Strategies to Reduce Staff Absenteeism and Enhance Productivity - Rowlinson Knitwear Case Study

This report aims to determine strategies to reduce staff absenteeism and enhance productivity in Rowlinson Knitwear. It focuses on identifying the causes of absenteeism, analyzing its impact on productivity, and recommending strategies for improvement. The research methodology includes the use of a questionnaire and data analysis. The findings will help the organization in managing employees effectively and achieving competitive advantage.

Conducting a Strategic
Management Project

Table of Contents
Title..................................................................................................................................................3
Introduction......................................................................................................................................3
Task1................................................................................................................................................3
AC1.1) Topic of investigation ....................................................................................................3
Task2................................................................................................................................................6
Task3 (750 words).........................................................................................................................17
3.1) Evaluate the research analysis to enable conclusions........................................................17
3.2) Recommend a course of action..........................................................................................17
Task4..............................................................................................................................................17
3.3) Analysis of impact of recommendations...........................................................................17
Task5..............................................................................................................................................17
4.1) Medium to be used to present the results...........................................................................17
4.2) Produce results to investigative project.............................................................................17
4.3) Evaluate impact of investigative project............................................................................18
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................18
References......................................................................................................................................19

Title
'To determine strategies which can help in reducing staff absenteeism along with
enhancing their productivity and performance' A case study on Rowlinson Knitwear.
Introduction
For an organisation to be successful it is important that employees are efficiently
managed so that their efforts can be directed towards achieving organisational goals so that the
productivity and profitability of organisation can increase. Performance management must be
efficiently done by the managers of an organisation so that the employees can be motivated to
improve their performance which can help in completion of tasks on time (de Reuver, Van de
Voorde and Kilroy, 2019). Policies and procedures must be strategically implemented within an
organisation so that employees can be motivated to perform their roles and responsibilities
effectively along with reducing staff absenteeism. In this report Rowlinson Knitwear is taken
which is a medium sized manufacturing organisation that manufactures apparels which include
school and corporate uniforms that are made of highly quality fabric and are comfortable to
wear. A small scale research will be conducted for the company so that the effective strategies
can be formulated which can help in reducing the rate of absenteeism among staff members. Use
of research methodologies will be done so that effective research can be conducted and data
collected can be analysed which can help in achieving research objectives.
Task1
AC1.1) Topic of investigation
The topic which will be investigated in this research is: 'To determine strategies which
can help in reducing staff absenteeism along with enhancing their productivity and performance'
A case study on Rowlinson Knitwear.
AC1.2) Aim, scope and objectives of project
Research aim: To formulate effective strategies which c an help in reducing absenteeism
of employees along with improving their performance and productivity. A case study on
Rowlinson Knitwear.
Research objectives: In order to achieve effectively achieve the research aims it is
important that research is conducted by focusing on the following research objectives that are to
be achieved through this research:

 To determine the causes which lead to staff absenteeism.
 To analyse the impact of staff absenteeism on the productivity of overall organisation. To determine strategies which can help in reducing staff absenteeism along with
improving their productivity and performance.
Research questions:
 What are the causes that increase staff absenteeism in organisation?
 How does staff absenteeism affect overall productivity of organisation? Which strategies can help in reducing staff absenteeism along with improving
performance and productivity of employees?
Research scope: This research will help in determining the strategies that can be
implemented within Rowlinson Knitwear so that the increasing staff absences can be reduced
which can also help in improving their motivation so that they can perform their roles and
responsibilities in an effective manner. Their reduced absenteeism will also help in enhancing the
productivity of organisation as the work at hand will be completed within time and budget which
is estimated so that high quality results can be achieved (Rogers and Feller, , 2018) .
AC1.3) Justification of topic, aim, scope and objectives
The topic chosen in this research will help in identifying the reasons which lead to
increased absenteeism in an organisation so that effective measures can be taken and strategies
can be formulated which can help in eliminating these reasons. Also this can help in reducing
absenteeism among staff members along with improving their performance so that the objectives
of company can be achieved within stipulated time (Humphries, 2017). Also the topic aim
chosen for research can help in efficiently applying research methodologies in an efficient
manner which can help in achieving effective results on time. This will also improve the
productivity of employees as they become confident and motivated in using their skills and
talents in an efficient manner through effective implementation of formulated strategies. Thus
the topic will help the organisation in improving its profitability by managing the employees so
that competitive advantage can be achieved by Rowlinson Knitwear by improving job
satisfaction among employees.
AC1.4) Evaluate project research methodology

