An assessment of the business process review : a study of the finance division at the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

The University of Kwazulu-Natal (UKZN) Finance Division underwent a restructuring process in 2014 that saw the number of staff in Finance reduce from 120 to 75 staff. The aim of this process was to downsize staff from the support sector and re-allocate funds to the Academic sector. Overall the re-structuring has not been an easy process especially on the Human Resources of the organisation and the productivity at the University. The purpose of this study is to look at the strategies that can be used to effectively restructure the organisation without effecting the motivation and morale of the staff. Managers and change consultants need to implement the correct strategy that fits the organisation and will improve staff satisfaction which in turn will boost staff moral resulting in optimum productivity. The research was based on a quantitative approach. Random sampling was used to select a sample of 63 finance staff. A questionnaire was designed with close-ended questions and sent to the sample who were located on five of the University’s campuses. According to the findings, the respondents felt that management did not follow crucial steps in the restructuring process which according to academic theory is essential to success of any restructuring process. The results also revealed that more than 50% of staff are demotivated and have a very low morale. Staff also feel that their perceptions of restructuring is being ignored by management. The study recommends that the UKZN use a change theory for future change endeavours. It is also recommended that management should communicate pertinent information to staff when undergoing a restructuring process, should introduce rewards to those staff who are carrying more workloads than employed for, create small short-term wins for staff and ensure that a culture of positive well-being amongst staff to ensure that staff remain motivated.