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UGC Minor Project

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UGC-Minor Research Project- Executive Summary

Principal Investigator: Dr.Gopalakrishnan.M.B, Associate Professor,

Department of Commerce.

Project topic : A study about the extent of welfare measures and

job satisfaction in selected public and private

enterprises in Kerala

Kerala State is endowed with many factors necessary for industrial development, like a highly literate population, excellent industrial facilities such as plentiful supply of educational institutions, including technical training institutes, hospitals, roads, power, water supply etc. and reasonable supply of raw materials. Despite the vast potential of intelligent and educated manpower, Kerala remain relatively backward in industrial sphere.

One of the impediments to the growth of investment in Kerala has been the poor image still subsisting from the years of Kerala’s labour militancy. Even though this appears to be largely a thing of the past, this residual perception hampers industrial development. The industrial sector in Kerala has rightly or wrongly achieved certain notoriety for its rampant unionism.

There is a severe conflict between the interest of the management and the managed. Excessive trade unionism has affected industrial relations in Kerala. The industrial psychologists have established that the dissatisfaction on the part of workers is the biggest cause of industrial turmoil. Lack of job satisfaction adversely affects productivity. Low productivity and profitability of Kerala’s industrial enterprises are threatening not only their growth, but also their survival.

There is a gap between growth potential and actual achievement in Kerala. Many industrial organizations in Kerala are either running at a loss or on the verge of closure. The State of Kerala has an intelligent and dynamic workforce, but the industries are yet to be revived.

With the major trends observed above, this study was conducted with the chief objective of analyzing the present industrial scenario of the State of Kerala.

The specific objectives of the study are:-

1) To know in detail about the extent of welfare measures provided to the employees in selected public and private enterprises in Kerala.

2) To analyse the level of job satisfaction experienced by the employees in selected enterprises in Kerala.

3) To assess the relatioship between the extent of welfare measures provided and the level of job satisfaction experienced by the employees in selected enterprises in Kerala.

4) To make a comparitive analysis between public and private sector enterprises and among different categories of employees about the extent of welfare measures provided and the level of job satisfaction experienced by the employees.

5) To suggest measures for enhancing job satisfaction of the employees in Kerala on the basis of the findings of the study.

Based on the above mentioned objectives, the following hypotheses have been formulated and tested.

H1. The welfare measures provided to the employees in Kerala enterprises are not sufficient.

H2. The level of job satisfaction among Kerala employees is low.

H3. The welfare measures and job satisfaction are negatively correlated.

H4. Higher level employees in public enterprises in Kerala are more satisfied about their job and welfare measures.

Research Methodology

For the purpose of the study, 20 units were selected from different industries giving equal weightage to public and private sector enterprises. To administer the questionnaire 600 employees were selected from these industries. Questionnaire was designed to collect the data from the employees (workers and supervisors) . For assessing the job satisfaction of employees, items from Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ), developed by University of Minnesota, were used with necessary modifications. Chi-Square analysis, Analysis of Variance, Factor analysis, Standard Deviation and Co-efficient Contingent were used for data analysis.

Welfare measures

Many of the study units came under the purview of the E.S.I. scheme. All organizations maintain first aid centres. While, 62 percent employees in public sector were satisfied of their medical benefits, only 47 percent employees in private sector were satisfied in this respect. The extent of satisfaction about medical facilities differ based on the job category and does not differ based on the sector.
Safety equipments, safety programmes and safety day observation were present in all the study units. In public sector 51 percent employees and in private sector 45 percent are satisfied about health and safety measures in their organization and the satisfaction level do not differ based on the job category.
In all organisations, cash compensations as House Rent Allowance (HRA) are given to the employees who are not given company quarters. In ten study units, loans at cheaper rates of interest were advanced to the employees to enable them construct or purchase their own houses. However, the satisfaction about housing facilities was found to be generally low. Only 41 percent employees in private sector and 34 percent employees in public sector are satisfied about housing facilities. The extent of satisfaction does not differ based on the job category but it differs on the basis of sector.
Recreational facilities available in many organizations are inadequate and too meager. All study units subscribe news papers and some periodicals. Only twelve study units provide television facility to the employees. Annual day is celebrated in all organizations. In public sector 36 percent employees and in private sector 30 percent employees are satisfied about recreation facilities provided in their organization.
A good number of organizations provide education loans to the employees and fourteen organizations have introduced grant of special award to the meritorious children of their employees. In public sector 55 percent employees and in private sector 43 percent employees are satisfied about education facilities provided by their organizations. The extent of satisfaction differs based on the sector and not differs based on the job category .

