LIST OF TABLES

TABLE

NUMBERTITLE OF THE TABLE

PAGE

NUMBER

5.1

5.1.1

5.2

5.3

5.4

5.5

GENDER CLASSIFICATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

AGE CLASSIFICATION OF THE RESPONDENTS

RESPODENTS OPINION ABOUT CARRIER GROWTH GIVEN BY SUPERIOR

RESPONDENTS OPINION ABOUT THE EMPLOYEE SIGNIFICANCE GIVEN BY THE ORGANIZATION

RESPONDENTS OPINION ON THE TYPES OF REWARD GIVEN BY THE ORGANIZATION AT THE TIME OF EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITY

RESPONDENTS OPINION TOWARDS THE ORGANIZATION STEPS TAKEN TO ENGAGE THEM DURING THE LOCAL FESTIVAL & CELEBERATIONS

RESPONDENTS OPINION TOWARDS THE ORGANIZATION

61

63

65

67

69

71

5.6

5.7

5.8

5.9

5.10

STEPS TAKEN TO ENGAGE THEM DURING THE FESTIVAL CELEBRATIONS OF ALL RELEGIONS

RESPONDENTS PREFERENCES TOWARDS A PARTICULAR ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

RESPONDENTS OPINION ABOUT THE CANTEEN FACILITIES

RESPONDENTS OPINION ON TRUST AMONG THE CO-WORKER WITHIN THE ORGANIZATION

RESPONDENTS OPINION TOWARDS THE IMPROVEMENT OF COMMUNICATION IN THE ORGANISATION

RESPONDENTS OPINION ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION SUCCESS THAT THE EXTRA MILE AND EXCEEDTHE EXPECTATIONS

RESPONDENTS OPINION TOWARDS THE WORK LIFE BALANCE

RESPONDENTS OPINION ABOUT THE HYGIENE LEVEL

73

75

77

5.11

5.12

5.13

5.14

5.15

5.16

MAINTAINED IN THE ORGANIZATION

RESPONDENTS OPINION ABOUT AN ENVIRONMENT OF TRUST IS FOSTERED WITHIN THEIR GROUP

RESPONDENTS OPINION ON ORGANIZATION’S NEW IDEAS AND INNOVATIONS

RESPONDENTS OPINION ABOUT THE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES

INTRODUCTION

1. INTRODUCTION

CHATPER - 1

The researcher chose BIG BAZAAR at Express Avenue in Chennai to do his project under

the topic “A STUDY ON EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES AT BIG BAZAAR”. BIG

BAZAAR, a unit of FUTURE GROUP is one of the most well known Retail businesses in

India. The researcher found Retail business appropriate for the topic as this is the only

business in which the employees are found to undergo lot of pressure and stress. To

make the employees feel better, other engagement activities are conducted.

An organization’s productivity is measured not in terms of employee satisfaction but by

employee engagement. Employees are said to be engaged when they show a positive

attitude toward the organization and express a commitment to remain with the

organization.

The concept of engagement is a natural evolution of past research on high-involvement,

empowerment, job motivation, organizational commitment, and trust. All of these

research streams focus on the perceptions and attitudes of employees about the work

environment. In some ways, there are variations on the same fundamental issue.

Employee engagement is more than just the current HR 'buzzword'; it is essential. In

order for organizations to meet and surpass organizational objectives, employees must

be engaged.

The opening of the Indian Economy to International players through Liberalization

brought lots of foreign companies into the Indian market. Hence the human resources in

our country started to prosper, and they became the only means towards achieving

corporate excellence and competitive advantage. Human resources in the company that

is, the employees with high potential are very essential for the companies to stay in the

competition. In the process to achieve corporate advantage the employees not only

have to be motivated, molded and mentored, but the important part is that the

employees are to be kept 100 per cent engaged in what they are assigned to do. It is

only an engaged employee who is emotionally bound with the organization who feels

passionate about its goals and goes the extra mile beyond the basic job.

To achieve their organizational objective, the organizations have to give, much

importance for employee engagement, and therefore employee engagement becomes

the need of the hour.

