Influence of Employee Engagement on Performance during Pandemic in Retail Sector: A Case Study of Morrison

This research evaluates the influence of employee engagement on employee performance during pandemic in retail sector, using Morrison as a case study. It analyzes the concept of employee satisfaction, challenges in employee engagement faced by Morrison, and strategies used for employee satisfaction to improve performance during pandemic.

Research Proposal

TABLE OF CONTENT
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................12

Research Topic: To evaluate the influence of employee engagement on employee performance
during pandemic in retail sector. As case study of Morrison.
Background:
In the current times, the scope of the retail industry is rapidly increasing and highly
contributing for growing the economic conditions and developing UK. As the retail sector in the
country is contributing around 5% in the whole economy with providing wide range of
employment opportunities. For this it is necessary to maintain good relations with the employees
during covid-19 pandemic. In order to minimize the losses being suffered by the company it is
very important to engage the employees. Employee engagement mainly helps in increasing
productivity among employees by motivating to work efficiently this mainly assist in
overcoming the losses being suffered at the time of crises.
Further more, it mainly helps in analysing the positive and negative impacts being faced
during pandemic by Morrison. With engaging employees it mainly helps in adopting set of
method and strategies which results in building effective relations which results in motivating
personnels for remaining committed to attain the set goals. Due to crises many individuals lost
the jobs as companies adopted online serving policy with imposing restrictions by the
government. This proposal is based on multinational retailing company i.e. Morrison and helps
in determining about the influence of employee engagement on employee performance.
AIMS& OBJECTIVES
Aim: The aim of this research is to determine the use of employee engagement on the
performance of employee’s during pandemic in the context of Morrison.
Objectives:
To analyse the concept of employees satisfaction on organisational performance.
To investigate the challenges in employee engagement faced by Morrisons during pandemic
which affect its performance.
To identify the strategies used for employee satisfaction to improve performance during
pandemic in retail sector.
To recommend strategies for enhancing performance of Morrison through better employee
engagement and minimisation of challenges.

Research question:
 What is employee engagement and its importance?
 What are different strategies used by Morrison to engage employees for improving
performance ?
 What are the challenges for engaging employees faced by Morrison during pandemic?
RATIONALE
The main reason for this research is to determine the influence of employee engagement
on the employee’s performance. This is mainly done for engaging employees as for improving
their satisfaction during pandemic. This in turn mainly helped in analysing strategies which are
mainly used and examining the challenges being faced and its impacts in positive and negative
manner. Thus, for improving employee performance it is important to use different methods and
strategies as for engaging in productive manner.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Theme- 1 Concept of employee satisfaction
As per the view point of Chanda and Goyal, (2020) it is mainly defined as the level of
satisfies employees which results in motivating to work a for ever-increasing productivity by
fulfilling their needs and wants with contributing efficient working in the company. For attaining
growth in the company and increasing the profits it play very importance role for keeping the
employees happy and satisfied results in retaining the loyal and competent employees by
increasing the productive result with gaining maximum benefits. As when the employees are
mainly satisfies results in prioritising all the task while working in effective manner with
maximizing their efforts to attain the set goals with aligning their actions. On the other hand it is
been argued by Querbach, Waldkirch and Kammerlander, (2022). as for maximize and
improving the employee engagement the company must understand the preference and the needs
in order to improve their performance and better engaging while supporting the work life
balancing in the workplace. With improving the satisfaction results in engaging the employees to
work in more efficient and dedicated manner. As by engaging employees mainly helps in
improving their satisfaction in the workplace and results in contributing maximum efforts which
improves their performance.
As per the views of Balta, (2018) it is been said that, when employees and engaged and
satisfies manly results in understanding the purpose and goal in effective manner as to attain on

