THE IMPACT OF WORKERS’ PARTICIPATION IN MANAGEMENT DECISIONS ON WORKERS’ WORK ATTITUDE

ABSTRACT

This study examined the impact of workers’ participation in management decisions on workers’ work attitude, a study of UBA, Lagos. After going through relevant literature, some objectives were formulated; some of these are:  to discuss the significant relationship existing between democratic work setting and workers’ commitment; to determine the significant relationship existing between good labour-management relations and workers’ motivation; to examine the significant relationship existing between workers’ work involvement and workers’ performance and to evaluate the significant relationship existing between collective responsibility and organizational harmony. To address these objectives the research design was a sample survey, the population of this study consists of members of staff of UBA Plc Marina Lagos while the sample size was 106 with 85 responding to the questionnaire. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using frequency Tables and Percentages. The findings are:  democratic work setting influences workers’ commitment; workers’ participation fosters responsibility and flexibility; workers’ participation encourages team spirit and that workers’ participation facilitates excellent workers’ performance. The researcher has recommended that the management of UBA Plc should promote democratic work setting that positively influences workers’ commitment and that the management UBA Plc should consciously and consistently build good labour-management relationship in their policies, practices and principles.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study

The human resources are the life blood of any organisation because they meaningfully contribute to the efficient utilization of all other resources of the organization (Fagbohungbe and Longe 2009).  As a matter of fact, all other organizational resources are likely going to remain worthless, useless and of no significance without the indispensable contributions of the workers who direct all efforts and resources in the right direction in the interest of the organization.

Kuye (2008) opines that the implementation of organizational policies do suffer a lot of set-backs in an organization where the workers are not carried along in the decision making process.  Adeoye (2012) is of the view that the organization that completely ignores workers contributions from the decisions making processes is likely going to be disconnected from its mission and vision statements because two good heads are always better than one.  Of course, workers’ participation in management decision making is necessary if the organization expects creative and constructive ideas/thinking from the workers (Banjoko, 2006). 

Adeoye (2012) claims that the good plans of the organization will likely walk and wallow into unimaginable failure because workers tend to frustrate management policies when they are not permitted to contribute their quota to management decisions making.  Again, the management of an organization are likely going to make hasty or rigid decisions if workers on whom these decisions will have impacts are not allowed to make their contributions in management decision making processes (Fagbohungbe and Longe, 2009).  Diversity brings varied knowledge, abilities, approaches and viewpoints that tend to add value to the decision made (Fajana, 2006).  Of course, organizational growth, employees’ motivation, workers’ commitment, workers’ loyalty are some of the objectives of every organization, but, the organization will be far away from all these objectives if organization ignores the workforce when it comes to making decisions (Banjoko, 2010).  There is usually a need for workers to be permitted to participate in management decisions so that they will not remain in the dark over issues that will have impact on their direction, destiny and destination (Adebakin, et al 2012)

Of course, the prosperity, progress and peace that any organization enjoys through employees’ participation in management decision are unimaginable because in unity the organization stands (Adebakin, et al 2012).  It is true that every organization wishes that every worker is glued to the aspirations of the organisation and equally contribute meaningfully to the realization of the organization objectives, but, it an indisputable fact that only organizations that allow workers to take part in management decisions will enjoy an uninterrupted commitment of these workers (Obisi, 2010).  It is true that the management and workers in an organization will frequently engage into industrial conflict and always see the negative side of almost everything within the organization is employees’ participation in management decisions is not given a chance.

1.2       Statement of the Problem

In a centralized organization, employees are not allowed to participate in decision making. This is because it is feared that they are not competent and as a result will not contribute meaningfully in decision of the organization. There has been a lot of controversy as to whether employees should participate in management decision making or not. Some writers argued that employees should contribute in making decision more especially where it affects them or their jobs.