Increasingly the competitiveness of organisations will depend on the level of service and quality of experience offered by the employees of the organisation. In short, it is the employees within an organisation that define how successful the organisation can be to the market. The opportunity to outperform competitors lies in the ability to innovate quicker, respond faster and better understand the needs of the consumer, in so doing, becoming the organisation that creates the next trend rather than follow it. The key to achieving outstanding performance, driving both bottom-line revenue and sustained growth in the long term is in harnessing the collective knowledge latent within the organisation and freely available just beyond the organisation in the external context. This can only be done through developing a strong Learning Organisational Culture. The impact this has on the organisation is in improving employee engagement providing the catalyst in which employees perform at an optimum, minimising the unproductive cycles of the organisation resulting from employee turnover, lost intellectual capital and general employee apathy. The study provides evidence that Learning Organisation Culture is positively correlated with Employee Engagement. Copyright 2010, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Knox-Davies, B 2010, The extent to which a learning organisation culture influences employee engagement in two service based organisations in the property sector of South Africa, MBA dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03242012-174550 / > F12/4/208/zw / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This research is based on the premise that change management implementation is significantly related to employee engagement in post-merged organisations. The relationship between employee engagement and the demographic variables age and length of service, and variable change experience is also explored in the postmerged organisation. The study uses a quantitative design methodology to cover the objectives of the research and to answer the questions relating to the topics of the study. The sample was drawn from a mining industry within the private sector that has undergone a merger in the last five years. The sample for the study was selected using the convenience sampling method. Statistical tools that were used in this study included frequency analysis, measures of central distribution, t-tests, Friedman‟s test, and analysis of variance. The study found high levels of employee engagement in the dimensions emotional commitment and discretionary effort. The responses for the dimension intent to stay were above average while the response for rational commitment remained neutral. A significant difference was found between the levels of emotional commitment between the two merged companies. The extent of change management implemented differed significantly between the two merged companies. With regards to the demographic variables age and length of service and variable organisational change experience, no significant relationship was found with employee engagement. Copyright / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

This study is based on a systematic analysis to examine whether there is a connection between transformational leadership and a successful onboarding process. Previous research shows that transformational leadership has a significant role in the onboarding process. The analysis is based on six publications, all of them demonstrate the interplay between a successful onboarding process and transformational leadership. The discussion discusses the results presented by the publications and how they relate to each other. The conclusion is that a successful onboarding process seems to lead to job satisfaction, assimilation into the new organization and that the employees stay within the organization for a longer time.

This dissertation identifies and theorizes a new form by which leaders exert their influence over subordinates: hierarchical-decentralization. To further investigate hierarchical-decentralization and its effects on team outcomes, we develop two research themes which include three independent studies. The first research theme focuses on how hierarchical-decentralization influences team processes and team performance. We conduct an experimental study (Study 1-1) and a field study (Study 1-2) on this research theme. In Study 1-1 (detailed in Chapter 2), we conceptualize hierarchical-decentralization, examine the relationship between hierarchical-decentralization and team performance, and test whether and why hierarchical-decentralization produces higher team performance than either centralization or decentralization. Through an experimental study, we found that hierarchical-decentralization was positively related to team performance, and that hierarchical-decentralization outperformed either centralization or decentralization in steering team performance. Following Study 1-1, we conduct Study 1-2 (described in Chapter 3), which aims to further explore the underlying mechanism that produces the positive effect of hierarchical-decentralization on team performance, and to identify the conditions under which the benefit of hierarchical-decentralization tends to become more noticeable. Through a field study, we found that team coordination mediated the relationship between hierarchical-decentralization and team performance. We further found that inter-team competitive intensity strengthened the positive relationship between hierarchical-decentralization and team coordination, as well as the positive indirect relationship between hierarchical-decentralization and team performance via team coordination. The second research theme focuses on the application of influence structure of hierarchical-decentralization to the research on leader-member exchange (LMX) differentiation. We conduct a field study (Study 2) on this research theme. Specifically, in Study 2 (detailed in Chapter 4), we investigate whether and why the vertical chain of influence among team members (we follow the research conducted by Burderson et al (2016) and refer it to acyclicity) would offset the detrimental effect of LMX differentiation on social relations among team members and ultimately on team performance. Through a field study covering 89 diverse working teams, we found that LMX differentiation became to be not significantly related to status conflict when a team had a high level of acyclicity and meanwhile when its team members' LMX statuses were in line with their influence levels within acyclicity. Although this relationship is not statistically significant, the negative relationship between LMX differentiation and status conflict somewhat suggests that acyclicity, when all of the most influential members within it are of the highest relationship qualities with leaders, might have the potential to turn the detrimental effect of LMX differentiation on social interactions among team members into a beneficial effect (i.e., one that reduces status conflict among team members). We further found that status conflict was negatively related to team performance, and that it mediated the relationship between LMX differentiation and team performance. The theoretical and practical implications of the two research themes are then discussed.