set time limit with aligning all the actions. As when the employees are being satisfies mainly
results in performing task in productive manner as This results in better decision-making process
by using effective ways for motivating and improving satisfaction. According to the view of
Rahman and et.al., (2020) he mainly argued that as when the employees are dissatisfied while
working results in increasing absenteeism which lowers the motivation level while working and
impact on working in productive manner to attain the set established objectives. Also it impacts
on boosting their morale and leads in arising stressful conditions. Further more, according to the
view point of Nwachukwu, Chládková and Olatunji, 2018 he mainly believes that as when the
employees are mainly satisfied can handle the daily task without tasking stress and mage in
productive and timely manner. Also, they mainly support the company to attain the set objectives
by efficiently working with others by taking responsibility. This, helps in encouraging others and
ll the employees with boosting the morale for attaining the set targets with satisfied workplace.
Theme- 2 Strategies used for employee satisfaction to improve performance during
pandemic by Morrison
As per the views of Malik and Jalees, (2019) it is been said that, adopting positive
working environment plays key role for satisfying employees while working the different task in
the company. As this s being used by Morrison with providing safe workplace surrounding helps
in enchaining and improving the performance. This aid in effectively communicating employees
and encourages to discuss the issues being faced while towards achieving the common goals.
This mainly help in building understanding with increased knowledge among employees to work
effectively this results in building trust with positive surroundings. Further, according to the
views of RASOOL, KHATIR and NADIR, (2018) collecting feedback from the employees on
the workplace helps in implementing changes and influences them for working without
resistance towards attaining the set established goals. As when the employees concerns are heard
and valued mainly aids in boosting employees morale.
As per the view point of Stamolampros and et.al., (2019) it is been said that introducing
the recognition programmes mainly aids in motivating the employees, as this is mainly used by
Morrisons. The manager of the company mainly recognizes the extra efforts being put by the
employees to attain the set business objectives. Also as per the view point of Shettigar and KC,
(2020) he argued that the employees are mainly satisfied with giving rewards. Many with the
monetary and non monetary rewarding helps in increasing and satisfying the employees which

motivates to attain the set business objectives. As rewarding mainly helps in encouraging to
work as to increase the productivity with building the skills and competencies while working in
the company.
According to Kwon and Kim, (2020) it is been said that providing work life balancing
helps in retaining the employees with satisfying their needs and wants. As the Morrisons mainly
supports the good health by safeguarding the interest with using different equipments and giving
health provisions, this mainly results in satisfying the employees with giving concession with
providing leaves and supporting personal living. Whereas on the other hand, a per the view of
NDONGA and TSHUKUDU, (2020) organizing regular training and developments programs
mainly help the employees to retain and develop the effective skills which are essential to
perform the workings. As by regular training and investing into the developing programs
satisfies employees as to work with improving their knowledge to attain the job satisfaction
while working with gaining skills and adequate knowledge. In this the Morrison mainly
organises regular training to use the equipments. As by organising modern slavery training for
the employees mainly helps in offering the e learning and online courses to the staffs to reduce
the thefts and educating about all the policies and procedures to be followed with maintaining the
positive working environment.
Theme-3 challenges in employee engagement faced by Morrison during pandemic
As per the view point of Risley, 2020 during pandemic the changing structure in the
business impacts the workings as by serving with adopting the online distribution channel. With
the change in the structure due to the pandemic mainly impacts the working which impacted the
business operations to adopt the effective and innovation techniques for promoting the products
and adopting ways to engage the consumers to purchase online products by visiting websites. On
the contrary Shettigar and KC, ( 2020 )it is also believed that for adopting the changes frequently
is the challenge being faced by the company while working in the company. As per the view
point of @ employees resits to adapt the changes due to lack of satisfaction and during pandemic
crises. This impacted the company and its operations with serving online products and services.
As for this the Morrison must use effective strategies for influencing the employees to adapt
changes without resisting as to motivates and satisfy with using efforts as by giving additional
rewards it work in pandemic with doing work from home.

According to Chanana (2021) there are various challenges that are faced by the managers
while carrying managing the employees at the workplace and due to such challenges the overall
productivity and efficiency of employees is adversely affected. Furthermore, of the most
commons challenge that is faced in employee engagement is lack of information within the
workplace. Also, it is seen that most of the times the organization is not able to provide the right
kind of information to all the levels of employees and therefore due to these employees feel less
valued and resist to engage with others at the workplace. However,Saks (2022) critically argued
that employee engagement is not only lack of information but rather informal communication
that spread the wrong information among the large level of employees. Hence, it is very much
required that proper communication channels are established within the workplace so that
employees are able to share the relevant information and clear all kinds of queries in easier
manner.
Also, Li and et.al., (2021) stated that one of the challenge that is majorly seen in most of
the firms is lack of direction that the management fail do so while bringing any kind of the
change within the organization. Furthermore, it has been seen that management tends to avoid
the employee issues and force them to do carry out certain activities. Thus, such type actions
does not make employees feel engaged, and they tend to avoid in taking any kind of
responsibilities in the future. Moreover, also such type of situation create individuals differences
due to which the chances of the high levels of employee conflicts is also very common. On the
other hand Burnett and Lisk (2019) argued that it is not only lack of direction but it is very
important for any management team to conduct the formal meetings so that all the employees are
aware of certain changes happening and also current requirement so based on that best plans than
might be made and implemented. Furthermore, it has also been seen that higher level of
employee engagement is only possible when continuous feedback is been collected and also
active participation of employees is been ensured which will help the employees to know each
other well and in the best manner. Also, having the best work-life balance is also very much
required so that employees remain stress free and also able to manage the wok that is been
carried out within the firm.

