Workers Participation in Management

Worker’s participation in management Worker’s participation is a system where workers and management share important information with each other and participate in decision taking.

Definition “Better participation and greater responsibility in the decision making process on the part of general workers would perhaps tend to develop in them organizational loyalty, confidence, trust, favorable attitude towards supervisors, and a sense of involvement in the organization. Schemes of worker’s participation in management among other measures or industrial reform, are expected to democratize the industrial milieu, and ensure egalitarianism in the process.” G.D.H. Cole

Features of WPM Formal involvement of members Participation in decision making Consequence sharing Application of upward control Joint and continuous process

Objectives of WPM Greater employee satisfaction Greater responsibility Mutual cooperation Establishing democracy Developing an effective communication system Facilitating changes

Levels of WPM Lowest level of participative management Medium level of participative management Highest level of participative management

Achieving WPM

Workers Participation in Management in India The workers participation in management is not new even though it got encouragement only after independence . In 1920 Mahatma Gandhi , observed “Employees should not regard themselves as sole owners of mills and factories of which they may be legal owners. They should regard themselves trustees.

FORMS OF WPM The Workers Committees Joint Management Councils In India workers participation has been introduced in three forms : The Workers Committees Joint Management Councils Shop Councils Joint Councils

Significance of WPM Increase in productivity and performance. Improves employee involvement and participation. Better workforce flexibility. Promotes cordiality in industrial relations. Establishes goodwill and public image.

Hurdles to an effective WPM Orthodox attitude of the management. Role ambiguity and conflict. Absence of mutual faith. Non-implementation of the decisions of the committee. Absence of strong unions. Lack of follow-up.

Reasons for the failure:- The management have been o the view that workers are not competent to take decisions. It was difficult for workers representatives to play the role of management and union leaders. The scheme of workers participation was inspired by the government without any initiative from management.

The active association of union leaders with political parties was only responsible for the failure of this scheme. The workers participation is mainly emphasized at top level management. The workers in India do not feel motivated to participate in decision making because their lower needs too Remain unsatisfied.

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