Employee Motivation and Industry Impact

Introduction

This chapter discusses the key finding of this study. This discussion is done by developing of a number of themes. Three key themes are developed. The first theme discusses how employee motivation on the industry performance. The second theme discusses the factors that play important roles for employee satisfaction and motivation in the ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh. The third theme discusses the factors that de-motivate the workers in the readymade garments industry in Bangladesh. Each theme focuses on particular research objective. The first theme focuses on the second objective, the second theme focuses on the third objective, and the third theme focuses on the fourth objectives. The first objective is met through literature reviews in the chapter two, and the fifth object is met providing recommendation in sixth chapter.

Impact of employee motivation on industry performance in term of Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments (RMG) industry

Staff satisfaction and turnover in Bangladesh RMG sector

Pushpakumari (2016) said that, worker performance and productivity is significantly dependent of their satisfaction. Lewis (2015) stated that, employee satisfaction has a direct impact on employee performance at numerous levels in an organisation. According to Steijn (2016), staff satisfaction is an enjoyable sensitivity and an emotive reply to ones work as well as the social and physical situation of the job environment. Stejin (2016) disclosed that, this employee satisfaction is closely linked to work features such as job security, environment of work, salaries, and quick abstraction of complaints, job surroundings, and chance for advancement, and chances for involvement in decision building and other pleasure of marginal remunerations. Productivity, profitability, discipline of the Bangladesh RMG is highly related with employee satisfaction. This is because the RMG of Bangladesh has always been rattled with disputes and violent protest by the workers due to low wages, unsafe working environment, workers health, ergonomic hazards, chemical hazards, frequent accidents in garments factories and various other crises are prone to high employee turnover in this industry. Walton (2017) said that, employee turnover reflects directly on the efficiency, productivity, profitability and working environment of a factory. Reduction of employee turnover and retention of employees are of the most significant factor for the highly potential RMGs sector of Bangladesh. The high probability of workers leaving is a key driver of low efficiency and leads to widespread refusals by factories to invest in the training of workers or creating the safest environment. The retention of employees could be more effective with the implementation of the career development plan for the employees by the organisations. Vos (2016) stated that, career development opportunities also play significant role in preventing employees from leaving the organisation and results in increasing the loyalty of the workers towards the organisations. Pushpakumari (2016) said that, Higher the satisfaction of the workers always exhibits positive attitude and responsibilities towards work and are less prone to turnover and vice versa. As the RMGs sector plays significant role in the growing economy of Bangladesh, retention of employees play vital role to maintain the harmony of this sector. According to Vos (2016), RMG is very labour-intensive. Therefore, it is vital to find out what motivates them, what inspires them, what incentivizes them, what satisfy them. There is a rapid growth of industrialization in Bangladesh. Thus, the effective practice of human resource management (HRM) is essential in this labour intensive industry.

Employee participation in decision making of Bangladesh RMG industry

James, Debra and Laurie (2016) mentioned that, the employee participation in decision making has the great impact on the motivation of the employees. Employee participation in decision making has the impact on the employee performance but less than the motivation. Employee participation in decision making is a non-financial motivational technique that increases the motivation of the employees. Employee participation in decision making increases the values of the employees and employees can share their ideas, feelings, and related information to the top level managers that help to take better decision of the firm. In Bangladesh, the unskilled and semi-skilled male and female workers are getting chance to do the work. The participation of the employees in decision making is a difficult task for the garments industry in Bangladesh due to unskilled and semi-skilled employees. The garments industry of Bangladesh is free from gender discrimination because most of the workers are female and salary is wage is equal to the male workers that based on skill, hours work, experience and age. In this circumstance, employee participation in decision making increases the motivational level of the workers of garments factory of Bangladesh and their physiological, self-esteem, and satisfaction needs are met The garments factory of Bangladesh concentrates on the employee participation in decision due to create a better relationship between the employees and managers. The other benefit of participative management is that it helps to reduce the conflicts among the employee and employee, manager and manager as well as manager and employees of the garments factory of Bangladesh. As per the findings, the garments factory of Bangladesh, Participative management has been used to reduce the job stress of the employees and employees are very cooperative to attain the goals of the firm which further enhances the contribution of the staff members. According to Coch (2016), Participative management reduces the labour turnover rate of the garments factory of Bangladesh. The employees of the garments factory of Bangladesh consider the organisation goals as personal goals and give their best effort to accomplish the mission and vision of the organisation. Participative management improves the mutual understanding among the employees, mangers and other stakeholders of the garments factory of Bangladesh. According to Emran (2016), participative management intends to accurate decision of the firm that is the precondition of success of the garments factory of Bangladesh. Hossain (2016) stated that participation tends to improve motivation because employees feel more engaged and involved in the workplace. Their self-esteem, job satisfaction and cooperation with management may also improve. The opportunity for the employee participation in decision making results are reduced conflict and stress, more commitment to goals, and better acceptance of change (Newstrom and Davis, 2015). For this reason; the garments factory of Bangladesh has developed its strategy to give more importance on the employee participation in decision making and take better decisions as well as implement the decisions for achieving the ultimate goals of the RMG.

Staff motivation and performance of Bangladesh RMG industry

Huselid (2016) mentioned that adequate salary range, promotion facility and reward system for better performance affects the motivation of the employees which deals with overall organisational performance. Financial solvency and social status are being found to influence directly on the employee performance in labour intensive manufacturing industry. Khan (2015) stated that proper HR practices in the respective organisation significantly regulate worker behaviour and bring out positive attitudes towards organisation which in turn helps in attaining organisational goals with reference to the Bangladesh with lower per capita income. Organisational success is dependent on the proper HRM practice (Walton, 2017). According to the work of Landy (2016), satisfied workers show greater work performance than those who are not satisfied in the workplace. Ahmad et al. (2015) mentioned that the motivated employees have given their best efforts on the activities of the firm. The motivated employees also take several challenges activities to get reward from the company. The profitability and liquidity of the firm largely depends on the motivated employees. The firm which fails to motivate the employees cannot attain the goals and objectives successively. On the other hand; the firm which motivates the employees through motivational techniques is able to attain the goals and objectives easily. Therefore; staffs motivation and performance of Bangladesh RMG industry are positively correlated. According to Ottenbacher and Harrington (2017), employee contribution plays a vital role for organisational creativity and innovation. Creative and innovative workers help the firm to get competitive advantages in the market. In case of Bangladesh RMG industry, motivation is very important tool to make the employees creative and innovative. The creative and innovative employees also help to attract more customers and retain them as loyal customers of Bangladesh RMG industry. Therefore, Bangladesh RMG industry has to use several motivational techniques within the firm for increasing the creative and innovative power of the employees. Motivation affects the individual performance of the workers of Bangladesh RMG industry. Individual performance depends on quantity and quality of productivity, the level of effort, the level of cooperation and time management capacity. Azar and Shafighi (2015) stated that motivation inspires the employees to maintain quantity and quality of productivity; increase the level of effort; increase the level of co-operation and proper time management capacity. For this reason; Bangladesh RMG industry has applied various rewards and incentive for the employees to motivate them. Mehmod (2016) mentioned that the highly motivated employees give their best effort within the firm for gaining reward form the firm. Motivated employees of the Bangladesh RMG industry are to participate in the decision making and share their creative and innovative ideas with the top level managers for making decision effectively and efficiently. For this reason; Bangladesh RMG industry should use various motivational techniques including the reasonable salary, rewards and incentive system are arranged for the employees to improve the performance and increase the productivity and motivation of them for achieving the goals of the firm.

Manzoor (2016) mentioned on his study motivation is needed not only for the employees satisfaction but also for the organisation stakeholders’ satisfaction. The stakeholders of the firm always want to increase the growth of the firm. The growth of the firm depends on the performance of the employees. In the same way; the employee performance depends on the motivation. Saleem et al. (2016) mentioned that motivation and employee performance have the positive correlation. Naeem et al. (2016) stated that the higher the motivation level, the higher the employee performance. Another study by Ramlall (2015) stated that employee output capacity also depends on the motivation. Therefore; Bangladesh RMG industry has also established the reasonable salary for the male and female employees, established better working environment, given various types of bonuses, ensured healthy working time, created better communication channel and relationship as well as other monetary and non-monetary rewards for the employees to motivate the employees and improve the performance level of them.

Employee motivation and productivity of Bangladesh RMG industry

In ready-made garments industry, the most important factor of production is workers. The profitability and liquidity of the garments factory depends on the productivity of the workers. At present; the garments industry need to expense a minimum wage for the workers that are set by the government of the country. Bangladesh RMG industry producers require ensuring the productivity of the employees to meet the salaries of employees (Salam and McLean, 2014). In productivity ranking; China is placed first, second India, third Vietnam and fourth Pakistan and then Bangladesh in Asia subcontinent (Berg, et al., 2015). Abdullah (2016) identified some reasons of lower productivity of Bangladesh RMG industry include low literacy rate, lack of formal institutionalized training and development programs, and lower wage rate. The lower productivity of Bangladesh ready-made garments industry factory is arisen due to undiversified risks including lack of political stability, inadequate infrastructures development, unhealthy working environment, higher inflation and economic downturns. The Chinese workers’ productivity is four times more than that of Bangladeshi workers due to several reasons including higher literacy rate, arrangement of formal institutionalized training and development programs, and higher wage rate for the normal and overtime working hours (Abdin, 2017). In Bangladesh, the most favourable factors for the RMG factory include lower wages employees, better infrastructure development and political stability. But it is a matter of regret that the Bangladeshi workers are not literate and more skilful to increase the productivity (Chowdhury, Ali and Rahman, 2016). Due to lack of technical knowledge, the productivity of workers of Bangladesh may decrease that increase the cost of production and profitability of RMG industry in Bangladesh. The past Study suggested the higher involvement in technologies within the RMG industry in Bangladesh may help to ensure the higher productivity of the workers. (Abdullah, 2016) stated that reward and incentive system helps to improve the productivity of the workers in the RMG industry of Bangladesh. The RMG industry of Bangladesh can provide award or incentive to the employees for regular attendance, higher productivity and better time management. RMG industry in Bangladesh also has applied the team working ensures the coordination among the employees and ensures the better understanding as well as relationship among the employees to increase productivity of the workers. RMG industry in Bangladesh can use visualization system to monitor the output of the employees in hourly basis. RMG industry in Bangladesh also develops the technological development, high-tech investment, and the development of human resource through using various motivation techniques helps to improve the productivity of the employees of the RMG industry in Bangladesh.

