Improving Employee Satisfaction at Roanoke

The Roanoke Business, headquartered in Virginia, is a division of the Phoenix Company and has been having significant problems, especially with regard to its workers. Phoenix Advertising’s growth has been hampered by obstacles for some time now. Since the resources provided to clients at the Roanoke branch are critical to Phoenix Advertising’s growth, it was critical to conduct the investigation as soon as possible. Due to dwindling employee morale, many clients have begun to express their frustration with the services they receive at the branch and have threatened to discontinue their loyalty to the company (Aldang and Brief). If productivity is allowed to continue to reduce, fewer customers will have their needs met and ultimately, the company will become less competitive and therefore less profitable. There was need to try and examine why some graphic designers and copywriters feel that they are not being included in the creative efforts even though they are employed to use their creativity to run the branch of the company. The seriousness of the matter is evidenced by the fact that two top managers have already quit and the remaining ones have threatened to leave because their ideas are either being disregarded or changed without consulting them. These challenges must be handled to avoid the huge expenditures that would have to take place if all the employees resign. New employees would have to be hired and trained to take their places.

The investigation was carried out to identify the causes of employee and customer dissatisfaction, reduced productivity levels and clients’ complaints at the Roanoke, Virginia Branch of Phoenix Advertising Agency. The investigation was urgent because the success of Phoenix Advertising is highly dependent on the services offered to clients at Roanoke branch. Even the employees in the top management have already stopped working for the organization. This has led to a decline in the successfulness and competitiveness of the company. Reduced productivity means that fewer customers are reached and therefore a decline in profitability. Even though the move was a legitimate one, the due processes were not adequately followed to ensure completeness and have therefore led to degradation of the morale and productivity of the employees.

Background

Since the services that are offered to clients at Roanoke branch are very fundamental to the success of Phoenix Advertising, it was important to urgently undertake the investigation. Due to the diminishing employee confidence, many clients have begun to express their dissatisfaction with the services they receive at the branch and are already threatening to stop being loyal to the company. If productivity is allowed to continue to reduce, fewer customers will have their needs met and ultimately, the company will become less competitive and therefore less profitable. There was need to try and examine why some graphic designers and copywriters feel that they are not being included in the creative efforts even though they are employed to use their creativity to run the branch of the company. The seriousness of the matter is evidenced by the fact that two top managers have already quit and the remaining ones have also threatened to leave because their ideas are either being disregarded or changed without consulting them. These challenges must be handled to avoid the huge expenditures that would have to take place if all the employees resign. Training employees is an expensive exercise for the organization. New employees would have to be hired and trained to occupy the vacant positions.

The reason as to why there is employee dissatisfaction in because the employees who were threatening to leave were not consulted may have been that part of the management, especially the supervisors, does not have good interpersonal skills. Methinks that it would have been appropriate to consult the graphic designers and copywriters before writing off their work. It would have not only shown respect, but also value for their ideas. Moreover, seeking the opinion of the experts would have allowed the company to design even better averts for their clients. In case there was a problem with the designers’ work, it was possible to correct it and make it better.

Besides interpersonal skills, it is also important for the organization to organize for trainings periodically. This enables the management to communicate their expectations concerning productivity. Then the trainers can engage the employees on the same and guide them on how to meet the organization goals. Such a program enables the employers and managers to be at par about fulfilling the organization’s objectives. It is possible that the work of the graphic designers and copywriters did not meet the company’s standards. The following section gives a highlight of major areas noted as the major cause of employee dissatisfaction.

A. Poor Communication

There is very poor communication between the managers at Roanoke and the employees and clients. As a result, employees feel that they are not being included in the decision making of the company and that their work is not appreciated. Some of them have therefore threatened to leave while others have left already. Some customers also feel that their needs are not being properly addressed according to their preferences because they are not given the opportunity to communicate their preferences to the decision makers. Some of the specific causes of the problem include:

1. The managers make assumptions about how the employees may respond to their directives. This was evident when the managers assumed that if they communicated about the taking in of more clients in advance, the employees would reject the move and therefore their plan would be unsuccessful. They therefore remained silent to the last minute and required the employees to work extra time without any payment. The result was that the employees now feel that they are being unfairly overworked and therefore their morale and productivity have reduced. With demoralized employees, the company cannot achieve profitable levels of production and service. The company can also loose many of its customers.

2. The managers also decided to accept more clients without consulting the employees and asking them whether they would be willing to work for a few more hours to take care of a few more customers and agreeing on the payment for overtime. The result is that employees feel that they are not valued and are being forced and misused. Most of them therefore feel they want to stop working for the company. With their expertise, the company’s competitors thereby causing competition to be too stiff can absorb them.

3. Employees have lost their motivation and zeal in delivering high quality work. The result is that many customers feel that they are not getting the value for their money. There is therefore nothing to keep such customers from migrating to Phoenix Advertising’s competitors.

Lack of Teamwork

1. To successfully achieve the goals of an organization, all employees should cooperate and work together. However, at Roanoke branch of Phoenix Advertising, the managers and decision makers decide to effect changes that influence on all employees without even consulting them. There is a large gap between the employees and the executives. This leads to constant disagreements and rebelliousness, which in turn minimizes productivity.

