Impact of Pandemic on Workplace Management and Employee Satisfaction

This report examines the critical role of employee satisfaction in managing business functions during the COVID-19 pandemic. It analyzes how organizations, specifically Morrisons, navigated challenges related to employee satisfaction and operational activities. The research explores the importance of employee satisfaction in maintaining productivity, the challenges faced in managing employees during remote work, and the strategies adopted to boost employee engagement. The report utilizes literature review, methodology, and data analysis to understand the significance of employee satisfaction, concluding that it is a key element for employee retention and operational success. Recommendations are provided to enhance employee engagement and satisfaction through various strategies. The report also includes reflection on research methodology and suggestions for alternative approaches, along with references and an appendix containing a questionnaire used in the research.

Pandemic and Workplace
Management

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Key findings
The research is focused over analysing the information related with the role of employee
satisfaction in managing business functions during the time period of COVID-19. This has been
analysed that with the help of employee satisfaction an organisation may grow and acquire
different abilities into the business.
Conclusions
From the report this is being concluded that employee satisfaction is considered as one of
the major element of employee which helps in retaining employees and managing operational
activities as well.
Recommendation
This is recommended that the organisation should use different strategies so that to
increase employee engagement and employee satisfaction.

Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY.............................................................................................................2
Key findings................................................................................................................................2
Conclusions.................................................................................................................................2
Recommendation........................................................................................................................2
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................5
Background of the study.............................................................................................................5
Research aim...............................................................................................................................5
Research objectives....................................................................................................................5
Research questions......................................................................................................................6
Research rationale.......................................................................................................................6
LITERATURE REVIEW................................................................................................................7
What is the need and importance of employee satisfaction during COVID-19 within
Morrisons?..................................................................................................................................7
What are the challenges faced by Morrisons during COVID-19 in terms of managing
employees and carrying out business operations?......................................................................8
What are the strategies adopted by Morrisons to satisfy employees in the workplace during
COVID-19?.................................................................................................................................8
METHODOLOGY AND DATA COLLECTION .......................................................................10
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION..........................................................................13
Frequency distribution table.....................................................................................................13
Data interpretation....................................................................................................................13
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS..........................................................................18
Conclusion................................................................................................................................18
Recommendations.....................................................................................................................18
REFLECTION & RECOMMENDATION OF ALTERNATIVE RESEARCH
METHODOLOGY........................................................................................................................20
Reflection..................................................................................................................................20
Recommendation for alternative research................................................................................20
REFERENCES .............................................................................................................................22

APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................................24
Questionnaire............................................................................................................................24

INTRODUCTION
Background of the study
Employee satisfaction is considered as important element within the organisation which
helps in boosting employee productivity and overall performance. This is necessary for the
organisation to ensure that their employees are satisfied so that they can work in negative
circumstances. The situation of pandemic COVID-19 was the situation in which businesses have
faced the issue of minimised employee satisfaction and decreased employee productivity. In this
manner organisations were needed to use various measures by which they can boost working
skills and employee satisfaction (Bangwal and Tiwari, 2018). The time period of COVID has
created stress and anxiety within employees so that they faced issue of not getting needed
satisfaction in their working. The major challenge within the pandemic situation was related
with dealing with performance of an individual working in the organisation as many of the
employees are not satisfied while managing remote working and some are unhappy with heavy
workload. The chosen organisation for the current research report is Morrisons which is one of
the prominent retailer having their operations in UK. The organisation is one of the famous
supermarket chain which is associated with selling of wide verity of food, books, home ware,
magazines and many others. Morrisons was established in the year of 1899 by William
Morrisons and the organisation is focused over providing high quality of products to their
customers within affordable prices.
Research aim
To determine the significance of employee satisfaction at workplace under pandemic
COVID-19 situation for carrying out business operations effectively within an organisation”. A
study on Morrisons
Research objectives
 To understand the need and importance of employee satisfaction during COVID-19
within Morrisons
 To examine the challenges faced by Morrisons during COVID-19 in terms of managing
employees and carrying out business operations
 To evaluate the strategies adopted by Morrisons to satisfy employees in the workplace
during COVID-19

Research questions
 What is the need and importance of employee satisfaction during COVID-19 within
Morrisons?
 What are the challenges faced by Morrisons during COVID-19 in terms of managing
employees and carrying out business operations?
 What are the strategies adopted by Morrisons to satisfy employees in the workplace
during COVID-19?
Research rationale
The prominent rational behind the current research is to develop understanding in terms
of employee satisfaction and challenges faced by UK retail industry in the time period of
COVID-19. This has been analysed that COVID-19 has created issues within employee
management and business operations as well (Kurdi, Alshurideh and Alnaser, 2020). Researcher
within the current research is also aimed at satisfying dual perspectives such as personal and
professional. In terms of personal objectives the researcher will develop different skills such as
analytical skills, research skills, presentation skills and many more. On the other hand, in terms
of professional perspective the research will provide specific edge in order to manage their
future researches in more specific manner.