1.1 NEED AND IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY

Employee engagement is not just about employee satisfaction - it is about the

discretionary effort that differentiates high-performing staff. Many employers regularly

survey staff on how happy they are at work, but a smaller number actually make the link

between engagement and business performance. By helping employees to understand

how they fit into the company structure, HR and line managers can ensure everyone in

the organization is working in harmony as ambassadors for the brand. The problem

often begins on the employee's first day with their new company. The manager is so

keen to ensure that their new recruit understands the core role requirements that they

forget to explain other important aspects of the job, such as how the employee can help

the organization to achieve its broader business goals and embody its culture and

values.

Most organizations today realize that a satisfied employee is not necessarily the best

employee in terms of loyalty and productivity. It is only and engaged employee who is

intellectually and emotionally bound with the organization. When employees are

effectively and positively engaged with their organization, they form an emotional

connection with the company. Employee engagement is a barometer that determines

the association of a person with the organization. It is about creating the passion among

associates to do things beyond what is expected from him. In today's hypercompetitive

world when there has been an economic downfall throughout the world. It has become

crucial to pay attention to the employee engagement which is crucial for their

motivation and improving performance.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Employees feel more engaged when they have clear direction, performance

accountability, and an efficient work environment. Aside from the personal drive and

motivation to make a contribution, employees need to understand where to focus their

efforts. Without a clear strategy and direction from senior leadership, employees will

waste their time on the activities that do not make a difference for the organization’s

success. Additionally, even when direction is in place, employees must receive feedback

to ensure that they are on track and being held accountable for their progress. In

particular, employees need to feel that low performance is not acceptable and that

there are consequences for poor performance. Finally, employees want to work in an

environment that is efficient in terms of its time, resources, and budget. Employees lose

faith in the organization when they see excessive waste. For example, employees

become frustrated when they are asked to operate without the necessary resources or

waste time in unnecessary meetings.

In the present scenario of huge competition to achieve the corporate advantage the

employees are put under enormous pressure to work continuously. So, they tend to be

the victims of pressure and their output level decreases. Organizations spend huge sums

of money in equipping their human resources with skills necessary for achieving

organizational goals. Employee engagement activities keep the employees concerned

and 100 per cent engaged in their work assigned to them. Its contribution to the

achievement of organizational objective is immense. This study focuses on employee

engagement in the retail sector, and its connection with the achievement of the

organizational needs

1.3 INDIAN RETAIL INDUSTRY

India retail industry is the largest industry in India, with an employment of around 8%

and contributing to over 10% of the country's GDP. Retail industry in India is expected to

rise 25% yearly being driven by strong income growth, changing lifestyles, and favorable

demographic patterns. It is expected that by 2016 modern retail industry in India will be

worth US$ 175- 200 billion. India retail industry is one of the fastest growing industries

with revenue expected in 2007 to amount US$ 320 billion and is increasing at a rate of

5% yearly. A further increase of 7-8% is expected in the industry of retail in India by

growth in consumerism in urban areas, rising incomes, and a steep rise in rural

consumption. It has further been predicted that the retailing industry in India will

amount to US$ 21.5 billion by 2011 from the current size of US$ 7.5 billion.

Shopping in India has witnessed a revolution with the change in the consumer

buying behavior and the whole format of shopping also altering. Industry of retail in

India which has become modern can be seen from the fact that there are multi- stored

malls, huge shopping centers, and sprawling complexes which offer food, shopping, and

entertainment all under the same roof.

India retail industry is expanding itself most aggressively as a result a great

demand for real estate is being created. Indian retailers preferred means of expansion is

to expand to other regions and to increase the number of their outlets in a city. It is

expected that by 2011, India may have above 600 new shopping centers. In the Indian

retailing industry, food is the most dominating sector and is growing at a rate of 9%

annually. The branded food industry is trying to enter the India retail industry and

convert Indian consumers to branded food. Since at present 60% of the Indian grocery

basket consists of non- branded items.India retail industry is progressing well and for

this to continue retailers as well as the Indian government will have to make a combined

effort.

1.4 COMPANY PROFILE

FUTURE GROUP

The field of study was conducted at Big bazaar a unit of Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited.

