ASSESSING EMPLOYER-EMPLOYEE RELATIONSHIP AND ITS IMPACT ON EMPLOYEES ATTITUDE IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY IN CAMEROON

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Presently, success in manufacturing industry rely heavily on frontline employees who ensure organizational objectives are met effectively by optimizing the use of available resources to maximize revenue. The attitudes of these employees toward the organization, as noted by Managers et al. (2011), profoundly impact their performance. The more positive their attitude towards their work, the more productive they tend to be. However, employee relations is seen as instrumental in improving organizational performance, with the quality of workplace relationships significantly impacting motivation and performance (James, 2018). According to Rose (2018), positive relationships between employers and employees are crucial throughout recruitment, employment tenure, and separation stages. Similarly, employee attitudes are significantly shaped by the relationship they have with their employer. Employee attitudes encompass three primary dimensions: affective, behavioral, and cognitive, as outlined by Ekhsan et al. (2018). The affective attitudes drive employees to seek desired outcomes by understanding and satisfying customer needs. Positive affective individuals exhibit enthusiasm, sociability, energy, and outgoingness, whereas negative affective individuals are generally dissatisfied with their work and prone to complaining (Tekell, 2018). Cognitive attitudes relate to employees' beliefs about right and wrong in the workplace, while behavioral attitudes indicate their intentions, decision-making, will, and determination (Ekhsan et al., 2018). Furthermore,  Christen, Iyer & Soberman (2016) highlight that good relationships motivate better performance and the application of human relations in managing human resources is vital in today's competitive business environment. Excellent service delivery has emerged as the primary competitive advantage in the manufacturing industry, prompting managers to prioritize efforts in ensuring their employees exhibit positive attitudes, thus enhancing organizational output and delivering superior services to clients (Ekhsan et al., 2018). It falls upon management and the organization as a whole to establish conducive environments, relationships and conditions that foster positive employee attitudes. The relationship between employees and their employer significantly impacts organizational performance; positive relationships cultivate positive employee attitudes, leading to heightened motivation and improved performance in achieving organizational goals. The manufacturing industries play a vital role in job creation, value addition, and economic diversification, contributing to the country's ongoing efforts towards sustainable development and industrial growth (Ph, Crina, & Cohuţ, 2019). These industries involve the production of various goods, including textiles, food and beverages, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, and consumer goods. Additionally, Cameroon has seen growth in industries such as agro-processing, automotive assembly, and electronics manufacturing. Given its labor-intensive nature, employer-employee relationship and employee attitudes toward creating and delivering quality customer experiences are crucial (Tsaur, Chang, & Wu, 2020).

Research on employee attitudes and performance in the manufacturing sector reveals that when employees feel valued, supported, and have their opinions and grievances addressed by the organization, turnover rates decrease. In addition, employees who perceive work conditions as substandard and unfair exhibit poor attitudes toward their work and environment, contributing to high turnover rates within organizations. Therefore, a survey will be conducted in order to assess employer-employee relationship and its impact on employees attitude in manufacturing industry in Cameroon.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

One challenge that organizations functioning in both local and global marketplaces are facing is poor relations between employers and employees (Kanana, 2016).In the manufacturing industry, there have been a variety of reasons why employees and employers have clashed.Numerous factors contribute to these issues, including inadequate policies created by management, disregard for employee grievances, inadequate communication, disloyal and dishonest personnel, and disobedience. Additionally, an individual's behavior and performance at work are greatly influenced by their attitude. They serve as a reflection of an individual's preferences for certain tasks, events, and work environments. According to Arimie (2019), these factors also ascertain the potential for forming a relationship during the service delivery process, the level of satisfaction or discontentment experienced by the consumer receiving the service, and the overall financial performance of the firm. Employee attitudes can also have a beneficial or negative impact on organization (Farouk, 2019). In order to increase productivity and foster better customer interactions, Karanja (2021) contends that it is critical for the organization to value the relationship that existing between its employees. The study also noted that low productivity and a high employee turnover rate are caused by a bad working connection between an employers and employees. On the other hand, Sepulaand & Shirandula (2019) discovered that good employee and management relationship and commitment is necessary for effective service quality since contented workers are more dedicated to providing high-quality services.Hence, it is in the light of these that the study seeks to assess employer-employee relationship and its impact on employees attitude in manufacturing industry in Cameroon.

