Organizational Belongingness as a Derivative of Workers’ Participation in

Management - A Sociological Study of Bhilai Steel Plant (India)

Dr. Sonal Suryawanshi1, Dr. L. S. Gajpal2
Research Scholar, School of Studies in Sociology, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur (Chhattisgarh), India
1.
Associate Professor & Head, School of Studies in Sociology, Pt. Ravishankar Shukla University, Raipur (Chhattisgarh), India
2.

____________________________________________________________________________

Abstract

The performance of an organization is largely dependent on its work culture and social
atmosphere which in turn is determined by the attitude and organizational behavior exhibited by
the people working in that social system. The sense of belongingness to the employees is one of
the key essences to establish harmonious industrial relations and building a positive work
ambiance. With the advent of the fourth Industrial Revolution, money or the standard of living is
no more the most important factor that drives the motivation of employees in an organization. It
is the quality of life, work-life balance, and job satisfaction that encourages the workforce to
excel by engaging with the organization at an emotional level. In the present context of advanced
machinery and technology, when most of the organizations are investing heavily in training,
building competencies, and hiring the latest equipment to excel in stiff competition, it is
eventually the attitude of the workforce that makes the big difference. The most precious asset
for an organization could be the honesty and high commitment of its employees which cannot be
bought by money. Similarly, an employee quintessentially looks for job satisfaction and better
work-life balance in an organization which is again not entirely fetched by money. It’s
imperative to have the feeling of belongingness and acceptance in employees of a large and
culturally diversified Industrial organization like Bhilai Steel Plant. Workers Participation in
Management enables the workforce to actively participate in the decision-making with
management thereby giving the workers a sense of freedom of expression of their thoughts,
boost their confidence, respect, and feeling of belongingness. This research work attempts to
study the role of Employees’ Participation in Industrial Management with special reference to
Bhilai Steel Plant, in instilling Organizational belongingness by some of its unique initiatives
like “Aap bhi Jaaniye” and how it impacts the attitude of the workforce in terms of reduction of
alienation at the workplace, reduction of absenteeism and turn over intentions, providing high
job satisfaction, and more.

Keywords: WPM, BSP, organizational belongingness, motivation, absenteeism, turnover

