EMPLOYEE GRIEVANCES IN OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF AN ORGANIZATION A STUDY OF ZENITH BANK NIGERIA PLC

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Nowadays, the need to maintain a harmonious workplace relationship to boost employee morale, improve organizational effectiveness, and improve organizational productivity has made employee grievance management a serious and essential organizational concern. Handling employee grievances has emerged as a top priority for many well-thinking managers and executives in our contemporary business arena, as organizations that want to get the best out of each of their employees must have the ability to create a harmonious relationship between management and work, which is vital to organizational survival, success, effectiveness and performance improvement. The importance of effective employee grievance management has led organizations to start restructuring their working procedures to accommodate their employees' feelings, opinions and in order to gain trust, loyalty and sincere employee engagement, especially when dealing with employee concerns who have channels to express their opinions and grievances to the board. The nature and extent of the challenges seen today due to poor employee grievances is something every organization should seek to avoid at all cost. indeed, any organization that fails to establish an adequate employee grievance mechanism leaves itself vulnerable to systemic inefficiencies that could consume the entire organization. Employee grievance management is therefore of crucial importance for the continued harmony of work and the productivity of the organization. When a good grievance management procedure is in place, the organization is more likely to experience high employee morale, commitment, opportunities for reconciliation and the harmonious relationships between management and employees, which are essential to success, improving organizational performance.

Bean (1996) noted that issues of grievance results from employees been dissatisfied with treatment meted out on them. Grievances do also results from employee's disagreement with their company's policy (Ayadurai, 1996). in other words, when a company policy is not to an employee and does not specifically state what and how things should be done, earned, or ways to express dissatisfaction by employees, grievance is likely to result. Hardeman (2004) observed that issue of grievance within the organization is identified as the protest of the employee against the application of the policies that are considered to be unjust or unfair. in his opinion, Salamon(2002) state that grievance is bound to occur when management fails to honor or live up to the terms of the agreement it entered with the employees and, or their representatives. However, since it may not be totally possible to stop grievances from occurring in organization, setting it as fast as it occurs at it root is very vital in order to stop the grievance from escalating to the point where it becomes a problem that may likely consume an organization. When a grievance occurs, productivity goes down as employee's morale and commitments are generally affected (juneja,2018). Effective handling of employee grievance is a vital role of the personnel managers in an organization today. According to Danku, Apeteley, Aboagye, and Benyebaar (2015), When grievances are ignored or handled incorrectly, they have a significant effect on employee morale, stage-management relations, motivations and productivity of the organization. As a result, they must be taken seriously. According to ACAS (2011), managers should use established procedure to attempt and minimize complaints and other issues that may develop at work. Therefore, management and direct supervisors have a crucial role to play in the efficient handling of employee grievances.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The problem addressed in this research is the effect of employee grievances on the performance of an organization. Employee grievances encompass the concerns, complaints, or dissatisfaction expressed by employees regarding their work environment, job conditions, or treatment by management. These grievances can arise from factors such as unfair treatment, discrimination, inadequate compensation, lack of career growth opportunities, or poor communication. Research has shown that employee grievances can have detrimental effects on organizational performance. When employees are dissatisfied or feel unheard, it can lead to reduced morale, decreased motivation, and a decline in productivity. Additionally, unresolved grievances can contribute to higher rates of absenteeism, turnover, and decreased employment engagement. Understanding the contextual factors and the magnitude of these effects is crucial for organizations to maintain a positive work environment and optimize their performance. Gap in knowledge or practice: While there have been studies on employee grievances, there is still a need to explore the specific effect of grievances on organizational performance. Existing research has provided insights into the relationship between job satisfaction and performance, but there is a knowledge gap regarding the direct influence of employee grievances on various performance indicators. This research seeks to bridge that gap by investigating the specific effects of grievances on organizational performance.

Addressing employee grievances is crucial for organizations to foster a positive work environment, maintain high levels of employee satisfaction, and achieve optimal performance. By understanding the specific effects of employee grievances on organizational performance, this study will provide valuable insights and practical recommendations for organizations to improve their grievance management processes, enhance employee satisfaction, and ultimately achieve better performance outcomes.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The objectives of this study are

1. To analyze the relationship between employee grievances and organizational performance.

2. To Assess the level of employee grievances within the organization.

3. To identify the types and causes of employee grievances within the organization.

4. To investigate how employee grievances affect various aspects of organizational performance

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What is the relationship between employee grievances and organizational performance?

2. What is the prevalence of employee grievances within the organization?

3. What are the types and underlying causes of employee grievances within the organization?

4. How does employee grievances influence various aspects of organization?

SIGINIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

In a number of ways, this study is quite significant, first, in all business organizations, management will be the first to benefit. The reason for this is that complaints are now common within corporate groups. Since organizational complaints cannot be completely avoided, the study will be able to determine ways to minimize them by exploring the origins of these grievances. Additionally, the study will be able to determine why grievances recur by examining the causes of the grievances. Additionally, the study will be able to determine the limits of the tactics by looking at how complaints are handled. All of these will serve as a basis for suggestions that will be made for the benefit of management. second, the research will be useful to the government. Grievances happen at an organizational level, as well as at a public sector level. secondly, the government will find the results of the study very useful in developing techniques that work well for dealing with grievances in the public sector. Third, both public and private sector employees will find the survey results invaluable. This is because it will show how their interpersonal interactions contribute to grievances and how they might work to overcome them or what strategy they should use to avoid them. Fourthly, the study will also be useful to union leaders. That's because the research will demonstrate how they can use their positions to promote long-term happiness within corporate groups. Last but not least, the study will be useful for academic purposes. This is due to the fact that this project report will be used as a reference source by students carrying out relevant studies.

SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study examines the Effect of employee grievances and the performance of an organization. Therefore, the study is limited to Zenith Bank, Nigeria, PLC. Here are the limitations of study; it will no doubt be difficult to involve all organizations in this survey. The purpose of the study is therefore limited to:

1. Availability of research material: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, which limits the study

2. Financial constraint: The study could have been very large if multiple organizations had been involved. However, the cost was higher than the average researcher. Consequently, the investigation is limited to a single legal entity.

3. Time constraints: The amount of time allotted to the research does not promote boarder coverage as the researcher must combine academic activities and examinations with the research.