LITERATURE REVIEW
What is the need and importance of employee satisfaction during COVID-19 within Morrisons?
According to the view of Karatepe, Saydam, and Okumus (2021), customer satisfaction
is refer to the measurement that determine how the customers expectations meets with the
company's product and services. It is play a vital role for any company or industry. As they help
to increase the productivity and profitability of the company. Customer satisfaction help to
increase the growth and image of the company. In relation to Morrisons, customer satisfaction
during the COVID-19 times is the important part. As COVID-19 creates many challenges and
issues for every industry. Customer satisfaction is also the issue. The importance of customer
satisfaction within Morrisons help to increase the profitability and also attract more customer
towards the company. It is help to increase and improve the productivity of the company.
Customer satisfaction increase the performance of the company. It is important because it is help
to increase the company image, profitability and productivity. It is help to change the overall
operations of the company.
In the opinion to Rubenstein, and et.al (2022), customer satisfaction is defined as the
term that is determine as how company's product and services meet to customers and their
expectations. Customer satisfaction is important for the future growth. It is help to increase the
company's profit and sales. In relation to Morrisons, during the Covid-19 customer satisfaction is
important. As Covid-19 times is the tough times for everyone. Customer satisfaction help to
increase the company's image and improve the productivity. Customer satisfaction help to
increase the value of company's product and services. It is helping the company to increasing the
profit and productivity of the industry.
According to the point of view of Oommen, and et.al (2022), customer satisfaction is an
important part. As it is help to increase the productivity and profitability of the industry or
company. In context to Morrisons, customer satisfaction during the Covid-19 times is important.
As it is creates many problems and issues and change the customer buying behaviour. During
the COVID-19 pandemic customer satisfaction is reduces. As it is also reduce the company's
profit and productivity. So, customer satisfaction is necessary to increase the company's
profitability and productivity. It is help to maintain operations system of the company. It is help
to improve the image and reputation of the company.

What are the challenges faced by Morrisons during COVID-19 in terms of managing employees
and carrying out business operations?
According to the point of view of Alonso, and et.al (2021), there are many challenges
and issues faced by Morrisons during global pandemic in managing the employees. As Covid-19
is difficult situation that create many issues and problems. There are many rules, regulations and
guidelines by the government for people safety. They announced to shut down everything,
lockdown, social distancing and many more. It is affects the overall operation of the companies.
Morrisons faced that there are lack number of employee in the company. It is difficult to manage
the employees according to the services. It is affects the company's productivity and
performance.
As per the view of Karatepe, Saydam, and Okumus (2021), the challenges and issues was
creating during the Covid-19 pandemic that is faced by Morrisons in term of managing
employees. As Covid-19 is the situation, where nobody can't go outside because it is spread all
over the world. The government takes decision for people's health and safety to not go outside
and shutdown everything. It affects the overall operation of the company. The company faced
that there is lack number of employees in the company. It is difficult to manage the employees
within the company. It is reducing the company's productivity and performance.
According to the view of Zentveld, and et.al (2022), there are some challenges faced by
Morrisons during the global pandemic. They faced issues in managing the employees towards
the work. It is difficult for the company to manage the overall process of employees retaining.
During the global pandemic, employees are not able to go anywhere because of government's
rules and regulation. It is for the people health and care. Morrisons faced that there are not
proper and effective working of employees. It is affecting the performance and profitability of
the company.
What are the strategies adopted by Morrisons to satisfy employees in the workplace during
COVID-19?
In the opinion to Morrison, Bliss, and McCaffrey (2021), there are some strategies
adopted by the Morrisons ton employee satisfaction. They used to provide remote working to
their employees. It is help in employees satisfaction. They used to provide many beneficial
services to employees such as promotions, bonus, opportunities. It is help to encourage the
employees towards the work. They provide many safety within the company such as sanitise

everything, cleaning of stores and etc. it is help in employee health and safety. They trained their
employees and motivates them to work with effectiveness and efficiency that is help them to
gain the opportunities and bonus.
According to the view of Liu, Chen, and Li, N (2021), the strategies used by Morrisons
to satisfy the employee within the workplace. They listen their problems and issues. It is help to
build a relationship with employees. They provide the beneficial services such as bonus,
promotions on their performance. It is help to improve their performance towards the work.
They provide the safety protections within the workplace. It is help in customer's health and
safety. They provide remote working. It is help in employee satisfactions. They trained their
employees and motivates them for working with effectiveness and efficiency. It is help to
increase the productivity and performance.
As per the point of view of Rubenstein, and et.al (2022), there are many strategies taken
by the Morrisons to employee satisfactions in the workplace. They provide many services to
their employees such as bonus, opportunities, appraisal on their performance. It is help in
increasing the performance of employees. They motivated and trained their employee. It is help
in effective and efficient working. They understand their employees problems. It is help to build
the strong relationship with employees.