intentions
 1. Introduction

The need for belonging is a fundamental human requirement and one of the most potent sources
of individual motivation (Maslow, 1954). Carlson (2000) observes that Maslow`s needs are
ranked hierarchically. The basic needs were classified as physiological, safety, belonging and
love, esteem, and self-actualization needs. Physiological needs are deemed as the lowest of all
the needs. Maslow observed that the lower needs must be satisfied before moving upward to the
higher need. According to Baumeister and Leary (1995), the need to belong is a “strong desire to
form and maintain enduring interpersonal attachments”. This theory asserts the need for frequent
interactions to form stable and concrete relationships to get belongingness. Hagerty et al. (1995)
defined a sense of belongingness as "an experience of personal involvement in a system or
environment, making people feel to be an integral part of that system or environment”.
Belonging is a “process of creating a sense of identification with one’s social, relational and
material surroundings” (May 2011). The sense of belonging to a community is felt by an
individual by social relationships, geographical places, or specific localities (Miller, 2003).
Belongingness can be seen as gaining acceptance and evading rejection by being a significant
part of one’s social circuit (Hagerty et al., 1992; Hofmann et al., 2012). Hence there is a
remarkable decrease in conflicts in society when the people feel more engaged with each other
and their social surroundings. (Baumeister, 2012; De Cremer, 2002; Thau et al., 2007; Twenge et
al., 2007). The idea of belongingness is based on the theme of how an individual in society ends
up unconsciously assessing himself in the eyes of others. Hagerty and Patusky (1995) further
supported this theme by identifying two basic characteristics of belongingness: “the person
experiences being valued, needed, or important with respect to other people, groups, objects,
organisations, environments or spiritual dimensions; and the person experiences a fit or
congruence with other people, groups, objects, organisations, spiritual dimensions through
shared or complementary characteristics”. This is precisely why individuals enjoy working in a
team of like-minded people as compared to working alone or working with people with different
mind-set. (Alderfer, 1972; Hollinger and Clark, 1982). Based on the kind of social relations
formed, the belongingness can be either personal or organizational. (Brewer & Gardner, 1996).
When the relationships are formed with family members and friends having personal bonding,
then such belongingness is called personal belongingness. However, when the relations are
formal and identified within a formal space or a group of individuals or an organization then it’s
called Organizational belongingness. (Brewer & Gardner, 1996; Prentice, Miller & Lightdale,
1994). “Social belonging is a fundamental human need and yet, 40% of people say that they feel
isolated at work, and the result has been lower organizational commitment and engagement. U.S.
businesses spend nearly $8 billion each year on diversity and inclusion (D&I) training that miss
the mark because they neglect the basic need of employees to feel included.” Belongingness at
the workplace is directly related to commitment towards work as "a force that binds an
individual to a target (social or non-social) and to a course of action of relevance to that target"
(Meyer, Becker, & Van Dick, 2006, p. 666). The knowledge of belongingness gives clarity about
our identity, roots, purpose, and way of life. It's a vital need for any social being at any age to
feel emotionally, socially, and physically secured and happy. Even a small child needs attention,
care, and respect to make him feel a part of the family. The sense of belongingness is quite
integral and inherent in family and blood relations. However, in present-day small yet complex
and materialistic Industrial Society, there are instances where the lack of feeling of
belongingness and mutual trust issues in families as well. The way the environment and culture
at home shape the perceptions and attitude of a child, likewise, the work-culture in any industrial
organization determines the attitude and opinion of its employees towards various aspects of
professional life as well as personal life. In large commercial organizations that operate from
several coordinates on the globe, where the employers or higher management is geographically
away from the ground level employees, it is of great concern to establish a strong sense of
belongingness and mutual respect across organizations at different levels. Belongingness can be
directly linked to commitment, which is described as: “a force that binds an individual to a target
(social or non-social) and to a course of action of relevance to that target” (Meyer, Becker, &
Van Dick, 2006, p. 666). In a huge industrial establishment, people coming from diverse cultural
backgrounds work together for a common objective. In such a diversified scenario it becomes
quite a challenge for the management to provide a culture of inclusion and acceptance among the
employees. Making somebody feel belonged is far more difficult than promoting or dispatching
cash as inducing a feeling is always a tougher task. To feel belonged to an organization,
management must constantly carry out activities that indicate their support for employees (e.g.,
training, personal recognition). This helps organizations to achieve cost reduction and increase
team effectiveness (Colbert, Mount, Harter, Witt, & Barrick, 2004). Engaging employees in
sharing responsibilities and decision-making with management is considered as one of the most
influential ways to motivate workers to perform their best as being involved in the decision-
making affairs of the organization makes them feel valued, respected, heard, and cared for. It is
essential to include employees socially in an organization to make them feel supported, cared
and belonged. (Scott, Sagenczyk, Schippers, Purvis, & Cruz, 2014). In other words: employees
need to feel that they belong to the organization (Scott et al., 2014). Everybody works for money
but an individual goes an extra mile for accolades and recognition. The Reward system works in
tandem with these participative schemes as it keeps the motivation alive. Clear-cut aims of
reward management according to (Steers RM, 1991), can be divided into two distinctive parts;
the first one is "organization participation" and the second is "performance in organization".
With the rise in the education level of the workforce and globalization, a high-skilled worker is
not just a button-pusher anymore but a valued human resource in a huge heterogeneous job
market. Today's workers are well aware of their commercial worth and rights. There is a huge
demand for competent and highly motivated workers so nowadays it's a challenge for an
industrial set-up to retain the talent and check the turn-over intentions of the workforce. If the
employees feel less motivated, unhappy, unsatisfied, unheard, or exploited in the organization,
there are several other opportunities in different commercial units waiting to welcome a creative,
knowledgeable, and talented workforce. Hence, establishing organizational belongingness is not
just a social need for employees but also a business requirement for the employers for a smooth
run for profit maximization. This is the reason employers these days are assessed not only in
terms of financial stability but also in terms of its work culture, employee-friendly policies, the
efficiency of human resource management, and job satisfaction it offers. Several online review
platforms like Glassdoor, great-place-to-work, social media, and so on are focusing more and
more on the human factors like work-life balance and resource grooming aspect of their
organization rather than the monetary/financial component of their package offered to the
employees. Companies are using the phrase like “Welcome to XYZ family” rather than
“Welcome to XYZ !". This indicates the cognizance of the importance of organizational
belongingness in the thought-process of employers. Belongingness at the workplace also instills
a feeling of being valued and respect for being whom they are rather than changing them
considerably. The feeling of acceptance is a prerequisite for bringing organizational
belongingness followed by nurturing and empowerment. A person or group of individuals shall
welcome the changes in their skillset or personal traits only when they feel cared for and
belonged to that place. If an individual senses a challenge in fitting in the work culture of a place
then sooner or later, this is bound to reflect in his quality of work and attitude. It needs a great
deal of understanding, mutual trust, and free communication to establish such a strong rapport
between both the employers and the workforce. It is not just about giving the right environment
but also suitable opportunities to an individual so that he feels rightly placed and justly groomed.

