Research: HR Strategies for Pay Hike Expectations at Deutsche Bank

This research proposal explores the role and strategies of human resource managers in coping with employee pay hike expectations during periods of declining business profit, using Deutsche Bank as a case study. It examines factors contributing to high employee attrition, the impact of attrition on organizational performance, and specific HR strategies to manage pay hike expectations. The research employs a deductive approach, utilizing secondary data for literature review and primary data for analysis, aiming to provide practical insights for HR managers facing similar challenges. The study also outlines a conceptual framework, research questions, and a detailed methodology including data collection and analysis techniques.

Running head: RESEARCH IN BUSINESS
Role and Strategies of HR to Cope Up with the Expectations of Pay Hike when the Business is
Not Going Good (Deutsche Bank)
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:

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Table of Contents
1.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................2
2.0 Problem Statement.....................................................................................................................2
3.0 Aims and Objectives..................................................................................................................3
4.0 Research Questions....................................................................................................................3
5.0 Justification and Potential Output of the Research....................................................................4
6.0 Conceptual Framework..............................................................................................................4
6.1 Employee Attrition in Declining Business Condition...........................................................4
6.2 Impact of Employee Attrition on Organizational Performance.............................................5
6.3 HR Roles and Strategies for Managing Pay Hike Expectation and Employee Attrition.......6
7.0 Methodology..............................................................................................................................7
7.1 Research Approach and Sources of Data...............................................................................7
7.2 Proposed Data Collection and Data Analysis Technique......................................................8
7.3 Organization of the Study......................................................................................................9
7.4 Budget, Project Activities and Gantt chart..........................................................................11
References......................................................................................................................................14

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1.0 Introduction
The world economy has undergone an immense growth in the last decade. It has escorted
the revolution in the technological era and radical changes in the traditional ways of businesses
(Sareen, 2018). The tremendous tendencies of globalization have not only changed the current
pattern of business world, but also have made the job of human resource managers difficult than
it was in earlier days. With increasing competition in the business world, most of the business
organizations are facing low profit margin (Huang, 2016). In this way, such organizations are
also facing high attrition rate with decreasing business condition. Deutsche Bank is also going
through the same issues of business leading to increasing attrition rate. This research proposal
will be dealing with the role and strategies of human resource managers for coping up with the
pay hike expectations of the employees despite of low profit margin of business.
2.0 Problem Statement
With increasing competition in the global market, most of the business organizations are
facing low profit margin at their businesses. The employers of Deutsche Bank are not being
capable of offering attracting benefits to the employees (Wadhwa & Madan, 2017). Such
situation is leading to increasing attrition rate in the organizations. Moreover, the employees of
this bank are demanding pay hikes despite of low margin of the business. Hence, it is being
extremely quite tough for the managers to meet the expectation of pay hikes of the employees
with decline profit margin of the business (Hom et al., 2017).

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3.0 Aims and Objectives
Research Aim
The aim of the research study is to explore the role the role and strategies of human
resource managers to cope up with the demands of pay hike of the employees despite of
decreasing profit margin of business.
Research Objectives
 To examine the factors those are responsible for the high rate of attrition of the
employees
 To determine the impact of employee attrition on the companies
 To identify the role of human resource (HR) strategies to cope up with the expectation of
pay hike of the employees despite of low business profit margin
 To examine the factors that influence employees to quit their job
4.0 Research Questions
 What factors are responsible for the high rate of attrition of the employees?
 How employee attrition impacts on the organizations?
 What is the role of HR strategies to cope up with the expectation of pay hike of the
employees despite of low business profit margin?
 What factors influence employees to quit their job?

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5.0 Justification and Potential Output of the Research
The research proposal is extremely significant for theoretically as well as practically to
improve the HR strategies for coping up with the high expectation of salary of the employees in
declining business condition. Over the decades, several scholars have conducted research on
effective human research strategies for reducing the employee attrition rate. As per most of the
scholars, strong collaboration, praise and recognition strategies can help the managers to cope up
with the pay hike expectations of the employees in declining business condition (Mehta et al.,
2014). Hence, it is expected that the human resource managers of Deutsche Bank can also
manage the expectation of pay hike of the employees despite of low business profit margin.
6.0 Conceptual Framework
6.1 Employee Attrition in Declining Business Condition
The expectations of the employees are gradually increasing with their changing lifestyle.
They are more likely to demand pay hikes for their performance level. However, Mehta et al.
(2014) opined that most of the employers are reluctant to agree with their pay hikes, while their
businesses are not going well. Such situation makes the employees disappointed with their
organization. In competitive business world, it becomes easy for the employees to find other job
position that leverage their experience and pay better salary (Gunnuck et al. 2017). Hence, the
employees are highly inclined to leave their current job in case of their low salary structure,
which ultimately leads to high employee attrition rate. On the other hand, Hsu (2015) stated that
slow career growth is one of the most important reasons behind increasing attrition rate in
business organizations. Employees with prior experience are extremely precious for the
organizations in contemporary fastest growing market. In such situation, the experienced and

