 2012). Hygiene factors include compensation, benefits, and the physical aspects of the working environment (McKeown, 2002); thus a hygienic relationship indicates a transparency and amiability in the dealings and collaboration between workers and managers. (5) Employee motivation – Achievement of the above-mentioned drivers – i.e., risk-free and hygienic environment, a culture towards innovation, and participative management – contribute towards employee motivation (Lakshmi, 2012). Another important contributor would be the alignment of the organization’s goals with those of the employees, such that they perceive that exerting effort to achieve organizations’ objectives redounds to the achievement of their own objectives. The firms’ goals are more likely to be achieved if employees’ and managers’ efforts are focused towards them (Daft & Lane, 2010). (6) Encourage team work – Working in teams has the advantage of allowing a tightly coordinated group of people to work at their own initiative to complete a project or job quickly, efficiently, and with a high level of quality (Maddux & Wingfield, 2003). Usually, the level of commitment is high, communication is open, and problem-solving is fast and effective, which provides a strong foundation for engaging employees (Lakshmi, 2012). (7) Employee accountability – Employee accountability does not imply imposing unnecessary burdens on the employee, but conveys to people that they are entrusted with the accomplishment of their jobs (Lakshmi, 2012). It necessarily entails the free flow of information about the job, allowing the employee to participate with full exercise of discretion in the performance of his/her job (Fink, 1992; Coens & Jenkins, 2010). (8) Ability to face challenges – Cultivating a culture that enables and supports employees to face new challenges enhances the creativity and innovative capacity of the organization, which in turn reinforces the organization’s chances for success (Lakshmi, 2012). At the same time, addressing and ultimately surmounting challenges boosts employees’ self-esteem and facilitates employee engagement (Karsan & Kruse, 2011). (9) Adaptability to changes – A company attuned to continuous innovation is also adapted towards constant change, which however goes against people’s natural resistance to change (Belker, McCormick, & Topchik, 2012). Change is imminent due to globalization and technical innovations, thus constant change will have a tendency to demoralize and demotivate people who are not prepared to deal with it. For people to be engaged, they must be prepared for change (Lakshmi, 2012). (10) Free flow of information – It sometimes goes against traditional management to allow for the free flow of information, which probably springs from the fear that company secrets may be leaked to competitors. Modern management, however, espouses the need to share information with employees to enable them to make informed decisions at their level, thereby serving participative decision-making (Langan-Fox, Cooper, & Klimoski, 2007), and allowing employees to feel they are trusted and that they have a personal equity in the company (enhancing engagement) (Lakshmi, 2012). 5:Literature Review 5.1 Employee Engagement Engaged employees have come to be recognized as assets to organisations, whether profit or non-profit. They are known for their optimism and upbeat attitude towards both their work and the organisation they work for. They are emotionally attached to their jobs and their organisation, are highly enthusiastic at their work, and will willingly perform above and beyond the mandate of their job description (Markos & Sridevi, 2010, p. 89). While many independent authors and HR practitioners generally agree on what an engaged employee is and does, a strict definition of “employee engagement” continues to elude human resource managers and academics. Employee engagement is described in many ways. It has been defined in terms of resources used, as “the extra time, brainpower, and energy that employees put toward their work that results in discretionary effort” (Johnson, 2011, p. 13). It is “the level of commitment and involvement an employee has towards their organisation and its values” (Sarkar, 2011, p. 62). Perrin’s Global Workforce Study (Witts, Ydreos & Poirier, 2008) presents the following illustration in support of its own definition of engagement. In this framework, employee engagement is circumscribed by three actions: (1) Think, referring to rational items, such as when employees believe strongly in the company’s goals and objectives; (2) Feel, which involves the emotional items, such as the feeling and inspiration engendered in the employees to do their best work for the sake of the organization; and (3) Act, or the motivation items, including the willingness of the individual employee to “put in a great deal of effort beyond what is normally expected to help his organization succeed (Witts, Ydreos & Poirier, 2008, p. 17). Framework for Employee Engagement (Witts, Ydreos & Poirier, 2008, p. 17) Aside from the way employees feel and act, employee engagement has likewise been closely linked to personal and organisational performance. How employees are pre-disposed to work is of no moment unless such sentiments bear results in the form of the advancement of organisational goals. Rashid, Asad and Ashraf (2011) proved that a net positive relationship exists between organisational productivity, particularly with the presence of significant factors including delegation of decision making, performance reward systems, performance appraisals, co-ordination training and career development (p. 104). Markos, et al. (2010) identified the drivers of employee engagement as including the following: in the lower levels these include pay and benefits, then a bit higher there are the opportunities for development, the possibilities of promotion, and leadership style; near the top are meaning at work, a shared and common purpose, and sense of connection, which are capable of bringing together employees in a sense of community (p. 91). In an earlier study, Robinson, Perryman & Hayday (2004) found that the key driver of engagement is “a sense of feeling valued and involved,” which is fostered by involvement in decision making, the extent to which employees feel able to voice their ideas, the opportunities employees are extended to develop their jobs, and the extent of organisational concern for employees’ health and well-being. 