Workers’ Participation in Industrial Management (WPM)

According to Pritchard (1995), an organisation can improve its productivity either by changing
its technology or by using its people. The term ‘Industrial Relations’ comprises two terms:
‘Industry’ and ‘Relations’. “Industry” refers to “any productive activity in which an individual
(or a group of individuals) is (are) engaged”. By “relations” we mean “the relationships that exist
within the industry between the employer and his workmen” (Adewumi, 1993). In the olden
autocratic industrial days, the industrial units were by the management, of the management, and
for the management. But now, in the post-industrial modern era, Industrial democracy has made
the industrial units by the people, of the people and for the people where people are all those who
are concerned with the operation of industrial units which includes not just the management but
workers too. Industrial democracy is a very important step in the evolution of Industrial
Relations in today's global modern industrial set-up as only democracy can bring stability to such
a complex and rapidly changing set-up. The seeds of Industrial Democracy and WPM were sown
majorly during the First and Second World wars in Europe. Both wars affected almost all the
countries in the world. Industries in Europe particularly witnessed a huge impact in terms of
machinery, inventions, capital, production, manpower, etc. While male workers participated in
the war, the females of families started working in factories to support the family and meet the
demands of industries. It was this period when the lower worker class started realizing their
importance in society. This was followed by several campaigns and movements for voting rights
for workers to elect a government, formation of trade unions, setting up of work committees to
form an interface between employer-workers, etc. All these developments helped in
conceptualizing Democracy at Workplace. Putz states that “The largest unexplored opportunity
for increasing organizational productivity is through effective use of the workforce or
employees” (Putz, 1991). Social thinkers like Comte, Omen, and Webb, and Cole had advocated
Workers' Participation in Management as an important path to achieve social justice and equality
in society. Sidney and Beatrice Webb are commonly cited as the founders of the British field of
industrial relations and later an entire Workers' engagement with management. Workers'
Participation in Management is one of the most significant tools to establish Industrial
democracy in modern industrial outfits which spread not only across the country but also
different continents. In simple terms, Workers' participation in management (WPM) means
sharing of responsibilities and decision-making powers between workers and management to
bring an equilibrium between the dominant industrial hierarchy and meek workers class. This is
aimed to keep both sides aware of each other's situations and concerns to preserve proper
understanding. Westhuizen (2010) provides a more comprehensive definition of employee
participation in decision making as “… the totality of forms, that is direct (personal or by the
employee) or indirect (through the representatives of the employees) by which individuals,
groups, collectives secure their interests … or contribute to the decision making process”. It is
widely believed that employee participation may affect an employee's job satisfaction,
productivity, commitment, which can create a comparative advantage for an organization. High
performing, effective organisations have a culture that encourages employee involvement, since
employees are willing to get involved in the decision-making process, goal setting, and problem-
solving activities, which then results in higher employee performance (Bhatti & Qureshi).
Allport (1945) refers to, "Participation in decision-making as active (ego) involvement". Schultz
(1951) regards WPM as, "It as a feeling of obligation to work for the best interests of a group".
Viteles (1953) holds that "employee participation in decision-making in a democratic atmosphere
created by 'permissive' leadership, facilitates the development of 'internalized' motivation, and
saves to raise the levels of the employee production and morale”. According to Davis (1957),
"Participation may be defined as the mental and emotional involvement of a person in a group
situation which encourages him to contribute to group goals and share responsibilities in them”.
Tarmenbun (1966) defines participation as the "formal Involvement of members in the exercise
of control, usually through decision-making in group meetings. Lamners (1967) pointed out,
"participation in decision-making may be defined as the totality of such forms of upward
exertion of power by subordinates in organisations as are perceived in this sense can be of two
varieties i .e., direct or indirect. Sawtell (1968) has described the concept as, "any or all of the
process by which employees rather than managers contribute positively towards the reaching of
managerial decisions which affect their work'. The International Institute for Labour Studies
(1971) describes participation as, "process whereby workers have a share in the reaching of
managerial decisions in the enterprise". Fox (1971) described participation as a 'procedural
orientation' and offers the following account of possible levels of the workers' Involvement: "He
may seek the right simply to be informed of proposed decisions in the hope that his reactions
may be taken in to account, or to protest against make suggestions, made; or to make suggestions
before they are made; or to participate jointly, directly or indirectly through representatives, with
management In actually making them, or to make them in concert with his fellows and impose
them on management". Mc.Gregor (1960)insists that worker participation consists basically in
creating opportunities under suitable conditions for people to influence decisions that affect
them. Wager (1998) Participatory management practice balances the involvement of managers
and their subordinates in information processing, decision making, and problem-solving
endeavors. Cotton et al. (1988). Worker participation exists in a variety of forms the use of
which is likely to produce different organizational outcomes. International Institute for Labor
(1966) Workers Participation in Management is the participation resulting from practices which
increase the scope for employee's share of influence in decision-making at different tiers of
organizational hierarchy with the concomitant assumption of responsibility". Keith Davis (1962)
“It is a mental and emotional involvement of a person in a group situation which encourages him
to contribute to goals and share responsibilities in them".