In order to carry out research in an effective manner it is important that the elements of
research methodologies are efficiently utilised so that high quality of research can be conducted
which can help in achieving research objectives:
Research philosophy: It relates with the belief related with the sources from where data
must be collected and analysed so that research objectives can be achieved. Positivism and
interpretivism philosophies can be used by researchers so as to collect data in an efficient
manner. In this research positivism philosophy will be used so that factual information can be
gathered which can help in making the research trustworthy (Ørngreen and Levinsen, 2017) .
Research approach: It is related with strategic approach which must be used by
researcher so that high quality results can be achieved. In this research deductive research
approach will be used by developing a hypothesis and then collecting information from various
sources which can be analysed and help in reaching to effective conclusions.
Research type: There are basically two types of research which can be conducted by a
researcher which are qualitative and quantitative research which can help in collecting data based
on the source of data so that effective research results can be achieved. Qualitative research help
in collecting data from sources like interviews, observation etc. so that a deep knowledge can be
developed based on the topic of research. This data cannot be depicted on tables, graphs, pie-
charts etc. Quantitative data can be collected from sources like surveys, questionnaire etc. which
can be depicted statistically so that the interpretation of information can become effective. In this
research quantitative research type will be used with the help of questionnaire (Taherdoost, ,
2016).
Data collection: There are two sources from where data collection can be done which can
help in collecting efficient data so that high quality results can be achieved. Primary sources like
interview, questionnaire etc. help in collecting first hand information which help in increasing
the authenticity of the information so collected. Secondary sources like books, journals, internet
articles etc. can help in critically analysing the work of others so that research objectives can be
reached. In this research primary source will be used by formulating questionnaire (Abutabenjeh,
and Jaradat, 2018).
Sampling: It is related with selecting a sample from a large population having similar
characteristics so that research method can be applied on the selected sample to derive required

information. In this research a sample size of 30 employees of Rowlinson Knitwear will be used
so as to carry out research.
Data analysis: This is related with analysing the data which is collected from various
sources so that results can be derived based on the collected information. In this research
frequency distribution table will be used so that data of questionnaire can be efficiently analysed.
Ethical consideration: This relates with following code of conduct by the researcher so
that highly ethical research results can be achieved. Also it is important that authentic and
reliable sources are used in order to collect data which can help in enhancing the quality of
results (Singh, 2017).
Research limitation: These are related with the limitations like availability of time,
resources etc. which can affect the quality of research and also the time time and budget within
which it needs to be achieved.
Task2
AC2.1) Sources of data and information
In order to effectively achieve research objectives it is important that data collection is
done from reliable and authentic sources which can help in increasing the efficiency of results. In
this research the use of questionnaire will be done and sample size of 30 employees of
Rowlinson Knitwear will be taken:
Questionnaire
Q1) Does Rowlinson Knitwear has an effective working environment?
a) Yes
b) No
Q2) Are the employees effectively motivated and managed in organisation?
a) Agree
b) Disagree
Q3) What are the reasons that lead to increased absenteeism in Rowlinson Knitwear?
a) Low engagement
b) Low workplace morale
c) Stress
Q4) What are the impacts of increased staff absences in Rowlinson Knitwear?

a) Reduced productivity levels
b) High cost related with delay of work
c) Poor customer service
Q5) How does staff absenteeism affect organisation?
a) Decreased brand image
b) Less innovation
Q6) What are the strategies which can help in reducing staff absenteeism?
a) Flexibility at workplace
b) Employee engagement
c) Performance appraisals
Q7) Does reducing staff absenteeism can help in improving the productivity of organisation?
a) Yes
b) No
Q8) How can educing employee absenteeism can help in bringing strategic changes?
a) Improved profitability
b) Competitive edge
c) Better customer satisfaction
Frequency distribution table:
Q1) Does Rowlinson Knitwear has an effective working environment? Frequency
a) Yes 12
b) No 18
Q2) Are the employees effectively motivated and managed in
organisation?
Frequency
a) Agree 10
b) Disagree 20
Q3) What are the reasons that lead to increased absenteeism in
Rowlinson Knitwear?
Frequency
a) Low engagement 12