Employee motivation and knowledge sharing in Bangladesh RMG industry

Knowledge sharing succeeds the knowledge management practices in organisations regardless of the industry nature and geography including the Ready-Made Garments industry of Bangladesh. Lin (2017) outlined that knowledge sharing is an interacting process that includes the exchange of employee knowledge, skills and experiences throughout the entire organisation in any sector. To some extent, knowledge-sharing activities are similarly significant for the Ready-Made Garments (RMG) organisations in Bangladesh. The industry has been undergoing rapid growth and expansion due to local and foreign direct investments (Naomi, 2015). However, regular unexpected incidents such as strikes, conflicts between managers and employees create significant barriers for the expected growth of the industry, which earned more than $28 billion in 2016 for Bangladesh, making it a major exporting sector for the country (BGMEA, 2017). According to Lin (2017), knowledge sharing behaviour of managers could contribute to the development of employee relationships, dissemination of information throughout organisational internal stakeholders, reduction of employee turnover, increase of organisational productivity and reduction of employee turbulences Bangladesh is one of the Next Eleven (N-11) countries with high potential to become one of the major economies in the 21st century within 2041 due to its promising outlook for investment and growth (Goldman Sachs, 2017). In this country, the Ready-Made Garments (RMG) industry is the highest earner of foreign currency through the export of produced cloths. It earned more than $28 billion in 2016 while it aims to earn more than $50 billion by 2021 (BGMEA, 2017). Therefore, the phenomenon of knowledge sharing behaviour of managers in the RMG organisations in Bangladesh is very significant. Managers in ready-made garments (RMG) organisations possess tacit knowledge due to their long-term work experience in their respective fields. Therefore, these organisations can be excellent places to practice knowledge management approaches that will benefit everyone. In this regard, three factors, which influence individual intentions include attitude toward the behaviour, social norms regarding the behaviour and beliefs about one’s control over the behaviour. However, the attitude here indicates the degree to which individuals evaluate the behaviour positively or negatively (Mansor and Saparudin, 2015). On the other hand, the simplicity of knowledge sharing is a significant factor that influences on human behaviour or the willingness to share. According to Gagne (2017), if the nature of knowledge sharing process is easier, people will share their knowledge while the value of the knowledge will influence employees’ motivations to share. According to Lin (2017), motivational activities including intrinsic and extrinsic further influence the individual attitude and willingness to share his or her knowledge with others and perform better in the workplace.

Employee motivation and organisational effectiveness

Malik, Ghafoor and Naseer (2011) said organisational effectiveness refers to the net satisfaction of all processes and transforming inputs in the businesses into the outputs in efficient managers. Mullins (2015) also defined organisational effectiveness as the extent to which a business uses its resources effectively and efficiently and can meet the organisational goals and objectives. Thibodeaux and Favilla (2016) said organisational effectiveness is the process of using business resources without depleting and placing undue strain in business stakeholders. According to Latt (2013), organisational effectiveness is the combined utility of business primary constituents. The goal model in Torrington et al. (2015) described organisational effectiveness as the extent to which a business can attains its goals and objectives. The legitimacy model in Thibodeaux and Favilla (2016) described the organisational effectiveness as the business background evaluation of natural limitations and performance in the perspective of business external environment. The constituency model described in Connolly et al. (2013) stated that organisational effectiveness refers to a set of statements and evaluative criteria applied by businesses in the way of its business operations and meeting organisational goals and objectives. The system resource models described in Connolly et al. (2013) book stated that organisational effectiveness can be defined as the organisation bargaining position, and the business ability to use the resource effectively, value the resources, and to exploit its environment. The study discloses that organisational effectiveness determine several factors that improve staff motivation. Zammuto (2012) stated that organisational effectiveness promotes staff motivation and satisfaction that provide prospects of staff about businesses and their products and services. Roy and Dugal (2015) defined the organisational effectiveness as the locating targets and motivating them in spirited and energetic surroundings proficiently. A study done by Kamalian and Yaghoubi and Moloudi (2010) disclosed that there is a close relationship between organisational effectiveness, staff performance, and staff motivation. The study by Malik and Ghafoor and Naseer (2011) revealed that democratic, transformational and charismatic leadership promote organisational performance, effectiveness and staff motivation in compare to other types of leaderships including autocratic style. Therefore, Mullins (2015) suggested that managers apply combine of democratic, transformational and charismatic leadership styles to increase the staff motivation and organisational effectiveness. Torrington et al. (2015) highly recommended that effective organisational culture and structure significantly affect the organisational effectiveness and employee motivations. Therefore, organisations need to ensure equality and diversity in workplace, and should provide freedom of employee voices and take part in decision making. Rukhmani, Ramesh and Jayakrishnan (2010) said when the staffs are delighted, satisfied and motivated in the workplace, they provide higher productivity and performance (including increasing profitability and reducing overall business costs) that ultimately increase organisational effectiveness and efficiency. Therefore, the finding of literature strongly shows a close relationship between organisational effectiveness and staff motivation.

Factors that play important role for employee satisfaction and motivation in the ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh

Salaries/wages

According to Tella et al. (2015), staff at workplaces always looks for reasonable payment and salaries, and employers looks for expected performance from very individual staff. Mullins (2015) stated that, money is the fundamental motivational tool or incentive that influence and motivate employees towards the organisational goals of business. Mullins (2015) also said, money has the supremacy to maintain, magnetize, and motivate employees towards high productivity and performance. Frederick Taylor and scientific management associates in Roy and Dugal (2015) opined that, money is the key factor, which motivates the employees and provides greater productivity at workplace. Almost all the motivational theories including Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, Herzberg’s two factors motivation theory, Taylor motivation, and McGregor’s motivation theory along with all the theorists and managers agree that money is the main driver to motivate individual at workplace. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory in Mullins (2014) discloses that are money (to meet basic needs like foods, homes, clothing, medication, education), safety and security, love, esteem, self recognition. Torrington et al. (2014) said that, as Maslow’s needs theory, organisations should provide good salaries and wages to fulfil the basic needs of all the employees in the workplace. However, the finding of the interview data in this research shows that workers in Bangladesh Ready Made Garments industry are not happy with their monthly salary This is because employee salaries in this industry are comparably poor than other industry. On the other hand, expenditure including living and accommodation, price of commodities are increasing day by day. Thus, there is no balance between the income and the expenditure. Findings about salary and wage rate of the employees: Most of the participants commented that “workers are not happy because the salaries they get from their employers are not sufficient to maintain their living and accommodation cost”.

As per the findings, one of the participants commented that “the average salary of a garments worker is 7000-8000 taka”.

If the salary is 7000-8000 taka, his/her work day is about 26 days. Thus, per work day his/her salary is 270 taka. Thus, they face difficulties to maintain their livelihood and accommodation, and children’s study cost. Therefore, strike, worker movement and other crisis are very common challenges in the garments sector.

From this finding, it has been cleared that, only 22.5% of employees are satisfied with their monthly salary. On the other hand, the secondary source also recommended most of the employees are not satisfied with monthly salary (Ramesh, 2014).

Rewards and incentives

Rewards in the workplace can result in high staff satisfaction that ultimately improves staff performance. Rewards can also be used as a management tool to influence employees at workplace and contribute to organisational effectiveness (Abadi et al., 2015). Businesses in current world also use other incentives including bonuses, promotion, pay to motivate staff and gain high level of performance from them. Therefore, it is essential for businesses to develop other attractive incentives beside the salary structure. Latt (2013) stated that organisations should design payment structure according to performance, and payment structure can include pensions, fringe benefits, and other allowances. Bratton and Gold (2012) said organisations need to develop several incentives and rewards programs to motivate their employees and retain them for longer time periods. However, Michael (2010) argued that incentive schemes are not effective in ensuring quality in highly creative environments. In addition, incentive schemes can affect the performance of productivity. For instance, bonus provided on selling process definitely increases the performance of selling. It is also argued that people are nowadays more dependent on their colleagues in the workplace, where incentive schemes are not being effective at all (Michael, 2010). Kaye and Jordan (2012) suggested the organisations to design attractive incentives schemes such as fair and standard salaries/wages, bonus, profit share, staff discount. Bratton and Gold (2012) also suggested focusing on business mission and visions, aims and objectives in designing incentives and reward schemes. Ali and Ahmad (2012) said rewards and recognitions are important factors to improve job satisfaction and motivation that ultimate support the organisational achievement. A study conducted by Abadi et al. (2015) shows that there is a close relationship between employee recognition and motivation. However, the finding of the interview data in this study shows that workers in Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments industry are not happy with the current rewards and incentive provided by the employers. For example, there are two main festivals in Bangladesh are Eid-Ul-Azha and Eid-Ul-Fitr. The workers expect bonus in these two festivals, but most of the garments factories do not provide. In addition, employees expects paid holiday, maternity leave, performance recognition from managers, promotion based skills and experiences, sick payment, medical facilities, pension schemes and insurance facilities. But, most of the employers in this industry are not providing these facilities to their staffs.

Findings on rewards and incentives:

organisation example is” From this data findings, it has been seen that most of the employees are not satisfied with the reward system and incentives at the Ready-Made Garments industry in Bangladesh. Also the secondary findings agreed that, most of the employees are not satisfied with incentives and rewards of the readymade garments in Bangladesh (Habib, 2016). Additionally, from this finding, it has also been cleared that, the large number of staff members are not satisfied with incentives and rewards of the Ready-mate garments in Bangladesh.

Leadership and management

Torrington et al. (2015) said effective leadership practices can significantly affect the employee motivation at workplace. This is because effective leadership practices influence the followers, build up trust and relationship between managers and employees, and engage them in decision making for the business. According to Baldoni (2015), motivation is a leadership behaviour that focuses on the right for both employees and employers. This means leadership and motivation can be considered as the active process of higher level of morality between leaders and followers at workplace. However, the primary data from the interview in this study shows that leadership and management policies in the Ready-Made Garments industry are not effective enough to motivate the staffs in the workplaces.