Traditionally, the employers had their insecurities to share information and credits with the
workers. However, it was realized that workers' participation is necessary to deliver much-
needed social justice and equality in Industrial Society. The various participative forums like
Suggestion Schemes and Quality Circles enable the workers working in the field to express their
problems, ideas, and solutions. Implementation of their suggestions gives them a strong sense of
connection with the organization thereby establishing a bond of mutual trust, loyalty, and
commitment. These are some of the most desirable and precious qualities in a workforce that
influences the quality and quantity of product and services of the organization. On the contrary,
if the workers feel alienated, discouraged to be their real selves and express themselves freely,
this would give negative consequences to the organization sooner or later. These participative
schemes make the employees look at themselves as an important part of a huge organization
which further boosts their confidence, self-esteem, team spirit, leadership quality and grooms the
overall personality of an individual. The feeling of belongingness at the workplace involves a
concrete sense of being empowered, being cared and being significant. When an individual
spends a majority of his active daytime time in a particular space, the ambiance of that place
certainly cast a huge impact on his life and well-being. Belongingness is not just about giving
them the freedom to express themselves but it's more about thoughtful listening to them and
implementing their suggestions. This results in bringing a great deal of job satisfaction and work-
life balance, thereby reducing absenteeism and alienation at the workplace. Consequently, there
is a considerable decrease in industrial conflicts and grievances at the workplace. WPM seems to
bring a tremendous sense of belongingness and job satisfaction effortlessly to the workers by the
very nature and functioning of these participative schemes. There is a dearth of empirical studies
that have been conducted so far to understand the sense of belongingness of employees towards
their organizations. Cockshaw (2013) shows his regret for the absence of any significant research
to examine workplace belongingness in his doctoral thesis. The present study is intended to
determine how Workers’ Participation in Management establishes the feeling of belongingness
amongst workers and what is the role of organizational belongingness in boosting the growth of
organization and improving Industrial Relations. Bhilai Steel Plant is not only a huge industrial
system but also a vast social circuit forming a whole self-sustained township. It is the nerve
center of all the major cultural, social, economic, and educational activities of the entire
Chhattisgarh state. People from different corners of India are working in steel plants making the
Industrial Society quite culturally rich and diverse. Most of the people are speaking non-
vernacular languages as it's a subtle blend of different cultures from all over the country. It
makes the presence of Organizational Belongingness even more important in such an
organization of national importance.

2. Review of Literature

Bedarkar, Madhura, and Pandita, Deepika (2014) published a research paper titled “A study on
the drivers of employee engagement impacting employee performance” in Procedia - Social and
Behavioral Sciences (Elsevier). Their findings suggested companies should provide liberty and
the right space to make employees feel engaged and creative at the workplace. The study focused
on building a congenial environment for people that blends both fun and responsibility at the
workplace.

Chandani, Arti and Mehta, Mita and Mall, Akanksha and Khokhar, Vashwee(2016) conducted
research titled "Employee Engagement: A Review Paper on Factors Affecting Employee
Engagement” published in Indian Journal of Science and Technology, Vol 9(15), DOI:
10.17485/ijst/2016/v9i15/92145, April 2016. The finding reveals that employee engagement
decreases employees' turnover intentions and increases innovation in an organization. It
leverages the importance of a sense of involvement and belongingness to the employees by
listening to their opinions to make them emotionally attached to their work.

Desai, Malavika and Majumdar, Bishakha and P.Prabhu, Ganapathy (2010) published a research
journal in Asian Journal of Management Research, titled “A Study on employee engagement in
two Indian businesses”. This paper underlined the various factors like training and development,
healthy organizational culture, and community that enhance the level of employee participation
in management.

3. Objectives of the study

 To study the impact of WPM in bringing Organizational belongingness

  To determine the impact of Organizational belongingness in the growth of the
organization and establishing harmonious human relations

4. Research Study Area

The study is restricted to Bhilai Steel Plant situated at Bhilai, Dist. Durg in the Chhattisgarh state
of India. The research area is limited to permanent employees (both executives and non-
executives) in the Plant/ works areas of BSP, excluding Mines and service areas like
administration, medical and education establishments.

5. Research Methodology
For the current study, a descriptive research design has been adopted as the study investigates the
attitude, behavior, and characteristics of a large population. Stratified Random Sampling is used,
and the size of the sample is 100 respondents, consisting of executives and non-executives in the
Plant area. The ratio of executive to non-executive employees in BSP is approximately 1:7.
Hence, 20 executives and 80 non-executives have been selected randomly from the respective
pools of employees. It has tried to include employees from all the 44 departments of Bhilai Steel
Plant to make the sample a fair representation of the plant. The primary data has been collected
with the help of an interview schedule and interview guide. Secondary data has been collected
through Websites, journals, various reports published by the Indian Government.

6. Findings and Analysis

Socio-Economic Background of respondents:

The personality and thoughts of an individual are primarily shaped by several demographic
factors like age, gender, education, marital status, caste, religion, economic condition,
occupation, family environment, the structure of a family, etc. As Peter Gabriel rightly said, "As
many an architect will tell you, human behavior changes according to the environment." The
feelings and perceptions of humans are contextual and may vary from time to time based on their
upbringing and previous experiences. Following are the demographic findings in the selected
sample:

 51% of respondents belong to the age group of 50-60 Years old. The average age of BSP
employees is approximately 49.3 years
 87% of respondents are married
  70% of respondents have technical education (diploma and degree holders)
 67% of respondents have more than 20 years of work experience
 60% of respondents have a monthly salary above Rs. 50,000

6.1 Environment in WPM meeting

The nature of the social set up during the meeting gives an idea about how cooperative and open
the mindset of members would be. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss concerns frankly to
arrive at some fruitful decision. It also aims to reduce the alienation of work and employees at
the workplace and at the same time encourage team spirit and a platform to express freely.