b) Low workplace morale 8
c) Stress 10
Q4) What are the impacts of increased staff absences in Rowlinson
Knitwear?
Frequency
a) Reduced productivity levels 10
b) High cost related with delay of work 10
c) Poor customer service 10
Q5) How does staff absenteeism affect organisation? Frequency
a) Decreased brand image 15
b) Less innovation 15
Q6) What are the strategies which can help in reducing staff
absenteeism?
Frequency
a) Flexibility at workplace 15
b) Employee engagement 8
c) Performance appraisals 7
Q7) Does reducing staff absenteeism can help in improving the
productivity of organisation?
Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 5
Q8) How can educing employee absenteeism can help in bringing
strategic changes?
Frequency
a) Improved profitability 13
b) Competitive edge 7
c) Better customer satisfaction 10

Data analysis and interpretation:
Question1: Effective working environment
Q1) Does Rowlinson Knitwear has an effective working environment? Frequency
a) Yes 12
b) No 18
a) Yes b) No
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
12
18
Frequency
Interpretation: From this graph it can be said that from 30 employees only 12 agree that
Rowlinson Knitwear has an effective working environment while the rest 18 disagree on the
same. This means that it is important that the company improve its workplace environment
which can help it in achieving its goals and objectives on time along with improving the
performance of workers.
Question2: Employee motivation:
Q2) Are the employees effectively motivated and managed in
organisation?
Frequency
a) Agree 10
b) Disagree 20

a) Agree b) Disagree
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
10
20
Frequency
Interpretation: This graph helps in evaluating that 10 employees agree that employees are
manages effectively at Rowlinson while the rest 20 do not agree on the same. It can thus be said
that the motivation of workers need to be increased so that employees can use their skills and
talent in an efficient manner which will enhance their productivity and also reduce their
absenteeism (Christianson, 2018).
Question3: Reasons of increased absenteeism
Q3) What are the reasons that lead to increased absenteeism in
Rowlinson Knitwear?
Frequency
a) Low engagement 12
b) Low workplace morale 8
c) Stress 10

a) Low engagement b) Low workplace morale c) Stress
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
Frequency
Interpretation: From this graph it can be interpreted that there are various reasons of increased
absenteeism as 12 respondents say that low engagement, 8 say that low workplace morale and 10
say that stress at work leads to increased absences in staff.
Question4: Impact of staff absenteeism
Q4) What are the impacts of increased staff absences in Rowlinson
Knitwear?
Frequency
a) Reduced productivity levels 10
b) High cost related with delay of work 10
c) Poor customer service 10

a) Reduced productivity levels
b) High cost related with delay of work
c) Poor customer service
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Frequency
Interpretation: Increased staff absences have negative impacts which can be interpreted from
this graph as 10 employees say that it reduces productivity level, 10 say that high cost of work
delay while the rest 10 say that it leads to poor customer service. It is thus important that
organisations absenteeism in organisation is reduced through implementation of effective
strategies (Ruane, 2020).
Question5: Impact on organisation
Q5) How does staff absenteeism affect organisation? Frequency
a) Decreased brand image 15
b) Less innovation 15

a) Decreased brand image b) Less innovation
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16 15 15
Frequency
Interpretation: This graph help in interpreting that from the 30 respondents 15 say that it reduces
brand image of company and the rest 15 say that it results in reduced innovation. Thus staff
absences affect the overall productivity of company along with affecting its pofitability.
Question6: Strategies to reduce staff absenteeism
Q6) What are the strategies which can help in reducing staff
absenteeism?
Frequency
a) Flexibility at workplace 15
b) Employee engagement 8
c) Performance appraisals 7

a) Flexibility at workplace
b) Employee engagement
c) Performance appraisals
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
Frequency
Interpretation: This graph help in analysing that 15 of the 30 employees say that flexibility at
workplace, 8 say that employee engagement and 7 say that performance appraisals can help in
reducing the staff absenteeism within organisation. This will also help in improving the profits of
company through Improved decision-making.
Question7: Productivity of organisation
Q7) Does reducing staff absenteeism can help in improving the
productivity of organisation?
Frequency
a) Yes 25
b) No 5

