The daunting challenge that faces South African business is to redress the inequalities of past discrimination and to develop to its maximum the potential of every team member while remaining competitive. Some of the key challenges include creating a supportive and attractive work environment that's inclusive of diversity, staff retention and an organisational culture that will leverage diversity. The case study organisation faced similar challenges. In order to understand the dynamics a diversity workshop was designed and consulted from a systems psychodynamic paradigm. The primary task of the Diversity Workshop was to provide opportunities for members to study and learn about intrapersonal, interpersonal and inter group relationships in relation to diversity behaviour in the workplace. 50 participants attended the workshop and 22 participants completed the questionnaire. The content was analysed and themes from a psychodynamic stance identified. The overall objective of the workshop was met as it made unconscious behaviour visible, allowed participants to reflect, facilitated dialogue and enabled transfer of learning to the workplace. This approach allowed groups to move from basic assumptions to task oriented behaviour. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / M. Com. (Industrial Psychology)

Thesis (MCurr)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Nurse managers are responsible to staff different hospital units and departments with sufficient, trained and experienced personnel. Most critical care units in the private healthcare in South Africa are staffed below maximum workload levels and additional staff is supplemented when needed. Current staffing management strategies comprises the application of the patient acuity score, the utilisation of contracted agency staff and ward staff who assist occasionally in the critical care unit (CCU). The aim of the study was to explore the experiences of critical care nurses regarding staffing management within critical care units in private health care institutions in the Western Cape. The following objectives were set to: - explore the experiences of CCNs regarding staffing management strategies such as o the patient acuity score o the employment of ad hoc agency staff and o the utilization of ward staff A descriptive design with a qualitative approach was applied. A sample size of n=15 was drawn from a total population of N=377, using purposive sampling technique. A pilot-test was also completed. The trustworthiness of this study was assured with the use of Lincoln and Guba’s criteria of credibility, transferability, dependability and confirmability. All ethical principles were met. The findings of the study demonstrated that nurses perceive the workload in critical care units as heavy. The utilisation of the acuity score does not really assist in relieving the workload as managers tend not to consider the staffing requirements as predicted by the acuity score due to budget constraints. The enrolled nurses who assist occasionally in the critical care unit require supervision as well as ongoing development to ensure safe and quality patient care. Yet agency nurses were perceived as either extraordinary good or incompetent. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Verpleegbestuurders het die verantwoordelik om verskillende hospitaaleenhede en departemente met voldoende opgeleide en ervare personeel te voorsien. Die meeste kritieke sorgeenhede in Suid-Afrika word met minder as dan die maksimum werkladingsvlak beman en addisionele personeel word aangevul wanneer nodig. Huidige personeelbestuurstrategieë behels die toepassing van die pasiënt akuïteit telling, die gebruik van ingekontrakteerde agentskap-personeel en saalpersoneel wat per geleentheid in die kritiekesorgeenheid help. Die doel van die studie was om die ervaringe van kritieke-sorgverpleegsters ten opsigte van personeel bestuur binne die kritiekesorgeenhede in die privaat gesondheidsorginstellings in die Weskaap, te ondersoek. Die volgende doelwitte is gestel: - Om die ervaringe van kritieke-sorgverpleegsters aangaande personeelbestuur-strategieë te ondersoek, soos: o die pasiënt akuïteit telling o die gebruik van agentskapverpleegpersoneel en o die gebruik van saal personeel, te ondersoek ’n Beskrywende kwalitatiewe studie is toegepas. ’n Steekproef van n=15 is uit ’n totale populasie van N=377 getrek deur die doelgerigte steekproeftegniek te gebruik. ’n Loodstoetsing van die semi-gestruktureerde vraelys is ook gedoen. Die betroubaarheid van hierdie studie was verseker deur van Lincoln en Guba se kriteria vir geloofwaardigheid, oordraagbaarheid, betroubaarheid en bevestigbaarheid gebruik te maak. Daar is aan alle etiese vereistes voldoen. Die bevindings van die studie toon dat die verpleegpersoneel die werklading in die kritiekesorgeenheid as veeleisend ervaar. Die aanwending van die pasiënt akuïteit-telling dra nie werklik by tot verligting van die werklading nie, aangesien bestuurders weens begrotingsbeperkings neig om nie die personeelbenodigdhede soos deur die akuïteit-telling voorspel in ag neem nie. Die ingeskrewe verpleegsters wat per geleentheid in die kritieke-sorgeenheid hulp verleen, benodig toesig asook volgehoue ontwikkeling ten einde veilige en kwaliteit pasiëntsorg te verseker. Die agentskapverpleegpersoneel is egter as baie bekwaam of onbevoeg beskou.