Table 6.1 indicates the Nature of the environment in the WPM meeting

Nature of environment
in WPM meeting Frequency Percent (%)
Always congenial 28.0 28.0
Sometimes congenial 49.0 49.0
Never congenial 23.0 23.0
Total 100.0 100.0

Talking about this question, the majority of respondents found the environment pleasant and
friendly during the meetings. Respondents also shared their experiences on how the discussions
before and after the meetings with their colleagues greatly reduce the alienation at the workplace
creating a congenial work environment and healthy social interaction which in turn encourages
the feeling of goodwill and mutual trust between employees. These participative forums allow
workers to come closer and encourages teamwork rather than an individualistic approach to
solve any problem by freely sharing information and ideas. All this greatly brings a positive
impact on the psyche of workers as they feel united, together, and emotionally connected. It
helps in building positive work culture and reduces stress at the workplace. This not only
contributes to the sense of belongingness amongst employees but also helps in increasing their
efficiency and commitment towards work.

6.2 Level of Satisfaction in discussion with management about production issues

There are several aspects in production like policy matters, quality control, work regulation, etc.
These participative forums are focused on improvement in the production process by engaging
employees as a part of it. The level of engagement of workers in such issues encourages them to
improve their technical prowess, showcase their creativity and problem resolving skills, and at
the same time also benefits organizations to harness such untapped talent of a skilled and
experienced workforce.

Table 6.2 indicates the level of satisfaction in discussion with management about
production issues

Level of Satisfaction in Highly Just Neutral Just Highly

discussion with management Satisfied Satisfied (%) Dissatisfied Dissatisfied
about following productivity (%) (%) (%) (%)
issues
Production policy 45.3 40.5 12.3 2.8 1.2
Regulating the work 20.1 39.3 30.3 10.7 3.0
Norms of productivity per
28.1 45 28.2 5.6 3.2
unit/man/machine
Quality improvement of
23.6 36 32 10.9 1.1
output
Developmental Policy 21.1 42 17.6 19.0 3.5

Replying to this question, a whopping 85% of respondents seem to be satisfied with their
discussion with management over production policy. The majority of respondents showed their
satisfaction with their involvement for improvement in quality of output with and production
developmental policies. The various schemes like Suggestion Schemes, Quality Circles, Safety
Committees et al provides ample platform to the workers to express their innovative ideas and
suggestions to improve the productions aspects in terms of quality, quantity, and efficiency. The
implementation of ideas and prompt feedback mechanism constantly motivates the workers to
keep a continuous flow of creativity and talent. This indicates that the majority of respondents
feel enthusiastic and involved in the discussion of production policies. Such engagement in
decision-making makes the workers feel valued, important, supported, and cared for. This greatly
adds to their trust in the management and they feel like a one big family working for a common
goal of organizational growth.

6.3 Level of Satisfaction in discussion with management about personnel issues

An employee is not just an economic unit or a technical resource for production but essentially a
human being with several emotional and psychological needs, spending a substantial part of his
day at the workplace. Personnel issues include a wide range of aspects related to an employee's
life at the workplace. It include working condition& safety, promotion, transfer, disciplinary
action, training & development, over-time, housing, rewards & prizes, absenteeism, grievance
redressal, wage fixations et al. Involvement of employees in such matters at different levels of
 management be it decision-making or consultative level, makes a huge difference in bringing a
sense of belongingness and work-life balance.

Table 6.3 indicates the Level of Satisfaction in discussion with management about
personnel issues

Level of Satisfaction in Highly Just Neutral Just Highly

discussion with management Satisfied Satisfied (%) Dissatisfied Dissatisfied
about following personnel issues (%) (%) (%) (%)
Working Condition& Safety 21.5 61 12 4 3
Promotion 20.1 43.3 18.3 18.3 3.2
Training & development 19 43.6 22.9 13.4 4.2
Rewards & Prizes 20.1 42.6 20.8 18.7 1.1

As clear from the table, approximately 81.5% of respondents showed their satisfaction with the
discussion regarding working conditions, occupational safety, and personnel concerns. A huge
number of respondents showed their agreement that management conducts a regular sessions on
occupational safety and health hazards. The majority of respondents have asserted that regular
training, workshops, and safety drills are conducted. The joint committee for Occupation Safety
also conducts meetings on regular basis. Some respondents also talked about the availability of
online literature on the company's website to keep themselves updated with the latest safety
information. This makes the workers feel emotionally secured, cared and professionally
confident. Training in various streams grooms the personality of workers as well as adds to their
skills and competencies. Rewards make them feel recognized and respected across the
organization and society. Workers acknowledge their overall growth at both personal and
professional aspects of their life and this greatly enhances their job satisfaction and work-life
balance which again strengthens the sense of belongingness.

