The Effects of Retrenchment on the Morale of Workers

The Effects of Retrenchment on the Morale of Workers

CHAPTER ONE

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

Retrenchment of workers is the major cog in the wheel of economic progress through out the nation because it causes a rapid growth in the rate of unemployment. It reached a height during the Military era and now the politicians in their course for self-aggrandizement, selfish interest and to enmasse wealth.

The objectives of this study are:

Assess the effects of retrenchment on morals of workers
Identifies alternative to retrenchment retrenchment.
To find out the reasons for retrenchment of workers
To ascertain ways retrenchment can be implemented
Identifies the advantages and disadvantages of retrenchment

CHAPTER TWO REVIEW OF RELEVANT LITERATURE

CIVIL SERVICE STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONS

The Civil Service handbook (1978:15) defines “Civil Service” as a body or an organ of government, which enjoys the continuity of existence. Its members a not limited to a short term of office, they all work on pensionable appointment and comprises of all servants of the state other than holders of political and judicial office holders, who are employed in a civil service capacity. Their remuneration is paid wholly and entirely out of money voted by parliament. The civil service consists of the Federal Civil Service, the thirty-six Automatons State Civil Service, and the Federal and State Government Agencies including Parastatal, Corporations, and Commissions, which help in the proper provision of goods and services to the people (Imaga 2003:115). The Federal and State Civil Service were organized around government departments, or ministries, and extra-ministerial departments headed by Ministers (Federal) and Commissioners (States), who were appointed by the President and Governors, respectively.

The civil service is the major facilitators for implementation of the will of the state as expressed through public policy. A civil servant is a person who is employed in the government civil service and he works in any ministry or department of the government (Imaga, 2003:115). The civil service is a professional body of officials, permanent, paid and skilled (finer. 1949:112). It is a system that offers equal opportunity to the citizens to enter the government service, equal pay to all employees doing work requiring the same degree of intelligence and capacity, equal opportunity for advancement, equal favourable conditions, and equal participation in retirement allowances and makes equal demands upon the employees (Willoughby, 1997:63). The major requirement of the civil service are that it should be impartially selected, administratively competent (Gladden, 1999:12). The Civil Service is indispensable to the functioning of the modern state, which is why the condition of the society is largely determined by the performance of the Public Service (Philips, 1990:6). He is to work effectively and efficiently with the regard to the government. Civil Servants should not be a political office holder and his remuneration should be solely paid out of Government funds (Basu, 2000:41). The characteristics and functions of the civil service by (Imaga, 2003:115)

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

RESEARCH METHOD AND DESIGN

Research is a systematic and objective recording and analysis of controlled observation that may lead to the development of generalization, principles and theories, resulting in prediction and possible ultimate control of events (IKeagwu,1998:21). The researcher used a retrospective survey design in the study. It is comprehensively designed to evaluate critically “The effects of retrenchment on morale of workers”, which has an adverse effect on national economy, the citizens’ welfare and increase the rate of unemployment in the state nation.

CHAPTER FOUR

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND TEST OF HYPOTHESIS

DATA PRESENTATION

The presentation will be based on response derived or obtained from the questionnaires. A total number of 140 copies of questionnaires were distributed, 14 to each ministries/extra-ministerial departments in the ratio of 4:3:2:1 to categories of Grade Level 01 -06, 07 -10, 12 – 14, and 15 and above respectively. A total down of the acceptable sample response is summarized in table. 3 below.

The instrument used in the research was pre-tested to improve their validity and reliability. Questionnaires were edited as soon as they were received to ensure completeness. Filling in the questionnaires was voluntary and respondents were assured of anonymity and confidentiality because some of the respondents rejected the questionnaire thinking that it is another ploy to disengage workers again while some think that it is of no use because the out come of the research can not be implemented by the government, preliminary analysis produce were done using frequencies, means, percentages (%), constancy checks with categories, while cleaning and debugging were carried out on the data obtained to ensure the completeness and reliability. This improved the quality of the data collected without discriminate analysis.