Findings on Leadership and management

For example, employers can develop a standard rules and policies for the managers and staffs. Employers also can hire the skilled and experienced management people. Manager’s performance can be observed, measured and monitored from time to time and actions can be taken as required. The manager should maintain good behaviour in workplace with the leader and also with the junior team members and other staff members in the readymade garment factory of Bangladesh. If manager behave friendly with the workers, then the workers will be motivated in the workplace, they will feel safe in the workplace, and that will make garments industry much better. Additionally, the managers and leadership of garments factories in this industry should develop more leadership traits and management characteristics (including honesty, openness, supportive, transparency and accountability, hardworking, helpful, directive) to motivate their followers and staffs in the workplace. On the other hand, it has been shown that, most of the participants are not happy with the management policies and workplace culture. From this finding, it is clear that majority numbers of workers in Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments industry are not satisfied with the management and leadership practices in their workplace. From the secondary data, it has also been found that, most of the employees are not satisfied with the management policies (Ahamed, 2013).

Service facilities

Torrington et al. (2014) said it is not easy to achieve high employee motivation in workplaces. Therefore, organisations need to apply several motivation formulas or programs to motivate their employees at workplace. Bratton and Gold (2012) suggested that organisations to focus on career growth, learning and development, meaningful work, exciting and challenging work, skilled and experienced people, good management and leadership, and good team players. However, the finding of this research shows that in the RMG sector of Bangladesh, most of the workers are not happy with the overall service facilities provided by their employers. For example, workers are not happy with promotion system because promotion system is every poor in this industry that makes the worker unhappy. The promotion system practiced by the employees in the Bangladesh garments industry takes long time to create the promotion system for a staff. In this case, employers can observe performance in every six months of the staffs. Whenever the company sees any particular staffs is showing better performance then the company gets decision to give promotion. They are not happy with their responsibilities. For example, they are forced to work more than eight hours and are forced to work overload in compare to their skill and experiences that makes them feel overstress. They are not able to take the work overload.

Findings about Service facilities

The finding also shows that, the right people are not given in the right place rather they are given pressure in other place and there is no flexibility to work. They are not happy in terms of relationship with co-workers and also with the leaders and managers. There is a big gap between the line manager and the workers which creates misunderstanding. Managers behave rudely with the workers in workplace and this makes the gap. Managers are too much bossy and show too much power to their workers. Hence, it can be revealed that, there is high power distance between staff and manager. From the finding of the survey, it is clear that majority numbers of workers in the Ready-Made Garments industry are not satisfied with the services facilities (including promotion system, responsibility, recognition at the workplace, current facilities, professional career, better performance, and relation with co-workers) that they get in workplace.

Workplace environment

According to Mullins (2014), a safe and secured workplace should be provided to meet the safety needs of workers. Kay and Jordan (2012) recommended creating a safe, secure and friendly work environment by ensuring good location, friendly colleagues, cutting-edge technology, and job security. However, the finding of interview in this study shows that in most of the cases workers in the Bangladesh RMG industry are not happy with their workplace environment. This is because there are no helping attitudes of the department. Staffs are deprived from proper departmental attitude because it is seen that department does not help them properly. There is high power distance between managers and staffs. Managers do not behave properly with their workers, they are rude many cases. The workplace security of the workers is not good. Thus, workers are not satisfied with workplace security. In the Bangladesh RMG industry, most of the workers (about 80%) are women who do not get proper security. They reach their homes at late night and face high sexual harassment. In terms of safety, for example, the Rana Plaza collapses in 2013 where more than 1,200 people were died which was unethical practice at the garment industry of Bangladesh. This means there is no security in most of the organisation of Bangladesh garments industry. The workers are not happy with the health and safety issues also. Thus, many participants recommend having a health department available in every garments factory. For example, any worker can feel sick anytime, thus, first aid needs to be available in the workplace. The building infrastructure and internal facilities such as health environment, lighting, temperature, ventilation, and pure drinking water are very poor in Bangladesh which further raises the issue of lack of health and safety of the workers in the garment industry across Bangladesh. Additionally, workers are not happy with their leave and holiday. The healthy environment is not presented in most of the garments factories in the Bangladesh RMG industry. Health and safety issues are very poor in this industry. Health and safety issues such as ventilation, good healthy environment, fresh and clean water, and good sanitation system are not good enough. In many cases, line managers are not friendly, cooperative and collaborative. Many garments factories in Bangladesh fail to ensure privacy and security for their staffs. Torrington et al. (2014) stated that, managers should respect and treat individual staffs as family members to meet love needs of employees. Bratton and Gold (2012) opined that, employers should promote skills, experiences, and achievement by giving promotion or any special rewards. The employers should ensure self- recognition of employees by providing opportunities of position and decision making for business. However, in the RMG industry of Bangladesh, there is gap between the manager and the workers.

Findings on Workplace environment

As per the above findings, it has been clear that, majority numbers of workers in Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments (RMG) are not satisfied with the departmental helping attitudes, security levels, leave and holidays in the factory, management behaviours, and job freedom, as well as medical and insurance facilities in their workplace which leads to lack of motivation and satisfaction among the employees in the Bangladesh garment industry.

Working hours

According to Mullins (2014), flexible working hours influence employee motivation in workplace. Torrington et al. (2013) said good working hour structure is essential to improve staff satisfaction, motivation, and performance in the workplace. However, the finding of interview data in this research shows that most of the workers in the RMG sector of Bangladesh are not happy with their working hours. This is because employers force them to work for long time. For example, the regulation of working hours in Bangladesh is to work eight hours in a day but most of garments employers force their staffs to work for 10 to 12 hours, even in some case from 12-16 hours. If the extra times are considered as overtime, then this becomes the facility for the workers and they are satisfied with that. They are forced to work long time but this time is not considered as overtime. Some organisations consider this as overtime but most of the organisations do not consider this as overtime. Additionally, workers do not get the proper salary for their overtime work. In addition, there is no snack or break time, no refreshment during the work. As a result, workers get sick working in the long shift. On the other hand,

Findings about Working hours

It has been shown that, majority numbers of employees have 10 hours over of working shift. The secondary data represented that most employees have more than 10 hours working duration in the Ready-mate garments in Bangladesh (Ahamed, 2013).

CSR activities

The CSR activities related to staff motivation in the workplace in the ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh are still in their initial stages. However, the ready-made garments (RMG) industry has come under pressure from foreign direct investors. This pressure mainly has come since tragedies hit in some ready-made garments factories like Rana Plaza (Hoskins, 2015) and Tazrin fashion (Hammadi, 2012). Foreign investors and consumers mainly focusing on international safety standards, factory floor security, and health and safety issue for the employees. Therefore, the ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh is now concentrating more on the CSR activities and sustainable supply chain management than ever before (Ahmed and Hossain, 2017). Because of the economic dependence on advanced nations and globalization, many organisations in the Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments industry are transforming their minds on CSR activities. Ahmed and Hossain (2017) said the ready-made garments industry of Bangladesh is the country’s key export sector, whereas the foreign investors have impact on standard setting and industrial operations. Therefore, the key authority of Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments (RMG) industry, BGMEA (Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Export Association) and BUFT (BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology) taking several initiatives to improve industry CSR activities. These initiatives will significantly contribute in workplace safety, equal pay for women workers, and eco-friendly equipments in workplaces that ultimately improve staff motivation and satisfaction in the industry.

In addition, Therefore it can be stated that, CSR activities can play a significant role in supporting and motivating these disadvantaged workers. Parvez (2017) said, the role of trade unions in this industry should be active but in reality their practices are not perceptible. Garments workers in this industry do not have freedom of disclosing voices and join in trade unions. Sobhan (2016) suggested that the trade unions should give high concentration CSR activities to ensure workers rights and their satisfaction in the workplaces. Sobhan (2016) also said the Ready-Made Garments (RMG) industry should give high concentration on philanthropic activities and businesses along with adopting effective CSR practices Further, Bangladesh RMG industry has welcomed globalization effectively and has been able to grow the industry with profits and affordable labour to attract foreign investment. However, CSR activities in this industry are seen limited in monetary terms like donating to NGOs, in employee supports, and social and community issues. Therefore, the foreign direct investors and buyers are creating pressure to the authorities of ready-made garments industry and government of Bangladesh to increase the CSR practices, mainly for the well-being of the workers. Under these CSR activities the main focus should be on workplace safety, fair wages, employee rights and their changing needs and expectations. In this case, both local and multination organisations can take initiatives together to bring changes in labour rights, corporate governance, community management, social and community issues (Hoskins, 2015).

