Confused About Adding Value to My Employee Satisfaction Project – Should I Stick to the Plan or Innovate?

I am a student of management. I have completed the 1st year and will opt for HR in the 2nd year. I am doing my summer project in a leading company. My problem is that I have been given a project on employee satisfaction, and half of the project is complete. All I have to do is to show the dates as to when each employee satisfaction activity planned by the company and departments should be done. This is what the HR manager told me. I am confused as to whether I should stick to the activities planned by the company and departments and merely give dates or should I add something extra to the existing activities prepared. Also, while preparing the dates of the activities, should I merely depend on my capability and understanding of the concept or use some other resource. Please suggest some solutions; I am very confused.

I am a little confused about what it is you have been asked to do as well. My first thought was that "activities" to contribute to employee satisfaction didn't sound quite right. Are these activities ongoing strategies or one-off? Some examples might be useful.

Herzberg's theory of job [employee] satisfaction talks about two types of factors:

1. So-called "hygiene" factors. These are the things that are either "bottom line" expectations of employees or routine (Money, work space, adequate "tools of trade", social events, etc.). Without these, employees would walk out, but having these things doesn't necessarily make them happy about their job either.

2. "Job Satisfaction" factors. These include the ability to work with an appropriate degree of autonomy and support, good working relationships with colleagues, clients, and management, clear understanding of role, stimulating work, variety, etc. These factors are what make the job really "hum" for people. Herzberg also warns that what might lead to job satisfaction for Employee A might be completely "yuk" for Employee "B".

So back to what you were asked to do... It would seem likely that the person asking you to do this task would expect you to add some value to the task, rather than just document timelines. The dilemma is what added-value is expected of you? (I'll bet your job satisfaction factors are low at the moment!). If you are to add value to the "activities", and I'm really curious as to what these are, then try to think at the higher level of job satisfaction factors instead of the bottom line "hygiene" factors.

I hope this hasn't made things more confusing. Feel free to offer more information if you get the chance.

Progress Enterprise

Hi friend,

Looking at the situation you have described, I feel that the employee satisfaction activities already planned have to be coordinated. For that, you may have to fix the schedule with each department. The activities may be targeted department-wise or level-wise; hence, you will have to obtain the concurrence of the concerned department heads for the final schedule. Therefore, it would be better if you frame a tentative schedule and then finalize it after consulting the respective HODs.

Regarding the second part of the query, whether to add value to the activity, it depends on the kind of activity that has been planned. You can add value by critically analyzing the activity from the user's point of view and providing useful comments on it. Additionally, you can collect secondary data on such activities from the internet or other organizations to enhance the activity.

If you can provide more inputs on the said activity, I believe there will be more responses to your query.

Hi there,

You can again clarify with your HR manager whether to add extra activities or stick with the current dates. I think that will help you as he may already have an idea in mind. Furthermore, when it comes to employee satisfaction, you should always consider the employees when making any changes to activities.

I hope my suggestion may be of some help to you.

With regards,
Jayavel.K

Hi Anjali,

Please help me with the Employee Satisfaction survey at the Workmen and Staff level. I am working in a manufacturing company based in Mumbai and have just joined the group.

Thanks and regards,
Anjali

If you tell me what activities you have identified or the ones planned by the company, I will suggest the sequence and dates. Yes, there needs to be a logic for the sequencing of activities. Often, the outcome of one activity is the input to another or stacks up meaningfully for analysis. You will have to explore the input and output of each of these activities, the logical event spread, and other factors such as frequency of similar activities, running in batches, organizational events, and opportunities.

You must refer to other resources for your project, which can provide you with insight on the topic. Instead of only providing dates, also suggest the activities required to decrease dissatisfaction and recommend solutions to increase the period before employees become dissatisfied.

Ekta