CHAPTER FIVE

SUMMARY OF FINDINGS CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

SUMMARY OFFINDINGS

This chapter deals with the summary of findings, recommendations, and conclusion. The conclusion will be drawn based on the results of the analysis of survey carried out in chapter four, while the recommendations are made based on the findings. Questionnaires, observations and oral discussion/interview were used in the collection of data for this research work, based on the analysis made, the researcher gathered that this research wok was to establish public officers’ perceptions on retrenchment, the effects of the exercise on the morale of workers, factors on the individual and organizational performance and also the quality of work like in the Enugu State CivilService. The result indicated that retrenchment had a higher negative effect and depends on the factors in question under consideration. The researcher found out that retrenchment was perceived differently by respondents, many view it in a negative perception and as an organizational change as well try to resist it due to the uncertainty it come with.

The fact that negative perceptions stem from the way retrenchment was designed and implemented is questionable as the worst phase of retrenchment of worker in 1999 by the then Enugu State Government, which based on biased governance and subjective criteria. Some of the senior public officers saw retrenchment a chance to victimize some employees. Other findings show that retrenchment was carried out by the government on the basis of inefficiency and misconduct on the part of workers and redundancy which in most cases were caused by government due to successions in governance.

social and economic consequences in the retrenchment exercise carried out by the government, discovered in the research are:

Reduction in economic activities and economic sabotage
Fall in the standard of living
Increase in social vices as bribery, robbery, kidnapping, fraud, etc
Insecurity of service and consequent brain drai

CONCLUSION

It was concluded from the findings that the majority of the respondents identified some factors that hindered their performance after retrenchment. These factors include: inadequate funding, low motivation and morale, work overload, job insecurity and poor training, etc. These factors seem to be real problems even after retrenchment exercise by government and suggested ways included paying a living wage, improving welfare, training of workers, motivation and morale boosting of workers, improved conditions of living and service, improving chances of promotion and capacity building, reduction of job insecurity, computerization and timely reshuffle. Some of these suggestions have already been identified by government and appear in the strategies government is using to improve the performance of civil servants but lack implementation.

Retrenchment had negative effects on many aspects of organizational performance and reduces the sensitivity of service to the public. This does not relate well with the overall goal of the Civil Service Reform Program, which is the provision quality service to the public and job security. Retrenchment has also been associated with marred team, participation in decision-making, quality leadership and supervision, lack of creative management and information management. Improved information management is among the vision of the Civil Service Reform but retrenchment had reduced the departmental performance.

RECOMMENDATION

Generally, it is in knowledge that the Civil Service, which is government bureaucracy, touches all aspects of human endeavor. In fact, it is the highest employer of labour in the country and the biggest provider of social services both at subsidized and reduced prices. Based on the study’s findings and conclusions, the researcher’s recommendations are:

Since employees have negative perceptions about retrenchment of workers and is likely to have a serious impact on the early stage of implementation, senior officers in charge of the exercise should be sensitive to employees perception and work on them through seminars, and public relations, take to study the perceptions with the view of changing
Normally, tactics in handling organizational change are important and Government should involve the stakeholders (Union Leaders) early in the process of change and giving information, participation in decision-making, which will ensure commitments to the process of change. The rationale and criteria of retrenchment should be explained early in the process through improved public relations. This is how organizational change should be managed.
Government should see to the settlement of retrenched workers with their entitlements immediately to enable them look for other means of livelihood, retrenchment if not fairly done develops job insecurity and in some cases might lead to political, social or industrial unrest which may cause more damage and thus increasing cost of
Retrenchment had seriously affected the performance of the service and hampered service delivery, in this cause government should put in place a code of conduct for ethics and integrity and also anti-corruption agencies to reduce corruption in the service, which includes low employees performance, non punctuality, employees irresponsibility, disloyalty, indiscipline, lack of accountability

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