THE IMPACT OF INTERPERSONAL SKILLS ON EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE AS A WAITER. CASE STUDY STARLINK HOTEL

ABSTRACT

Interpersonal skills are bound to happen in any organization where information is passed on from one person to the other; through the use of both verbal and non-verbal means. Starlink hotel, like every other organization uses interpersonal skills in their daily activities; in interactions between managers and waitress, as well as among colleagues and customers, both formally and informally amidst some challenges. This study investigated the role of effective interpersonal skills on organizational performance usingstarlink hotel as a case study. Specifically, the study examined the interpersonal skills systems available instarlink hotel and measured the employees’ performance. In addition, it determined the relationship between effective organizational interpersonal skills and employee performance. It also identified the channels of interpersonal skills considered by employees to be the most useful. Finally, barriers and breakdowns in the interpersonal skills systems ofstarlink hotel were also identified. Primary data was adopted. Simple random sampling was used for the selection of 200 respondents. Mean, correlation and regression results were adopted in the analysis. From the results, the interpersonal skills systems frequently used include face-to-face, telephone, written memos, email/internet andStarlinkhotelpevines, with the most useful channel of interpersonal skills being face-to-face.starlink hotel employees also largely perform well. Selective listening, distraction, time pressure, interpersonal skills overload, information distortion, rationalization, and prejudice are identified as barriers and breakdowns in interpersonal skills systems. Finally, various employees’ performance indicators are found to correlate with varying measures of effective organizational interpersonal skills. Employee performance can be further enhanced if bottlenecks in the interpersonal skills systems are either removed or kept at their least.Particularly, information distortions caused by omissions and exaggerations must be addressed both by management and employees to improve clarity in interpersonal skills.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

All organizations, both public and private entities rely on some form of interpersonal skills to send their messages across to their target audience, or inform their target audience of the mission and vision of their entity. Employee mostly hypes performance at the work place when effective interpersonal skills are at its ultimate. For instance, when the information about an organization’s policies and procedures are at its optimum level with openness and accuracy; and also when the information provided is adequate, factual and has good feedback (Kacmar et al., 2003; Neves & Eisenberger, 2012).

Meanwhile, only sizeable modern age organisation has placed value on effective work place way of communicating. It is assumed by some management members that, interpersonal skills are the simplest task for everyone to execute but research has shown that interpersonal skills thus make and unmake the existence of an organisation. In most organisations, managers often leave that aspect of effective interpersonal skills to the human resource department as their focus only reaches for the operational activities. In Starlink hotel for example, the managers only concentrate on target achievement thereby forgetting that free flow of information and how well the staff understand these information dissemination boost their moral to work harder in maximizing revenue. Likewise there becomes huge problem when managers within organisation always assume that they have had sufficient interpersonal skillss with their staff just by way of instructing them on their daily schedules. According to Anchor (2009) and Eisenberger &Stinglhamber (2011), two-way interpersonal skills has positive impact on workers who perform profitably at work. They form some kind of belief pertaining their work which intends satisfy the socio-emotional. Relating this to the study done by Eisenberger &Stinglhamber (2011) and Rhoades & Eisenberger (2002), employees are able to determine the organisations’ readiness to appreciate and reward effective and efficient performance by workers.

Puth (2002) opined that management with an organisation have resorted to use workplace journal or publication to dialogue with employees, nonetheless major related channels of interpersonal skills are not used effectively. He mentioned that in-house publications may not have any strategic bearings to sustain an organisation rather, encouraging two-way interpersonal skills does the thrill to dominate workforce. Puth (2002) perceived that performance within an organisation could be improved significantly by way of sharing information with employees and involving them in policy making. However this recuperates general employee satisfaction and productivity within an organization. In some cases the interpersonal skills gap that exist between managers and employees makes them to generally sense not trustworthy, respected or valued to be responsible in their field of work. In his studies, it was argued that the largest valuable resources within an entity are the employees; therefore it is the responsibility of managers to encourage two-way flow of information to optimize organization’s performance as well as employee productivity. This makes interpersonal skills very essential for all stakeholders as it assimilates most managerial purposes. Ethically, interpersonal skills are needed internally to initiate plans for expansion; to also consolidate resource in effective with less cost; to select, nurture and appraise members of an organization. Conversely, interpersonal skills are needed externally to serve as awareness creation for management to do business with their stakeholders such as; suppliers, government agencies and many others. The essence of interpersonal skills are very vital and cannot be left unattended; it is that king of mechanical system, which determines the growth of an organization in all aspect during this modern age. It is against this background that the study on effective interpersonal skills on organizational performance is set to ascertain what pertains on grounds using a public institution as a case.

1.2 Problem Statement

Employee Interaction is a principal and essential endeavor in organizations as stated by Harris & Nelson (2008). They further asserted that the sustainability of an organization is based on effective interpersonal skills among employees and relationships develop based on effective interpersonal skills. Working environments differs from all angles as well as their culture, economic and social development. In this context some of these organizations’ have cumbersome reporting lines, which are difficult for the employee to abide; such as conflicting authorities, and obligations thereby making some waitress become answerable more than a superior.  Intra- interpersonal skills facilities such as intercoms and memos are mostly ignored by some organization and this deprives waitress from knowing the vision and mission of an organization. Considering the problems stated above, the study intends to aid organizations by expounding on the way effective interpersonal skills would improve employee performance.