Employee Empowerment

Empowerment creates an environment in workplace that appreciates the employees through positive and constant feedback from managers on their performance. Smith (2017) disclosed that empowerment is an important part of a business that motivates staff to give the best efforts in the workplace. Empowerment also contributes in energetic participation and organisational configuration. Empowerment creates sense of pride as well belonging in workplaces and provides benefits for businesses. This means empowerment creates win-win situation for the both employees and employers that is also considered as the ideal environment for employees and organisations (Smith, 2017). Empowering can increase human capacities. This is because empowered staff concentrates on their jobs and work-life to constant progress in work procedures and coordination. According to Yazdani, Yaghoubi and Giri (2011), empowering organisations promote staff’s finest novelties, enthusiasm, thoughts, belonging, and delights. In empowered organisations, staff work with sense of responsibilities and always expect benefits of organisations. Honold (2017) stated that empowerment create trusts between workers and employers, and support in making decisions for abusiveness. Honold (2017) also said trust between staffs and organisations play significant role to improve organisation existence and improve staff motivation. It has also interpersonal and intrapersonal influences on the relationship of organisations’ inside and outside environment. According to Abadi et al. (2015), high productivity of a business depend o staff motivation level and staff effectiveness, rather than organisational automation. Therefore, staff training and development is one of the indispensible strategies for influencing and motivating employees at workplace. Managers can also provide appropriate information about their actions and strategies to instigate staff motivations. Empowerment also creates relations with staff participations that influence the staffs towards decision making and administration related to organisational strategies, policies and objectives. Connolly, Conlon and Deutsch (2013) said staff perception about organisational goals and standard are significantly and positively related to staff motivation and gratification. Smith (2017) promotes staff motivation that increases business expansion and growth. Empowerment also promotes faster customer buying decisions because empowered staff always gives the highest efforts and concentration on the customer needs and expectation and excellent customer services. Empowering in workplace provides higher autonomy that ultimately increases staff productivity, staff wisdom, completion of certain tasks, and staff motivations (Smith, 2017). Zammuto (2012) said managers in a workplace should involve the managers in business decision making. Mullins (2015) stated that when an organisation involves its staff in the business decision making process, the organisations can improve staff motivation and job-satisfaction levels in the workplace. Turkyilmaz, Ozkan and Pastuszak (2011) believe that empowerment in organisations improve motivation and energy at workplaces that ultimately improve work effectiveness and efficiencies. Yazdani, Yaghoubi, and Giri (2011) stated that employee empowerment along with job characteristics gives greater staff dedication and trustworthiness that increase the staff motivation level at workplace. Higher staff motivation increases the staff loyalty that increases the business growth and effectiveness (Turkyilmaz, Ozkan and Pastuszak, 2011). Mullins (2015) defined the participative decision making as the planned set of process and procedures for individual autonomy and sovereignty that increase accountability and system wide control in organisations. Torrington et al. (2015) believe employee empowerment and participants not only direct to innovation, effectiveness and efficiency but also increase staff trust, motivation and gratification in businesses. Chowdhury (2015) said effective empowering processes in a workplace increase staff recognitions and motivation in the workplace. Empowerment also increases staff responsibility and authority in workplaces that ultimately increase staff performance and productivity. Therefore, it is essential for the organisations to take effective initiatives to ensure staff empowerment and recognition. Honold (2017) suggests that organisations to concentrate more on staff empowerment and involvement to increase staff understanding and commitments in the workplace.

Factors that de-motivates the workers in the ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh

The finding of the literature reviews shows that many factors de-motivate staffs in the workplace of Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments industry. The significant reasons are insufficient wage, unprivileged benefits, pitiful communication, harsh work environment, insufficient motivation of the worker, lack of sufficient acknowledgement of their efforts, lack of fair attitude towards them, deficiency of job security, limited opportunities, better scope elsewhere, lack of interesting in work, lack of appreciation of their efforts, lack of appropriate practice of HRM, unable to adjust with organisational decorum, external factors, discrimination at work. All these reasons lead to the dissatisfaction of the employee towards the job and institutions. Ahmed and Hossain (2016) studied and stated that there is no significant safety observation has been conducted in the organisations, no significant investigation or veritable policy adopted by the RMGs owners. There is also lack of proper supervision regarding safety issues by the authorities’ responsible for safety work environment. Workplace safety is the most significant issue for both employer and employee. Workers have right to get safety and health workplace from the workplace. A national agency named Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) enforces as well as sets the standards to make sure health and safety for the workers in the workplace in America (Wilhite, 2018). On the other hand, health and safety regulation includes the minimum protection that an organisation must provide to its workers from the workplace hazardous. An organisation does enforce or set health and safety standards in the workplace. Moreover, the regulations or laws need to be enforced appropriately by the organisation (Halim, 2016).

This cause included inferior construction of the building with many floors and also carried the heavy industry equipment for the building structure. The building was not too strong to carry heavy industrial machinery. Yunus (2016) said Bangladeshi news media reported that, the police inspectors had found the crack in the building the previous day of the tragedy and had said to close the building immediately but the owner of Rana Plaza had forced its workers to join the workplace in the next day and this tragedy happened. It caught the attention of both local and international people, and raised several questions on the garments industry’s strategy.

According to the secondary data findings, Mohammad Mahbub, an operational manager of fire department, disclosed that the industry lacked emergency fire exits which would have created it possible to escape from building when fire broke out (Power and Devnath, 2016). On the other hand, investigators discovered that fire safety certificate of Tazreen fashion had expired in June, 2012. Three supervisors of this industry were arrested on criminal negligence charges on 28 November (bdnews24, 2017). Furthermore, many of the Bangladeshi garments workers opposed at the tragedy of garments factory, and calling for proper safety in the workplace. Workers of Tazreen factory protested for three days because of this tragedy and blocked the highway for long time. However, this type of incident is not stopped because of the political issues and lack of awareness (Wolf, 2018). In addition to this, the garments workers face many difficulties in the workplace that de-motivate the employees. The key problems which are faced by the garments workers are low wages, not proper working times, mental and physical torture, and have the negative viewpoint from the society (Sarkar, 2016). In addition, there are no safety procedures in the garments industry of Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s garments workers are working hard day by day below very difficult conditions for the lower wages (Sarkar, 2016). Moreover, sometimes dangerous equipment and chemicals are handled by them with their naked hands and breathing the toxic fumes because of poor industry safety system and poor ventilation and these cause many serious accidents. In the garments industry sectors, workers are abused by the managers or owners mainly the female workers and young workers. In addition, many of the garments factories have no safety precautions for the workers as well as no fire extinguishers just one exit including the front door. This is the harsh reality of Bangladesh’s garments industry sector. There are many reasons behind these types of incidents in the garments sectors. As Berik (2016) notes, BGMEA and employers are the significant part for the garments industry sector of Bangladesh. Lack of their consciousness and other limitations the development of the garments industry sector has been impacted. Many of the owners of Bangladeshi garments factory belong from the entrepreneurs’ first generation and they are usually lack of essential business knowledge. As a result, they cannot take any significant decisions properly in the workplace (Berik, 2016). This directs to the short-sighted decisions for business that smashed the industry’s development rather than developing it. The other factor that de-motivates staffs in the Ready-Made Garments industry of Bangladesh is improper management system. Improper management system (including middle and top level management) de-motivate the workers by applying authoritarian method. The other reason is political issues in the business. Employers and even the BGMEA is most of times grasp by the political power that creates unethical situation in the workplace that hinders to achieve the goal of the industry (Berik, 2016). As a result, the garments workers of Bangladesh have protested against these types of incidents. They raise their voices against these incidents and blockage the highway roads for their rights, workplace safety and proper wages (McKinsey, 2017). There are several rights of the workers of Bangladesh garments industry but in most of the cases they are deprived from these rights that de-motivate them in the workplace. Every worker has the right to live a standard life for his/her well-being such as clothing, food, medical care, housing, security right and other social rights. Thus, every worker has the right to have the proper wages form the organisation (Kumar, 2016). On the other hand, the employer has to give equal value to its employees. For example, employer has to give equal payment for equal work for both gender male and female and for the persons who are not from same background (Halim, 2016). This is also recognized as ‘equal pay’. UK’s workers who are 16 or 16+ in age are lawfully allowed for the national minimum hourly wage. In case of the Bangladesh garments industry, the employer does not give equal pay to its employees. Female workers are deprived from the proper wages in Bangladesh garments industry. Then, every worker has the right to take the holidays or leavers from the employer. Employer should give a number of leaves to its employees per year (Mywage, 2017). On the other hand, employer has to give holidays on different occasions to its employees (Halim, 2016). In terms of Bangladesh garments industry, employer does not provide proper leaves and holidays to its workers. The female workers do not get the proper leaves or holidays for their maternal issues. Additionally, employees also do not get the proper holidays for several occasions. Next, business organisations have to concentrate clearly on giving welfare services to its employees. There are a number of welfare activities including free medical services, provision benefits, retirement benefits, and housing and education facilities for both employee and their families (Patro, 2015). Nowadays, most of the business organisations developed countries provide these welfare services to its employees to develop their motivation level. Workers’ welfare’s key purpose is to develop the employees’ lives and make them satisfied and contended (Halim, 2016). In terms of Bangladesh garments industry, there are no welfare activities for the workers and the garments workers are always deprived from their rights. Nowadays, every country has approved the Workers' Compensation Act which is giving benefits to the workers for the workplace illness or injuries (Halim, 2016). In case of Bangladesh garments industry, employers do not give proper compensation to their employees. Though there is the act of workers’ compensation but not proper use of this act in the garments industry. As a result, the garments workers feel de-motivated in the workplace. Leisure or recreation is the significant part for every human life. Every business organisations must give the right for leisure and recreation to its workers. Workers sometimes feel bored in the workplace because of huge work pressure (Veal, 2015). As a result, the employer must give attention on this and creates some options for employees’ leisure and recreation.

In U.S. the outdoor recreation segment contributes about $730 billion per year and creates about 6.5 million jobs (Halim, 2016). In terms of Bangladesh garments industry, the employer gives huge stress to the workers for work and sometimes pushes them for over time. As a result, the employees feel depressed for overload work. However, all of the garments industries do not do this. Trade unions most of the times have been deprived of several effective roles in garments industry and have influence on the workers. However, every worker with garments has an essential right to create as well as participate in the trade union (Halim, 2016). Trade union’s key purpose is to train and promote the industry managers between the workers. In terms of Bangladesh garments industry, there are many political issues created. As a result, sometimes the trade union system is not worked properly. However, the workers are deprived from participating in the trade union. Though there are many rights for the garments industry of Bangladesh but the workers are deprived from these rights. Last of all, it can be said that the rights of the garments workers are disrupted in Bangladesh. As a result, government as well as the garments industry should take proper steps to stop this. The garments workers are the significant persons for the society because they work hard every day from morning to evening. Thus, the Government of Bangladesh should take several effective actions for the proper rights of the garments workers. On the other hand, the primary data collected through interview found out different factors that are nearly similar with the factors found out in the secondary research. The finding of interview shows that poor salaries and wages, poor working environment, poor health and safety facilities, poor incentive and rewards, poor training and development programs, unhealthy and insecure workplace, poor management behaviour, poor leaves and holiday system highly de-motivate the workers of Bangladesh readymade garments industry. In addition, Manager rude and misbehaviour highly de-motivate the workers of readymade garments sector.