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talented employees from within the organization expect better job position because of their
performance. However, the employees often get disappointed with their employers, when they
employ any employee externally (Gautam & Jain, 2015). In this way, such employees tend to
leave their current job position. Unfair working environment and monotonous working
environment can also lead to high rate of employee attrition in business organizations.
6.2 Impact of Employee Attrition on Organizational Performance
High rate of employee turnover leads to dysfunction to the organization through
interrupting the overall organizational process. It results in placing of undue responsibilities on
the remaining employees (Holland et al., 2015). As per the human capital perspective, high rate
employee turnover reduces the firm specific human capital, which leads to declining production
process of the organization. Moreover, the organizations face loss of significant skills,
organizational memory and skills. According to Jindal and Shaikh (2015), increasing turnover
ultimately increases the overall cost and expense of the organization. Moreover, the
organizations are to arrange new recruitment process for hiring filling the vacant position
resulting from the increasing employee attrition rate. Such arrangement of new recruitment
process ultimately increases the overall organizational cost of the business organizations
(Mulvaney, 2014). The newly hired employees also require adequate training for being efficient
with the specific types of jobs. In this way, such training cost seems to be an extra cost for the
organizations.
Chahal and Poonam (2017) stated that limited numbers of employees resulting from the
employee turnover hamper the quality, consistency and output level and customer service of
business organizations. In this way, such ineffective customer satisfaction significantly hampers
the overall business condition of the organization. Furthermore, Gunnuck et al., (2017)

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mentioned that increasing employee turnover rate results in a lack of job insecurity among the
remaining employees. Hence, the remaining employees become less productive and efficient
leading to declining and ineffective organizational production. The remaining employees become
less dedicated and committed for their own job responsibility (Holland et al., 2015). Hence, such
employees become less efficient in their own job role leading to inefficient organizational
performance. Apart from that, increasing employee attrition leads to increasing confliction
between the employers and employees (Jaskiewicz et al. 2016). Moreover, in such condition,
most of the employees build negative perception regarding their employers. In this way, such
situation results in conflicting organizational condition in business organizations.
6.3 HR Roles and Strategies for Managing Pay Hike Expectation and Employee Attrition
Most of the employees are inclined to leave their current jobs due to non-fulfillment of
their expectation of pay hikes. However, the employers are often reluctant to give the employees
any pay hike, while they go through a declining profit margin in their business condition (Hirsch
et al., 2015). Hence, the employers must be highly concerned about the way of dealing with the
increasing expectation of the employees for pay hikes even in the declining business condition.
According to Premalatha (2016), instead of responding to request of pay hike in strict way, the
managers should take the request seriously. It will show adequate concern for the employees.
Moreover, Hirsch et al. (2015) opined that in such situation, the human resource managers of
organizations should transparently communicate with the employees regarding the business
condition. In this way, the employees would properly understand the declining business
condition, which will encourage them to cooperate with the employers by taking back their pay
hike request.

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Often, the employees ask for pay hike to get recognition for their high level of
performance. In such situation, such employees can be managed with alternative ways of
providing recognition instead of monetary rewards. Moreover, Michael et al. (2016) opined that
the human resource managers of organizations can also offer promotional scope for the talented
employees as the alteration of their pay hike. In this way, the human resource managers can
somewhat cope up with the expectation of pay hikes of the employees, while business is not
going good. On the other hand, Gunnuck et al. (2017) pointed out that positive negotiation with
the employees can also help the HR managers to cope up with the expectation of pay hikes of the
employees. Moreover, the HR managers should consult a salary guide with the employees
through giving them a clear picture of business condition (Jaskiewicz et al., 2016). In this way,
the employees will feel valued at their workplace and be willing to reduce their expectation of
pay hikes.
7.0 Methodology
7.1 Research Approach and Sources of Data
Research approach is highly valuable for collecting most significant data regarding the
research topic. However, the choice of research approach must have to be dependent on the types
of research variables (Lewis, 2015). Two types of research approach are mostly applied in
conducting the research study, which are namely inductive and deductive approach. In case of
inductive approach, it is required to frame new and relevant research theories and models (Choy,
2014). On the other hand, deductive approach allows in application of previously established
theories and models in collecting the most significant research information. Unlike the inductive
approach, deductive approach generalizes the information from general to specific (Dumay &