METHODOLOGY AND DATA COLLECTION
Research methodology is considered as that set of methods which are being used by the
researcher so that to determine, select and analyse gathered information and methods in which
information will be gathered. This chapter clearly defines the manner of collecting information
so that to collect and analyse information. The research methodologies which will be used within
the current research are elaborated as under:
Research philosophy: Research philosophy are accumulation of values and beliefs
which are undertaken within the research so that to related information can be collected by the
researcher in respect of research topic. There are two types of research philosophies such as
positivism and interpretivism (Slavković, Pavlović and Simić, 2018). As per the learning of the
current research the research is using positivism research philosophy so that to align their
research with quantitative methods. The major rationale behind the current research is that to
manage the research in scientific manner and to attain relationship with trends of the research.
Research approach: it is refers to the important term of research methodology. There
are two parts of research approach which defined as deductive and inductive (Teo, 2021). in the
following report deductive approach has been selected by the researcher. Deductive approach
help to analysis the quantitative data information of customers satisfaction during the global
pandemic. It is help the researchers to evaluate and understand the quantitive information in
easy manner. It is help to gain more knowledge about the quantitative information in effective
and easy manner. It is also provide the overall information in effective and efficient manner.
Research strategy: it is refers to the strategy which is available in many strategic and
and various forms which includes case study, grounded theory, observation, survey and many
more (Zajda, 2020). in the present research, survey strategy has been selected by the researchers.
Survey strategy is a cost effective strategy. It is help the researchers by providing the
quantitative data information by collecting it in the small and large sample. It is help the
researchers to collect the data information about the research in various form. It is also help to
collect the data in valuable and reliable manner.
Research choice: it is defined as the part of research methodology. Research choices are
divided into two categories which includes quantitative and qualitative (Sankaran, Müller, and
Drouin, 2020). in the current research, quantitative method has been selected by the researchers.
Quantitative method helps to provide the numerical data information. It is help to understand and

collect the statistical data. It is help to collect the valuable and knowledgable data information
about the research. It is also help to collect the accurate and reliable data of the research. It is
help the researchers to gain the more relatable data information of specific topic.
Time horizon: it is refers to the overall time which is taken to complete the research. It
time horizon is divided into two parts which includes cross-sectional and longitudinal (Hew, and
et.al., 2021). cross-sectional time horizon method has been selected by the researchers for the
following research. It is help to collect the valuable and reliable information of the particular
topic. It is help to save the time. It is provide the information in less time. It is help to conduct
the overall research report in short time and provide many several advantages.
Sampling: it is refers to the term of research methodology. It is divided into two various
parts such as probability and non-probability (Sandoval, 2020). probability method has been
taken by the researchers for the following research. It is helps to gain the accurate data
information about the topic. It is help to collect the relatable and correct data information about
the particular topic. The sample size is 30 managers of Morrisons has been taken for the
following research.
Data collection: Data collection is the process which is used by the researcher in order to
gather information in relation to research topic. There are two types of data collection methods
such as primary and secondary. In the terms of requirements of the current research researcher is
using both the methods of data collection such as primary and secondary. In terms of primary
data collection methods researcher is using questionnaire and for secondary data collection
method the researcher is using books and journals so that authentic information can be gathered.
Data analysis: Data analysis is the process which is used for analysing the gathered
information so that appropriate results can be taken out. Data analysis is of two types such as
frequency distribution table and thematic analysis. By analysing requirement of the current
research the researcher is using frequency distribution table so that to manage overall research.
These methods of data collection are helpful in proving the dimensions of the research in easy
manner. These methods can be used by the researcher in such manner that related information
can be obtained and at the same time research results can be taken out.
Ethical consideration: Ethical considerations are integral part of the research in which
overall research can be executed in ethical manner. There are different ethical considerations
which are being followed within the current research such as informed consent, confidentiality,

data integrity and many others. Using such ethical consideration overall research can be
executed in appropriate manner along with taking out its major objectives as well.
Timeline: Timeline is considered as the time allotted to each and every activities so that
delays can be avoided. In this element of the research Gantt chart is used so that researcher will
come ti know regarding accurate date for completing each activity.