From the finding it is clear that workplace discrimination, lack of sincerity and honesty, inactive laws, inactive trade union, rumour provokes the workers, mistreatment of workers and conspiracy de-motivate majority number of staffs in Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments industry. Mistreatment and lack of fairness further de-motivate the workers at the workplace where there is cultural diversity and mismanagement to welcome diverse workforce in the workplace. The leader behaviour is not good and the workers are not happy with the working culture. The workers are also not satisfied due to rumour provoking the workers, inactive trade union and inactive laws where the leader and managers fail to execute the rules and labour employment ethics in Bangladesh. Poor salaries and wages do not fulfil the workers basic needs and there is wage inequality distribution in the garment industry where the leaders fail to manage fairness and transparency in wage distribution. Additionally, poor working environment, poor health and safety facilities further raise risk factors for the workers where as per the findings Rana Plaza incidents is risky and there was no safety and security for the staff members. On the other hand, poor incentive and rewards, poor training and development programs, unhealthy and insecure workplace, poor management behaviour, poor leaves and holiday system are other factors where the employees are not satisfied with the employment rules and human resource management strategy in the Bangladesh garment industry which deteriorate the quality of the performance as well as de-motivates the workers to work in the readymade garment factories.

Conclusion

This chapter has discussed the finding of this research by developing three key themes. The first theme has discussed how employee motivation on the industry performance. The second theme has discussed the factors that play important roles for employee satisfaction and motivation in the ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh. The third theme has discussed the factors that de-motivate the workers in the ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh.

Chapter 6: Conclusion and Recommendation

6.1 Research finding and conclusion

Human Resource Management is an important factor for the management of MNC and NGO business organisation of Bangladesh. At present; every organisation in Bangladesh has an HRM department to maintain the human resource for running the business activities effectively and efficiently. Among several industries in Bangladesh, Ready-Mate Garments industry is one of the most important and potential industries in Bangladesh. The economic growth of Bangladesh largely depends on the contribution of Ready-Mate Garments industry. This is the highest potential source of earning foreign currency among all of the industries in Bangladesh (Ahamed, 2014; Rubel and Kee, 2013). Bangladesh Ready-Mate Garments industry imports products various countries all over the world. But it is very regret that Bangladesh Ready-Mate Garments industry has faced various challenges in the domestic and international market. The suspension of Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), Rana Plaza Collapse; fires in Tazreen Fashions, labour strike were the most important barriers for the development of Bangladesh Ready-Mate Garments industry. At this circumstance; Bangladesh Ready-Mate Garments industry concentrates on the satisfaction of the employees by launching attractive motivational techniques to overcome the challenges. Therefore; HRM department is required maintaining the human resources effectively and efficiently. This paper has identified the importance of employee participation in decision making, employee job satisfaction as well as monetary and nonmonetary motivational techniques to motivate the workers of the Bangladesh Ready-Mate Garments industry. Not only the government intervention but also owners-workers joint venture could face the challenge of competitive free market economy and its fast growing impact. Time has come to renovate reorganise the whole garments sector. The entrepreneurs must look for competitive and effective market in future, otherwise they will be in serious trouble. The garments manufactures have to face a lot of problems to fight in international market. The strength of Bangladeshi manufacturers is cheap and available workers. So the manufacturers should use this resource properly. They should meet the workers’ demand otherwise it may be the causes of worker’s de-motivation. Worker de-motivation declines job attraction, motivation and productivity. RMG sector has opened new window of economic development. In order to survive in the world, Bangladesh should concentrate on preparation for global competition. By saving from all problems remaining the sector, this promising sector of Bangladeshi national economy will be succeed to get the world market and will lead to property. Bangladesh government has the responsibility to set up various policy as well as rules and regulations that are favourable not only for the RMG industry but also for the workers of the RMG industry. The appropriate policy of the government helps to create a better job opportunity for the people of the country and ensure the profitability and liquidity of the RMG industry. This paper has identified that the position of Bangladesh in the Garments sector productivity is behind the china, Pakistan, India and Vietnam. Therefore; this paper has identified the process of increasing productivity of the employees of the Bangladesh Ready-Mate Garments industry. It has found that most of the workers of the Bangladesh Ready-Mate Garments industry are not satisfied with the salary and wage, working environment, promotional facility and attitude of the owner of the Garments factory. This study identified the factors that affect the job satisfaction of the employees including fair wages, bonuses, promotion opportunity, and reward, training and development programs, good communication, good working environment and good relationship with the employees. It has found that Bangladesh Ready-Mate Garments industry has concentrated on the employees’ fair wage by fixing Minimum wages Tk. 8000 but workers demand is Tk. 12000 because it is the lowest wage rate around the world. The study also identified that most of the Ready-Mate Garments industry of Bangladesh has established better working environment and higher benefits for overtime to the workers. But this study has revealed that a large part of Ready-Mate Garments industry of Bangladesh has not established their working environment healthy and overtime benefits. As a result, the workers dissatisfaction may arise and labour strike may also arise in Bangladesh. The trade-unions are also inspiring the workers to do strike against the Ready-Mate Garments industry of Bangladesh. This study also identified that the workers of Bangladesh in Ready-Mate Garments industry have performed very challenging works for a little wage that are not enough to lead their life and reduce the standard of life. The finding of survey data shows that that majority of the participants are female about 79.5%. The majority of the participants (64%) are from ’26-55’ age group. Participants are from different education background where majority of the participants (75%) are from secondary and higher secondary background. It has found that most of the participants (70.50%) are from front line workers. Different participants retain for different times in RMG. Majority of the participants including 52.50% participants retain from 3-6 years. In terms of satisfaction with salary, it has found that majority of the participants (70.5%) are not satisfied with the salary. In addition, it has found from the survey that majority of the participants including 38% disagreed that they are satisfied with the monthly salary. In terms of rewards and incentives, majority of the participants including 70.5% are not happy with the rewards and incentives. In terms of current position, majority of the participants including 49.50% are not happy with their current position. It has found that 65% participants are not happy with the promotion system. In terms of current responsibility, 63% participants are not happy with the current responsibilities. In terms of promotional opportunity, 63.5% participants are not happy with the promotional opportunity. It has found that majority of the participants worked for 10 and 10+ hours. In terms of departmental helping attitude, 58.50% participants are not satisfied with departmental helping attitude. In terms of workplace security, 60% participants are not happy with security in workplace. In terms of leave and holiday, majority of the participants including 59.5% participants are not happy with the leave and holiday policy. In terms of owner behaviour it has found that majority of the participants including 62% participants are not happy with workplace environment. In terms of job freedom, 66.5% participants are not satisfied with job freedom. In terms of medical and insurance facilities, it has found from the survey that 68.5% participants are not satisfaction with medical and insurance facilities. In terms of workplace discrimination, majority of the participants including 63.50% participants are not happy with the discrimination in workplace. It has found that most of the participants including 66.50% participants are not happy with sincerity and honesty. In terms of inactive laws, majority of the participants including 63% are not happy with the inactive laws. It has found that majority of the participants including 48% participants were neutral about inactive trade union. On the other hand, 64% participants are not happy with rumour provokes the workers in workplace. Majority of the participants including 64% participants are not happy with the mistreatment of workers. In terms of management policies, majority of the participants including 63% participants are not happy with the management policies. The finding of interview data shows that most of the employees in Bangladesh readymade garments industry are not satisfied with the salaries. This is because employee salaries in this industry are comparably poor than other industry. On the other hand, expenditure including living and accommodation costs and price of commodities are increasing day by day. Therefore, there is no balance between the income and expenditure. Thus, employees of readymade garments industry face difficulties to maintain a standard life. Therefore, strike, worker movement and other crisis are very common phenomena in the garments sector of Bangladesh. Just couple days ago, there was a worker strike in capital city Dhaka where 2 or 3 workers were killed by the shot of policeman. The employees of readymade garments industry of Bangladesh are not satisfied with the reward and incentives provided by the employer. This is because many of the employers don’t have any particular policy for reward and incentive. There are very few employers who are providing incentive and rewards to the staffs, but their incentive and reward schemes very poor in compare with other sector in Bangladesh or the same sector in other country. The employees are not satisfied with many service facilities. In terms of promotion system, many of the employees don’t get promotion for several years. Some people get promotion but it takes long time. In terms of responsibility, in many cases too many responsibilities are provided to the staffs in compare with their knowledge and experience. Current facilities are also bad. Most of the garments industry in Bangladesh doesn’t maintain the health and safety issue properly. Professionalism is very poor in this sector. Many organisations in this sector do not have performance measurement tools and techniques. That’s why good performers are deprived from many facilities. There are poor relation between staffs and managers. Managers are not friendly enough with their followers and subordinates. Majority number of employees in the readymade garments sector of Bangladesh is not happy with the working hours. This is because the employees have to work for long shift normally for 10-12 hours. In many cases, the employees need to work for overtime. In many cases the employers do not pay for overtime. The workers have to work for 6 days in a week for long shift that are not good for health and mind. On the other hand, employers pay poor wages or salaries in compare to their working hours. Therefore, worker movement and demonstration are seen very often to reduce working hours and increase salaries or wages. Employees in readymade garments industry are not satisfied with their workplace environment. In terms of departmental helping attitude, employees do not get good opportunity from their line manager. In many cases, line managers are not friendly, cooperative and collaborative. Many garments factories in Bangladesh fail to ensure privacy and security for their staffs. Most importantly, there is no healthy environment and the health and safety issues are not maintained properly. Factories and building structure are not well. Therefore, staffs do not feel safe in the workplace. Most importantly, after the Rana Plaza collapse and died of over 1200 workers in 2013, employees are too much scared in their workplace regarding their health and safety issues and security issues. Most of the garments factories do not pay leave and holidays to the staffs. In many cases, when staffs go for holidays, the employer deducts some specific amount from their monthly wages. Managers are too much bossy in this sector. There is high power distance between managers and staffs. Therefore, staffs scare to share their ideas and opinions to their line managers. There is no job freedom in the workplace because there is no freedom of voice. The workers do not get any medical and insurance facilities from workplace. There are high discriminate and other issues in this industry. However, the readymade garments do not have any strict policies against discrimination in the workplace. Therefore, many staffs in the workplace discriminate others in terms of race, colour, religion, culture and tradition, ethnicity etc. It is highly seen that there is lack of sincerity and honesty between managers and staffs. There are many rules and regulations but the company and the staffs maintain do not follow the rules and regulation. Thus, rules and regulations are ineffective in workplace. On the other hand, there is high corruption in Bangladesh and no rules and regulations. Therefore, there is no justice in the workplace or even in the court. There is some trade union in Bangladesh but they are inactive. The main reason behind this is political lobbing and corruption. In many cases it is seen that the trade union does not work on behalf of workers rather they work on behalf of employers due to political lobbing and corruption. Rumour provokes the worker and mistreatment is high in the readymade garments of Bangladesh. This is because there is no transparency and accountability in the workplace and there are no strict organisational policies and rules in the readymade garments sector of Bangladesh. In a word, several factors de-motivate the workers in the readymade garments sector of Bangladesh. Manager good and misbehaviour highly de-motivate the workers of readymade garments sector. Then, poor salaries and wages, poor incentive and rewards, poor training and development programs, unhealthy and insecure workplace highly de-motivate the workers of Bangladesh readymade garments industry. Next, ineffectiveness of trade union, Political corruption of management people and lack of justice in workplace and in country make unhappy workers in readymade garments industry in Bangladesh. Long working hours also de-motivate the workers.

