A Research Report Submitted to Mzumbe University - Mbeya Campus College in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of Bachelor of Human Resource Management (BHRM) of Mzumbe University.
The study assessed workers’ participation in decision making. A case study of Iyela Ward in Mbeya City was used to carry out the study. The specific objectives of the study were: to understand methods of worker’ participation at Mbeya City Council (MCC), to assess the extent of workers’ involvement in decision making and to identify obstacles to workers’ participation in decision making. The population of the study was 1634 employees of Mbeya City Council including those seining in Iyela Ward. The sample size of the study included 40 respondents. The data were collected by using interview, questionnaire and documentary review. Both quantitative and qualitative approaches were used to analyze the data. The findings show that to some extent employees participated in decision making through providing their views and concerns during workers’ meetings. They also provided suggestions on the priorities to be included in the council’s strategic plan. Findings also indicated the employees influenced council’s decisions via their suggestions through the workers’ association leaders that forwarded the concerns of the workers to the management. Regarding the obstacles to workers’ participation the findings show that some workers chose to keep to themselves and did not want to engage in affairs beyond their jobs. Findings also indicated some employees did not think the management paid attention, to their suggestions or views on the councils’ matters. The findings also indicate some employees did not know how they would participate in decision making. It is recommended that the management and leaders of workers union should actively promote workers awareness on them to participate in decision making. They should also alight the workers on the ways they can use to participate in decision making. It is also recommended that the council’s management should heed the views and suggestions of the workers’ and provide feedback on the implementation of the collective decisions. This will encourage the workers to trust and participate in the decision-making process.