6.4 WPM and its impact on Organization belongingness and job satisfaction

WPM enables the employees to express their concerns over several matters freely and effectively
participate in decision-making at several levels of management for the organization they are
working for. This is expected to bring a sense of confidence among the employees as well as
make them feel important, valued, cared for, recognized, and respected for their hard work and
contribution to the growth of the organization. It attempts to bring a sense of social justice and
equilibrium by bringing the workers and management to the same platform.

Table 6.4 shows impact of WPM on Organization belongingness and job satisfaction
 WPM brings Organization
belongingness and job satisfaction Frequency Percent (%)
Strongly agree 20 20
Agree 40 40
Neutral 30 30
Disagree 8.0 8.0
Strongly disagree 2.0 2.0
Total 300 100.0

For this question, the majority of respondents responded in agreement with the concept that
WPM brings organizational belongingness and this gives workforce satisfaction in the long run.
Most of the respondents acknowledged the importance of WPM in BSP and its positive impact
on employees’ lives, the organization's overall growth, and the creation of a happy Industrial
Society. Many initiatives implemented by suggestion schemes have been able to show a positive
impact on the productivity and efficiency of employees. AapBhiJaaniye program has helped in
the reduction of absenteeism and Quality Circles have brought a lot of motivation, self-esteem,
confidence, team spirit, and leadership quality in workers making them feel empowered. The
majority of respondents agreed that workers' participation does fairly enable them to participate
in decision-making at the board level of BSP. More than 75% of respondents showed their
satisfaction as the management sincerely listen to their suggestions and also implements them
accordingly. This improves the relation between workers and management as there is
transparency in operations and an honest flow of information between them. This certainly helps
in making the employees feel like an integrated part of a large organization which in turn makes
them more loyal and motivated for better performance.

6.5 Role of Suggestion Scheme and Quality Circles in developing a sense of belongingness

Suggestion Scheme and Quality Circle are the most popular WPM schemes in BSP whose
popularity has only increased every year ever since they are launched. These schemes have
voluntary participation and have become one of the main portals for problem solving and
innovation across the organization. It is expected to imbue a sense of respect, pride, equality, and
belongingness in the minds of employees as the selected suggestions from employees are
sincerely implemented, thereby giving them an opportunity for direct participation in decision-
making and not just joint consultation.

Table 6.5 shows the impact of the suggestion scheme and Quality Circle to bring a sense of
belongingness
 Suggestion scheme and Quality Circle are
useful techniques in BSP to bring a sense
of belongingness Frequency Percent
Strongly agree 17.0 17.0
Agree 45.0 45.0
Neutral 20.0 20.0
Disagree 16.0 16.0
Strongly disagree 2.0 2.0
Total 100.0 100.0

While replying to this quest, overall 62% of respondents agreed that Suggestion Scheme and
Quality Circle are indeed useful participative techniques in BSP in fetching organizational
belongingness, acceptance, and work-life balance to the workers. According to them, the reach
of this scheme is across the organization and not just to workers-representatives. They also
mentioned that they can write anything in their suggestion without getting intimidated by the
presence of higher authorities nearby. Besides recognition and visibility in the organization, the
reward system and the travel opportunities to different places domestically and internationally
that is associated with these schemes were cited as one of the main attraction that motivates
employees to participate and excel. The number of responders showing trust in these schemes is
pretty higher than the ones showing mistrust in the scheme. These are the most popular WPM
schemes in BSP. These schemes are organized on regular basis so they keep the spirits of
workers high for participation and hence the momentum to achieve harmonious Industrial
Relations is always up.

6.6 Impact of WPM on Resolution of grievances and disputes settlement

Proper addressing of employees' grievances and disputes plays a very important role in imparting
job satisfaction and work-life balance. The occurrence of grievances and concerns is quite
natural in an organization irrespective of size. In a complex and large organization like BSP,
traditionally Trade Unions are the main agency that plays the pivotal role in resolving grievances
and disputes settlement. The approach of Trade Unions is often coercive, unlike WPM which is
cooperative. With the rise in the popularity of WPM schemes, there can be seen a decline in the
popularity of trade unions. There is a constant increase in technical skill sets and education levels
of employees and a decrease in the gap between workers and management over the last few
decades. WPM reduces the alienation within the organization and brings the workers and
management on a common platform in terms of vision and decision-making. This is expected to
enhance and build an environment of better understanding, empathy, trust, and less friction
within the complex social and economic unit of industry.
Table 6.6 shows the impact of WPM on the Resolution of grievances and disputes
settlement