5.2 Employee Engagement in NGOs In the earlier mentioned studies of employee engagement, it was mentioned that pay, benefits and promotion were crucial factors that must first be fulfilled before the higher aspirations of belongingness and sense of community may begin. These studies were directed at organisations that were in business, the principal motive of which was to realize profits. There is likely to be a difference, therefore, in non-profit organizations which are not intensely concerned with making profits. Most of these organisations are manned by volunteers and persons who are more attached to the cause of the organisation than the advancement of their careers. There is therefore the possibility of a difference in employee engagement in non-profit vis-à-vis profit-oriented organisations. Kesler (2011) explored these comparisons and contrasts between profit and non-profit organizations. The article was anchored on Peter Drucker’s argument that the two types of organizations could learn from each other – business can learn from the passion of non-profit organizations for their mission, while non-profit organizations may find more effective outcomes to their efforts if they learn from the discipline of business. In Kesler’s interview with Tim Shriver, the CEO and chairman of Special Olympics International or SOI, they focused on the leadership style which best allowed for employee engagement and involvement in the Special Olympics “movement.” Shiver observed that non-profit organisations (NPOs) needed to cultivate the qualities found in business – the intellectual drive, operational skill, and commitment to the attainment of the desired results – and combine these with the intangibles of the workplace and the gratification compensation which NPOs already possessed. The old dichotomy of separating economic value from personal value, or distinguishing profit from purpose, is no longer relevant in present-day NPOs (p. 40). There are several crucial attributes which volunteers in NPOs possess which would be advantageous for workers in businesses to similarly imbibe. According to Drucker, volunteers worked for psychic rewards, for which they are internally compelled to give their best in their work. A culture which is built around volunteer behaviour is rooted in the love for and dedication to the mission. “People act because they believe something good will happen for others as a result of their effort” (Kesler, 2011, p. 44). Hardina and Montana (2011) conducted a national survey of social service managers, and found that many social services managers utilized management approaches oriented towards employee empowerment, by engaging and empowering staff. They tended to downplay or at least pay relatively less attention to increase client involvement in the process of organisational or political decision-making. 6. Methodology – CASE STUDY METHODOLOGY 6.1 Overview The choice of research methodology is influenced by the ontology and epistemology best suited to the research objective. Ontology is the science and theory of being, delving into the nature of the real world view “that is independent of our knowledge of it” (Marsh & Furlong, 2002, p. 18). In the substantive sense, “being” refers to only those things that may be conceived of as actually existing, or at the least those things capable of existing; it refers to a sphere of reality (Coffey, 1914). These are equivalent to “res” or “thing” in Latin, inclusive of persons, places, events fats and phenomena. “The notion of being, spontaneously reached by the human mind, is found on reflection to be the simplest of all notions, defying every attempt at analysis into simpler notions” (Coffey, 1914, p. 32). On the other hand, Epistemology is the theory of knowledge, “the view of what we can know about the world and how we can know it” (Marsh & Furlong, 2002, p. 19). Audi (2011) calls it the theory of knowledge and justification, and traces it to what is perceived, and from this perception, what is believed about the thing perceived. From the experience that support the set of beliefs comes justification. Things possess the property of being justified, because “there is something about them in virtue of which they are natural and appropriate for me as a normal rational person” (Audi, 2011, p. 2). Both ontology and epistemology are important facets of social research, among which this discussion on employee behavior may be counted. Their combination allows social research “to understand the social reality as different people see it [ontology], and to demonstrate how their views shape the action which they take within that reality [epistemology]” (Beck, 1979, in Anderson, et al., 2003, p. 153). 6.2 Research approach For this study, the ontological viewpoint adopted is that of relativism which supports a constructivist or interpretivist approach to understanding the world. Relativism nviews knowledge of the world as subjective, being derived from the perspective of those viewing it. The world cannot be objectively described because there is no real world; the world is socially and discursively constructed (Poetschke, 2003). This view is contrasted with positivism in foundationalist ontology. Positivism takes the opposite stand from that of constructivism, in that it believes in the existence of a real world that may only be described objectively, by how it is measured and detected by the five senses (Willis, 2008; McNabb, 2010). While interpretivism is best used in the social sciences, positivism is well suited for use in the natural sciences. Positivism usually proceeds from the generation of a hypothesis which is tested by means of direct observation and statistical or similar quantitative analysis (Poetschke, 2003). Rather than take an entirely positivist or interpretivist position, this study shall adopt a view that is midway between them. The realist approach admits of a real and observable world which is susceptible to objective description; however there are aspects of the world particular pertaining to social phenomena that elude objective observation, and which therefore are more realistically interpreted from the perceptions of those who participate within it (Poetschke, 2003). 