Studies have shown that effective interpersonal skills helps employees to coordinate activities, achieve goals. It is also vigorous in socialization, decision-making, problem solving and change-management processes. This again ensures that members of an organization or institution are working towards a common goal and purpose. Most organizations have challenges and continue to find the most effective channels for communicating with their constituents.

In Nigeria, and Starlink hotel for that matter, this challenge is acute.

Role clarity has become an issue as employees had to move and share offices with colleagues in different units. There were some misalignments in jobStarlinkhoteldes leading to confusion as to seniority and reporting hierarchy. The Starlink hotel is currently summoned to court by some staff within the Customs Division over interpersonal skills mishaps by management regarding staff promotion. This is as a result of “feed forward interpersonal skills” where management refuses to listen to the contemplations of lower employees. Not only that but also due to the sheer size of the new set-up, management is dealing with how best to manage the new authority with the aim of achieving the target set by the Ministry of Finance. This task is distractingstarlink hotel Management from developing and designing and effective interpersonal skills strategy, that is self-sustaining and provides effective feedback from employees.

The absence of such a strategy or effective interpersonal skills channel tends to under-utilize the expertise and vital information from the employees, which could be a critical input for formulating an effective interpersonal skills strategy to reduce or eliminate apathy in performing their roles. To what extent do these interpersonal skills gaps affect the work performance of employees and the organizational performance as a whole? The effect of poor interpersonal skills on employees and the organization needs empirical evidence from

the public sector. It is for this reason that this study is set to fill that gap in literature.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main research objective is to determine the function of successful interpersonal skills on organizational performance usingstarlink hotel as a case. However, the specific objectives of the study are below;

1. To examine the interpersonal skills systems inStarlink hotel.
2. To measure the performance of employees usingstarlink hotel appraisal indicators.
3. To determine the relationship between effective organisational interpersonal skills and employee performance.
4. To identify the most useful channel of interpersonal skills from employee point of view.
5. To identify barriers and breakdowns in the interpersonal skills system ofStarlink hotel.

1.4 Research Questions

In order to attain the above objectives, the following research questions must be taken into consideration.

1. What is the system of interpersonal skills that exists atStarlink hotel?
2. What is the employee performance level atStarlink hotel?
3. What is the relationship between effective organizational interpersonal skills and workers performance atStarlink hotel?
4. How does interpersonal skills improve employee performance atStarlink hotel?
5. What are the barriers and breakdowns in the interpersonal skills system atStarlink hotel?

1.5 Significance of the Study

The research will provide meaningful information to the management ofstarlink hotel about efficiency, credibility, and economy of their interpersonal skillss policies, practices, and programs. The study will enable managers instarlink hotel to get awareness concerning the influence of effective communiqué and in what way ineffective communiqué has negatively affected employee performance and thus the study will suggest strategies towards improving interpersonal skills to boast up employee performance in Tax

Administration.

Also, the study would aid students studying management to understand the theoretical background of effective and interpersonal skills. It would empower students to takeoff well when establishing or managing an enterprise.

The study would be beneficial to academia, as it would provide empirical findings on interpersonal skills systems and channels in public institutions. It would therefore serve as a reference point for future study and at the same time, fill research gap.

Finally, it will serve as a model for studying the existing interpersonal skills structures of public agencies in Nigeria and benefit the Public Relations (PR) and Human Resource

(HR) Departments of such Institutions looking for effective interpersonal skillss channels.

1.6 Scope of the Study

Due to resource constraints, the study was limited to the collection and analysis of data of mid to selected lower level employees ofstarlink hotel in the Anambra state Metropolis. This includesstarlink hotel staff of the Small Tax Offices (STO), Medium Tax Offices (MTOs) and Customs Offices in the Anambra state Metropolis. The study also sought to uncover the level of internal interpersonal skills withinstarlink hotel and how interpersonal skills can be leveraged to improve employee morale and performance.

1.7 Overview of Methodology

Using a quantitative methodology, this research was conducted instarlink hotel offices within the Anambra state Metropolis. The total number of the population was 395 respondents, with a sample size of 200 respondents selected through a card drawing simple random sampling technique. The primary data were gathered from the distribution of questionnaires. This technique of data collection consents for generalizations to a larger group other than the specific studied. An appropriate collection of good sample design is the condition for generalization research (Opoku-Amankwa, 2009).

1.8 Organization of the Study

This study is organized into five chapters. Chapter one deals with introduction by focussing on background of the study, problem statement, objectives of the study, research questions, significance of the study, scope and limitation of the study as well as the study’s organization. Chapter two deals with literature review with the focus on reviewing various literatures on the impact of effective interpersonal skills as a tool for improving employee performance. Chapter three deals with methodological procedures and research design, which includes data collection, sampling and the analysis of the data, collected. The chapter also presents the Organizational Profile ofstarlink hotel at the last section. Chapter four presents and discusses the empirical results of the study. In chapter five, the summary, conclusions and recommendations of the study are provided.