Management Styles and Employee Turnover
The first objective of the study was to analyse the relationship between management styles
and employee turnover in flower farms. To achieve this objective, the employees were asked
to rate on a five point likert scale items in the questionnaire on participative management
style. The items were rated as; Not satisfied (NS) =1; Somewhat satisfied (SS)=2; Satisfied
(S)= 3; Very satisfied (VS) =4 and Extremely Satisfied (ES) =5. Their responses were scored
and the results are presented in Table below.
Table Satisfaction of Employees to Participative Management Styles
Statement NS SS S VS ES
F % F % F % F % F %
Supervisors meet with
employees and discuss
employees’ development plans
135 42.1 105 32.7 46 14.3 20 6.2 15 4.7
Employees are given the
opportunity to be part of work
groups outside their job
148 46.1 88 27.4 38 11.8 29 9.0 18 5.6
Management communicates
effectively with employees
143 44.5 101 31.5 32 10.0 32 10.0 13 4.0
There is an environment of
openness and trust in the farm
156 48.6 88 27.4 30 9.3 31 9.7 16 5.0
Employees in the farm are
treated equally
149 46.4 115 35.8 33 10.3 11 3.4 13 4.0
Supervisors allow employees to
decide how to do their work
162 50.5 79 24.6 16 5.0 48 15.0 16 5.0
The farm train employees to
make them better workers
150 46.7 70 21.8 55 17.1 36 11.2 10 3.1
Management listens to
employees' ideas
158 49.2 82 25.5 43 13.4 16 5.0 22 6.9
The study sought to find out the satisfaction of employees on participative Management
Style. The results as presented in Table 4.5 indicates that the majority (135,42.1%)
employees were not satisfied with supervisors meeting with employees and discussing
employees’ development plans, (105,32.7%) employees were somewhat satisfied, (46,14.3%)
employees were satisfied and (20,6.2%) employees were very satisfied while (15,4.7%)
employees were extremely satisfied. The study findings showed that generally, respondents
were not satisfied with supervisors did not meet with employees to discusse with employees’
development plans. To support his findings Bae and Lawler (2000) in their study of 138 firms
in Korea found that firms that place high value on their HR practices and consider their
employees as source of competitive advantage were more likely to have high involvement
HR practices and in addition, these high-involvement practices result in better firm
performances. Bayo- Moriones and de Cerio (2002), in their survey of 965 factories in Spain
provided evidence of the presence of a positive, statistically significant correlation between
the adoption of high commitment HR practices and operational performance and the study
further confirmed that the result is universal and not dependent on the strategy used by
farms.
Further, (148, 46.1%) employees were not satisfied when they were given the opportunity to
be part of the work groups outside their jobs, (88, 27.4%) employees were somewhat
satisfied, (38, 11.8%) employees were satisfied and (29, 9.0%) employees were very satisfied
while (18, 5.6%) employees were extremely satisfied. It emerged from the responses that
majority (73.5%) of the employees in flower farms were not satisfied with opportunities they
were given to be part of working groups outside their jobs. This implies that there are fewer
responsibilities to employees and this has been associated with occupational stress which is
viewed as an antecedent of job satisfaction (Stanton, Bachiochi, Robie, Perez & Smith,
2002). An inverse relationship between occupational stress and job satisfaction among
various populations has been reported (Cotton, Dollard, & de Jonge, 2002).
On the statement that Management communicates effectively with employees (143,44.5%)
employees were not satisfied, (101,31.5%) employees were somewhat satisfied, 32(10.0%)
employees were satisfied and (32,10.0%) employees were very satisfied while (13,4.0%)
employees were extremely satisfied. The responses shows that majority (76.0%) of the
employees were not fully satisfied with how their organizations communicated to them.
Teece, (2007) and Colombo & Delmastro, (2008) noted that extensive lateral and vertical
communication channels in organizations lead to high levels of organizational performance
and job satisfaction among employees. In this study therefore, since employees are not
satisfied with the management communication, they may want to leave the organization for
other jobs. Further, Plamínek, (2010) pointed out that if supervisors do not communicate
with employees, the subordinates will not be satisfied and hence chances of.leaving the
organization become higher.
