French Benifits
French Benifits
French Benifits
MBA - HR
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ABSTRACT
The study addresses the impact that fringe benefits have on the levels of job
satisfaction and engagement of the employees of Galaxy Mining Services. Galaxy is a
global explosives company that serves the mining and construction industries all over
the world. The remuneration of employees differs from country to country within the
organizations boundaries stretch across country borders. The study aims to compare
job satisfaction and engagement of Galaxy employees working in India.
A survey research design was used with a specifically developed questionnaire as the
data gathering instrument. The participants represent the total of all employees of
Galaxy, a global mining services company. Management supported the study and made
Employees from different areas, gender, age, academic levels and income groups
participated. The majority of the respondents were in the age group 36 40 (28.1%).
Educational levels revealed that the majority (68.4%) of participants have a Grade 12
and/or higher qualification.
Because all the questionnaires represented the population and not just a sample, only a
test to determine practical correlation was performed. For the purpose of the correlation
test, the Nonparametric Spearmans correlation coefficient (r) was used.
The statistical analysis indicated a highly important correlation between Job Satisfaction
and Engagement. Thus a high level of job satisfaction will imply a high level of
engagement and vice versa. It has also indicated that Job Satisfaction and Fringe
Benefits shows a low practically significant correlation. The test for correlation between
Job Satisfaction and Remuneration indicated that the level of job satisfaction an
employee experiences in the organization is influenced by his remuneration package.
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The test for correlation between Engagement and Fringe Benefits shows a low
practically significant correlation. The test for correlation between Engagement and
Remuneration shows a low practically significant correlation.
The limitations of the study were the limited number of employees in Galaxy India for
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INTRODUCTION
This mini-dissertation focuses on a comparative study to determine the impact of fringe benefits
on job satisfaction and engagement.
Fringe benefits, or that part of the total compensation package other than pay for time worked
provided to employees in whole or in part by employer payments, play a major role in the
structuring of compensation packages (Williams, 1995:1097).
If asked about their organizations compensation programs, most managers criticize them as not
working (Jensen & McMullen, 2007:2). This statement reflects the opinion of various managers
in the corporate world, as they are powerless with regards to the compensation of their
employees and the limitations which are placed by the laws of the organization on the
structuring of their employees remuneration packages.
Managers have the authority to make major business decisions sometimes worth millions of
Rupees, but they dont always have the authority to change the structure of their employees
remuneration packages (Jensen & McMullen, 2007:2). Most remuneration packages are based
on market related information, and one can ask the question do these market related rewards
reflect the contribution that a specific employee makes to an organization? (Jensen & McMullen,
2007:2).
Todays managers do not believe that their organizations compensation programs are effective
in getting the desired results for which they are held accountable (Jensen & McMullen, 2007:2).
by more than just money. According to Jensen and McMullen (2007:5), some people say that
money is not a motivator for them at all.
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According to McCaffery and Harvey (1997:1), there are six key reasons why remuneration
packages need to be structured, and why fringe benefits will not be eliminated.
Its the law: Certain fringe benefits are required by law. In the United States Social Security,
Medicare, and Family and Medical Leave are mandated federally. All the states require workers
compensation coverage and unemployment insurance. A few states have non-occupational
temporary disability benefit laws and mandatory health benefit coverage.
Duty to bargain with unions: Virtually every conceivable employee benefit qualifies as a
mandatory subject for bargaining under federal labour law. This means that in collective
bargaining, employers cannot ignore union proposals or eliminate benefit coverage unilaterally.
Competition: Even most small employers now sponsor some benefit plans for their employees
if only paid-time-off allowances and employee-pay-all coverage. A company opting for an all
cash compensation program certainly would be disadvantaged competitively in the employment
marketplace.
Benefits are tax-advantaged: Unlike pay, which is subject to federal and state taxes, most
benefits enjoy either a tax-exempt or tax-deferred status. This enables employers to take
current-year tax deductions for expenditures without directly or immediately increasing
employees taxable income.
Employees want benefits: Employees are accustomed to receiving benefit coverage as part of
their total compensation. They realize that because of tax advantages and economies-of-scale,
they are better off having their employers provide benefits. This is evident especially in flexible
(cafeteria) plans where most employees forego cash pay-outs for benefit choices.
Benefits support employer strategies: Companies find that certain benefits are often more
effective than pay in helping to achieve objectives related to recruitment, retention and
motivation of employees, cost management, and social responsibility. Examples of this are
profit-sharing plans, work-and-family programs and flexible benefit plans.
The bottom line is every organization is different different employees with different cultures,
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different needs and different objectives (Jensen & McMullen, 2007:157). Effective benefits will
align employee needs with the organizations goals, and this is based on careful research into
what employees want what the organization offers, what it wants to offer, and ultimately what it
can afford to offer.
PROBLEM STATEMENT
The study addresses the impact that fringe benefits have on the level of job satisfaction and
The study aims to compare job satisfaction and engagement of Galaxy employees working in
India.
To determine the appropriate compensation for the value of the work becomes even more
difficult when dealing with a global organization. This matter becomes even more complicated
Job satisfaction can only exist when the interests of both the employee and the organization are
in equilibrium. The organization relies on the manager to evaluate the value of the work
performed by an employee, and with the interest of the s at heart, to determine the appropriate
remuneration for this work. In order to offer the employee compensation which is competitive
with other companies and appropriate for the employees duties, the manager needs to have an
in-depth understanding of the real value of the work.
RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
The research objectives are divided into general objectives and specific objectives.
General objectives
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The general objective of this research is to determine the impact of fringe benefits on job
satisfaction and engagement for employees working for Galaxy in India.
Specific objectives
The specific objectives of this study are:
RESEARCH METHOD
The research method consists of a literature review and an empirical study.
Literature review
The literature review focuses on the structuring of remuneration packages, fringe benefits and
their impact on job satisfaction and engagement.
Research design
One of the most popular and effective measurement tools to determine the impact that fringe
of four sections was developed. Section A consisted of fifteen questions regarding job
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seven questions regarding the participants biographical information. The participants, all Galaxy
employees, were informed that the purpose of the questionnaire was to gather responses on
how they perceived the impact that remuneration packages and fringe benefits have on job
satisfaction
and
engagement.
Participants of survey
The participants represent the total of all employees of Galaxy, a global mining services
areas, gender, age, academic levels and income groups participated. The majority of the
respondents were in the age group 36 40 (28.1%). Educational levels revealed that the
majority
(68.4%)
of
participants
have
Grade
12
and/or
higher
qualification.
Measuring instrument
Questions were answered based upon the five-point agreement-disagreement Likert format,
varying from strongly agree to strongly disagree. However, for the purpose of this study, the
scaling was adapted to a four-point scale to force the participants to select a definite opinion
rather than choosing the middle option of Neither agree nor disagree. Likerts scaling is based
on a bipolar scaling method.
The questionnaire comprised of four sections. The first part consisted of fifteen statements
directly related to job satisfaction. The second section had fifteen questions about the
organizations commitment towards the participant, and the third part contained the last fifteen
statements regarding the remuneration and benefits that participants receive at Galaxy.
Questions in the last section were specifically included to gather demographic characteristics of
the participants such as gender, nationality, age group, residential area, academic background
and
years
of
service
at
Galaxy.
