Ballard Integrated Managed Services Inc. (BIMS) is a support services company that specializes in providing housekeeping and foodservices to corporations and institutions. Douglas Medical Center (DMC) contracted the services of BMIS. Barbara Tucker the General Manager for BIMS, at DMC noticed a change in employee morale for several months to include employee dissatisfaction, higher use of sick time, employee turnover, as well as other issues. No specific reasons have been cited for the morale changes. These changes have increased the percentage rate for employee turnover from the average range of 55% to 60% up to 64%. The increases for this turnover rate have an unknown cause for the management and company’s executive teams. To understand or find reasoning for this turnover rate the management personnel has decided on creating an instrument that could get the opinions, thoughts, and reasoning for the climate of the company in regards to the employees.
BMIS Human Resources Manage r at DMC, Debbie Horner, developed an employee survey as a tool to find out what was causing the problems with morale. The survey is a qualitative way to research what is going on with the employees and the climate of the organization. The information found in the survey is the easiest way to track changes, discover trends, validate ideas, and monitor success (Survey, 2011). The survey is the instrument in representation of the personal thoughts and employee’s viewpoints describing their work climate.
The survey was conducted by using qualitative data collection method. This is evidenced by the fact that the results of the survey were tabulated using numerical values. Ideally, quantitative data method involves information collected in form of quantities. Absence of an expression of the survey results in natural language description makes it to lack qualitative data aspect. The survey questions required employees to answer them on basis of two items namely; very negative and very positive. Each question was assigned values one to five ranging from very negative to very positive. Nevertheless, the other part of the survey question was assigned the compliments yes or no. In all material aspects, the results were tabulated using numerical values.
The good thing with this survey is that employees were given the opportunity to present their views without any influence. In so doing, the surveyor was able to get absolute true views of the employees about the working conditions within the company. The numerical values gathered if well analysed, and interpreted, it can present the surveyor with a concrete conclusion about the problem under study.
The level of measurement attached to the carried survey was the ordinal scale. The element of ordinal scale is evidenced in the scoring of the survey questions. For each question, the answers range from very negative to very positive. Ideally, this means that the items in the scale are ordered, that is from very negative to very positive. However, to enhance efficiency the surveyor would have included other items of measurement.
The survey was coded on a scale of 1 or very negative and 5 or very positive. The scale and numeric codes did not fit all the questions on the “survey” especially question four, which asks, “How many times in the last month have you called in sick?” I feel that the questions on the survey need to be well defined to accurately capture the sentiments of the employees surveyed.
There were also several errors in the coding of the information. To arrive at the correct averages every question was reviewed and the errors corrected (see attached excel sheet). The results of the survey showed employees are not happy with the pay they receive, the communication between employees and BIMS, the training, and fear of losing their jobs. The responses to those questions could definitely justify the lack of morale. Most of the jobs do not require specialized skills or training, but the company would benefit by finding out what areas employees should get more training, and also better screening processes at hiring to make sure employees are the right fit for the job.
Although the 17.3% response rate is disappointing, it is a start. Debbie states another survey probably will not give further insight into the morale of BIMS employees, but maybe if the company posts the results for employees to see and implements an open door policy for employees to speak on problems they are having with their jobs or “management” that will pave the way for another survey in a few months. This will give BIMS time to refine and add new questions to narrow down the issues.
References
Lind, D., Marchal, W., & Wathen, S. (2011). Business Statistics for Business and Economics (7th ed.). New York, New York: McGraw Hill.
McClave, J., Benson, P. G., & Sinich, T. (2011). Statistics for Business and Economics (11th ed.). Boston, Massachusetts: Prentice Hall.
What is the Difference Between a Qualitative and Quantitative Survey?. (2011). Retrieved from http://blog.surveymethods.com/what-is-the-difference-between-a-qualitative-and-quantitative-survey/