Research methodology
Research type: Research methods are divided into tow categories that is qualitative and
quantitative data. Also, the qualitative data deals with words and meanings and quantitative data
is based on statistics and numbers (Dźwigoł and Dźwigoł-Barosz, 2018). Thus, for the current
research qualitative research would be used that would help in clearing the theoretical concepts
relating to the current research topic and provide reliable information in end. Moreover, this
research will be chosen as it will help in providing the insights about the particular industry and
the employees that are considered to be the driving force for achieving any predefined goals of
the business
Research Philosophy: For conducting any proper research there are two type of research
philosophies that are been used such as interpretivism and Positivism. Also, interpretivism
Philosophy is originated from certain principles while positivism is based on the scientific
principles such as controlled experiments and statistics. Thus, researcher will use interpretivism
approach under this topic as it would help in conducting the detailed analysis through which the
information collected and challenges faced in managing the employee performance might be
understood in well-defined manner.
Research approach: In every research there are two type of research approach that
might be undertaken such as inductive and deductive. Furthermore, inductive research is one
where the raw data is the condensed into summary format. Moreover, deductive research is more
associated with the scientific research (Snyder, 2019.). Thus, the one approach that is been
selected for this topic is inductive that would help in describing specific information into wider
context and would further help in analysing the significance of employee engagement at crucial
times of pandemic. Moreover, the basic strength of using this type of approach for this study is
that it will help in predicting what might happen in the future through establishing the possibility
of what has been already been encounter.
Data collection: For any research to be become success it is very important that right
amount of data is been collected so that better results might be analysed the finding are collected.
Furthermore, there are two methods through which data could be collected that is primary and
secondary data. For this particular research the scholar would use both primary and secondary
data for more accurate results. Also, the primary data will be collected through survey in forms
of questionnaires in which employees of particular firm will be chosen. On the other hand

secondary data will be taken through various newspaper article, books , journals and much more
so that effectiveness of the topic might be clearly analysed.
Data analysis: Data collected needs to be analysed clearly and this could be done
through two ways that is thematic and SPSS. Furthermore, the current research is based on the
qualitative research and hence thematic analysis will be chosen for this study that will be
presented in the form so charts, graphs, tables so that better understanding would be gained
(Zangirolami-Raimundo, Echeimberg and Leone, 2018). Moreover, through thematic analysis
better evaluation of the end results might also be made that is needed for making the project
successful. Also, this method will be chosen for this study as it is more flexible that might be
used for both explorative studies.
Sampling: It is type of method where specific number of observations are taken from the
large number of population. Furthermore, sampling is done so that certain similar characteristics
of large population are easily identified that would help in better analysis or findings on certain
topics. Also, the sampling methods are of two types probability and non probability sampling.
Moreover, one that will be chosen by the researcher for this particular study is simple random
sampling method in which 20 employees of Morrison will be randomly selected and information
(collected) than would help in determining the opinions if large public.
Research strategy: It is step by step plan that helps in giving the direction to overall
efforts and thoughts that are involved in the research. Furthermore, for this particular study
researcher will use exploratory research as it would help in the discovery of the thoughts or ideas
for certain issues that is been required for conducting any type of further research in the future.
Moreover, through this strategy the researcher will be able to expand knowledge and
understanding through communicating the respondents in the form of the questionnaire that is
been designed in this.
Ethical consideration: This type of research would only be conducted properly if certain
ethical principles are been complied fully. Furthermore, researcher will ensure that all the data
collected is raw and therefore references list would be added at the end of the report. Also, the
consent form is been designed that will be signed by each of the participant to ensure that any
opinions provided in the research are done willingly. Moreover, proper communication was
maintained with the participant so that better outcomes are derived in completion of the research.