Data analysis
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The statistical analysis was carried out with the assistance of the Statistical Consulting Services
of the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus). The Statistical Version 9.1 (Statsoft,
2005), SPSS (SPSS Inc. 2009) and SAS (SAS Institute Inc., 2005) programmes were used.
RESEARCH PROCEDURE
Responses were gathered from participants on all the items of the questionnaire. Participants
consisted of employees of Galaxy who are working in Mumbai, Delhi and Delhi. All responses
were
used
for
data
and
statistical
analysis.
LIMITATIONS
It was anticipated that a limited number of employees in Galaxy India would be available for
benefits and remuneration. The study was conducted within Galaxy and therefore the outcome
of the study could only be released with the permission of Galaxy India.
The level of literacy in India differs immensely and therefore the completion of questionnaires by
certain individuals might have been problematic, and could require the services of a translator.
DIVISION OF CHAPTERS
The chapters in this mini-dissertation are presented as follows:
Chapter 1: Introduction, problem statement and objectives Chapter 2: Literature study Chapter
3: Research methodology Chapter 4: Conclusions and recommendations
CHAPTER SUMMARY
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This chapter discussed the problem statement and research objectives. The measuring
instruments and research method used when doing the research were explained. A brief
overview of the chapters followed.
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LITERATURE STUDY
A thorough literature study needs to be conducted to form a complete conceptualization of the
terms job satisfaction, engagement, fringe benefits and remuneration. For the purpose of
clarification the following definitions will be apply to this study.
DEFINITIONS
For the purpose of this research, terms used in the chapter are defined as follows:
Basic Salary: This is the cash compensation that the employee receives for the duties that he
performs. This component normally reflects the value of the work that is performed and does not
reflect the experience or performance of the individual.
Car Allowance: This includes the benefit to the employee of a cash component in his salary for
the purpose of buying and maintaining a vehicle suitable for performing his duties, or the use of
a company vehicle that would assist him in performing his duties, or the use of a pool vehicle
that would assist him in performing his duties.
Contract Employee: Defined in the Galaxy Conditions of Service as employees engaged for a
stated period of time with or without an option for renewal.
Any person (other than a company) who receives any remuneration or to whom any
ii)
remuneration accrues.
Employer: Defined in the Practical Guide to Remuneration Packaging as any person who pays
or is liable to pay to any person any amount by way of remuneration, and any person
responsible for the payment of any amount by way of remuneration to any person under the
provisions of any law.
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Family of an employee: Defined in the Galaxy Conditions of Service as the employee, one
spouse and a maximum of four unmarried children or dependants until they are no longer
dependant. These, however, must be registered with the company. Children or dependants who
have offspring of their own will be automatically excluded from any benefits.
Gross income: Defined in the Practical Guide to Remuneration Packaging as in relation to any
year or period of assessment means:
1) In the case of any resident, the total amount, in cash or otherwise, received by or accrued to
in favor of such resident; or
2) n the case of any person other than a resident, the total amount, in cash or otherwise,
received by or accrued to or in favor of such person from a source within or deemed to be within
the Republic.
Group Life Insurance: This includes the contribution that the employer pays on behalf
of the employee for the purpose of life insurance or disability insurance of the employee
whilst the employee is performing his duties.
Housing Allowance: This includes the cash component that the employee receives for
the purpose of contributing to the rental of suitable accommodation, or the contribution
to paying for his own accommodation.
Medical Aid Contribution: This includes the contribution that the employer pays on
behalf of the employee for the medical aid cover of the employee as well as his
immediate family members that are also covered by this medical aid cover.
Pension Fund Contribution: This includes the contribution that the employer pays on
behalf of the employee for the purpose of having a pension fund or provident fund, or
any fund or insurance that has the same intend, for the employee.
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independently, that is, with no control or supervision of the manner in which the duties
are performed or of the hours of work, provided payment is made at irregular intervals.
similar remuneration payable by an employer to an employee, but does not include any
bonus or any other amount.
duration of which is not stated, and whose services may no longer be required on the
completion
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of
the
particular
job
or
assignment.
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organization as well as the human resources practices needed to establish the best workable
solutions for an optimal reward strategy. If one has all these aspects successfully implemented
in the organization, it would ultimately lead to better individual and organizational performance
(Jensen & McMullen 2007:38).
How can a manager reward individuals within the guidelines of a company without jeopardizing
the companys reward guidelines? There is not one suitable remuneration structure that is
suitable for all industries and all organizations across a broad spectrum of businesses. What
works for a certain company would not necessarily work for another company.
The manager cannot force people to perform nor can he satisfy all their needs, but he is,
however, able to create a motivating climate in which his employees are motivated to perform
well and to experience job satisfaction (Coetsee, 2003:58).
Most well-known theories on the principle of motivation revolve around the idea that an
employees needs influence his motivation. An employees needs could be
and are subject to the influence of external and environmental factors. This implies that
people will react to satisfy those needs that are not fully satisfied (Kreitner & Kinicki,
2007: 236).
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One way to understand and motivate the employee is to revisit Abraham Maslows
Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 1954). Maslow created a visualization of his hypothesis in
the shape of a pyramid that is divided into five levels, starting from the bottom upwards,
and the needs could be described as:
Physiological. The most basic need, having enough food, air and water to survive. In
the business context this could imply the employees salary, air conditioning in the
office, or the availability of a cafeteria at the work place.
Safety. The need to be safe from physical and psychological harm. In the business
context this could mean the possibility of a salary increase, a pension plan, hospital and
medical plans or disability insurance.
Love. The desire to be loved and to love. It contains the need for affection and
belonging. In the business context this could mean employee-centered supervision,
personal and professional friends, office parties or social gatherings.
Esteem. The need for reputation, prestige and recognition from others. This includes
the need for self-confidence and strength. In the business context this could mean the
employees job title, office furnishings or deserved salary increase.
Self-actualisation. The desire for self-fulfillment - to become the best one is capable of
becoming. In the business context this could mean advancement for the employee,
challenging assignments, development opportunities, or opportunities to use ones
skills.
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and satisfaction. His theory was developed too explain employee reaction to their work
and the work environment. Herzbeerg highlighted that all factors could be categorized in
two groups. The first group is called Hygiene or Maintenance factors, and thee second
group is called the Motivating factors.
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Motivating Factors:
Motivating factors could lead to an individuals need for personal growth. When in
existence, motivating factors could easily contribute to job satisfaction. When it is most
Status
Opportunity for advancement
Gaining recognition
Responsibility
Challenging / stimulating work
Sense of personal achievement & personal growth in a job
Herzberg (1975) proposed that when hygiene factors are lacking in the workplace, the
simply does not feel dissatisfaction. When motivating factors are present, the employee
feels satisfied.
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Hygiene Factors:
Hygiene factors are based on the needs of the organization in order to prevent
unpleasantness in the working environment. When employees are under the impression
that these factors are inadequate, it could lead to dissatisfaction in the work place.
Herzbergs (1975) hygiene factors could include:
There are certain similarities between Herzbberg's and Maslow''s theories. Both suggest
that certain needs have to be satisfied before an employee can be motivated. Figure 3
below illustrates the comparison between Maslowws and Herzbeergs theories:
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Given these need theories, the question could be asked: How does the manager motivate his
employees with the influence allocated to his authority? The answer would lie in his ability to
make employees feel secure, needed and appreciated.