Includes bibliographical references / Orientation: Employee turnover (ET) has become one of the central challenges faced by organisations today. Managers of local organisations should be asking themselves the following pivotal question: Why are skilled and top-performing employees leaving organisations? Research purpose: The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding and to examine the relationship of trust- in -leadership (TIL) and intention to quit (ITQ) and the effects on ET within a financial institution in South Africa. Motivation for the study: Cost of ET is not the only negative impact for an organisation, the loss of human capital (human intellect) in terms of knowledge, skills and experience also effects the organisation negatively. Managers need to understand how they can decrease their ET and retain their talented and skilled employees. Prior to leaving an organisation staff have an intention to quit (ITQ) and managers are encouraged to focus on preventative measures by identifying the antecedents of ITQ. Research design: A quantitative research approach was used to determine the extent of the relationship between TIL and ITQ among staff, where a cross-sectional field survey generated the primary research data for this study. An online survey consisting of 19 questions was e- mailed to all 400 employees within a financial institution within South Africa staff. Main Findings: Study results showed a significant negative relationship between TIL and ITQ. Practical and/or managerial limitations/implications: This paper highlights the importance of considering the relationship of TIL on ITQ, directed at employees to become proactive with retention strategies in order to reduce ET. TIL is a variable that is often overlooked in ITS and it is crucial for understand. The implications of ET, as a consequence of ITQ, can affect the bottom line of an organisation. It thus becomes critical for managers to find means to limit the loss of employees. Contribution and/or value-add: In the South African context, only a few recent studies has been found in this field. Notwithstanding, this study differs from previous research in this area in that it was conducted in the financial service sector in South Africa with a specific focus on TIL and ITQ.

The high rate of voluntary employee turnover in nursing has forced business leaders to search for strategies that reduce voluntary employee turnover. The purpose of this single case study was to explore strategies nurse managers used to reduce registered nurse voluntary turnover. Face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted with 5 nurse managers in the San Antonio, Texas area. The conceptual framework included Herzberg's 2-factor theory and Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory. Data analysis included Yin's 5-step process: (a) compiling the data, (b) disassembling the data into common codes, (c) reassembling the data into themes, (d) interpreting their meaning, and (e) reporting the themes. Member checking and methodological triangulation increased the trustworthiness of interpretations. The interpretations were then triangulated with new themes derived from nurse managers, policies, and procedures. The resulting major themes were job satisfaction, employee compensation, advancement, reward and recognition, and open effective communication. The implications for social change include (a) keeping families together, (b) employing more workers, (c) reducing unemployment, (d) stabilizing communities, (e) helping increase the economy, and (f) improving human and social conditions outside of the workplace. Findings from this study will provide positive social implications including the potential to decrease voluntary employee turnover in businesses, thus contributing to the retention of skilled employees, reducing unemployment, and decreasing revenue losses.

