,HRM2605 Assignment 6 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester 2
2024 - DUE 25 October 2024
QUESTION 1 [25 marks] Read the following scenario and then
answer the questions that follow. Godfrey Makobane is the plant
manager of a light assembly plant in Cape Town. Approximately a
year ago, Melvin Alers, the plant manager from a similar facility in
Gauteng, visited the Cape Town plant. During the visit, the two
managers compared various metrics, including absenteeism and
turnover rates. Melvin's plant reported an average absenteeism
and turnover rate of 5% each. In contrast, Godfrey discovered
that his Cape Town plant had much higher rates: 10%
absenteeism and 12% turnover. Concerned about these
discrepancies, Godfrey met with his HR manager, Ms Amusa, and
his two supervisors to address the issue. During the meeting,
Nomvuyo Bekwa, one of the supervisors, suggested that there
might be a connection between job satisfaction and the high rates
of absenteeism and turnover at the Cape Town plant. A
consultant was hired to investigate further, and a job satisfaction
survey was administered to the Cape Town employees. The
results of the survey were summarised as follows: Job
Satisfaction category Percentage (%) of satisfied employees
(Happy) Percentage (%) of dissatisfied employees (unhappy) The
job itself 40% 60% Relationships with co-workers 49% 51%
Immediate supervisor 45% 55% Career development/promotions
37% 63% Compensation and benefits 20% 80% The work
environment 35% 65% Godfrey was surprised by the low levels of
job satisfaction reflected in the survey results, which were far
below what he had anticipated for the plant's first assessment of
employee satisfaction.
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, QUESTION 1
1.1.
1.1.1.
As the consultant who administered the job satisfaction survey, it
is crucial to analyze the findings in the table to provide Godfrey
with insights into the root causes of the high absenteeism and
turnover rates at the Cape Town plant. The survey results indicate
significant dissatisfaction among employees across various
aspects of their job, which likely contributes to these issues.
1. The Job Itself (40% satisfied, 60% dissatisfied): A majority
of the employees are dissatisfied with their roles, as evidenced by
the 60% dissatisfaction rate. This could indicate that the job is
monotonous, lacks meaningful engagement, or fails to provide
opportunities for autonomy and creativity. Employees may feel
that the tasks they perform do not challenge them, resulting in
boredom and disengagement. Another factor could be that the job
lacks clarity or that employees are not well-matched to their roles,
which can lead to frustration and poor performance.
2. Relationships with Co-workers (49% satisfied, 51%
dissatisfied): The split between satisfied and dissatisfied
employees regarding their relationships with coworkers suggests
that there are issues related to workplace culture and teamwork.
Employees may be experiencing conflict, poor communication, or
a lack of collaboration among team members. A lack of
camaraderie or mutual support in the workplace can diminish job
satisfaction and create a tense working environment, contributing
to higher absenteeism and turnover.
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