These models of Maslow and Herzbeerg present a means to understand the needs of the
employees. According to these theories, every employee could react differently to his
remuneration package, depending on the specific phase he is in his life, as well ass the
conditions he experiences at work. Different employees have different expectations from the
remuneration given by the employer.
These expectations are guided by the customary remuneration packages paid by organization
in
the
country
and
the
cultural
ethnics
of
thee
employees.
Motivation of employees
Employers tend to utilize default remuneration styles despite the histGalaxyl failure of the tried
and true solutions that have been used to address conditions in the new organization (Tropman,
2001:18). It is worth noting that organizations depend on the commitment and motivation of their
employees. Overloading them, stressing them, micro-managing them, or letting work spill over
into their private lives does not develop the engagement and loyalty organizations need to
succeed (Cooper, 2008:18).
According to Tropman (2001:18), repeated attempts are sustained in part by false theories
about the employees, which form an integral element in the resistance to change.
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For the purpose of this paper, the importance of these theories can be explained as
follows:
employees and their performance. Employees with lesser ability can be motivated in
order to achieve their performance targets whereas those employees with greater
they will get ultimate job satisfaction from doing a good job. The purpose of the
employer is not to control the employee, but to provide him with the necessary
resources to perform his duties. According to Tropman (2001:19), one of the biggest
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Structure of the job: Employers tend to believe that satisfied employees produce
good work, hence they try to create an improved morale with the expectation that it
will lead to improved quality. The employer should instead improve the structure of
the job, which will lead to satisfied employees, which in turn lead to higher quality
that they believe that satisfiers and dissatisfiers are the same thing. When an
element is present, it can act as a satisfier, but if the same element is missing, it
does not necessarily mean that it is a dissatisfier and vice versa. Table 1 provides a
list of elements that employees like and dislike, as proposed by (Tropman, 2001:21).
TOP SATISFIERS
Achievement
TOP DISSATISFIERS
Recognition
Supervision
Responsibility
Work conditions
Growth
Work itself
Attachment
It can be noted that the list of top dissatisfiers is largely based on relationships within the
organization.
model. This implied that every employee embodied two different preference schedules:
money now (cash in hand) and money later (cash put aside for retirement). The employer
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needs to pay both of these selves, in the form of a monthly salary for the here-and-now and
the retirement contribution of the then-and-there self. This implies that the employer needs
to cater for two compensation targets: the employees present and future selves. The needs
of the two selves must be balanced in the compensation system.
between the view of the individual employee and the view of the team player. The question
can thus be asked whether to compensate the employee or the team? Tropman (2001:22)
asks: Should firms pay top dollars to optimize employee recruitment and retention, or
should they pay the going market rate? Do they give rewards to those who deserve it or
those who need it? Do they promote based on merit or on seniority? The organization could
have an achievement culture based on elements such as market base, here and now, solo
workers and fair play. On the other hand, the organization could have an equality culture
made up of elements such as team base, then and there, team workers and fair share. In
reality, all organizational cultures are a blend of achievement and equality cultures
(Tropman, 2001: 23).
hierarchy of needs as illustrated in Figure 1 of this chapter. There are two key elements of
Maslows work that affect the remuneration structure. The first element is that the needs are
a hierarchy - it is difficult to address higher level needs when lower level needs are not
fulfilled. The second element is that the hierarchy provides employers with a checklist which
can be used to review the total compensation package.
employers have a rigid, over administered, and undermanaged compensation system. In the
modern organization, these perceptions need to be amended, especially given the structure,
needs and expectations to the modern-day employee.
Breaking with the idea that engagement is merely the opposite of burnout, Schaufeli et al.
(2002:74), defined engagement as a persistent and positive affective motivational state of
fulfillment
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in
employees,
characterized
by
vigor,
dedication
and
absorption.
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Benefit Satisfaction
Basic benefit satisfaction can be defined as an employees attitude towards organizational
benefits focusing on employee safety and security-related needs (Blau et al., 2001:671).
Benefits included under basic benefit satisfaction can be classified as:
Vacation
Retirement
Sick Leave
Life Insurance
Disability
Career enrichment satisfaction was defined by Blau et al. (2001:671) as an employees attitude
towards organizational benefits focusing on employee employability and skill development
needs. The benefits included under career enrichment satisfaction can be classified as:
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The costs of employee benefits are high to companies and because costs
increases and generally exceed inflation, therefore companies have
implemented changes in benefits programmes to control costs.
towards benefits have been found to be significant determinants of pay satisfaction and
have been linked to behavioral outcomes such as absenteeism and turnover. Therefore,
In a study conducted by Lust (1990:92) the findings about benefit satisfaction were no
surprise: employees who are more satisfied with their pay are also more satisfied with
their benefits. It goes hand in hand and make up the total compensation package.
ENGAGEMENT
The origin of the term employee engagement lies in research into the extent to which people
employ, or leave out, their personal selves when performing their work roles. When people are
engaged, they tend to express themselves physically, cognitively and emotionally during role
performances (Kahn,1990:692).
Engagement is a controversial subject and there are various definitions for this term. According
to Schneider et al. (2009:23), some of the definitions are:
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A result that is achieved by stimulating employees enthusiasm for their work and
The extent to which people value, enjoy and believe in what they do
The capability and willingness to help the company succeed, i.e., discretionary
A heightened emotional and intellectual connection that employees have for their job,
performance
organization does for the employees. Employee engagement is different from employee
satisfaction with the latter connoting satiation and the former connoting energy (Schneider et al.,
2009:27). An engaged employee is aware of business context, and works with colleagues to
improve performance within the job for the benefit of the organization. The organization must
work to develop and nurture engagement, which requires a two-way relationship between
employer and employee. Therefore, employee engagement will be the barometer that
determines the association of a person with the organization (Vazirani, 2007:3).
Reward is a hygiene factor and getting it wrong results in disengagement, but getting it right
does not create engagement (Robinson, 2008:57). It is commonly perceived that engagement
affects the bottom line of an organization: engaged employees identify with their organization,
co-operate with their co-workers and work productively in a team. They also fully understand the
business context of the organization.
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Research has shown that higher employee engagement is associated with gains in
employee retention and performance, customer service and satisfaction, and business
performance (Wiley, 2009:58).
Engagement challenges
According to Robinson (2008:57), the potential challenges facing the theory behind
engagement include:
Experienced people are an asset, so how can organizations engage people who
have been with them for a while and may have had disappointments, such as not
being promoted?
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According to Wiley (2009:58), research has shown that higher employee engagement is
associated with gains in employee retention and performance, customer service and
satisfaction and business performance. Pollitt (2005:25) found that environments that
foster inclusion (of which equity is a large part) were found to:
Promote innovation
Engagement measurement
According to Schneider et al. (2009:23), the most common measure of employee engagement
used by companies contains four traditional survey items, namely:
These questions are normally asked in order to form an index of engagement. These
questions are more inclined to measure the satisfaction that a person experience when
he or she works for an organization.
