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Employee involvement is defined by the Institute of Personnel and Development as ‘a range of processes designed to engage the support, understanding, and optimum contribution of all employees in an organization and their commitment to its objectives. Participation involves the organization creating opportunities under suitable conditions for employees to influence decisions affecting them. McGregor defines participation as a ’process of delegation where workers can influence the work mix which is delegated to them and the freedom the subordinates have to select their own preferred methods of meeting the objectives agreed’ (Ranganayakulu 2005, p. 171).
Involvement and participation are associated with a high degree of employee commitment and quality performance (Gennard, et al., 2005, p.180). However, the link between commitment and performance is based on the assumptions that; providing the employee’s autonomy over company resources, work goals, and the process will encourage employee attitude, commitment to company goals and their behavioral change enhances motivation and participation thus enhancing the performance the employee and the company. In this paper, I will review the involvement and participation management strategy of Capgemini UK plc by identifying the issues of involvement and participation by management of the company; find the reasons as to why the company uses this management style; and find out whether the company uses the right methods of involvement and participation, consultation, motivation, personal development, and others.
Involvement and Participation Issues
Focusing on this first section of the discussion, it is important to identify the involvement and participation issues in the case study of Capgemini UK plc such as: first, the company encourages consultation in the workplace. As noted in this case study, the company employs the principle mechanism referred to as ‘Forum’ which has evolved over seven years in this company. This principle mechanism called ‘Forum’ and the evolution of the same in seven years is an indication of involvement and participation issues in the company. Involvement and participation theory rose as large, complex, and centralized firms with remote management continued to grow (Hyman 1995, p. 300). As they continued to develop the employees increasingly questioned the unilateral decision-making mechanisms used by managers. With the development background of involvement and participation in the early years, workers increasingly questioned the unilateral decision-making process used by managers (Hyman, 1). This came about due to the fact that large, complex, and centralized organizations with remote management have continued to develop; second, the company uses the Forum consultative approach where it encourages all employees to be involved in how the company is managed and encourages two-way communications. Joint consultation is an issue of involvement and participation where workers are represented by elected representatives indirectly. These representatives give workers some means of influence in managerial decision-making. The joint consultative partnership program adopted by the company enables the company workers through their representatives, to have influence over the management decision making (Bratton 2001, p. 318); the third issue, is the aspect of joint problem solving which the company applies as a normal approach in work council sessions. Joint problem solving is a group participation process designed to tap all employees’ knowledge and opinions either in a group circumstance or as individuals (Reilly 2001, p. 80); fourth, the issue of regular consultations among the employer and the employees. In the case study, the company conducts Forum meetings regularly and detailed updates are issued to the relevant stakeholders (Florence et al., n.d. 120). Involvement and participation encourage regular consultations and feedback communication to relevant constituencies (Hodson 2001, p.14); fifth, the role of the union in involvement and participation management style is important. In the case study, the Forum integrates both the union and the nonunion bodies (Cornelius 2001, p. 108).
Reasons Why the Company Applies Participation
The second part of this discussion finds the reasons as to why the company applies this management style. In the case study, there are a number of reasons why the company is using this strategy, this includes; the changes in the organizational structure. Over the years Capgemini company’s Forum has been evolving and reshaping itself to accommodate organizational change and diversity of its human workforce. The implication of involvement and participation processes is that once it has been established in a workplace, it becomes self-sustaining (Hyman 1995, p. 113). It develops and fosters within itself the individual qualities needed for the system to adapt and continue to work successfully (Hyman 1995, p. 36). Companies adopt Involvement and participation strategies for the intent of securing worker support, involvement, and commitment to facilitate change, hence ensuring that the company operates effectively. This management style sustains an organizational culture that is important during the period of significant change. It also encourages management communication which shapes and determines employee communication experiences and also acts in the process of structuring the culture of the organization; two, the need of maintaining good practices and complying with the law. According to Robert Ingram the Company vice President, “Forum demonstrated that the company was committed to consulting with its workforce on matters of concern to them and the business”.
Right Methods of Involvement and Participation
Capgemini UK plc applies the right methods of involvement and participation, consultation, motivation, and personal development. For instance: adopting the principle consultative mechanism of Forum and integration of both the union and nonunion bodies is an indication that the company uses the right method of involvement and participation; use of Joint consultative committees where the company uses works councils of ‘joint problem solving’ where company and employees discuss and understand issues, appreciate each other’s views and find solutions which work best for all; the company conducts regular Forum meetings and provides prompt and detailed feedback to stakeholders. Successful involvement and participation require direct communication which involves regular briefings through company bulletins and employee reports (Hyman, 161); use of local Forums for the objective of having a single unit of consultation which supports the business and employees within the business area. This encourages employee personal development and motivation, hence affecting organizational efficiency (Gallie 1998, p. 114); use of the National and International Works Council (NWC) which is made up of representatives from each local Forum. It adopts the collective approach to collective consultation across the local Forums.
Conclusion
In conclusion, involvement is the process where a company allows employees at the lower hierarchy of the organization to exercise authority and responsibility. To succeed in this strategy, the company needs to ensure that workers at the lowest organizational hierarchy get access to certain information, knowledge, power, and rewards for them to work independently from management control and direction. The strategy encourages consultation in the workplace which increases employee morale and productivity (Ranganayakulu 2005, p. 169). In the case study, Capgemini UK plc clearly applies involvement and participation strategy in a number of ways: first, it adopts the principle mechanism referred to as ‘Forum’. The Forum is a consultative management approach where the company encourages its workforce to have a say in how the company is run. Through Forum, the company allows participation of employees in the form of involvement in work organization’s decisions. This enhances better communication and this has the potential of higher degrees of organizational effectiveness; second, the company’s Forum consultative approach integrates both union and nonunion bodies; third, according to Ingram the company’s vice president, the company employs normal work council sessions which insists on ‘joint problem solving’ where both the company and its workforce try to understand the issues, appreciate the views of each other, and try to find functional solutions applicable to all.
References
Bratton, J, Gold, J 2001, Human Resource Management, Theory and Practice, Routledge, London.
Delbridge, R, & Whitefield, K 2001, Employee Perceptions of Job Influence and Organizational Perception, Industrial Relations 40/3:472-89
Cornelius, N, 2001, Human Resource Management, Cengage EMEA, London.
Florence, Charles, n.d, Labor Economics and Industrial Relations, Routledge, London
Hodson, R 2001, Dignity at Workplace, Cambridge University Press, New York.
Gallie, White, & Yuan, 1998, Restructuring the Employment Relationship, Oxford University Press, London
Gennard, Judge, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, 2005, Employee Relations, CIPD Publishing, London.
Gompers, A, Joshua, L 2004, The Venture Capital Cycle, The MIT Press, Cambridge.
Hyman, J & Mason B (1995) Managing Employee Involvement and Participation London: Sage.
Ranganayakulu, K 2005, Organizational Behavior, Atlantic Publishers and Distributors, Delhi.
Reilly, P, 2001, Flexibility at Work, Gower Publishing, London.
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