Improvement in Resolution of grievances and

disputes settlement due to WPM Frequency Percent
Strongly agree 12.0 12.0
Agree 52.0 52.0
Neutral 28.0 28.0
Disagree 8.0 8.0
Strongly disagree 0.0 0.0
Total 100.0 100.0

As per the data, the majority of respondents agreed that WPM schemes in BSP have improved
the resolution of grievances and disputes of workers, especially related to working conditions
and safety matters. The issues are brought to notice during suggestion schemes and quality circle
meetings and appropriate actions are taken to address them. The issues related to improvement in
production activities, skill-development training, and occupational safety receive high attention.
A large number of respondents have an opinion that there exists a cooperative and friendly
environment during BSP management and workers meet in which workers don't feel intimidated
by managers and speak their mind with confidence and mutual trust. During the interaction, it
was noted that the spread of awareness about workers' rights and rise in education both in terms
of technical skills and sharing of responsibilities have boosted the confidence level of workers
significantly as compared to the last two decades. All these factors collectively contribute to
lowering the attrition rate and increasing job satisfaction at the workplace. It gives an immense
sense of belongingness in employees and a feeling of loyalty and commitment towards work.
These figures indicate that there is good coordination between BSP management and workers.
This has also helped the management to keep the turnover intention low.

6.7 Reduction in absenteeism in employees due to WPM

Absenteeism is one of the indicators of the motivation and commitment of the workforce towards
the organization. WPM initiatives are believed to be one of the effective methods to motivate the
employees to excel in their work by incorporating a feeling of belongingness, loyalty, and
dedication towards the organization. Employees feel involved in decision-making and various
activities with management which makes them feel like an important part of one big family.
Management makes a conscious effort to reach out to their employees and implement their
suggestions. This establishes a congenial and open-minded environment at the workplace which
contributes a lot to give job satisfaction and work-life balance to employees. WPM makes the
workplace a platform for the grooming and personality development of its employees. They feel
improvement in their leadership skills, confidence, and self-esteem. Such an ambiance of mutual
trust and respect attributes to a reduction in absenteeism of employees.

Table 6.7 indicates the impact of WPM in a reduction in absenteeism in employees

Reduction in absenteeism in
employees due to WPM Frequency Percent
Strongly agree 9.0 9.0
Agree 51.0 51.0
Neutral 30.0 30.0
Disagree 9.0 9.0
Strongly disagree 1.0 1.0
Total 100.0 100.0

In response to this question, around 60% of respondents agreed that they find a reduction in
absenteeism in employees owing to the good working environment and work-life balance created
by participative schemes. The respondents also mentioned the significant role of the reward
system in motivating employees for maximum attendance and quality work. Such schemes seem
to raise the level of awareness amongst workers about the necessity and rationale of employee
engagement at the workplace. Just a few respondents disagreed with the same. These
respondents are mostly from the union and they have a view that these forums and reward
systems encourage workers to work harder beyond their physical capacities in an unhealthy
environment to give maximum output. However, in a bigger picture, from the data, it appears
that WPM forums in BSP have improved the industrial relations and there is adequate workforce
satisfaction which results in the feeling of belongingness and good attendance of employees at
work. The workers feel enthusiastic to express their views freely in front of management and feel
much respected and valued when their ideas are implemented. They feel direct participation in
the decision-making of the management and this significantly inspires them to put their best. The
various training and skill development programs across the organization have also helped them
to gain their confidence as they feel more relevant to the present time.

Aap Bhi Jaaniye (You also know) is a unique and path-breaking initiative led by Human
Resource Dept in BSP. This scheme is itself a result of a suggestion from an employee in the
Suggestion Scheme. As a part of this program, the spouses of shop floor workers are invited and
given a detailed tour of the entire steel plant with a special focus on their husband's workplace.
This program intends to create awareness in the family members of workers about the
importance of the work in the plant and how it contributes to the national economy. It has been a
successful initiative to bring work-life balance in the lives of workers as their family now feel
proud, appreciates and respects them for their hard work. This award-winning initiative has
gained a lot of popularity in the last few years and has greatly reduced absenteeism as the
workers get a lot of support and encouragement from their families to perform their best at their
workplace. Hence, the BSP management seems to reach out not only to the workers but also try
to connect to their families to bring a strong sense of belongingness amongst the workforce.