According to Schneider et al. (2009:23), these questions measure the following three
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aspects:
The opportunities
No one can argue that the level of satisfaction is not important, but it does not indicate
the level of engagement of the employees. It is important to measure and manage the
organization money. When the employee is not fully engaged, the organization still
needs to pay his full salary, even though he has not earned it.
In organizations with only average levels of employee engagement, between 30% and
50% of their payroll is going down the drain (Ayers, 2007:16). The level of engagement
is important for the organization because it needs to maximize the output it gets from
employees, thus maximizing their engagement.
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Engagement drivers
Schneider et al. (2009:23) defined engagement as having two major components:
Feelings for engagement - this implies the heightened state of energy and enthusiasm
It is obvious that employee engagement feelings and behaviours are different from job
satisfaction - they address different kinds of issues and have different drivers.
According to Schneider et al. (2009:23), the three strongest drivers for feeling of engagement
are:
Feeling that there is full utilization of ones skill and abilities Seeing that there is a link
between ones work and the objectives of the organization Being encouraged to
innovate According to Schneider et al. (2009:23), the three strongest drivers for
engagement behaviours are:
Supervisor credibility
In a research study done by Wiley (2009:58), the top ten drivers of employee
engagement are:
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A promising future for the employee x Support for work-life balance x Safety is a
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priority
From the list of drivers mentioned above, it could be concluded that offering praise for a
job well done is a simple and inexpensive way to encourage employee engagement.
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According to Blizzard (2003;1), the various job categories also differ with regards to the
drivers of workers satisfaction and engagement - or the lack thereof. Each category
faces challenges specific to the type of work involved. Blizzard (2003:2) illustrated the
employee engagement hierarchy as follows:
According to McBain (20066:21), the employee engagement concept has emerged as perhaps
the most useful idea for HRR practitioners in the 21 century. Indeed, such engagement is tithe
st
ultimate prize for employers, according to one consultancy which has done much research into
the area (Towers Perrrin, 2003:33). Its emergence stems, at least in part, from the way the
concept seems to integrate so many different aspects of HR, such as employee satisfaction,
commitment, motivation, job design, and involvement (Stairs, 20055).
Given the clear relationship found between employee satisfaction with diversity and employee
engagement, the future focus should hinge on increasing employees perceptions of diversity
efforts, thus leading to increased levels of employee engagement and reduced turnover,
(Sheridan, 2010:1)). Chief Executive Officers and General Managers who have discounted the
importance and value of diversity efforts can no longer afford to do so.
Increasing evidence suggests employee engagement can make a difference to the performance
of employees and teams within organizations. The employee engagement theory reflects
change in the organizational environment, and the mutual expectations of employees and
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individuals are seeking greater personal fulfillment in their working lives and are not solely
motivated by financial rewards. In addition, changes in the business landscape will require more
flexibility, collaboration, project-based activities and talent-led teams (McBain, 2006:21).
Sufficient evidence exists to indicate that employee engagement has significant potential to
assist managers in improving team and organizational performance by improving the daily
experience of employees within the organization. There are however, more issues remaining,
like the precise definition of employee engagement and the distinguishing between
engagement, satisfaction and commitment. The truth is, there is no quick fix, no more than there
is a quick fix for cancer. But if diagnosed early, both can be cured (Ayers, 2007:16).
The conclusion is that employee engagement is the key to successful use of an organizations
human capital. However, employee satisfaction has not become an irrelevant measure. If it is
used appropriately within the larger framework of engagement, employee satisfaction measures
can
provide
useful
insight
for
the
organization
(Blizzard,
2003:2).
administering and financing them, this question is even more important. If all of these fringe
benefits were eliminated, compensation management would become much easier and simpler,
but not necessarily cheaper, although administration costs would decrease
Harvey, 1997:1).
(McCaffery &
non-wage benefits such as medical insurance and a retirement plan (Weathington & Jones:
2006:292). Wages and benefits together are often the biggest expense incurred by
organizations.
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organizations - large, oppressive, and un-addressed. Attention to pay systems is often nonattention. It falls into what Harvards Chris Argyris called defensive routines - they are not
discussible, and their non-discussibility is not discussible!
This era of thinking included Tropmans (2001:7) comment that: Letting individuals construct
some of their own pay packages? Cant do it! Could never do it! Must have been designed by a
professor! These comments are still relevant when dealing with an employer who still believes
in the one size fits all philosophy where every employee must be satisfied with the
remuneration package that is chosen for him by management. This phenomenon is called the
old pay system.
Base pay
Annual merit raise
Benefits
A few perks
Occasional gratuities
These five elements together form the compensation package, which could be
described as a return received in exchange for the employees performance and ideas
According to Milkovich and Newman (2005:12), the implicit contract can be explained
as: an implicit contract is an unwritten understanding between employers and
employees over their reciprocal obligations and returns; employees contribute towards
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achieving the goals of the employer in exchange for returns given by the employer and
valued by the employee.
their shoe; it irritates them to the edge, but they cant seem to find time to stop and
change the situation. According to Tropman (2001:9), there are inherent problems in the
way the old pay system is conceptualized:
Pay becomes entitlement driven: In old pay, employees feel they are entitled to
their pay, and to raises in pay, unconnected with any accomplishments they
produce.
Increases cap out: With old pay, increases are cut off when the employee
reaches the top of a jobs range. Employers thus bump workers to higher job
classifications solely to give them more pay.
Failure to motivate: Old pay does not motivate because it is mostly unlinked to
the employees production and contribution. To begin with, base pay (before
merit adjustment) is frequently unconnected to any results or accomplishments.
It is almost as if one is paid a salary just to show up.
Annuitized: With old pay, each raise goes into the base. Hence employees pay
year in and year out for last years accomplishments. This means that employee
investments keep costing more without any parallel increase in productivity.
34
Increase attached to base: That is, raises are added to the employees base
pay.
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Increase largely based on seniority: Raises are greater for those who have
been with the organization for longer, sometimes because length of service is
are typically calibrated as a percent of salary so in this model the more you
make, the more you are paid).
and so on) employees are given mementos of their association with the
company. Trophies are, of course, more meaningful if they are given for some
actual accomplishment rather than just for hanging around.
employees a gift.
anything
the
employee
can
figure
out,
bonus
is
provided.
The total compensation packages consist of various forms of compensation that the employee
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receives, and sometimes even expects to receive from the employer. This total compensation
package can be categorized into total remuneration and relational compensation. The relational
compensation consists of work factors that have a psychological impact on the employee.
These factors are often categorized as motivating factors according to Herzbergs (1975)
motivational hygiene theory. When these motivating factors are present, the employee will
experience job satisfaction. When the motivating factors are absent, the employee will
experience dissatisfaction.
The total remuneration consists of hygiene factors that will contribute to the motivation of the
employee. When these factors are absent, the employee will not necessarily feel dissatisfied,
but not fully satisfied. These factors can be categorized into the cash component and the fringe
benefits. The cash component typically consists of components like the basic salary along with
the merit increases that the employee receives. The fringe benefits can be a combination of
various components like the car allowance, housing allowance, medical aid insurance, pension
fund contributions, etc. The layout for the Total Compensation is illustrated in Figure 5 below:
The total compensation package consists of many elements which act as important rewards for
the employee. These elements overlap, relate to and sometimes integrate with the total
compensation package, but are often less tangible.