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Cai, 2015). Moreover, the framing of new theories and models in inductive approach require lot
of time and budget. On the other hand, deductive approach saves the time and budget of the
research, as it allows application of earlier models and theories for collecting significant
information. Hence, deductive approach has been chosen for collecting the useful and relevant
research information.
The research purpose chosen for this research paper will be descriptive research purpose.
Such research purpose will help in gaining and understanding the actual purpose of the research
study. Hence, this purpose will definitely help in assessing the research study from its core
perspective. In this way, it will be easier to formulate effective research objective and questions
for assembling the most relevant research information. Two types of sources of data can be uses
to gather more relevant research information, which are like primary and secondary source of
data. This research will use secondary source for establishing the literature review section.
However, the research will primary be based on primary source of data for reaching at accurate
research result.
7.2 Proposed Data Collection and Data Analysis Technique
Proposed Data Collection Method
Data collection is the most valuable method of gathering useful data regarding the
research topic (McCusker & Gunaydin, 2015). This research will use both primary and
secondary method for collecting most noteworthy and significant research information.
Secondary method will be used for collecting useful information, which will in turn be used in
framing effective literature review sections with lot of scholarly information. Such data will
mostly be collected through authentic books, journals and websites. However, the whole research

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paper will mostly be base on primary method of data collection. It will collect the most accurate
authentic information based on the research study.
In primary method of data collection, this research paper will use both quantitative as
well as qualitative technique to collect data. In case of quantitative technique, this research paper
will use survey method to collect objective and quantified primary data regarding the research
topic. Moreover, the survey questionnaires will be distributed among 100 employees of Deutsche
Bank, who will be asked to answer to the questionnaires from their own point of view in regards
to the research topic. On the other hand, in case of qualitative research, an effective interview
session will be arranged with 5 managers of Deutsche Bank for collecting core organizational
specific information regarding their HR strategies to manage expectations of pay hikes.
Data Analysis Technique
Selection of effective data analysis technique is extremely significant for extracting the
actual meaning and significance of the collected data from the selected research participants
(Dumay & Cai, 2015). In case of quantitative data, the research paper will mostly use SPSS tool
for analyzing the collected data. Chi-Square method will be uses in the research for data analysis
purpose. In such method, the observed data will be compared with the theoretical data leading to
authentic research result. However, for qualitative data, the research study will actually use
narrative analysis for extracting the right information from the interview transcripts.
7.3 Organization of the Study
Chapter 1: Introduction: The interview section will be associated with the background
and problem statement of the research study. The overall research will be based on such
highlighted problem statement in this section. This section will also establish the most relevant

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and effective research objectives and questions. Such objectives and question will gather highly
valuable and authentic research information.
Chapter 2: Literature Review: In chapter is extremely important for the overall quality
of the research result. This section will gather the more authentic and useful scholarly
information based on the research topic. Moreover, this chapter will basically be based on the
theoretical explanation of the research topic. Furthermore, the chapter will also collect some
authentic empirical data for proving the accuracy and authenticity of the research result.
Chapter 3: Research Methodology: This section will be extremely significant for
collecting the most suitable and appropriate research methods to collect authentic research
information. Moreover, this chapter will chose appropriate research purpose, approach, data
collection and data analysis method to be applied in the overall research study. The quality of the
ultimate research result will be based on selection of most right research methods.
Chapter 4: Findings and Data Analysis: In this section, the data regarding the research
study will actually be collected from the selection respondents. This section will use most
suitable data analysis model for getting the accurate meaning of data leading to effective research
result. ]
Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendation: This section will effective establish the
summary of overall research paper. Moreover, the section will also provide effective
recommendation for resolving the issues heighted in the previous chapter. Hence, this chapter
will enhance the quality of the research study.

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7.4 Budget, Project Activities and Gantt chart
Budget of the Research
Expenses Units Cost Per Unit Total Cost Per Unit
Research Equipment
Cell Phone 1 235.00$ 235.00$
Mobile Internet (Modem) 1 35.00$ 35.00$
Hard Drive 1 100.00$ 100.00$
Laptop 1 500.00$ 500.00$
Digital recorder 1 200.00$ 200.00$
Toner for printer 1 70.00$ 70.00$
Color Printer 1 150.00$ 150.00$
Research Material
Survey Monkey Subscription Fee 1 31.00$ 31.00$
SPSS Software 1 35.00$ 35.00$
Usage charge (Cell phone) 10 7.00$ 70.00$
Mobile internet Charges 10 10.00$ 100.00$
PenDrive 2 15.00$ 30.00$
Photocopies 50 1.00$ 50.00$
Anti-virus Software 1 500.00$ 500.00$
Paper/pen/marker 10 2,000.00$ 20,000.00$
Publication and Dissemination
Journal Application Fees 5 600.00$ 3,000.00$
Printing and Binding Thesis 1 250.00$ 250.00$
Printing and Binding Reports 1 250.00$ 250.00$
Total Expense 25,606.00$
Figure 1: Research Budget
(Source: Created by Author)
The Data collection and Hardware equipment will be highly expensive for the research.
Furthermore, access of authentic data from authentic data source will also be costly for the
research. The total cost for the overall research study will be $25606.