2. A review of the budget books and attendance records revealed that there are no efforts that are being put in place to encourage employees to work together in accomplishing their duties. The result is discord and incompetence in the part of employees. Clients cannot get value for their money and cannot therefore continue to rely on the company to meet their needs.

Gaps in Training

1. When the budgeting books were reviewed, it was discovered that there are very few training activities budgeted for from time to time. Most of the training goes to the executives. This indicates that employees do not get adequate training and cannot therefore improve in their skills. They also cannot be motivated to seek to improve their competencies.

2. Observation revealed that the employees have not gained adequate interpersonal skills. This has been because of limited efforts to train them on the skills they require to ensure success. Without training, quality cannot be enhanced, and therefore the clients will continue to complain about the services they receive.

Proposal

To solve the customer and employee dissatisfaction in this company, there is need to enhancing communication among managers and between managers and other employees can be very fundamental in ensuring cohesion between them. The employees will feel motivated and will be even willing to work extra time with little or no payment because the change has been communicated adequately and in a timely manner. It is important to enhance transparency in communication between the employees and their employers at the Roanoke branch. Once there is a channel in which the employers can be transparent with the employees, the team can be free with one another and discuss the strategies that can be adopted to drive the company to success. In case a design needs to be dropped or changed, the changes need to be discussed with the design managers and other key stakeholders so that an understanding can be reached (Fargus).

As such, the employees will feel that they are valued and their ideas are protected. All senior employees need to cooperate in the management of the various departments of the branch at Roanoke. All department heads need to be brought on board during decision-making. This will help in ensuring that there is unity and cooperation among leaders. Once the leaders show the other employees that they can work together. There will be a ripple effect in which employees, from different sectors of the organization, will work together towards achieving the common goal. of making Phoenix Advertising a successful company.

All employees need to be encouraged to consult each other and also work with the management and departmental heads so that they can gather different insights into their various activities. Once all the employees at Roanoke branch are united as a team, they can all creatively come up with ways of satisfying the needs of clients (Hiam).

All employees need to comply with the rules and procedures set out at the branch for the guidance of the operations. There is no person who should be exempted from following the regulations and abiding by the procedures. Mechanisms should therefore be put in place that can be useful in ensuring that the employees of Phoenix Advertising Agency, especially those at Roanoke branch strictly abide by the rules. Strong penalties should be put in place for any violators (Stack). The employees should also be constantly reminded of the importance of complying with the rules and procedures by use of posters, notices and billboards.

Schedule

The following schedule will be used in restructuring the employee satisfaction in the company.

Activity Schedule

Restructuring Communication 2 weeks

Team Building Sessions 3 weeks

Restructuring coherent Budget 2 Weeks

Assessment of progress And Organization Goals 1 Weeks

Improving Employee Relationship Management 3 weeks

Enlightening Members on adherence and Policies 4 weeks

Restructuring Rewards system 4 weeks

Staffing

Restructuring of Staffing had several members of the team affected. Matt Humes, the Vice President of Operations and all accounts of Phoenix branches, who is also qualified in human resource management, will take charge as the head of Human Resource. Matt Humes, will also take position in Training to keep all branches on track with all the policies and the procedures of the company. The director of all Advertising, Mrs Sally Jones will be taken to Company Strategic Roles and be involved in the Human Resource Strategic Management as well (Gostick and Elton). This to ensure that all Employees are involved in customer satisfaction as well in order to keep the company competitive and productive as well.

Therefore Human resource department will have the following people: President of Human Resources: Malinda Gordish – Charlotte, Assistant to Deputy President of the firm’s Human Resources department: Brandy Lowe, Deputy President Human Resources: Mary Smith – Charleston, Assistant President of Human Resources: Joe Brown – Columbia. Vice President of Human Resources: Sally Mew – Greenville, Vice President of Human Resources: Ralph Matter – Norfolk, Vice President of Human Resources: Julie Feather – Richmond, Vice President of Human Resources: William Whitehead – Salem. Vice President of Human Resources: Connie Leroy - Greensboro

Vice President of Human Resources: Brad Pitt – Raleigh, Vice President of Human Resources: Gloria Hands – Wilmington.

Budget

Name Description Cost

Setting up good communicatin Channels This makes it easier to communicate to members of the whole branch, or all Phoenix Advertising Agency. As such everyone gets communication in time.

$45000

Team Building Sessions Build seminars to help build teams $6700

Monthly assessments Progress reports needs to be monitored and this will include an extra employee to manage this. $348900

Adherence to policies and procedures Structuring proper guidance so that all employees are well versed with the company’s goals $34000

Restructuring Reward system This can be done by have a rewards system. For most companies, the reward system is based on performance appraisal of the employees $89000

Works cited

Aldag, Ramon J, and Arthur P Brief. Task Design And Employee Motivation. Glenview, Ill. [u.a.]: Scott, Foresman and Co, 1979. Print.

Fargus, Peter. Measuring And Improving Employee Motivation. London: Financial Times Prentice Hall, 2000. Print.

Gostick, Adrian Robert, and Chester Elton. The Invisible Employee. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley, 2010. Print.

Hiam, Alexander. The Streetwise Guide To Employee Motivation And Rewards. Holbrook, Mass.: Adams Media Corp., 1999. Print.

Stack, Laura. Managing Employee Performance. [Highlands Ranch, CO]: Productivity Pro, 2013. Print.