Artigo Acesso aberto

Survival strategies of employees in non-remunerating organizations in Zimbabwe: A case of Chitungwiza Municipality

2016; Volume: 07; Issue: 04 Linguagem: Inglês

10.9790/5933-0704030113

ISSN

2321-5933

Autores

Manyaya Claudius, Thomas Bhebhe, Chavunduka Desderio, Nikisi Dennis,

Tópico(s)

Microfinance and Financial Inclusion

Resumo

This study sought to explore the survival strategies undertaken by employees in non-remunerating organisations with specific focus on Chitungwiza Municipality whose workers continued reporting for work despite having spent two years without salaries.The study comprised a sample of fifty respondents who used self-completing questionnaires.The results revealed that Chitungwiza Municipality employees were undertaking various survival strategies during working hours, after work and during weekends such as piece jobs, informal trading, urban agriculture and tilling land in rural areas for those who have it.It was also noted that some employees who are breadwinners had involved other family members such as spouses and children who are ordinarily their dependents to help raise income for the family as informal traders of vegetables, second-hand clothes and other income generation initiatives.Illegal survival strategies such as pilferage and use of Chitungwiza Municipality resources including vehicles and tools for personal gain were also singled out.However, these survival and intervention entrepreneurial strategies are not enough to substitute the buying power of salaries.The study revealed that employees continued reporting for work with the hope that one day things will improve and they would earn their salaries including back pay which was running into thousands of United States dollars per individual by the time of this study.The other reasons for reporting for nonremunerating work were; to avoid disciplinary action by the employer, to avoid losing benefits such as accrued pension benefits and that the employees had no choice since other companies had closed down due to Zimbabwe's economic challenges and for that reason, finding alternative employment was not an option.It was also concluded that some of the employees reported for work to reduce stress because at work they meet friends and they socialise.The study recommended a holistic approach in addressing the issue of non-payment of salaries.Non-monetary assistance to alleviate the suffering of employees was also recommended.

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