Thesis (M. Tech. (Language Practice)) -- Central University of Technology, free State, 2013 / Many large organisations tend to focus on their external communication in order to project a positive image to potential clients. However the role of internal communication with employees has often been overlooked, although it remains one of the most important areas of organisational communication. Employees‟ views about their own organisation impact on how external clients view that particular organisation. In order for employees to become advocates of their own organisation, supervisors of different operational units should develop and manage their internal communication activities in a way that motivates and stimulates employees‟ enthusiasm for meeting the organisational goals. Once employees are satisfied with the state of supervisory communication in their respective units, they should be able to identify with their organisation and endeavour to attain its organisation‟s goals. The researcher investigated supervisory communication and its effect on employee satisfaction at the Central University of Technology, Free State, Welkom Campus (CUT, W). The study was conducted through a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods. A questionnaire was distributed among the forty employees, whereas interviews were conducted with the five remaining employees at the CUT, W. The researcher used purposive sampling to select the respondents and participants of the study. The reliability of the questionnaire was determined by calculating the Cronbach Alpha coefficient (CAc) of the constructs. All the Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire constructs indicated CAc of .0974 which is consistent with a high level of internal stability. The study (quantitative research method) indicated that the majority of the respondents showed overall satisfaction on all CSQ constructs, except Personal Feedback. However, the study has revealed that the Schools of Government Management and Human Resources as well as the School of Accounting have revealed communication deficiencies on constructs such as Supervisory Communication, Divisional Information, Communication Climate, Co-Worker Communication and Personal Feedback. The qualitative findings have revealed communication deficiencies in four categorical themes, namely, lack of: * Communication and commitment to institutional values and policies by Supervisors. * Consultation and openness to ideas. * Performance standards and career-pathing. * Co-worker communication. * Downward flow of information. The researcher recommends that the Schools1 of Government Management, Human Resources and Accounting put more effort into improving their Schools‟ communication climate and giving personal feedback to their subordinates. The CUT, W should develop a Performance Management Plan to appraise their staff. The researcher further recommends that meetings should be held regularly to provide the necessary platform for the employees to raise concerns related to their specific jobs. The researcher also believes that Supervisors should consult with employees in their specific units before making any important decisions.

Staff training, education and development has come to the forefront in most organizations. Managers and employers have realized the benefits of training and developing their staff and various government initiatives have been introduced that highlight this. Library and Information Services took some time to realize the importance of training and developing their staff, more specifically continuing professional development. The study investigates staff training, education and development at the Durban Metropolitan Library (DML) and establishes the perceptions of staff about current training and development offered. The need for, and appreciation of the training and development offered, was evident. No structured program for staff training and development exist in DML. It is recommended that DML implement the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals, previously known as the Library Association, Framework for Continuing Professional Development if it intends to survive in the competitive, changing environment. This will ensure that the organization functions according to the promulgated government regulations and has skilled, competent staff. / Information Science / (M.A. (Information Science))

This case study explores the experiences of eight newly appointed teachers at a school for intellectually disabled learners. A qualitative phenomenological approach was employed to interpret interview data. The literature study investigates the phenomenon of staff turnover and includes key literature themes such as adult learning theories of Senge and Vygotski, the life cycle of a teacher, the special school context and problems and needs experienced by beginning teachers. The key findings of the research were that beginning special education teachers experienced various problems and needs but that, with well planned structured support, these problems could successfully be overcome. The researcher has developed a set of guidelines, which could be used in developing a staff induction programme, aimed at raising the effectiveness of newly appointed teachers at a school for intellectually disabled learners. This research once again emphasizes the need for a well planned, structured induction programme. / Further Teacher Education / M. Ed. (Education Management)

