Participation

Abstract

Participation is generally theorized as a form of joint decision making between employees and employers in organizations on workplace issues traditionally considered to be the responsibility of management. Overall, participation has moderate but demonstrable effects on both employee morale and employee productivity. Participation can take many forms, based in part on the philosophies underlying the forms of participation, the objectives that are sought, and the levels of power attributed to management and to employees based on those variations. Participation programs also generate paradoxes and tensions which enable and constrain employee empowerment.

How does participation impact IT workers' organizational commitment? Examining the mediating roles of internal communication adequacy, burnout and job satisfaction

“…This result signifies that IT workers' perceptions of participative communication practices and the ability of these practices to positively shape their experiences matter a great deal in the impact of those practices on EOC. EWP practices are about communicatively empowering workers and giving a central place to their voice in the organizing process (Atouba, 2018; Steimel, 2017). If workers—and especially IT workers who are generally highly educated professionals and tend to value a certain level of influence in the structuring of their jobs or organizations (Davenport, 2005; Shih et al, 2013)—are not satisfied with the degree of control or power these practices afford them in shaping their organizational experiences, they are unlikely to commit to that organization.…”

“…Employee participation practices are increasingly implemented in organizations today, in part due to their widely scientifically supported positive connection with EOC. However, when implemented in organizations, these practices do not always succeed or have a positive or strong impact on EOC (Pasmore and Fagans, 1992; Steimel, 2017; Summer and Hyman, 2005). This study sought to examine the mechanisms by which employee work participation is related to EOC among IT workers, an important segment of today's workforce.…”

“…Employee participation, also often referred to as employee involvement, participative management or leadership and a few other terms, is essentially an organizational communication practice that involves allowing, welcoming and encouraging employees' voices and inputs in the management or structuring of the organizations (Atouba, 2018). For many decades now, employee participation has become a buzzword in management circles and various participative practices/approaches have been pioneered and implemented at various workplaces with varying results (Steimel, 2017; Pasmore and Fagans, 1992; Summers and Hyman, 2005). In other words, employee work participation, despite its popularity and considerable appeal (Budd et al , 2010; Child, 2020), does not always work or is not always effective at increasing employees' organizational commitment.…”