6.3 Research design The appropriate research design chosen for the study should suit: (1) the type of research question being addressed; (2) the degree and extent of control that the researcher may exert over the behavioral events; and (3) how far the study relies on contemporary occurrences rather than historical events (Yin, 1994). This research employs multiple case study methodology, which is best suited to exploring, describing, and analyzing phenomena as they occur (Blacka, 2001). In this study, the research question asks for an explanation as to the why and how of the phenomenon’s occurrence. Because the case study seeks to observe events as they have already occurred or are likely to concur, the researcher is not expected to exert any control over the events being observed, and is even precluded from intervening in the course of events. Finally, since this particular research seeks to describe and observe three modern-day NGOs, then it focuses more on contemporary rather than historical matters (Black, 2001). The multiple case study approach allows the researcher to investigate the differences that exist between and among cases as well as within them. The objective for this approach is to seek to discover elements that are replicated among several cases, and to identify those that are unique to a particular case situation. Comparisons and contrasts will be made; therefore, there must be an underlying method to the choice of cases, a commonality that justifies their comparison. The purpose is to enable the researcher to predict similar or contrasting outcomes among cases that, if pervasive, may constitute a theory (Yin, 2003). Relevant situations for research strategies (Cosmos Corporation) Consistent with the realist approach, the case study shall be carried out both by a search of documents, databases, and articles on the four NGOs, and by interviews with selected respondents among the regular staff of these organizations. 6.4 Participants The subjects of study in this multiple case study shall be members of the staff of the four non-governmental organizations working in East Africa, namely Care International, World Vision International, Samaritan’s Purse, and the International Red Cross. These are four organizations with significant exposure in the region of East Africa for several years. They have therefore established long-term operations and programs that have necessitated the recruitment and retention of their workforce who have grown valuable because of their experience and familiarity with the locality. 6.5 Sample or Sampling The study shall employ purposive sampling. Selected employees in each organization, numbering at least one and at most three, shall be pre-qualified for interview; they must be regular employees of the NGO, should have served for at least one year in the organization, and should be in the supervisory or managerial level to ensure that they have an informed perspective about the organization’s policies and programs, and may answer knowledgeably about their effectiveness. 6.6 Instrument Interviews shall be conducted with qualified personnel in each of the four NGOs. The interview shall be semi-structured interviews conducted either face-to-face, by skype, telephone, or online in writing, depending upon the preference of the respondent. The guide questions are as follows: (1) Does your organization advocate innovation in the workplace? If yes, in what manner is innovation encouraged? (2) Do employees have the opportunity to participate in decision-making? How far do you say are employees involved in the organization’s decisions? (3) Do you have a stress-free and hassle-free environment? Why? How would you describe the environment in your organization? (4) Is there a healthy employer-employee relationship in the organization? Are there open lines of communication? Why or why not? (5) What are the means and incentives by which the organization motivates its employees? Do you think they are effective? (6) Does your staff work in teams? How effective have they been? Does the organization allow the teams to work independently? (7) Does your organization allow employees to be accountable for their sphere of work? How has this impacted on employee morale? (8) Does the organization encourage and provide support to employees in facing new challenges at work? What sort of challenges do employees face? (9) Is the organization willing to adapt to changes? Does the organization manage change well among the employees? How does management introduce change among the employees? (10) Does information flow freely within the organization? To what extent does management allow information to be disseminated among employees? 6.7 Data Processsing and Analysis The data processing and analysis to be conducted will be consistent with the qualitative nature of the data and findings, and will employ the recursive and iterative means of qualitative data analysis (Seidel, 1998). The analytical process will proceed pursuant to the model shown in the following diagram, which is appropriate for the multiple case study method. Multiple Case Study Method Source: Cosmos Corporation, 2008 7. 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Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, CA Yukl, G A & Becker, W S 2006 “Effective Empowerment in Organizations.” Organization Management Journal, Vol. 3 Issue 3, p210-231 Read More