According to Tropman (2001:37), the five key elements of the work experience are:
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Tropman (2001:37) also argues that it is the collective impact of the components that
matters as much as the individual elements.
According to Tropman (2001:14), there are several differences between the Old Pay
system and the Total Compensation system. Some of the differences are explained by
him as follows:
Self-funded at the unit level: The profit is shared by profit centers within the
organization. Employees may have several sources of pay, and what they get
depends on the performance of the various units.
Variable pay: At the individual level, pay (or salary) becomes somewhat
variable. Employees are not entitled to their entire pay unless they meet certain
benchmarks; however, if they exceed the benchmark, they can make more than
Line of sight: Most organizations have tried to adopt approaches with a stronger
line of sight between the pay individuals receive and the performance results
37
Unit gain-sharing: The bonus pool is figured on the gain the unit makes above
market average, minus costs and scrap.
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Firm gain-sharing: This portion of the bonus comes from the overall firm
Market adjustment to base: Base pay is adjusted, overall and for individuals,
depending on the market forces, not seemingly random acts of the human
resources department.
These differences are critical in the total compensation system. According to Tropman
(2001:15), these differences are indeed the basis of, and the drivers for, the total
compensation
solution.
There are three common problems that are frequently associated with the philosophy of an
organization. Firstly, no philosophy is often present, secondly, the wrong philosophy is applied
to the compensation structure and thirdly, there are significant gaps between the desired
philosophy and the implementation of the philosophy to the compensation structure. The ideal
compensation philosophy involves five key components as described by Tropman (2001:38):
these points.
An understanding of the need to articulate the compensation philosophy in a
compensation policy
A compensation distribution matrix
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easy, but their execution is complex. The implementation process involves trial and
error, experience and insight.
that might influence the business environment of the organization must be considered
as well as their contribution to the organizations success. Some of these factors are:
Culture/Values: The compensation strategy reflects the values that the employer will
use as a guideline to manage its employees. The compensation strategy must mirror
Social and Political Context: Managers frequently expect that a diverse workforce and
a diverse form of pay may contribute to the value of the organization and would be
difficult for competitors to imitate. The social context includes a wide range of factors
such as legal and regulatory requirements, cultural differences, changing workforce
dynamics and employee expectations.
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Alignment: How well does the total compensation package support career growth in
the organization? This will depend on the level of the hierarchy in the organization and
the flexibility of the HR strategy in the organization.
Competitiveness: How does the total compensation package compare relative to what
a similar organization would offer in the market? This is also influenced by the value the
employee would place on fringe benefits compared to basic salary. A secondary factor
to consider is the balance of work and life for the employee.
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Design system to translate strategy into action: The basic principle of implementing
a strategy is to align the total compensation structure to the business strategy.
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Realign as conditions change: Changing market conditions emphasize the need for a
flexible compensation strategy.
of
market
related
pay
strategies.
influence the benefits chosen both by employees and employers depending on their different
preferences.
Table 2 indicates that there are a number of factors influencing employer preferences when it
comes to the selection of fringe benefits for the employee. It is of utmost importance for the
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employer to consider the costs of employee benefits as part of the total compensation costs for
the organization. Frequently employees are under the impression that when a certain fringe
benefit is fashionable, it should be included into their compensation package, despite the
taxable implication of this inclusion.
Table 2 also indicates that the factors influencing employee preferences are mainly based on
two groups of factors. On the one hand are the needs of the particular employee, and on the
other hand is the perception of that employee about the fairness of his total compensation
package. The fringe benefits perceived to best satisfy an unfulfilled need are the most desired
benefits at that moment. The second important aspect to consider is the factor of equity or
inequity.
No matter how confidential their total compensation packages are, they always surface in
conversations between employees. They in turn then discuss and compare their compensation
packages and form their own opinion about equity or inequity based on their perceptions. These
perceptions can be either a motivating factor for the employee that feels he is sufficiently
compensated for his contribution or a de-motivating factor when the employee feels he is not
sufficiently
compensated.
CULTURES
A cultural system can be defined as people sharing similar beliefs, customs, norms and mental
programming (Brislin et al., 2005:88). Most definitions about culture emphasize human-made
elements that are shared through communication, which increase the probability of survival
resulting in greater satisfaction for those in the community.
In this section, the focus will be mainly on the impact of cultural diversity on the job satisfaction
created by remuneration structures. The importance of certain fringe benefits to the employee
may be determined by the economic situation in the country and availability of certain luxury
items.
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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
INTRODUCTION
The main objective of this comparative study is to assess whether there is a definite correlation
between the type of fringe benefits that are included in the remuneration package of an
employee and the level of job satisfaction that the employee experiences at the workplace, as
well as the level of engagement the employee displays towards his position and the
organization.
RESEARCH DESIGN
One of the most popular and effective measurement tools to determine the impact that fringe
was developed consisting of four sections. Section A consisted of fifteen questions regarding
employees, were informed that the purpose of the questionnaire was to gather responses on
how they perceived the impact that remuneration packages and fringe benefits have on job
satisfaction and engagement.
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Survey Distribution
The survey distribution is limited to the employees of Galaxy in India. All the employees
completed questionnaires, thus representing the full population. The population distribution is as
follows:
Population description
For this study, all employees across all levels in the organization were requested to complete a
questionnaire. In India, the population was divided into two groups:
The population of the employees in the regional office in Mumbai consists mainly of middle
management and senior management employees. This group of employees are sub-divided into
two groups. The first sub-group is the majority and consists of Indian, who support the sales and
after-sales service of the products in India. The second sub-group consists of foreign employees
who represent several countries from all over the world. These employees are involved in the
administrative support of the Asian business for the organization. The regional office in Mumbai
consists of highly educated employees who are specialists in their field of expertise and who are
brought to this office for specific functions.
The population of the employees in the factory in Delhi mainly consists of local employees from
that area who are employed in junior positions in the organization.
The employees build components for the construction of electronic detonators and control
equipment, and have limited education. Except for the three people in management positions,
these employees do not have any formal tertiary qualifications. The population could also be
characterized by some permanent employees and some contract employees who are employed
on a six month contract period.
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Research instruments
The following research instruments were used.
Questionnaires
Structured interviews to assist non English speakers in completing a
questionnaire. A local employee from Galaxy India, capable of translating
English into the native languages, assisted with the interviews.
in the Mumbai office for completion. The questionnaire was e-mailed to the factory in
Delhi, where it was printed by the secretary and handed to all employees for
completion. The completed questionnaires were scanned and e-mailed back to the
author.
A questionnaire was e-mailed to the regional office in Accra to be printed and distributed
to all the employees in India. The author visited offices to assist all the employees with
the completion of the questionnaires, and to ensure that all employees completed a
questionnaire.
QUESTIONNAIRE
Determining the impact that fringe benefits have on job satisfaction and engagement needs to
be more than just speculation. A common measurement tool to determine the impact that fringe
benefits has on job satisfaction and engagement is a research survey. To find an existing
questionnaire that comprises of questions consisting of all three criteria, job satisfaction,
engagement and fringe benefits, was virtually impossible. Therefore, a questionnaire was
designed specifically for Galaxy employees to obtain information regarding their perception and
opinions on these subjects.