Managers who foster at least 65% employee engagement, based on employee engagement surveys conducted by Hewitt Associates, Inc., provide a 19% higher return to shareholders than managers who do not foster a 65% or higher employee engagement level. The purpose of this single site case study was to identify strategies that frontline managers used to build employee engagement, leading to higher organizational performance. The transformational leadership theory was used as the conceptual framework for this study. Data were collected through semistructured interviews from a purposeful sample of 3 frontline managers at a beverage manufacturing facility in the Midwest of the United States. Data also included performance metrics from the organization to identify the leading facility within the organization. Using data triangulation and Yin's explanation building analysis method, several themes emerged, including the need for open and honest communication, setting and understanding expectations, maintaining professional relationships, and including employees as an important part of the organization. These findings may contribute to social change by enhancing the training for frontline managers. Such enhancements may build employee engagement, decrease workplace stress, and boost work-life balance and quality of life.

The purpose of this qualitative, single case study was to explore strategies that leaders used to engage employees. The conceptual framework for this study was Saks's multidimensional approach to employee engagement. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 5 leaders from an office design company in the midwestern region of the United States who had a minimum of 2 years of experience of engaging employees. Company archival documents related to employee engagement were also collected. Data analysis consisted of compiling the data, coding for emergent and a priori codes, disassembling the data into common codes, reassembling the data into themes, interpreting the meaning, and reporting the themes. Seven themes emerged from data analysis: (a) communication, (b) employee involvement, (c) employee development, (d) top-down approach with manager buy in, (e) flexibility with time, (f) tailored strategies for different demographics, and (g) engagement with the workspace/environment. The implications of this study for positive change are that organizational leaders can incorporate these strategies to engage employees to achieve a competitive edge over competition. Engaged employees could benefit local communities and could have the flexibility to participate in community activities and foster positive social change.

In today's world of work, change can be seen as a given. For companies to not only survive but to thrive, they need resilient and healthy employees. Healthy employees can deal more effectively with stress, which result from increases in work overloads, work pressure and job insecurity. They are more productive, deliver higher work output, and cope better with higher work demands. Studies show that people, who maintain a healthy lifestyle through regular exercise and healthy eating, have much fewer weight-related medical expenses, and are thus generally in better health. Poor health, on the other hand, results in higher absence from work, lower productivity and lower morale. This has a snowball effect in organisations, because the absence of unhealthy employees exacerbates the stress and work overload of those employees who are present at work and, in turn, negatively impact their morale. The aim of the study is to evaluate the impact of a physical wellness programme (referred to as a Corporate Wellness Programme or CWP) on employee absenteeism and motivation within a specific company. The evaluation was conducted using a mixed method approach. It was performed on the pilot study of the CWP. Hundred and thirteen people participated on a voluntary basis. The programme ran over six months (December 2008 to May 2009). A health risk assessment (HRA) includes glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol tests and a body mass index (BMI) and was conducted on all the participants before they embarked on the programme, as well as after completing the programme. The pre- and post-tests of the health risk assessment were statistically compared to evaluate whether participation in the programme affected the physical health of the participants. After the programme, focus group discussions were held with a sample of 36 of the 113 participants to assess their experience of the programme. Absenteeism data were used as an indirect measure to determine the impact of the programme on absenteeism. The results from the health risk assessments indicated that the systolic blood pressure and cholesterol levels were significantly lower after the programme. From the focus group discussions it appeared that participants reported less absenteeism from work due to illness. They further reported an improvement in their mood, attitude toward work, sleeping patterns, eating habits and sense of overall wellbeing during participation in the programme. Based on the results of health risk assessments, it seems if the CWP had some positive impact on employee state of wellness. Copyright 2010, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Du Preez, H 2010, The impact of a Corporate Wellness Programme on employee wellness, motivation and absenteeism, MCom dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02222012-115232 / > C12/4/191/gm / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Human Resource Management / unrestricted

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