EMPLOYEE VOICE AND WORKERS PERFORMANCE OF MULTINATIONAL FIRMS IN RIVERS STATE

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Workers Performance is an approach that creates long-term stakeholder value by implementing a business strategy that considers every dimension of how a business operates in the ethical, social, environmental, cultural, and economic spheres. It also formulates strategies to build a company that fosters longevity through transparency and proper employee development. Workers Performance is an evolution on more traditional phrases describing ethical corporate practice. The phrase is derived from two keys sources. This desire to grow without damaging future generations’ prospects is becoming more and more central to business philosophies. Within more academic management circles, Elkington (1997) developed the concept of the Triple Bottom Line which proposed that business goals were inseparable from the societies and environments within which they operate. Whilst short-term economic gain could be chased, a failure to account for social and environmental impacts would make those business practices unsustainable. Measuring Workers Performance is possible through composite indicators which aggregate environmental, social, corporate governance and economic measures, e.g. Complex Performance Indicator.  Employee voice is one construct that can enhance Workers Performance.

Employees’ voice improves communication and encourages staff retention through fair treatment. Despite the numerous benefits of employee voice and why it should be encouraged organizations still resilient. This is not the case in many organizations in the public or private sector. Though, it is a topic that has brought about a lot of controversies in contemporary organizations where employees voice and performances are not encouraged. Many researchers believe that one of the main contributing factors leading to low productivity in a number of organizations is where management ignores the voice or suggestions made by employees. In the last quarter century, there has been a dramatic shift in the forms of employee voice used in private or public workplaces worldwide with non-union voice growing at the expense of union voice. From the words of Boxall and Purcell (2003), employee voice is the term increasingly used to cover a whole variety of processes and structures which enable and sometimes empower employees, to directly and indirectly contribute to decision making in the firm. This definition actually support the views of Millward et al (2000) who sees employee voice as the ability of employees to influence the actions of the employer. Employee participation is crucial in improving organizational performance since many motivational writers see it as a form of intrinsic motivation to enhance employees’ performance (Salamon 2000). From the foregoing therefore, the study seeks to examine the relationship between employee voice and workers performance of selected multinational firms in Rivers State.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

The immense contributions of employee voice in corporate firms have significantly been a great concern to management of most oil and gas firms over the years. As researchers continue to view and study the various ingredients and factors that can foster employee voice and Workers Performance in oil and gas industries particularly. This concept so far, cannot be over emphasized as it borders on employing vital strategies which could enhance active performance of the organization in terms of staff retention, effective communication, profitability, and employee participations etc. Empirical study has shown that there has been identify if there has been positive relationship existing between employee participation and adaptability, to organizational resilience which help to know whether employee participation in decision making influences Workers Performance. More so, it is to know if the practice can improve staff retention and profitability expansion which can in a long run solve problems of poor productivity, and general Workers Performance.

Subsequently, in spite of this plethora of study results, most contemporary organizations have not abreast themselves to the contents of these findings as to be able to work themselves out of the challenges of Workers Performance. It is against these backgrounds that this study is designed to evaluate the impact of employee voice and sustainability.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study is to examine the relationship between employee voice and Workers Performance in some selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt. The specific objectives are as follows:

1. To determine the relationship between effective communication and workers performance of selected multinational firms in Rivers State.
2. To determine the relationship between staff retention and workers performance of selected multinational firms in Rivers State.
3. To determine the relationship between employee participation in decision making and workers performance of selected multinational firms in Rivers State.

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions were proposed to guide the study.

1. Does effective communication associate with workers performance of selected multinational firms in Rivers State?
2. Does staff retention associate with workers performance of selected multinational firms in Rivers State?
3. Does employee participation in decision making associate with workers performance of selected multinational firms in Rivers State?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

H01: There is no significant relationship between the effective communication and workers performance.

H02: There is no significant relationship between staff retention and workers performance.

H03: There is no significant relationship between employee participation in decision making and workers performance.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The research study is designed to benefit the society and the respective corporate organizations, particularly the multinational firms within the state. Through active practices of resilience in the organization, staff retention, decision making and active communication between the employees in the can always be realized. In the banking sector, as well as other organizations will see the research study more useful in controlling the productiveness and adaptability behavior of the organizations.

An added benefit of employee resilience concerns the positive spillover effects resilient employees will also be better equipped to handle challenges outside or work, and by facilitating workers performance, organizations can support community resilience. We integrate employee-level information with specific organizational initiatives to create a deeper understanding of whether the processes currently in place effectively support resilience among employees. In addition, we identify areas of intervention to address and facilitate Workers Performance. The goal of our research and collaboration with practitioner is to contribute to resilient employees, who are healthy and active contributors in their organization, as well as in their community. Performance in organizations and among employees is relevant in any context which introduces challenges and change, and transcends a post-disaster context. We therefore couple rigorous scientific methodologies with practitioner expertise to encourage organizations to capitalize on employee resilience, and guide the process of increasing Workers Performance and performance through staff capabilities.

1.7 Scope/Limitation of the Study

The study is delimited under the following heading: content scope, geographical scope and unit of analysis.

Content Scope: The content scope of this study involves on investigation to ascertain the relationship between employee voice and workers performance. The dependent variable is Workers Performance. While independent variable is employee voice measure by effective communication, staff retention and employee participation.

Geographical Scope: This study is delimited in Port Harcourt Metropolis with special reference to some selected multinational firms in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

In course of carrying out this research, the researcher met with a lot of constraints. Among these constraints is: The time frame which this research was expected to be completed which was too short.

Secondly, the cost in carrying out this research work act as a barrier as we were not financially buoyant to carry out all investigation.

Finally, assembling the relevant materials needed this work was a problem. It is difficult due to the fact that some of the respondents were not willing to give us the required cooperation.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Communication: Communication is a process of exchange of information, facts, ideas, thoughts, and opinions between two or more persons or group of persons.

Employee Participation: It is the process whereby employees are involved in decision making processes, rather than simply acting on orders. Employee participation is part of a process of empowerment in the workplace.

Employee Voice: Employee voice as the ability of employees to influence the actions of the employer non-renewable resource depletion that can be continued indefinitely.

Workers Performance: It refers to how your workers behave in the workplace and how well they perform the job duties you’ve obligated to them. For an individual employee, performance may refer to work effectiveness, quality and efficiency at the task level.