Introduction
Galley is a canteen-style restaurant located at the top floor of an eight-storey office block. Since the 1970s, the restaurant has been serving employees, initially from a large shipping company. In 2003, Galley was sold to a commercial catering company – Lunchbox UK Ltd. In recent years, the area where Galley is located has undergone development giving way to a number of offices and establishment. Amidst the development in the area, Galley remained stagnate and now the competition and customer pressure is forcing the restaurant to undergo some changes.
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
One of the strengths of Galley is its broad experience in serving employees. Galley used to be a canteen for a company that eventually served employees from other companies. It was among the first restaurants in the area. Another strength is the restaurant’s high seating capacity. The restaurant is capable of accommodating many people at the same time. The restaurant is also popular among the employees in the area since it was one of the oldest restaurants there. The restaurant is also strategically located and is very accessible to employees particularly those who are working in the same building.
Weaknesses
One weakness of the restaurant is its old-canteen style. As more and more restaurants are opening in the area, Galley is losing its attractiveness. The restaurant also failed to introduce innovations and changes in its food offerings and the menu is limited. Service is also poor as employee performance are affected by internal issues.
Opportunities
One opportunity for the restaurant is the development of the area as a business center. This means that businesses will be attracted to the are and there will be an increase of potential customers.
Threats
One of the threats that the company is facing is the intensifying competition. The restaurant is being left behind by its competitors. Employee resistance to change is also a threat since the success of new projects will be affected if the employees do not accept them. A change in consumer needs and wants is also considered as a threat. The company’s menu cannot keep up with the demands and lifestyle of the customers.
Driving Forces and Restraining Forces
In analyzing the driving forces and the restraining forces a force filed analysis can be an effective tool. According to Murray (2002), the force-field analysis identifies the drivers for change, as well as the barriers, obstacles, and resistance points (p. 222). Lewin’s (1969) Force Field Analysis provides a framework for problem solving and for implementing planned change efforts around a broad spectrum of group and organizational issues. Diagnosis of the problem takes the form of recognizing the opposing forces as well as the supporting forces in the environment at the existing level of implementation. In diagnosing the problem using the force field method, the opposite forces that affect the organization (or team) are identified.
Force Field Analysis is a general tool for systematically analyzing the factors found in complex problems. It frames problems in terms of factors or pressures that support the status quo (restraining forces) and those pressures that support change in the desired direction (driving forces). A factor can be people, resources, attitudes, traditions, regulations, values, needs, desires, etc. As a tool for managing change, Force Field Analysis helps identify those factors that must be addressed and monitored if change is to be successful.
Driving Forces
One of the driving forces for the change is the fact that the restaurant’s customers are looking for new experience and products. The proposed change is also expected to increase sales and profits. In order to increase the company’s capacity to accommodate more customers, the proposed change must be implemented. Competitive pressure also forces the management to implement change.
Restraining Forces
One of the considerations that is keeping the company from implementing change is employee resistance. A big part of the change process success relies on the acceptance and commitment of the employees to change. Disruption to the restaurant’s operation is also a concern.
Recommendations
Employee Empowerment
Empowerment generally connotes the granting of authority or ability. Employee empowerment, therefore, means the transferring of some managerial authority, prerogative, or ability to employees (Peter et al 2002). There are different dimensions of empowerment:
1. Power – On the simplest level, employee empowerment is simply granting power to those doing the work (Block 1987). This dimension envisions a mechanistic model of a bureaucratic organization, with the top levels granting limited power and holding individuals closely accountable (Ettorre 1997).
2. Decision-Making – The most common dimension of empowerment is decision-making. Empowerment is the granting of authority to make decisions. Through empowerment, employees feel that they are involved in making decisions Herrenkohl et al 1999).
3. Autonomy – Employee’s autonomy in doing their jobs is one of empowerment’s dimensions. Autonomy is commonly described as a sense of self-determination. Empowerment means that workers are not restricted in what they do but have boundaries that are appropriate (Dew 1997).
4. Responsibility – Empowerment requires employee accountability, but is a general responsibility, rather than supervisory oversight of job tasks. This dimension has been described as allowing employees to track their own performances and having equal responsibilities for organizational results or success.