Research limitation: In the present research study conducted there will be certain
limitation relating to time, money and resources. Moreover, due to the time limitation more in
depth research has not been able to conduct (Ryder and et.al., 2020). Also, the resources were
limited due to which researcher will not able to conduct extensive research on various topic that
would have made the findings more accurate and in detail manner. Moreover, another major
limitations relating to research study was that it was including only the small sample size
because of which more accurate analysis on the employees could not be undertaken.
Validity and reliability: Under this research the scholar has used the information from
the reliable sources so that more authentic data is collected and presented in the end. Also, in the
present research study, all the data collected is from recent sources so that more valid and
reliable information is analysed in end. Furthermore, through taking all such consideration the
researcher will be able to meet the desired objectives and purpose of this study
Timeline
Activities Week1 Week
2
Week
3
Week
4
Week
5
Week
6
Week
7
Week
8
Week
9
Week
10
Selecting the
Research
topic
Developing
aim and
objectives
Drafting
brief
proposal
Analysing
the
secondary
sources
Selection of

research
methods
Drafting
questionnaire
Collection of
primary data
Analysing
the and
interpreting
data
collected
Submitting
the file
Consulting
with tutor
Modifying
the file
Final
submission

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Balta, S., 2018. The influence of internal marketing on employee satisfaction in the service
industry. Business Management Dynamics. 8(1). p.12.
Burnett, J. R. and Lisk, T. C., 2019. The future of employee engagement: Real-time monitoring
and digital tools for engaging a workforce. International Studies of Management &
Organization. 49(1). pp.108-119.
Chanana, N., 2021. Employee engagement practices during COVID‐19 lockdown. Journal of
public affairs. 21(4). p.e2508.
Chanda, U. and Goyal, P., 2020. A Bayesian network model on the interlinkage between
Socially Responsible HRM, employee satisfaction, employee commitment and
organizational performance. Journal of management analytics. 7(1). pp.105-138.
Dźwigoł, H. and Dźwigoł-Barosz, M., 2018. Scientific research methodology in management
sciences. Financial and credit activity problems of theory and practice. 2(25). pp.424-437.
Kwon, K. and Kim, T., 2020. An integrative literature review of employee engagement and
innovative behavior: Revisiting the JD-R model. Human Resource Management Review.
30(2). p.100704.
Li, P. and et.al., 2021. Country differences in the relationship between leadership and employee
engagement: A meta-analysis. The Leadership Quarterly. 32(1). p.101458.
Malik, K. and Jalees, T., 2019. The Mediating Role of Employer Branding Between Employee
Satisfaction and Talent Management. IBT Journal of Business Studies (JBS). 15(2).
pp.75-94.
NDONGA, K. and TSHUKUDU, T. T., 2020. Assessment of employee engagement in the
Botswana public service. European Journal of Social Law/Revue Européenne Du Droit
Social. 46(1). pp.51-65.
Nwachukwu, C. E., Chládková, H. and Olatunji, F., 2018. The relationship between employee
commitment to strategy implementation and employee satisfaction. Trends economics
and management. 12(31). pp.46-56.
Querbach, S., Waldkirch, M. and Kammerlander, N., 2022. Benefitting from benefits—A
comparison of employee satisfaction in family and non-family firms. Journal of Family
Business Strategy. 13(2). p.100351.
Rahman, A. and et.al., 2020. The effect of management by objectives on performance appraisal
and employee satisfaction in commercial banks. European Journal of Business and
Management. 12(20). pp.15-25.
RASOOL, A., KHATIR, G. and NADIR, N. S., 2018. DIVERSITY AND ITS IMPACT ON
EMPLOYEE SATISFACTION AND PERFORMANCE. CLEAR International Journal
of Research in Commerce & Management. 9(7).
Risley, C., 2020. Maintaining performance and employee engagement during the COVID-19
pandemic. Journal of Library Administration. 60(6). pp.653-659.
Ryder, C. and et.al., 2020. Indigenous research methodology–weaving a research
interface. International Journal of Social Research Methodology. 23(3). pp.255-267.
Saks, A. M., 2022. Caring human resources management and employee engagement. Human
Resource Management Review. 32(3). p.100835.

Shettigar, R. and KC, S. S., 2020. A Study on the Challenges of Employee Engagement in
Banking Industry in Bangalore. International Research Journal on Advanced Science
Hub. 2. pp.116-119.
Snyder, H., 2019. Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and
guidelines. Journal of business research. 104. pp.333-339.
Stamolampros, P. and et.al., 2019. Job satisfaction and employee turnover determinants in high
contact services: Insights from Employees’ Online reviews. Tourism Management. 75.
pp.130-147.
Zangirolami-Raimundo, J., Echeimberg, J. D. O. and Leone, C., 2018. Research methodology
topics: Cross-sectional studies. Journal of Human Growth and Development. 28(3). pp.356-
360.