1.3  Objectives of the Study

The main purpose of this study is to assess employer-employee relationship and its impact on employees attitude in manufacturing industry in Cameroon. Specifically, the study will;

1. To analyze the relationship between employee relations and employees attitude in Manufacturing industry in Cameroon

2.To Investigate the causes of poor employer-employee relationship in Manufacturing industry in Cameroon.

3.To Investigate the impact of adequate employer-employee relationship on employees attitude in Manufacturing industry in Cameroon

4. Recommend strategies required to improve employer-employee relationship in Manufacturing industry in Cameroon.

1.4 Research Questions

The following questions have been prepared for the study:

How does the quality of employee relations influence the attitudes of employees within the manufacturing industry in Cameroon?

What are the causes of poor employer-employee relationship in Manufacturing industry in Cameroon?

What impact does adequate employer-employee relationship have on employees attitude in Manufacturing industry in Cameroon?

What specific strategics are necessary to enhance employer-employee relationships within the manufacturing sector in Cameroon?

1.5  Research Hypotheses

H0: There is no significant relationship between employer-employee relationship and employees' attitude in the manufacturing industry in Cameroon.

Ha: There is a significant relationship between employer-employee relationship and employees' attitude in the manufacturing industry in Cameroon.

1.6  Significance of the Study

Employers and employees will both benefit from the study. Employees will benefit from the chance to share their unique viewpoints on labor relations and how they affect output. They can make suggestions on how to improve interactions between employees and employers. However management is also going to gain from this. They will be given the study's conclusions as well as suggestions made by the participants. Through this study, they will gain an understanding of the benefits of cultivating positive employee relations and how it affects performance. Furthermore, management in a variety of organizations, sectors, and businesses will learn from the study about the implications of employee-employer relationship practices. The focus will be on emphasizing the essential employee relations procedures that businesses use for the good of their employees. Moreover,  subsequent researchers will use it as a literature review. This means that other students who may decide to conduct studies in this area will have the opportunity to use this study as available literature that can be subjected to critical review. Invariably, the result of the study contributes immensely to the body of academic knowledge with regard to assess employer-employee relationship and its impact on employees attitude in manufacturing industry in Cameroon.

1.7 Scope of the study

The scope of this study is boarded on assess employer-employee relationship and its impact on employees attitude in manufacturing industry in Cameroon. Empirically, this study will analyze and explore the relationship between employee relations and employees attitude in manufacturing industry in Cameroon, the causes of poor employer-employee relationship in manufacturing industry in Cameroon, investigate the impact of adequate employer-employee relationship on employees attitude in manufacturing industry in Cameroon and recommend strategies required to improve employer-employee relationship in manufacturing industry in Cameroon.

Geographically, the study will be delimited to staff of some selected organization in Douala, Cameroon.

1.8 Limitation of the study

In the course of carrying out this study, the researcher experienced some constraints, which included time constraints, financial constraints, language barriers, and the attitude of the respondents. In addition, there was the element of researcher bias. Here, the researcher possessed some biases that may have been reflected in the way the data was collected, the type of people interviewed or sampled, and how the data gathered was interpreted thereafter. The potential for all this to influence the findings and conclusions could not be downplayed. 

More so, the findings of this study are limited to the sample population in the study area, hence they may not be suitable for use in comparison to other schools, local governments, states, and other countries in the world.

 1.9 Definition of Terms

Employee Relations: refers to the interactions, dynamics, and relationships among employees within an organization and between employees and management, encompassing communication, teamwork, conflict resolution, and workplace atmosphere (Olaolu, 2019)

Attitude: a person's overall disposition, mindset, or outlook towards something, which may include beliefs, feelings, values, and behaviors.

Employee: an individual employed by an organization or company to perform specific tasks or duties in exchange for compensation.