6.8 WPM and organizational productivity and profit

WPM creates a platform where employees are free to express themselves and come up with their
innovative and creative ideas and solutions to improvise processes related to production, cost
reduction, wastage reduction, optimized use of various resources, increasing profits, establishing
best practices for better working conditions and occupational safety. This involves a lot of
brainstorming and churning among employees to come up with the best solution for the problems
and work like a highly skilled and efficient team. The solutions coming from the ground level
and from those people who are facing the problems are often the most long-lasting and evolved.
More so, WPM also develops the insight of employees and management in such a way that both
sides realize the importance of collective efforts in one direction rather than working at
loggerheads which have been the case traditionally. Management realizes that sustainable and
constant growth of an organization cannot be achieved by exploitation of employees and there
must be social and economic justice delivered to employees so that they feel motivated and
committed to their organization which is eventually converted into the success of the
organization. On the other hand, educated employees also realize that they sink and swim
together with the organization. The success and failure of their organization impact their
professional growth and future avenues as they participate in decision-making and also share the
profits in the form of bonuses, incentives, promotions, etc.
 Table 6. 8 Impact of WPM on productivity, cost reduction, and profit

Do these forums brings improvement in BSP in terms Percent

of productivity, cost reduction, and profit Frequency (%)
Always 37 13.2
Mostly 96 32.0
Sometimes 137 48.9
Rarely 24 8.6
Never 6 2.1
Total 300 100.0

The data collected from respondents reveals that the majority of respondents feel that WPM
forums in BSP bring improvement in organizational process and production activities by
bringing improvement and eliminating obsolete and faulty practices. The figure is an indication
that the majority of respondents have experienced the benefits of WPM schemes in the
improvement of BSP work culture, production growth, and profit revenue. WPM introduces
creative and innovative ideas and replaces age-old outdated methods and thus takes the
organization production capacity to next level. As the workers feel accepted, important,
respected, and belonged, WPM also instills high commitment, loyalty, and motivation in workers
to achieve their goals aligned with the mission of the organization which is reflected in the
quality and quantity of products and services delivered by BSP.

7. Conclusion

 It can be concluded from the present study that Workers Participation in Management in
BSP certainly brings a strong sense of connection, acceptance, job satisfaction,
motivation to excel, work-life balance and belongingness amongst workers to their
organization. WPM is an example of the functional perspective of Sociology wherein
both workers and management are working together to achieve common goals and all the
units of the organization is equally important and interdependent to each other. It not only
delivers social and economic equality but also adds to the quality of life of workers. The
majority of respondents agreed that the way these participative forums work brings a
great sense of belongingness and positive work culture which in turn delivers social,
psychological, and economic well-being to not only the workers but also the
management. Most of the respondents appreciated the efforts of BSP management to
implement WPM effectively. The Management also takes cognizance of the importance
of WPM to establish harmonious Industrial Relations as well as enhancing the
 organization's growth. A major segment of respondents asserted that the result of
enriched organizational belongingness is visible in several aspects like reduction of
absenteeism, reduction in alienation at the workplace, reduction in grievances and
disputes amongst workers and managers, reduction of turnover intention, reduction of
losses, improvement in the quality of service and products, rise in production, a strong
sense of loyalty and commitment from workers towards their tasks, a balanced
cooperative ambiance between management and workers.
 The various participative forums like Suggestion Schemes, Quality Circles and unique
Initiative like Aap Bhi Jaaniye provides huge opportunities to the workers to actively
participate in the decision-making with management. Such schemes establish a healthy
work culture of frank information sharing and mutual trust and cooperation. Suggestion
schemes and Quality Circle encourages their creative thought-process and problem-
solving skills.
 The regular interaction in WPM forums greatly reduces the alienation of workers at the
workplace and builds a strong team spirit and emotional security. It also develops their
interpersonal skills and reduces workplace stress.
 The reward system and traveling associated with these WPM schemes boost the
confidence and self-respect of workers. BSP workers have been winning several
accolades at National and International competitions like QCFI, Vishwakarma Awards et
al over the years. The timely feedback and implementation of the suggestions from
workers make them feel recognized, valued, cared and relevant to the organization they
are working for.
 A large number of respondents showed their satisfaction in their involvement in the
decision-making and discussion with management over the issues regarding production
policies, safety practices, quality improvement, production enhancement, profit
maximization, wastage control, training and competency building, rewards, and more.

Participation is a matter of an individual's attitude and interest. Workers' participation can be

successfully implemented only if both the workers and management shed their paranoia and
insecurity and join their hands together creating an environment of mutual trust and cooperation
to achieve a common mission of holistic growth. Organizational belongingness is indeed a very
important ingredient for any organization and the members of that organization no matter how
big or small, whether it's the smallest social unit such as a family or a giant commercial unit such
as a huge steel industry, to grow and remain stable. Presently, high skilled and competent human
resource is the most important resource for an organization, the management across industries is
understandably willing to shell out huge money to retain their talent pool. Similarly, in the
current scenario of globalization and automation when one can find several work opportunities,
the individual is constantly looking for a place that offers something more beyond money that is
a place where one gets job satisfaction and a sense of belongingness, respect, and empowerment.
However, interestingly, organizational belongingness is the essence of healthy work culture
which bestows upon contentment, respect, and self-confidence to employees that cannot be
achieved by money. On the other hand, organizational belongingness to employees makes them
more committed, honest, and motivated to their work that cannot be achieved by solely money.
Workers' Participation in Management is categorically a much evolved behavioral tool to achieve
organizational belongingness to the employees in the long run whose positive results are evident
in the case of a large Industrial Unit of Bhilai Steel Plant.

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