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Questions were chosen and constructed with particular purpose for this paper. Several
questionnaires were studied for background information that assisted with the
structuring of the questions.
All questions in Section A, B & C were measured on a Likert scale, where 1 indicated
strongly agree, 2 indicated agree, 3 indicated disagree and 4 indicated strongly
disagree.
management participated in this study and made it compulsory for every employee to participate
and complete a questionnaire. All the questionnaires were submitted to the Statistical
Consulting Services of the North-West University Potchefstroom Campus for analysis. The
Statistica Version 9.1 (Statsoft, 2005), SPSS (SPSS Inc. 2009) and SAS (SAS Institute Inc.,
2005) programmes were used.
Coefficient Alpha for each section x Descriptive statistics for the selected sections x Test for
correlation between sections x Test for differences between demographical areas
Tests for differences in gender, age, experience, academic qualifications and level in the
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organization
Frequency Distribution and Descriptive Statistics of the Individual Items
A total of 57 questionnaires were distributed too three different demographical areas, Mumbai
and Delhi.. All the questionnaires were completed and the representation for the three areas is
shown in Figure 6 below:
Mumbai
Delhi
The population was divided according to gender, and thee representation is indicated in Figure
7 below. The majority of the population was male, being represented by 82% against thee 16%
representation of the female participants.. There was one participant who did not indicate
his/her gender on the questionnaire..
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According to thee analysis of Section D of the questionnaire, the representation for each oaf the
sub--sections is indicated in the tables below. Each table displays the percentage of participants
who indicated the relevant criterion, as well as the number of participants who did not answer
thee question.
20--25
10.5%
46--50
5.3%
Age Distribution
26-30
31-35
15..8%
22.8%
51-55
28.1%
56-60
7.00%
36-440
61-665
0.0%
0.0%
8.8%
41-45
Number Missing
Academic Qualification
Did no M ot
complete Matric
Comple Matri
eted c
10.5%
28.1%
Post Matric
Qualification c n
57.99%
Number Missing
Less than 1
Year
22.8%
Years of Service
1-5 Years
66.7%
6-10 Years
8.8%
11-20 Years
1.8%
Number Missing
Executive
5.3%
Senior
Management
Middle
Management
5.3%
21.1%
Junior
64.9%
Number Missing
Sections A, B and C of the questionnaires are summarized in Table 8 below. For each of the
questions, the percentages of the participants who indicated each of the criteria have been
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indicated, as well as the mean and standard deviation for each question.
Frequency Distribution
Section
Question
Strongly
Agree
% Answered
Agree
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Number
Missing
Mean
Standard
Deviation
36.8
54.4
3.5
1.8
1.691
0.635
21.1
64.9
14.0
0.0
1.930
0.593
10.5
1.8
1.873
19.6
1.8
1.964
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
A
B
B
2
4
5
6
7
8
9
29.8
31.6
26.3
10.5
26.3
19.3
22.8
61.4
61.4
57.9
33.3
50.9
38.6
59.6
3.5
47.4
35.7
15.8
10
24.6
12
7.0
29.8
42.1
33.3
63.2
3.5
11
13
14
15
1
2
22.8
28.1
21.1
47.4
31.6
66.7
1.8
42.1
66.7
61.4
45.6
38.6
7.0
1.8
0.0
3.5
5.4
0.0
0.0
3
2
3
1
1
1.741
1.709
2.463
2.268
1.929
1.821
0.589
0.533
0.668
0.745
0.738
0.842
0.628
0.543
26.3
5.3
2.145
3.5
0.0
1.750
14.0
1.8
1.964
19.3
8.8
2.054
Strongly
Disagree
Number
Missing
Mean
Standard
Deviation
3.5
15.8
0.0
0.0
0
2
2.704
1.702
1.545
0.848
0.838
0.513
0.533
0.660
0.571
0.942
Frequency Distribution
Section
Question
Strongly
Agree
% Answered
Agree
Disagree
21.1
49.1
24.6
5.3
2.140
0.811
26.3
59.6
10.5
0.0
1.836
0.601
B
B
B
B
B
B
B
50
4
6
7
8
9
10
11
22.8
33.3
17.5
15.8
24.6
7.0
31.6
54.4
56.1
49.1
38.6
64.9
57.9
49.1
14.0
5.3
7.0
1.8
1
2
2.054
1.745
21.1
8.8
2.218
8.8
0.0
1.839
22.8
26.3
10.5
17.5
3.5
7.0
3
1
2.444
2.278
1.929
0.818
0.645
0.854
0.984
0.565
0.656
0.850
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12
17.5
56.1
22.8
0.0
2.055
0.650
14
10.5
38.6
42.1
3.5
2.407
0.740
10.5
1.8
1.604
7.0
1.8
1.519
2.982
2.455
B
B
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
13
15
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
22.8
28.1
50.9
47.4
56.1
21.1
66.7
67.9
29.8
28.1
29.8
10.5
26.3
26.3
33.3
35.1
14.0
36.8
5.3
31.6
29.8
35.1
40.4
3.5
38.6
21.1
35.1
43.9
8.8
14.0
38.6
15.8
0.0
22.8
28.1
17.5
3.6
0.0
44.6
3.5
24.6
7.0
31.6
36.8
17.5
35.1
33.3
10.5
3.5
26.3
26.3
28.1
5.3
45.6
10.5
21.1
3.5
2.554
2.456
1.855
2.091
42.1
2.696
5.3
28.1
1.860
2.839
19.3
7.0
1.750
28.1
24.6
1.836
1.855
1.982
2.852
1.786
0.536
0.513
0.768
0.990
0.720
1.060
0.892
1.143
0.878
0.946
0.848
0.890
0.931
0.928
0.954
0.810
0.780
Cronbachs coefficient alpha value of greater than 0.7 indicates an internal consistency of the
answering pattern of the participants in the section, which indicates reliability of the section
(subscale) (Nunnally, 1978: 295).
Interrelated items may be summed to obtain an overall score for each participant. Cronbach's
coefficient alpha estimates the reliability of this type of scale by determining the internal
consistency of the test or the average correlation of items within the test (Nunnally, 1978: 295).
Some of the questions were reversed-phrased to test if the participant actually did read and
understand the implications of the question. The scores of these questions needed to be
reversed for the calculation of Cronbachs alpha coefficient (Field, 2009:675). The reversed
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For Section A, with all questions included, the Cronbachs coefficient alpha value was 0.642.
After the removal of questions 5, 6 and 8, the Cronbachs coefficient alpha value increased to
0.792, which indicated an internal consistency within the answering pattern for the remainder of
the questions. It is interesting to note that questions 6 and 8 were reversed phrased and
therefore their scores were also reversed. The fact that these questions did not show an internal
consistency with the other questions may indicate that respondents did not read the questions
well.
For Section B, with all questions included, the Cronbachs coefficient alpha value was 0.819.
This indicated an internal consistency within the answering pattern for the remainder of the
questions; however, questions 8 and 10 (after reversing their scores) were negatively correlated
to the remainder of the questions. These questions were removed and the Cronbachs
coefficient alpha value increased to 0.867. Once again, it is interesting to note that questions 8
and 10 were reversed phrased and therefore their scores were also reversed. The fact that
these questions did not show an internal consistency with the other questions may indicate that
respondents did not read the questions well.