6.2 How the research objectives were met

The research is effective to fulfil the aim of the study which is to inform the business leaders, employers and management team about the human resource management strategy, motivational activities which further encourage the team members to contribute positively in the organisation.

Meetingobjective1: Theories related to the employee motivation, industry performance, and impact of employee motivation on industry performance.

Several theories and frameworks have been developed over times on motivators that inspire and motivate workforces at workplaces. According to Torrington et al. (2014), the widely-recognised employee motivation theories are Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory, Alderfer’s ERG model, McClelland’s achievement motivation theory, Adam’s equity theory, Herzberg’s two factors motivation theory, expectancy theory of motivation, job characteristics model by Hackman and Oldham. Almost all of the employee motivation theory believes that money is clearly a key motivator in the workplace. However, to what extent the money is important motivator depends on the needs and expectations of individuals. In term of bottom line employees, money is an effective motivator but top management people expect to feel recognised and valued (Mullins, 2015). This means motivation in workplace is a complex issue, where several factors come under consideration. What motivates an individual employee may not motivate others. Therefore, employee motivation has been a significant issue for organisations, most importantly for the large organisations (Michael, 2010). McShane and Glinow (2013) said when the employees are motivated they are willing to devote their time along with certain level of commitment to meet the business goals and objectives. However, certain actions such as changing jobs in the workplace, imbalance between hierarchies of employee may damage the required commitment and trust among the employees and de-motivate significant number of employees. McShane and Glinow (2013) also said younger generations of employees have different expectations than older employees. This is because globalisation has been making workforce variation with complex process of employee motivation.

Meeting objective 2: Impact of employee motivation on industry performance in the perspective of management people in Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments (RMG)

This study also revealed that the correlation between employee participation in decision making, motivation and performance. It has noticed that the employee participation in decision making has the great impact on the motivation of the employees and it also affects the performance of the employees of the garments industry of Bangladesh. This study also identified that participative management is needed for the garments industry of Bangladesh to ensure better communication channel; to motivate the employee; to take better decision; to ensure the quality of services; to ensure the better performance of the employees and to achieve the ultimate objectives of businesses. This study also discussed the impact of motivation on employee performance of the garments industry of Bangladesh.

Meeting objective 3: Factors that play important role for employee satisfaction and motivation in the ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh

The motivation level of the employees also depends on the nature of the work, salaries and wage rate, overtime facility with higher wage rate, suitable time schedule and rewards facility and promotional facilities. The researcher has mentioned that the existence of hygiene factors is very much important for the garments industry of Bangladesh including good nature of the work, higher salaries and wage rate, overtime facility with higher wage rate, suitable time schedule and rewards facility and promotional facilities.

Meeting objective 4: Factors that de-motivate the workers in the ready-made garments industry in Bangladesh

In terms of satisfaction with salary, it has found that majority of the participants (70.5%) are not satisfied with the salary. In addition, it has found from the survey that majority of the participants including 38% disagreed that they are satisfied with the monthly salary. In terms of rewards and incentives, majority of the participants including 70.5% are not happy with the rewards and incentives. In terms of current position, majority of the participants including 49.50% are not happy with their current position. It has found that 65% participants are not happy with the promotion system. In terms of current responsibility, 63% participants are not happy with the current responsibilities. In terms of promotional opportunity, 63.5% participants are not happy with the promotional opportunity. It has found that majority of the participants worked for 10 and 10+ hours. In terms of departmental helping attitude, 58.50% participants are not satisfied with departmental helping attitude. In terms of workplace security, 60% participants are not happy with security in workplace. In terms of leave and holiday, majority of the participants including 59.5% participants are not happy with the leave and holiday policy. In terms of owner behaviour it has found that majority of the participants including 62% participants are not happy with workplace environment. In terms of job freedom, 66.5% participants are not satisfied with job freedom. In terms of medical and insurance facilities, it has found from the survey that 68.5% participants are not satisfaction with medical and insurance facilities. In terms of workplace discrimination, majority of the participants including 63.50% participants are not happy with the discrimination in workplace. It has found that most of the participants including 66.50% participants are not happy with sincerity and honesty. In terms of inactive laws, majority of the participants including 63% are not happy with the inactive laws. It has found that majority of the participants including 48% participants were neutral about inactive trade union. On the other hand, 64% participants are not happy with rumour provokes the workers in workplace. Majority of the participants including 64% participants are not happy with the mistreatment of workers. In terms of management policies, majority of the participants including 63% participants are not happy with the management policies. . In a word, several factors de-motivate the workers in the readymade garments sector of Bangladesh. Manager good and misbehaviour highly de-motivate the workers of readymade garments sector. Then, poor salaries and wages, poor incentive and rewards, poor training and development programs, unhealthy and insecure workplace highly de-motivate the workers of Bangladesh readymade garments industry. Next, ineffectiveness of trade union, Political corruption of management people and lack of justice in workplace and in country make unhappy workers in readymade garments industry in Bangladesh. Long working hours also de-motivate the workers.

Meeting objective 5: Guidelines to the business leaders, policy makers, and stakeholders to take initiatives to improve industry performance through improving employee motivation

The study found that employee motivation is an important factor to satisfy of the employees and attain the goals and objectives of the firm. For this reason; this study recommended that human resource department of RMG industry should use various monetary and non-monetary method of motivation to ensure the employee performance for achieving the objectives. This study also discussed the impact of motivation on employee performance and job satisfaction of the RMG industry. It has noticed that motivation has positive impact on the level of employee performance as well as job satisfaction. This study also mentioned that job satisfaction depends on job environment, nature of job, reward form job, organisational culture and other related factors of job. In addition; this study also discussed the impact of employee attitudes on the productivity of Bangladesh Ready-Made Garments Industry. It has found that China has placed first and Bangladesh has fifth position as the level of productivity of the employees in garments industry. This research paper has identified that that the technological development, high-tech investment, and the development of human resource of RMG industry in Bangladesh are required to improve the overall condition of the RMG industry in Bangladesh. At the last stage, this study recommends that the future researches should consider other related important factors to motivate and satisfy the workers of the readymade garments workers in Bangladesh. Through this study, it is possible to share the strategic planning of employee management with the business leaders and policy makers so that to would be possible for the leaders and managers to handle the team members and lead them towards achieving the future success.

Managerial contribution

Looking back at three to four years of research, the author sometimes wonders how she managed to combine doctorate, work and family during this time. Moreover, a crucial change from being a positivist to becoming a pragmatic interpretivist and the understanding that quantitative methods in research are less flexible have influenced this study journey significantly. Authors point out that quantitative methods are less suitable and less accurate than qualitative methods. Quantitative methods are based on different assumptions about the nature of truth (epistemology) and reality (ontology). Whereas the author started as a positivist with a tendency towards quantitative research, he came to realize during the first months of the doctorate that is hard to achieve and that selected variables are subjective, too. The world can be seen as a social and human construct. Nevertheless, inflexibility of quantitative methods had a strong influence on methodology and ontology. Keeping a diary has been a useful tool so far for recording experience during the study journey. It enhances critical thinking and thus questions beliefs, attitudes and patterns relating to the research topic. A diary also helps one to reflect on and select appropriate methodologies and methods (e.g. case study approach, interviews). It documents the learning process and evolution of research by establishing a role model for Bangladesh readymade garments industry and is an ideal tool for reflecting on the past, present and future. Nevertheless, the author also incorporated other issues that supported the research, like discussions with family members, colleagues, experts and other people. Finally, a diary enhances problem-solving skills and enables people to explore themselves. Reflecting on the past 36 to 48 months, it is apparent that time and one’s perception of it have taken on a different meaning. Time is probably the most important resource with regard to combining a doctorate with work and family. Moreover, the journey encouraged the author to undertake further reading and research in Bangladesh ready-made garments industry. Indeed, the researcher was induced to publish articles and books on the relevant topics and findings.

Academic contribution

This research is mostly driven by phenomenological questions and theoretical considerations, while there is no shortage of literature available in the area of this research. The lack of theoretical foundation implies borrowing from other academic fields. As a consequence, the results of the current research contribute not only to this research but also to other academic fields, which were used to formulate the hypotheses under investigation. Similarly, implications for further research can be distinguished by different fields as well. motivational theories as well as research on social networks contributions to the outcome of this research and implications for future research A first contribution of this work is the generation of an integrative framework, which addresses the process character of employee motivation as well as the importance of employee motivation as a key moderating variable for the realization of synergies. Based on an extensive literature review, I developed a framework, which allows a new perspective on conflicting evidence of prior this research. Hardly any prior framework for the investigation of employee motivation explicitly considered the process character of employee expectations in the ready-made garments sector of Bangladesh. In order to really understand the impact of different factors on employee motivation, it is necessary to consider both, synergy potential as well as synergy realisation, which depends strongly on cooperation between employees of the readymade garments industry of Bangladesh. A second contribution of this work is the investigation of different factors influencing employee motivation in the ready-made garments industry of Bangladesh. In this case, a number of variables were identified and investigated focusing on the research and objectives.