This study investigated human resource challenges besetting school managers in Vryheid district in Zululand region in KwaZulu-Natal: an educational management perspective. The target population consisted of school managers in the service of KwaZulu-Natal Province, Zululand Region in Vryheid district in the Department of Education. For educators to perform satisfactorily, their skills, abilities and motives to perform duties must match their job requirements. Managers must recruit and select qualified and dedicated staff members for the effectiveness of the school depends on the effectiveness of the staff. The challenges of school managers are to attract, recruit, retain, motivate and develop the staff. They should not unfairly discriminate directly or indirectly against anyone. They have to redress the past imbalances when appointing the staff. They work under stressful conditions with different types of people, all with their own beliefs, values, cultures and work ethics. Educators with best results are promoted to senior positions where they are sometimes not utilised. Learners are becoming more uncontrollable, rude, violent and undisciplined. some are promoted and others. Endless strikes, turnover, absenteeism, redeployment, late coming, over-crowded classrooms, many changes, poor performance; hostility is very common in schools. The growing numbers of educators, who die, retire, promoted and resigning each year, resulting in the shortage of experienced educators to substitute them. The lack of reliable resources or help within the Department of Education. . A qualitative explanatory and descriptive approach has been adopted in the present research to investigate school managers’ challenges. The research findings of the investigation confirmed that numerous challenges exist in schools and that school managers require training and intervention strategies to help them cope with the changes in the education system in South Africa. The limitations and recommendations were discussed. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Education Management)

This study investigated the causes of employee dissatisfaction by means of a case study of the Business Application Solution Centre (BASC) at the Eskom Academy of Learning (EAL). The rationale for the study was to contribute further to a general understanding of employee dissatisfaction. This study highlighted the issue of the under-representation of blacks and females (of all races) in senior positions, and further emphasised appointment and recruitment issues that promote unfair labour practices, organisational culture and structure issues that undermine workplace relations, and the extent to which management responds to the abovementioned issues. A mixed method approach was employed to gather data from BASC employees. Qualitative data was collected by means of one focus group discussion and nine in-depth, face-to-face interviews. For the focus group and face-to-face interviews, purposive sampling was used for the selection of respondents, in order to ensure representation on all race, gender and occupational strata. A semi-structured questionnaire was used for both the focus group and face-to-face interviews. The questioning route was guided by the themes of gender, appointment and recruitment issues, culture and structure issues, and management response and practice. Quantitative data was collected by means of an online survey. Even though the online survey link was sent to employees on all strata, top managers did not participate. The use of a web-based online survey had an element of immediacy and also ensured maximum confidentiality, as responses were transferred to a development server with no link or trace to the respondents. The study revealed many underlying causes of employee dissatisfaction, such as the following: (1) the main drivers of black and female under-representation in top positions were lack of skills development, mentoring and career-pathing; (2) among the recruitment and appointment practices leading to employee dissatisfaction was the appointment of employees to ‘acting’ rather than permanent management positions; (3) there was a perception that managers abused their authority by promoting their favourites and overlooking those who they did not like; (4) although an affirmative action (AA) policy had been implemented at BASC, it was felt that employees should be appointed and promoted on merit, and that this should be accompanied by mentoring; (5) in some instances, the hiring of consultants deprived employees of opportunities to perform critical tasks. The fact that consultants were paid more than employees was also a source of discontent; (6) appointment criteria were non-transparent, and respondents revealed that they knew who was going to be appointed even before the recruitment process had been completed; (7) a bureaucratic culture was found to be the main organisational culture issue undermining workplace relations. On the other hand, a culture of teamwork appeared to reduce dissatisfaction and enhance unity; (8) the major organisational structure issues undermining workplace relations were managers who lacked managerial competencies and unequal payment on the same grade; (9) employees who stood their ground were given a low rating during performance appraisals. Others were bullied by senior managers and colleagues, who were rude towards them; (10) a hostile working relationship between managers and employees was caused by managers who lacked human resource skills; and (11) junior managers were undermined by employees who bypassed them and went straight to senior managers to discuss workplace issues. This study addresses both the general lack of information regarding the causes of employee dissatisfaction in South Africa, and of employee dissatisfaction in the information and communication technology (ICT) workplace environment. The findings of the study will also contribute towards a better understanding of the general causes of employee dissatisfaction. The results of this study suggest that more in-depth investigations of the causes of employee dissatisfaction are necessary to fully address this issue, and in order to ultimately prevent a further increase in the rate of employee turnover. Some implications for further research became apparent during the course of this study: similar studies on employee dissatisfaction should be conducted with top managers; studies on the experience of managers appointed to acting positions should be undertaken; and follow-up studies on employee dissatisfaction should be conducted as causes are addressed and relevant interventions are implemented. / Business management / D.Litt. et Phil. (Sociology)