For Section C, with all questions included, the Cronbachs coefficient alpha value was 0.736.
This indicated an internal consistency within the answering pattern for the remainder of the
questions; however, questions 5, 10 and 14 were little or negatively correlated to the remainder
of the questions. These three questions indicated a high correlation with one another. After the
exclusion of these questions, Cronbachs coefficient alpha value increased to 0.799. Due to the
high correlation amongst the three questions, the decision was made to keep questions 5, 10
and 14 as a separate section with a Cronbachs coefficient alpha value of 0.860. Section C was
thus divided into two sub-sections; Section C
fringe
benefits
and Section C
remuneration.
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After the Cronbachs coefficient alpha was calculated and the necessary questions removed to
obtain reliable subscales, the descriptive statistics for each section were statistically calculated
as indicated in Table 9 below.
Descriptive Statistics
Section
Number of
participants
Mean
Standard Deviation
Section A
57
1.879
0.354
57
2.067
0.496
Section B
Section C remuneration
57
57
1.948
2.897
0.442
0.761
Given the scale used in the questionnaire, ranging from 1 to 4, where 1 indicated strongly
agree, 2 indicated agree, 3 indicated disagree and 4 indicated strongly disagree, a mean value
questionnaire. Section C indicated a mean value of 2.067, which also indicates that the
participants are mostly in agreement with the questions raised about fringe benefits. The mean
value of 2.897 indicates that participants are mostly in disagreement with the questions raised
about remuneration. The standard deviation gives an indication of the variability of the
responses. The answers of Section C remuneration show the largest variability of all sections.
Test for Correlation between Sections
Correlations were calculated for:
Because all the questionnaires represented the population and not just a sample, only a
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generalization from a sample to the population is needed. For the purpose of the
correlation test, the Nonparametric Spearmans correlation coefficient (r) was used. This
correlation coefficient does not depend on the assumption of normality and is based on
ranks of the data (Field, 2009:180).
The results for Spearmans Nonparametric correlation coefficients are shown in Table
10 below:
Non-parametric Correlations
Section
Section A
Correlation Coefficient
Correlation Coefficient
Section B
Correlation Coefficient
Section
B
0.623
1
Section C
Section C
fringe benefits
remuneration
0.165
0.249
-0.261
0.187
0.188
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A p-value of less than 0.05 indicates that the three demographic areas did not
answer the questions in each section in the same manner. In the context of p-values,
only Section C for both the fringe benefits and the remuneration indicated a
statistically significant difference between the three demographic areas in the
answered questions. Post hoc tests will be applied to compare pair-wise the
demographic areas and determine where the differences lie. Because the
questionnaires represent the complete population, it will indicate the effect sizes of
the post hoc tests will be given (i.e. p-values of post hoc tests will not be reported).
The effect size is indicated by Cohens d-value. A d-value of 0.2 indicates a small
non-practically significant difference. A d-value of 0.5 indicates a medium
practically visible difference. A d-value of 0.8 indicates a large practically important
difference (Ellis & Steyn, 2003:51).
Job Satisfaction
P-Values
Delhi
Delhi
Mumbai
Delhi
with
0.963
0.566
Delhi
Town
Delhi
with
Mumbai
0.240
Delhi
0.215
Mumbai
with
0.963
0.461
P-Values
Mumbai
with
0.240
0.996
Effect Sizes
Delhi
with
0.566
0.461
Mumbai
with
0.085
0.303
Engagement
Delhi
with
0.215
0.996
Mumbai
with
Town
Mumbai
with
1.922
1.956
0.426
Town
1.801
Effect Sizes
Mumbai
with
Section B Mean
2.120
0.576
0.511
Section A Mean
1.861
0.028
1.875
Fringe Benefits
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Delhi
Town
Delhi
Mumbai
Delhi
with
0.846
0.000
P-Values
Mumbai
with
Delhi
with
Mumbai
with
Delhi
Delhi
with
Mumbai
0.264
Delhi
0.424
Town
Mumbai
with
Section C
fringe benefits
0.846
0.000
0.000
0.000
Mumbai
with
2.078
2.470
Remuneration
2.422
1.628
Effect Sizes
Delhi
with
Mumbai
with
Town
Mumbai
with
Section
remuneration
0.264
Mean
2.356
0.189
P-Values
Town
Effect Sizes
0.424
0.023
0.023
Mean
2.880
0.572
0.419
2.467
0.989
3.181
When the effect sizes for the job satisfaction are reviewed, it can be noted that the
effect size for Delhi with Mumbai is; d = 0.084, which is small, and
indicates a small, non-practically significant difference. This implies that the two
demographical areas have answered the questions in the section about job
satisfaction in the same manner. When the same effect size for Delhi with
Mumbai is reviewed, it indicates a d-value of 0.303, which is between the small and
medium intervals on the scale. The value is closer to the small, non-practically
significant difference. For the purpose of this study, this difference is too small to be
considered practically significant. The effect size for Mumbai with Delhi
indicates a d-value of 0.426. This d-value is closer to the practically visible difference
value and can be considered practically visible for the purpose of this paper. The
mean values for the three demographical areas indicate that the employees in
Delhi are experiencing an ever so slightly higher level of job satisfaction than the
employees in Mumbai and Delhi.
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A t-test was conducted to test whether males and females responded differently to the sections.
The p-value and d-values (effect sizes) of the t-test are shown in Table 13 below. Once again,
p-values are reported and interpreted for the sake of completeness. However, emphasis in
interpretation and conclusions should be placed on the effect sizes (d-values). The
questionnaire was completed by 47 males and 9 females.
organizations. However, compensation includes not only wages paid to employees but
also non-wage benefits such as medical insurance and a retirement plan (Weathington
& Jones: 2007:292). Wages and benefits together are often the biggest expense
incurred by organizations.
The aim of this paper is to investigate and determine the correlation between the
remuneration package and the level of job satisfaction and engagement. This was
approached by focusing on the following specific objectives:
questionnaire that was distributed amongst all the employees of Galaxy employed in
India. A total of 57 questionnaires were distributed and returned for analysis. Galaxy
management participated in this study and made it compulsory for every employee to
participate and complete a questionnaire. This contributed to the study of a complete
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population and not just a sample. The statistical analysis was divided into six sections:
Test for differences in gender, age, experience, academic qualifications and level
in the organization
The distribution of the participants was 27 from Mumbai, 30 from Delhi. The
questionnaires were completed by 47 males and 9 females from all three
whether there was consistency in how the participants answered the questions for each
of the individual sections of the questionnaire. Some of the questions were reverse-
phrased to test if the participants actually read and understood the implications of the
question. The scores of these questions needed to be reversed for the calculation of
determine an average mean value for the question in the sections (Nunnally, 1978:
295).
Given the scale used in the questionnaire, ranging from 1 to 4, where 1 indicated
strongly agree, 2 indicated agree, 3 indicated disagree and 4 indicated strongly
Section A. In Section B, a mean value of 1.948 also indicates an agreement with the
questions raised in the questionnaire. Section C indicated a mean value of 2.067, which
also indicates that the participants are in agreement with the questions raised about
fringe benefits. The mean value of 2.897 indicates that the participants are in
disagreement with the questions raised about remuneration.