Contribution to knowledge

One of the practical contributions of this research is the detailed insight provided by the case study of Bangladesh ready-made garments industry. The case studies reveal that employee motivation related initiatives should be linked to productive activities of organisations. This implies that for effective implementation, emphasis should be placed on the importance of understanding the social contexts of work, task and organisation. This will help to increase the social integration of the employee motivation and, hopefully, its institutionalisation. The case studies also reveal that employees in ready-made garments industry of Bangladesh need to acquire new skills of negotiation and communication in order to persuade other actors to the organisational goals. Another practical contribution is the framework for analysing the process of adoption and use of employee motivational initiatives, in order to gain an understanding of the interplay between employee motivation and industry performance in a specific context. The contribution of this research is to understand, based on theoretical assumptions, how the initiatives related to staff motivation can be institutionalised and also how it contributes to development. To this end, the due process model can be used as a practical tool.

Limitation of the study

Limitations affect the outcome of the research negatively. But every researcher has faced several limitations to complete the research work. Some of the limitations include lack of reliability of data, lack of accessibility of data, poor questionnaire form, lack of time, lack of budget, lack of experience, lack of computer knowledge and inappropriate sampling size. The research outcome may change if he higher sample size is used. Due to the lack of time; the researcher has not collected adequate primary data from the primary sources. In addition; the researcher also has not accessed lots of secondary data due to accessible problems. The lack of budget also has reduced the reliability of data. The researcher has not enough quality to run the computer software like MS Excel to test the Chi-Square, T-test and ANOVA for preparing a better result for the research.

Recommendation to the firm

RMG industry of Bangladesh is the highest potential source of earning foreign currency among all of the industries in Bangladesh. Therefore; this study mentions some recommendations to the RMG industry of Bangladesh for improving it overall condition. Annamalai et al. (2017) mentioned that employee participation in decision making increases the values of the employees and employees can share their ideas, feelings, and related information to the top level managers that help to take better decision of the firm. For this reason; RMG industry of Bangladesh should ensure the participation of the employee in decision making to ensure better performance of the employees. Rukhmani (2016) stated that RMG industry should fulfil the physiological needs, security needs, social need, self esteems needs and self actualisation need of the employees. Baldoni, 2015) stated that motivation of the employee also depends on the working environment, power of authority and key responsibility, accountability, communication process, co-ordination and job security. Therefore, RMG industry should arrange reasonable salary, rewards and incentive system for the employees to improve the performance and increase the productivity for achieving the goals of the firm (Baldoni, 2015). (Yazdani et al, 2016) mentioned that working environment is an important condition to motivate the employees and ensure the job satisfaction. Therefore; RMG industry should ensure job security, work level, salaries and wages, and easy access to managers, quick feedback from the managers, job surroundings, and advancement opportunity for employees to improve the overall condition of the RMG industry of Bangladesh. The lower productivity of Bangladesh include low literacy rate, lack of formal institutionalized training and development programs, and lower wage rate (Hassan et al, 2010). Therefore; RMG industry should ensure higher literacy rate, arrangement of formal institutionalized training and development programs, and higher wage rate. The human resource management of RMG industry should arrange adequate training programs and give adequate guidelines to the workers by which they can perform activities effectively and efficiently. The government of Bangladesh should give privileges to the RMG industry for improving the condition of them that contributes to the economic growth of the country.

Motivational factors are numerous. Some of the factors are described below:

Salaries and wages

Salaries and wages are the key motivational factors to improve the satisfaction level of the employees. The salaries and wages level of the firm should fair and reasonable to improve the motivation of the employee and performance of the employees. Fair Salaries and wages also increase the job security of the employees (Agwu, 2015). Employees are taking very challenging works due to higher level of wage rate. But it is a matter of sorrow that the workers of RMG in Bangladesh get a lower range of wages and salaries. The amount of wages of the workers of Bangladesh garments is lower than that of other countries wage rate. In 2010, most of the garments factories have set a minimum wage $40 per month. But, some of the garments factories in Bangladesh still set their minimum wage level $24 per month (Roger, 2015). For this reason; the Bangladeshi garments workers are very much dissatisfied with the wage level, safety level promotional facilities that create a bad relationship with the garments’ owner. But due to lack of the existence of these facilities, the RMG workers of Bangladesh are dissatisfied that increases the labour turnover rate. Absar (2016) concluded that, in South Asia, the workers get the lowest wages in Bangladesh. In Bangladesh; a shirt is prepared only by 11 cents, in Sri-Lanka it requires 79 cents and 26 cents in India. This data clearly represents the situation of the wage and salaries level of the Bangladeshi garments.

Management attitudes

Management body is the main controller of an organisation. Management attitudes are the key motivational factor to affect the job satisfaction of the employees. Managers perform several activities within the firm including planning organising, staffing, motivating, and controlling. This paper recommended management should show their best positive behaviour with the workers. The motivation of the workers largely depends on the management attitudes. The positive attitudes affect the job satisfaction of the workers. On the other hand; negative attitudes increase the job dissatisfaction of the workers (Saeed et al., 2015). The positive behaviour of the managers inspires the subordinates to work effectively and efficiently that increase the growth of the firm. For this reason; the managers of the RMG should create a good relationship with the workers by giving respect to the workers and various reward systems. Management should provide adequate guidelines to the workers and solve the problems of the workers cordially. The management should monitor the performance of the employees and give reward on the basis of performance.

Job Satisfaction

Satisfaction is defined as the positive feelings on something. According to Hoppok and Spielgler (2016), job satisfaction is the physiological and environmental circumstance of a firm at which employees can perform their job with satisfaction. According to Hossan et al. (2016), job satisfaction is the positive feelings on the nature of the job, salaries and wage rate, overtime facility with higher wage rate, time schedule, rewards facility and promotional facilities of the employees within the firm. Wright et al. (2015) declared that job satisfaction has two effects including physical and mental health of the employees. Vroom (2016) mentioned that job satisfaction depends on various motivational factors including good nature of the job, salaries and wage rate, overtime facility with higher wage rate, time schedule, rewards facility and promotional facilities of the employees within the firm. The satisfied workers are very much interactive and effective to accomplish the roles and responsibilities. According to Schmidt and Hayes (2015, satisfied workers take various challenging activities for attainting the goals of the firm. Most of the articles on the employee job satisfaction concluded that job satisfaction and employee performance has positive impact. Brown (2016) stated that satisfied employees are very much concentrated on their performance and trying to improve their performance level. For this reason; the RMG industry of Bangladesh should use better motivational tools to ensure the job satisfaction of the workers.

Working Environment

Working environment indicates the situation of the working place. Working environment plays an important role in the job satisfaction of the employees. Better working environment has positive impact on the mental and physical health of the employees. On the contrary; unfavourable working environment has negative impact on the mental and physical health of the employees (Seker, 2011). Most of the researcher concluded their research paper that the workers are firstly considering the wages and salaries and then the working environment of the firm. Favourable working environment and employee performance are interrelated factors. Without favourable working environment, business organisation can not satisfy the workers as well as accomplish the objectives the firm (Gazioglu and Tanselb, 2016). Now, it is the days of competition. Each business organisation competes with one another. Therefore, the performance of the employees is very important for an organisation to achieve competitive advantages (Tetteh et al, 2016). Naharuddin and Sadegi (2015) concluded in his study paper that favourable working environment increases the productivity of the employees. Sell and Bryan (2015) stated that favourable working environment is established by ensuring large space, air conditioned facility, job assistant for the workers, management support, participative relationship, promotional and growth facility, monitor and evaluate performance, enough training facility and reward and motivational facilities for the employees. That is why; the RMG industry of Bangladesh should establish favourable working environment to ensure the job satisfaction of the workers.

Job Security

Job security indicates the free from fear of fired. Job security is one of the important weapons to satisfy the workers. All employees consider the job security before joining a firm. According to Sarker and Afroze (2015), job satisfaction is the satisfaction of the employees on the job security level, working environment and salaries and wages. Without job security of the employees, business organisation can’t satisfy the workers as well as accomplish the objectives the firm. The lack of job security increases the labour turnover rate that increases the labour cost of the firm. According to Taylor (2018) job security can be established by the use of long term contract with the firm and government has set the policy about the job security. However; sometimes job security affects the performance of the employees negatively because they are ensured that their job is not been cancelled. But, most of the researcher has found that Job security has positive impact on the employee performance level. For this reason; the HRM department of the firm should closely observe the performance of the employees and clearly define the job security level of the employees. That is why; the RMG industry of Bangladesh should ensure job security of the employees to ensure the job satisfaction of the workers.

Reward and Recognition

Reward and recognition are considered as an important weapon to satisfy the workers. According to Malhotra et. al. (2017), reward is the financial feedback to the employees for their better performance. Lawler (2015) mentioned that reward is not the wage but the excess of wage due to the excellent performance. Reward is not granted for all. Reward is only for the best performer in the firm. But every employee can expect reward and recognition from the company. Reward and recognition depends on the quality of service and merit of the employee. The higher level of quality of performance and skill of the employees increases the opportunity for getting reward from the firm. Deci (2016) mentioned that rewards and recognition is considered as a motivational tool for the employee. Evans and Lindsay (2016) also mentioned that most of the employees are motivated by rewards and recognition facility of the firm. Long and Shields (2017) concluded that employees not only expect the fair wages and salaries but also expect reward and recognition from the company. The HRM department of the firm should ensure reward and recognition facility for the employees. Therefore; the RMG industry of Bangladesh should also ensure reward and recognition facility for the employees to motivate the workers.

Training and development

Training is the only way to make the employees familiar with the organisational activities. The HRM department arranges various practical and theoretical training programs for existing and new employees. Training method can be divided into two types. One is on-the-job training and another is off-the-training method. According to Lillard (2015), on the job training indicates the practical training to the employees to perform the activities of the firm effectively and efficiently. On the other hand; off the job training indicates the theoretical training to the employees to understand the process of activities of the firm effectively and efficiently. The training and employee performance are highly positive correlation. The effective training method not increases the employee performance but also improves the employee satisfaction of the firm (Gordon, 2016). The training method is connected with money and promotion facility to the employees.