This researcher investigates the role of communication satisfaction in job satisfaction in the Department of Communications, a government policy-making institution that deals with post, telecommunications, and broadcasting services in South Africa. This study describes communication satisfaction as the overall degree of satisfaction an employee perceives in his total communication environment and job satisfaction as the degree of satisfaction the individual feels with his job. Focus groups are used to explore the role of communication satisfaction in job satisfaction in the Department of Communications because they are appropriate and suitable in capturing the discussions reflecting emotions, particularly uncovering individuals' feelings about their environment. The emphasis is on finding out how communication motivates and makes employees satisfied in their jobs. Qualitative content analysis, based on transcriptions from audiotapes, is used for interpretation and analysis of the data. These transcnptions reflect the descriptive nature of the data and people's own spoken words. / Communication Science / M. A. (Communication)

Summaries in English and Afrikaans / Text in Afrikaans / Die doel van hierdie verkennende studie was om ondersoek in te stel na die prestasiewaardes onderliggend aan Affektiewe, Kontinulteits- en Normatiewe organisasieverbintenis van werknemers binne die motorywerheid in Suid-Afrika. 'n Steekproef van 113 werknemers is uit verskillende motorhandelaars geselekteer. Daarna is ondersoek ingestel na watter prestasiewaardes betekenisvolle voorspellers van organisasieverbintenis is. Daar is bevind dat die prestasiewaardes mededinging en materiele welvaart betekenisvolle voorspellers van affektiewe organisasieverbintenis is, en dat die prestasiewaardes materiele welvaart en strewe na uitmuntendheid betekenisvolle voorspellers van kontinuiteitsorganisasieverbintenis is, maar dat geeneen van die prestasiewaardes wat huidig wereldwyd erken word, betekenisvolle voorspellers van normatiewe organisasieverbintenis in die motomywerheid is nie. Dit het verreikende irnplikasies vir die Suid-Afrikaanse motorhandelaar. Hierbenewens is dit ook duidelik uit die navorsingsresultate dat die prestasiewaardes mededinging, materiele welvaart en strewe na uitmuntendheid hulself daartoe leen om op 'n geintegreerde wyse deur bestuur van motorhandelaars aangewend te word ten einde hul kumulatiewe invloed op organisasieverbintenis optimaal te kan benut. / The objective of this exploratory study was to investigate the performance values subjacent to affective, continuity and normative organisation commitment of employees in the motor industry in South Africa. A sample of 113 employees was selected from different dealerships. Thereafter an investigation was done to establish which performance values were meaningful predictors of organisation commitment. It was found that the performance values competition and material gain were meaningful predictors of affective organisation commitment, and the performance values material gain and excellence were meaningful predictors of continuity organisation commitment, but that none of the performance values which are contemporarily recognised world-wide were meaningful predictors of normative organisation commitment. This has far-reaching implications for South African motor dealers. It was also apparent from the results that the performance values competition, material gain and excellence can be utilized in an integrated way by management of motor dealers in order to ensure optimal utilization of their cumulative impact on organisation commitment. / Industrial psychology / M.Com. (Industrial Psychology)

Orientation: This study is about team dialogue and how dialogue in teams may impact on levels of employee engagement, especially how this can be applied and used in Industrial & Organisational Psychology. Research purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence that dialogue sessions in work teams may have on employee engagement. Motivation for the study: The manager and first-line superior play a crucial role in facilitating and enabling the connection between the employee and the organisation and how this impacts on employee engagement. When practised successfully, dialogue may have an influence on the level of employee engagement, as it allows groups to move beyond any one individual’s understanding to gain new insights and to create ideas in ways that could not be achieved individually. It may be argued that team dialogue and relational practices could assist in improving employee engagement in the South African workplace. Research design, approach and method: The study used a quasi-experimental approach in terms of which an experimental group was exposed to an organisational development intervention of team dialogues over a period of time and then compared to a control group that had not been exposed to the organisational development team dialogue intervention. The main findings were reported and discussed, and recommendations were made. Main findings: Team dialogues have an impact on employee engagement Contributions/value add: This study contributes to the field of Industrial & Organisational Psychology in that it demonstrates the influence that team dialogue has on employee engagement. / Industrial and Organisational Psychology / MCOM (Industrial and Organisational Psychology)