Making Employee Empowerment Work
In order to effectively empower the employees, the company must:
- Make sure people understand their responsibilities
- Give them authority equal to the responsibilities assigned to them
- Set standards of excellence that will require employees to strive to do all work “right the first time”
- Provide them with training that will enable them to meet the standards
- Give them information that they need to do their jobs well
- Trust them
- Give them permission to fail
- Treat them with dignity and respect
- Provide them with feedback on their performance
- Recognize them for their achievements (Sims 2002)
Job Redesign
Job redesign has effects on employee motivation. Sims (2002) defined motivation as the process of satisfying internal needs through actions and behaviors. It is concerned with a composite of mental and physical drives, combined with the environment that makes people behave the way they do. Adair (2004) believes that motivation is something within a person that pushes him to move forwards, to achieve a goal, and to make a progress in a task. Signs of motivation in a person are an energy and determination to achieve. A motivated person displays the following signs:
- A willingness to work
- Dedication to the project or common cause
- Alignment with the goals of the organization
- Commitment
- Hunger for achievement
- Energy
- Drive and determination
- Persistence
- Strength of purpose
- Orientation to work
Herzberg’s two-factor theory provided real impetus to job redesign. Herzberg’s approach to job redesign involves improvement of the motivation factors, such as achievement, recognition, responsibility, advancement, and opportunity for growth. This approach is based on the assumption that job enrichment or redesign increases job satisfaction, which, in turn, increases motivation and better performance (Rahim 2001).
Hackman and Oldham (1975) identified five core dimensions that must be considered in job redesign. These dimensions are positively related to motivation, satisfaction, and performance. The five core dimensions are:
o Skill variety – this refers to the degree to which a job requires a variety of activities that involve the use of a number of different skills and talents of employees.
o Task identity – this refers to the degree to which the job requires an employee to perform a complete piece of work, that is, doing a job from beginning to end with a visible outcome.
o Task significance – this refers to the degree to which the job has an impact on the live or work of other people within or outside the organization.
o Autonomy – this refers to the degree to which the job provides freedom, independence, and discretion to the employee in scheduling his or her work and in determining the procedures to be used in carrying it out.
o Feedback – this refers to the amount of information that results from the performance of a job by an employee about how well she or he is performing (cited in Rahim 2001, pp. 113-114).
Conclusion
There are internal and external forces that push the company to change. In order to remain competitive, the company needs the embrace new business strategies and objectives. In order to remain competitive, the company needs to implement many changes in its policies and processes. In order to achieve the benefits of the changes, the management needs to make the people commit and to motivate them to participate in the change process. Employee motivation is an important issue as it affects employee performance and commitment. In order to make the change process successful, the company needs to develop strategies that will motivate the employees. One strategy is to redesign jobs. Jobs were redesigned in order to align them to the new goals and objectives of the company. Redesigning jobs can also affect employee motivation. As is said in the paper, This approach is based on the assumption that job enrichment or redesign increases job satisfaction, which, in turn, increases motivation and better performance.
References
Adair J E 2004, The Concise Adair on Teambuilding and Motivation, (N Tomas ed.), Thorogood, London.
Block, P 1987, The Empowered Manager: Positive Political Skills at Work, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco.
Dew, J R 1997, Empowerment and Democracy in the Workplace: Applying Adult Education Theory and Practice for Cultivating Empowerment, Quorum Books, Westport.
Ettorre, B 1997, ‘The Empowerment Gap: Hype vs. Reality’, HR Focus, vol. 74, pp. 1+.
Hackman, J R and Oldham, G R 1975, ‘Development of the Job Diagnostic Survey’, Journal of Applied Psychology, vol. 60, pp. 159–170.
Herrenkohl, V 1999, Qualitative Research Methods: An Overview, in G J Whicker and M L Whicker(eds.), Handbook of Research Methods in Public Administration, Marcel Dekker, New York.
Peter, J et al 2002, ‘Dimensions and Patterns in Employee Empowerment: Assessing What Matters to Street-Level Bureaucrats’, Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 377+.
Sims, R 2002, Managing Organizational Behavior, Quorum Books, Westport CT.
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