Further, (156, 48.6%) employees were not satisfied with the statement that there is an
environment of openness and trust in the farm, (88, 27.4%) employees were somewhat
satisfied with the statement, (31,9.7%) employees were very satisfied with the statement and
(30,9.3%) employees were satisfied with the statement while (16,5.0%) employees were
extremely satisfied with the statement. It emerged from the study findings that a majority
(76.0%) of the employees believed that there was mistrust and dishonest in their
organisations. Grean and Uhl-Bien (1995) opined that leaders need to establish a social
exchange relationship with their employees where high-quality exchange relationships
involve mutual trust, support, and loyalty between the leader and his or her employees. This
will make employees to want to stay in the organisation for longer periods of time.
Similarly,( 149,46.4%) employees were not satisfied with the statement that employees in
their farms were treated equally, (115,35.8%) employees were somewhat satisfied,
(33,10.3%) employees were satisfied, (13,4.0%) were extremely satisfied while (11,3.4%)
were very satisfied. From the responses, it can be shown that majority (82.2%) of the
employees in the flower farms felt that they were not treated equally. Vnoučková and
Klupáková (2013) reported that if the organisation does not care about ethical principles,
equal treatment, approach and work appreciation, employees feel demotivated by a lack of
care and interest in their work. Thus, the tendency to leave the job position occurs.
Moreover, (162,50.5%) employees were not satisfied that supervisors allow employees to
decide how to do their work, (79,24.6%) employees were somewhat satisfied, 48(15.0%)
employees were very satisfied and (16,5.0%) employees were extremely satisfied with the
statement. The findings suggested that majority (75.1%) of the employees in flower firms in
North Rift Region were unsatisfied with how they were allowed to do their work.
However, employee participation may have differing effects on the intention to quit. For
instance, Landau (2009) found that positive outcomes from voicing dissatisfaction decreased
the intention to quit, whereas a negative outcome or no change in outcomes of voicing
dissatisfaction increased intentions to quit. Indeed, participation, in terms of strong
information sharing, has been found to reduce the negative effect of physical hazards on
quitting behaviour (Cottini et al., 2009). The extent to which employees believe that their
organization values their contribution and care about wellbeing also affect the intention to
quit (Perryer et al., 2010).
Further, (150,46.7%) employees were not satisfied with the statement that the farm train
employees to make them better workers, (70,21.8%) employees were somewhat satisfied,
(55,17.1%) employees were satisfied and (36,11.2%) employees were very satisfied while
(10,3.1%) employees were extremely satisfied. From the responses, it can be deduced that a
majority (68.5%) of the employees in flower farms in North Rift region were not satisfied
with the form of training they were given.
This implies that there is little or no training at all for flower farm workers and therefore
these workers are lacking adequate skills for them to work effectively and avoid risks
associated with the flower farms. In some instances more training may be a characteristic of
establishments where job-specific skills are more required. Arsmtrong, (2001) noted that
few employees have the requisite skills, knowledge, abilities and competencies needed to
work. As a result, this many require extensive training to acquire the necessary skills to be
able to make substantive contribution towards the organisation growth. In this study therefore
flower farm workers were not satisfied with the training they were offered implying that they
could leave the organization.
The result of lack of training as noted by Dabale and Jagero (2014) is high employee turnover
and low morale which impacts negatively on the development of the farms. Pool (2000) and
Hall (2001) suppose that during the process of encouraging employees to want to learn, it is
necessary for the existence of an organizational culture to support the learning. Efficiency of
learning can allow employees to firmly possess the skills about personnel companionship
interaction and correct social manners so that it is available to boost morale and reduce the
absence rate and job alternation rate. Hence the turnover rate will be low if there are training
opportunities in the organization. On the statement that the management listens to employee’s
ideas, (158, 49.2%) employees were not satisfied, (82, 25.5%) employees were somewhat
satisfied, (43, 13.4%) employees were satisfied, (16, 5.0%) employees were very satisfied
while (22, 6.9%) employees were extremely satisfied. The responses show that majority
(74.7%) of
the employees in flower farms in the region believed that the management did not listen to
their ideas and therefore were unsatisfied. This implies that the management needs to involve
employees in the running of the farms by incorporating some of their ideas in the day to day
running of the organizations for the employees to feel that they are part of the organization.
Higher performance of employees involves the employees playing the following roles as
stipulated by Grobler et al (2006). Planning, meeting and discussing with managers and
supervisors, regarding accountability, performance and behaviour give suggestions for better
performance to the managers.
Further, the employees were asked to rate in a five likert scale items in the questionnaire on
facilitative management style. The items were rated as; Not satisfied (NS) =1; somewhat
satisfied (SS) =2; Satisfied (S) = 3; Very satisfied (VS) =4 and Extremely Satisfied (ES) =5.
Their responses were scored and the results are presented in Table.