Communication

According to Kanter (2017), communication is defined as the channel of sharing information within the firm. Effective communication is an important tool to create a better relationship with the employees. It is necessary not only for the managers but also the employees. The performance, productivity and satisfaction depend on the effective communication channel between managers and employees. Effective communication helps to run smooth production process. Moshabaki (2016) stated that effective communication helps to reduce the production costs and other variable costs because it helps to manage materials and men at the right time at the right place. Therefore; the RMG industry of Bangladesh should also ensure effective communication channel between managers and workers to improve the quality and satisfaction of the workers.

Supervisor behaviour

The behaviour of the supervisor affects the satisfaction of the employees (Young, 2016). Supervisor is the main controller of the subordinates. The behaviour of the supervisor is the key motivational factor to affect the job satisfaction of the employees. This paper recommended supervisor should show their best positive behaviour with the workers. The motivation of the workers largely depends on the behaviour of the supervisor. The positive attitudes of the supervisor affect the job satisfaction of the workers positively. On the other hand; negative attitudes of the supervisor increase the job dissatisfaction of the workers (Saeed et al., 2015). The positive behaviour of the supervisor inspires the subordinates to work effectively and efficiently that increase the growth of the firm. For this reason; the supervisor of the RMG should create a good relationship with the workers by giving respect to the workers and various reward systems for attaining the objectives of the firm (Dubrin and Maier, 2017).

Employee participation in decision making

According to Moorhead and Griffin (2015), Decision making is the process through which one item can be choose between alternatives. In decision making process employee participation plays a vital role and increases the effectiveness of the decision. In case of employee participation, they feel that they are valued in the enterprise. According to Wagner (2016), participation has significant effects on employee performance and satisfaction in the organisation. According to James et al. (2016), participation in decision making has an affect positively on employees’ attitudes toward their work. There are limited scopes of participation in the decision making by the workers. Participation in the decision making peruses the employees to work efficiently and bring job satisfaction. The finding of survey data suggests that among 200 participants, 5% participants have no comment on giving recommendation, 24.50% participants recommended for good salary, 35% participants recommended for good environment of the ready mate garments, 3% participants recommended for good incentives and rewards, 11% participants recommended for flexible working time, 15% participants recommended for good behaviour of manager of the ready mate garments and remaining 7% participants recommended for promotion facility of the ready-mate garments in Bangladesh. From the data, it has found that most of the participants give recommendation for good environment and good salary for the employees of the ready mate garments in Bangladesh. The finding of interview data suggests that there are a number of management policies can be improved to satisfy the employees in readymade garments (RMG) industry. First, the employers can develop a standard rules and policies for the managers and staffs. Employers can hire skilled and experienced management people. Then, the company can allocate roles and responsibilities for every single manger. The managers can be provided effective training on their roles and responsibilities. Next, manager performance can be observed, measured and monitored from time to time and actions can be taken as required. Reward and incentive scheme can be improved in different ways to improve their motivation in workplace. Salary can be increased and promotion can be given based on staff performance. Then, bonus can be given based on performance and/or particular occasion, for example, in Eid-Ul-Adha and Eid-Ul-Fitr and during any other festivals. In addition, paid break in long shift and paid annual holiday can be offered. Then, maternity and paternity holiday can be offered to the staffs. Absenteeism can be considered in particular cases, for example, sickness, family issues, social and political crisis etc. Particular training and development programs can be given from time to time to extend their knowledge and understanding on their activities and roles, new technology adopted in workplace on organisational goals and objectives. Life insurance and compensation for accidental damage can be offered by company. Lastly, employer can introduce pension scheme to their staffs. Thus, staffs lead a good life with their family. Almost all the managers would like to recommend their employers to think ethically to improve the lifestyle of workers. If the employers change their mind and if they consider some of their profit they can increase staff motivation and satisfaction and performance productivity in the workplace. Employer can take initiatives to improve the effectiveness of trade union to reduce corruption and establish justice in the workplace. Then, they can take initiatives to improve workplace environment including health and safety issues, security and privacy issues, and staff wellbeing. In addition, the employers can take initiatives to increase staff salaries, incentives and rewards based on their performance and productivity. Finally, employers can provide effective training to both staffs and managers on their roles and responsibilities in the workplace that ultimately improve the motivation of the staffs in workplace. In Bangladesh no formal recruitment and selection program is followed by the RMG of the country and they do not organize any orientation program. As a result, workers start their jobs with little or no idea about the business and its goal. At the same time, employees are not clear about what is expected from them by their employers. A formal recruitment, selection and orientation programs should be followed by the RMG organisations. Every organisation should follow fair job appraisal method and interview should be taken properly to find out the appropriate candidate for the organisation. The research unveils that only few RMG employers ensure proper medical and health care facilities. The employers of other organisations must focus on the matter to ensure health care facilities for the workers. The employers must ensure friends and family related benefits of the workers. Most of the employees in RMG in Bangladesh are female. This research unearths that not only financial facilities but also the non-financial facilities are equally important to increase job satisfaction. Thus, the non-financial HRM activities should be given special consideration to satisfy the employees.

Take new approach to labour law: Though good labour law is a precondition for all business whether it is related with development, but in Bangladesh the most neglected sector is labour law. The government so far never showed goodwill for reforming this sector. If the matter is well addressed, and the government is not influenced and biased by the businessman, then the situation is sure to improve. If labour law is improved, the garments sector will be benefited like all other sectors.

Ensure welfare and training of the personnel: All over the world it is recognised that training and welfare of the personnel is highly significant. But in Bangladesh it is most neglected. If the welfare of the garments worker’s is looked after, the output will definitely rise.

Financial support: Workers are the most important stakeholder of RGM. The entrepreneurs should not only understand it but also exercise. The workers should be given salary side by side bonus, increment, promotion and other financial supports. Workers are not competitors they are boosters; the industrialists should think in such way.

Change attitude: The industrialists should change their attitude towards making happy the foreign buyers by anything else but the satisfaction of the workers. From now onwards the entrepreneurs should try to make the buyers happy through the satisfaction of worker, not by anything else. Skilled workers should be built up and the payments must be increased as the market price is too high. Discrimination needs to be avoided. Only male workers play vital role for RMG development that is not true. Male and female both are equal for development. So no one should be discriminated. The workers should not be mistreated by the managers and mid-level officers.

The workers must be hired at a standard rate. The salary, bonus, overtime bills should be paid in time. The workers should be recruited with recruitment letter. There should be specific job contract.

Respectful to workers laws: Labour laws may be developed to ensure the worker’s rights so that they cannot be neglected. The manufacturers should be careful so that any workers cannot be biased to involve into conspiracy. The manufacturers should develop good relationship among workers, top and mid-level managers. The final suggestion of this study is creating proper job satisfaction among the garments factory workers in Bangladesh through establishing health care centres, establishing the dormitories for the garments factory workers etc. The government of Bangladesh has already raised this issue yet to be materialised. Some NGOs also are considering in the betterment of the employees’ health through various programs and by creating awareness among the employees of the garments. In the time of recruitment, a letter should be sent to the workers and there should be specific job contract specifying the responsibility and the working conditions of the workers. The relationship of employers and employees should be mentioned in the contract. There should be no conspiracy in the workers recruitment contract.

Recommendation for further research

Since this research is faced with several limitations like lack of reliability of data, lack of accessibility of data, poor questionnaire form, lack of time, lack of budget, lack of experience, lack of computer knowledge and inappropriate sampling size, further research is required. All analysts stated that the combinations of quantitative and qualitative methods are useful to make a better result for the research study. The next researcher can use a large number sample size (500) to prepare the best outcome of the research. The next researcher can use a large amount of funds to collect adequate and reliable data from primary and secondary sources. The next researcher can prepare the research study by taking adequate time. The adequate time facility helps to collect more reliable data for the research. The researcher can take a computer course on MS office and MS Excel to check the Chi-Square Test, T-test and ANOVA test.

Contribution to theory, practice or knowledge sharing

Several theories on staff motivations and industry performance have been developed over time by experts and practitioners. The widely recognized effective motivational theories and models are Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need Theory, Alderfers ERG model, Taylor’s productivity theory, Adams’s Social Equity Theory, McGregor’s X and Y theory, Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory, Skinner’s Reward Theory, Vroom’s’ Expectancy Theory, and Geogopalaus Path Goal Theory. Alderfer’s ERG theory focuses on three key human needs. These are existence, relatedness, and growth. According to this theory, organisations need to meet these three particular staff needs in the workplace to increase performance. Then, Maslow classified staff needs into five key categories; physiological needs; security needs; belonging and love needs; esteem needs; self-actualisation needs. When an organisation can meet these five categories of its staff needs, the organisation is able to motivate the staffs towards its organisational goals and objectives. Therefore, organisations to provide standard and attractive salaries to staff to meet their physiological and basic needs such as food, shelters, clothing, education, health care. Then, organisations need to provide safe and secured workplace and should treat the staff as family members to meet their security and belonging needs. Next, organisations should create a diverse culture, offer attractive incentives, rewards, and promotions to meet staff’s esteem and self-actualisation needs of staff. According to Vroom staffs at workplaces are motivated by the degree to which extent they can meet their needs and expectations. This theory also believes that staff performance depends on staff motivation level, environmental factors, and various outcomes that have associated values called valence. Adams observed the soldering by staff. According to this theory soldering is a situation where employees do not show their full efforts and capacity because of fear and faulty systems. Therefore, for better performance organisations need to create a fear free and free of faulty systems environment to improve staff productivity and performance. According to Herzberg’s two factors theory, two different kinds of factor cause job satisfaction. The first categories of factors are intrinsic factors (that are known as motivators) and the second categories of factors are dissatisfies (these are known as hygiene factors). Thus, when an organisation can meet the motivational factors, they can achieve high staff motivation with better productivity and performance. According to Mcgregor’s theory, there are two sets of employees in current business world. One set of employees is lazy and the other set of employees is ambitious. The lazy employees are presented as theory X and the ambitious employees are presented as theory Y. According to this theory, organisations should take more initiatives to motivate the lazy employees to improve their productivity and performance.