Because all the questionnaires represented the population and not just a sample, only a
test to determine practical correlation was performed. For the purpose of the correlation
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test, the Nonparametric Spearmans correlation coefficient (r) was used. For practical
Note that the p-values are reported and interpreted in and below this table for
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completeness. Since the study was conducted on the entire population, p-values
(statistical significance) are actually not relevant (Ellis & Steyn, 2003:51). For the post
hoc tests effect sizes (practical significance) are calculated and reported, which can be
The ANOVA test was performed to test for differences. This test consists of the
Omnibus test which is an analysis of variance and which tests whether all the groups
are the same, as well as post hoc tests which make pair-wise comparisons between the
groups. A p-value of less than 0.05 indicates that the three demographic areas did not
answer the questions in each section in the same manner. For the purpose of this
paper, only Section C for both the fringe benefits and the remuneration indicated a
significant difference between the three demographic areas in the answered questions.
Post hoc tests were applied to pair-wise compare the demographic areas and determine
where the differences lie. Because the questionnaires represent the complete
population, will indicate the effect sizes of the post hoc tests will be given
(i.e. p-values of post hoc tests will not be reported).
When the effect sizes for job satisfaction are reviewed, it can be noted that the effect
size for Delhi with Mumbai is d = 0.084, which is small, and indicates a small, nonpractically significant difference. This implies that the two demographical areas
answered the questions in the section about job satisfaction in the same manner. When
the same effect size for Delhi with Delhi is reviewed, it indicates a d-value of 0.303,
which is between the small and medium intervals on the scale. The value is closer to
the small, non-practically significant difference. For the purpose of this study, this
difference is too small to be considered practically significant. The effect size for
Mumbai with Delhi indicates a d-value of 0.426. This d-value is closer to the practically
significant difference value and can be considered practically significant for the purpose
of this paper. The mean values for the three demographical areas indicate that the
employees in Delhi experience an ever so slightly higher level of job satisfaction than
the employees in Mumbai and Delhi.
When the effect sizes for job engagement are reviewed, it can be noted that the effect
size for Delhi with Mumbai is d = 0.576, which is indicates a medium, practically
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significant difference. This implies that the two demographical areas answered the
questions in the section about engagement in two different manners. When the same
effect size for Delhi with Delhi is reviewed, it indicates a d-value of 0.511, which again
indicates a practically significant difference. The effect size for Mumbai with Delhi
indicates a d-value of 0.028. This value is small and indicates a non-practically visible
difference. The mean values for the three demographical areas indicate that the
employees in Delhi are experiencing a lower level of engagement than the employees in
Mumbai and Delhi.
When the effect sizes for fringe benefits are reviewed, it can be noted that the effect
size for Delhi with Mumbai is d = 0.188, which indicates a small, non-practically
significant difference. This implies that the two demographical areas experience the
same level of motivation from the fringe benefits on their job satisfaction and
engagement. When the same effect size for Delhi with Delhi is reviewed, it indicates a
d-value of 2.078, which is extremely high on the effect size scale, and indicates
practically important difference. The effect size for Mumbai with Delhi indicates a dvalue of 2.469. This d-value again indicates a high practically important difference. The
mean values for the three demographical areas indicate that the employees in Delhi
experience a higher level of motivation from their fringe benefits than the employees in
Mumbai and Delhi.
When the effect sizes for remuneration are reviewed, it can be noted that the effect size
for Delhi with Mumbai is; d = 0.572, which indicates a medium, practically significant
difference. This implies that the two demographical areas experience a different level of
motivation from their remuneration packages on their job satisfaction and engagement.
When the same effect size for Delhi with Delhi is reviewed, it indicates a d-value of
0.419, which again indicates practically visible difference. The effect size for Mumbai
with Delhi indicates a d-value of 0.989. This d-value is high, and indicates a high
practically important difference. The mean values for the three demographical areas
indicate that the employees in Mumbai experience a lower level of motivation from their
remuneration packages than the employees in Delhi and Delhi.
A test for differences was done between the various categories of the five subsections
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Organization and Gender. This was done to determine whether there were any
differences in the levels of job satisfaction, engagement, fringe benefits and
remuneration for the employees answering the questionnaires with different age,
academic qualifications, years experience, level in the organization and gender. These
criteria did not form part of the main focus of the study, thus, they will not be reported to
the same level of detail as the demographical areas.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The effect sizes for the job satisfaction between Delhi and Mumbai indicate a small,
non-practically significant difference. The effect size between Delhi and Delhi indicate a
small, non-practically significant difference. The effect size for Mumbai with Delhi
indicates practically significant. The mean values for the three demographical areas
indicate that the employees in Delhi experience an ever so slightly higher level of job
satisfaction than the employees in Mumbai and Delhi. These indicators can be used and
examined to determine this is so and to carry these learning events over to Mumbai and
Delhi.
The effect sizes for job engagement between Delhi and Mumbai indicate a medium,
practically significant difference. The effect size between Delhi and Delhi indicates a
practically significant difference. The effect size between Mumbai and Delhi indicates a
non-practically significant difference. The mean values for the three demographical
areas indicate that the employees in Delhi experience a lower level of engagement than
the employees in Mumbai and Delhi. These indicators can again be studied to identify
the drivers behind the higher levels of engagement. These drivers can then be applied
to promote higher levels of engagement in Delhi.
The effect sizes for fringe benefits between Delhi and Mumbai indicate a small, nonpractically significant difference. The effect size between Delhi and Delhi indicate a
practically important difference. The effect size between Mumbai and Delhi indicates a
high practically important difference. The mean values for the three demographical
areas indicate that the employees in Delhi experience a higher level of motivation from
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their fringe benefits than the employees in Mumbai and Delhi. These indicators can be
analyzed to determine the fringe benefits that cause the employees in Delhi to be more
satisfied. The remuneration packages of the employees in Mumbai and Delhi can then
be amended with the fringe benefits similar to that of the employees in Delhi.
The effect sizes for the remuneration between Delhi and Mumbai indicate a medium,
practically significant difference. The effect size between Delhi and Delhi indicates a
practically visible difference. The effect size between Mumbai and Delhi indicates a high
practically important difference. The mean values for the three demographical areas
indicate that the employees in Mumbai experience a lower level of motivation from their
remuneration packages than the employees in Delhi and Delhi. These indicators can
again be studied to determine if the employees in Mumbai are under the impression that
they receive market related salaries. These indicators can be compared with those of
the employees of Delhi and Delhi to determine if changes will be possible in the
remuneration of the employees in Mumbai.
From the statistical data it can be concluded that all Galaxy employees seem to be
overall satisfied with their fringe benefits and the way that they are structured to the total
cost-to-company packages that are offered to the different demographical areas. The
statistical data also indicates that all Galaxy employees are overall motivated with an
acceptable level of job satisfaction and engagement. The proposed area that needs to
receive additional focus is that of the cash component of the remuneration package.
In general, the survey report showed that HR professionals perceive several factors to
be more important to employees than the employees did (Meisinger, 2007:8).
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