a) Yes b) No
0
5
10
15
20
25
25
5
Frequency
Interpretation: This graph tells that of the 30 employees, 25 say that reducing absenteeism can
help in improving the productivity of organisation while the rest 5 do not agree on the same. It
can thus be said that it is important to improve employee morale along with their motivation so
that they can be motivated to improve their performance.
Question8: Strategic changes
Q8) How can reducing employee absenteeism can help in bringing
strategic changes?
Frequency
a) Improved profitability 13
b) Competitive edge 7
c) Better customer satisfaction 10

a) Improved profitability
b) Competitive edge
c) Better customer satisfaction
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
Frequency
Interpretation: Reducing employee absenteeism can help in bringing various strategic changes
within organisation as from 30 employees 13 say that it help in improving profitability, 7 say that
competitive edge can be achieved while the rest 10 say that it can help in achieving better
customer satisfaction.
A.C2.2) Synthesis of data and information for alternative options
Data collection can also be done by using alternative method like interview which can
help in collecting information by asking relevant questions to a sample population so that high
quality information can be gathered. In the interview method open-ended questions will be asked
to the respondents which can be recorded by researcher so that it can be analysed so as to achieve
effective results (Nunes and 2018). This can also help in gathering information through face-to-
face interview so that the expressions of respondents can also be noted which can help in
improving the quality of information achieved. The information can thus be synthesised by
collecting data from authentic and reliable sources so that high quality results and valid
conclusions can be drawn.
A.C2.3) Determine an option or alternative that supports the project aims
In order to effectively achieve project aims alternative method can also be implemented
by the way of interview so that effective research results can be achieved based on the
information collected. Also while using secondary method to collect data from sources like

books, journals, articles etc. can be used which can help in synthesis of effective information
based on which conclusions and recommendations can be drawn.
Task3 (750 words)
3.1) Evaluate the research analysis to enable conclusions
3.2) Recommend a course of action
Task4
3.3) Analysis of impact of recommendations
Recommendations that are provided to Rowlinson Knitwear can help in creating an
effective and efficient working environment so that employees can feel motivated to use their
skills and talents in an efficient manner (Hansen, Zimmerman and van de Mortel, 2018). This
will help in increasing the participation of employees in decision-making so that highly effective
decisions can be made which will also help in improving innovation in company so that
changing customer demand can be met effectively. Also this can help in reducing the
absenteeism among workers as they will be motivated to enhance their performance so that the
profits of company can be increased.
Task5
4.1) Medium to be used to present the results
In order to communicate the results to the concerned stakeholders who are affected by the
results of research it is important that effective communication tools like e-mails, messaging etc.
are used so that the results can be communicated to the audience. This can help in enhancing the
trust of stakeholders in organisation and also will improve the profitability of organisation by
maximising benefits of stakeholders. Communication of results is important so that the views
and opinions of stakeholders can be achieved which can help in making efficient improvements
in company so that high quality results can be achieved.
4.2) Produce results to investigative project
The investigative project has helped in achieving results that can help in improving the
performance and productivity of employees of Rowlinson Knitwear by motivating them so that
they can achieve organisational goals in an efficient manner. This can also help in reducing the

absenteeism in company which is important so that the operations and functions of various
departments keep on working effectively so that the objectives of each department can be
achieved on time and within assigned budget (Srour, Srourand Lattouf, 2017).
4.3) Evaluate impact of investigative project
The results which have been achieved through this research can help in improving the
overall profitability of Rowlinson Knitwear by improving the performance of its workers so that
they can feel motivated to continuously perform their roles and responsibilities. Employee
engagement, increased participation, flexible working hours etc. can help in reducing the
absenteeism in company which is important to enhance company productivity. Also this boosts
the morale of workers so that they become motivated to improve the profits of company along
with creating a friendly working environment.
Conclusion
From this research it can be said that it is important that organisations implement
strategies which can help them in improving employee morale along with implementing strategic
changes so that employees can be made efficient in their performance. Motivational strategies
can be used in organisations so that they can encourage the employees to perform their roles and
responsibilities in an efficient manner. Also it can be said that it is essential that effective
research methodologies are used by researcher so that authentic and reliable information can be
achieved from various sources which can help in increasing the chances of achieving research
objectives.

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