Job satisfaction

In private sector 37 percent employees and in public sector 25 percent are very satisfied about the way their boss handles them. This has helped them to remove psychological and social barriers to approach their superior officers. A considerable number of employees believe that upward communication is good in their organizations. In public sector 33 percent employees and in private sector 39 percent employees reported that they participate in the decision-making process and provide valuable suggestions during management discussions. The difference between public and private sector employees is significant. There is significant difference between supervisors and workers about the way their boss handles them.
Only 17 percent employees in public sector and 26 percent employees in private sector are satisfied about being able to ‘keeping busy’ all the time. As the abilities are not properly utilized it naturally leads to job dissatisfaction and industrial conflicts. They dislike the monotonous, repetitive job being designed by some others on a rigid way without scope for creativity.
Few employees (6 percent in public and 13 percent in private sector) believe that there is very good scope for creativity in their organization. There is significant difference between supervisors and workers about being able to ‘keeping busy’ all the time and scope for creativity. However, the difference between public and private sector employees is significant.
Many employees (46 percent in public and 40 percent in private sector) are very dissatisfied about the chance to do different things from time to time. Employees are required to be engaged in repetitive and monotonous work; this results in decreasing interest in the job, absenteeism and low productivity. Only 10 percent employees in both sectors are very satisfied about their pay and the amount of work they do. There is significant difference between supervisors and workers and between public and private sector employees with regard to the chance to do different things from time to time and their pay and the amount of work they do.
It is a general phenomenon that people like social respect and general recognition in the community. The results of M S Q test showed that 41 percent employees in public sector and 33 percent employees in private sector are dissatisfied about the ‘chance to be somebody in the community’. No significant difference was observed in the opinions of supervisors and workers and public and private sector employees in this regard.
35 percent employees in public sector and 42 percent employees in private sector are dissatisfied about the feeling of accomplishment they derive from the job. While, 7 percent employees in public sector believe that downward communication is very good in their organization, 14 percent employees in private sector believe so. There is significant difference between supervisors and workers regarding feeling of accomplishment get from the job and downward communication. The difference between public and private sector employees is also significant in these cases.
28 percent employees in public sector and 33 percent employees in private sector are dissatisfied about the way their job provides for steady employment. While 41 percent employees in private sector are satisfied about the way their co-workers get along with each other, only 21 percent employees in public sector were of this view. The difference between various categories of employees is significant with regard to the way their job provides for steady employment and the way the co-workers get along with each other. The difference between public and private sector employees is significant in these respects.
Very good co-operation from colleagues felt by 30 percent employees in public sector and 48 percent employees in private sector. In public sector 10 percent employees and in private sector 14 percent employees are satisfied about the chance to work alone on the job and they feel satisfactory level of autonomy. There is significant difference between supervisors and workers and public and private sector employees regarding the co-operation from colleagues and the chance to work alone on the job.
In both sectors, irrespective of the category, majority of the employees expressed their intention to serve the present organization. Many employees remain in their present job not because of their liking to the job and organization, but due to these personal reasons. There is no significant difference between the different categories of employees about their intention to continue in the organization. But the difference between public and private sector employees is significant in this aspect.

Overall Job satisfaction

The overall job satisfaction analysis based on category of the employees indicated that it differ based on the category.

Overall job satisfaction analysis among employees of public and private sector revealed that the difference is significant.

The null hypothesis (H0:3) is rejected and the alternative hypothesis (H1:3) that the perception of the employees in two sectors is significantly different regarding the welfare measures and job satisfaction is proved and hence accepted. The null hypothesis (H0:4) is rejected and the alternative hypothesis (H1:4) that the perception of two categories of employees is significantly different regarding welfare measures and job satisfaction is proved and hence accepted.

UGC Minor Project

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