A Descriptive Analysis of the Impact of Employees’ Participation in Decision - Making for Organizational Productivity

Abstract

Depending on one’s background or specialty, one may refer to it as engagement, voice, participation, and democracy. No matter what you call it, the concept of employee “voice” has been a topic of consideration for centuries. The study is about “the impacts of employees’ participation in decision-making for organizational productivity” by determining the causes of employee involvement in decision-making and the consequences of such action on the implementation of decisions in mineral processing organizations for productivity. The research procedure entailed reading, evaluating the methodology used in aspects of design choice, target population, sample and sampling procedures, data collection instruments, data collection procedures, data analysis, findings and recommendations. The literature review was an exhaustive study of what had been done in the field of employee involvement and enhanced organizational productivity before. In Namibia, we have different mines and products, e.g., Nuclear Fuel Minerals: Valencia Uranium, Swakop Uranium, Areva Resources. Base and Rare Metals:Purity Manganese Mine, Swartmoder Mine. Precious Stone:Diaz Point Exploration, Fourth Mining. Dimension Stone Producers: Aus Marble Granite, Damara Granite. Industrial Minerals:Salt Company, Slate, Silica. Semi-Precious Stone:Pietersite, Andradite. The study employed quantitative and qualitative research as the major approach to guide the study. The findings suggested that employee involvement in decision making contributes to effective decision implementation and also creates an enabling environment for creativity and growth hence organizational productivity. Their non-involvement would lead to loss of man hours among others which would adversely affect the fortunes of the organization. It also emerged from the research that when employees see themselves as not being part of the decision-making process, they become discontented and demotivated which is likely to adversely affect organizational productivity. It is recommended that employees’ views are sought on day-to-day decisions, some tactics, strategic decisions, and matters that affect their lives and work and they should also be empowered to take decisions through which they will have a sense of self-worth and a feeling of belonging that will make them give out their best in the organization.