Pantaloon Retail (India) Limited, is India’s leading retailer that operates multiple retail

formats in both the value and lifestyle segment of the Indian consumer market.

Headquartered in Mumbai (Bombay), the company operates over 12 million square feet

of retail space, has over 1000 stores across 71 cities in India and employs over 30,000

people

The company’s leading formats include Pantaloons, a chain of fashion outlets, Big

Bazaar, a uniquely Indian hypermarket chain, Food Bazaar, a supermarket chain, blends

the look, touch and feel of Indian bazaars with aspects of modern retail like choice,

convenience and quality and Central, a chain of seamless destination malls. Some of its

other formats include Brand Factory, Blue Sky, all, Top 10 and Star and Sitara. The

company also operates an online portal, futurebazaar.com.

A subsidiary company, Home Solutions Retail (India) Limited, operates Home Town, a

large-format home solutions store, Collection i, selling home furniture products and

eZone focused on catering to the consumer electronics segment. Pantaloon Retail was

recently awarded the International Retailer of the Year 2007 by the US-based National

Retail Federation (NRF) and the Emerging Market Retailer of the Year 2007 at the World

Retail Congress held in Barcelona.

Pantaloon Retail is the flagship company of Future Group, a business group catering to

the entire Indian consumption space.

1.4.1 Future Group

Future Group, led by its founder and Group CEO, Mr. Kishore Biyani, is one of India’s

leading business houses with multiple businesses spanning across the consumption space.

While retail forms the core business activity of Future Group, group subsidiaries are

present in consumer finance, capital, insurance, leisure and entertainment, brand

development, retail real estate development, retail media and logistics led by its flagship

enterprise, Pantaloon Retail, the group operates over 12 million square feet of retail space

in 71 cities and towns and 65 rural locations across India.

Headquartered in Mumbai (Bombay), Pantaloon Retail employs around 30,000 people

and is listed on the Indian stock exchanges. The company follows a multi-format retail

strategy that captures almost the entire consumption basket of Indian customers. In the

lifestyle segment, the group operates Pantaloons, a fashion retail chain and Central, a

chain of seamless malls. In the value segment, its marquee brand, Big Bazaar is a

hypermarket format that combines the look, touch and feel of Indian bazaars with the

choice and convenience of modern retail.

In 2008, Big Bazaar opened its 100th store, marking the fastest ever organic expansion of

a hypermarket. The first set of Big Bazaar stores opened in 2001 in Kolkata, Hyderabad

and Bangalore.

The group’s specialty retail formats include, books and music chain, Depot, sportswear

retailer, Planet Sports, electronics retailer, Ezone, home improvement chain, Home Town

and rural retail chain, Aadhar, among others. It also operates popular shopping portal,

futurebazaar.com. Future Capital Holdings, the group’s financial arm provides

investment advisory to assets worth over $1 billion that are being invested in consumer

brands and companies, real estate, hotels and logistics. It also operates a consumer

finance arm with branches in 150 locations. Other group companies include, Future

General, the group’s insurance venture in partnership with Italy’s General Group, Future

Brands, a brand development and IPR company, Future Logistics, providing logistics and

distribution solutions to group companies and business partners and Future Media, a

retail media initiative.

The group’s presence in Leisure & Entertainment segment is led through, Mumbai-based

listed company Galaxy Entertainment Limited. Galaxy leading leisure chains, Sports Bar

and Bowling Co. and family entertainment centres, F123. Through its partner company,

Blue Foods the group operates around 100 restaurants and food courts through brands

like Bombay Blues, Spaghetti Kitchen, Noodle Bar, The Spoon, Copper Chimney and

Gelato.

Future Group’s joint venture partners include, US-based stationery products retailer,

Staples and Middle East-based Axiom Communications.

The group’s flagship company, Pantaloon Retail was awarded the International Retailer

of the Year 2007, by the US-based National Retail Federation, the largest retail trade

association and the Emerging Market Retailer of the Year 2007 at the World Retail

Congress in Barcelona.

Future Group believes in developing strong insights on Indian consumers and building

businesses based on Indian ideas, as espoused in the group’s core value of ‘Indianness.’

The group’s corporate credo is, ‘Rewrite rules, Retain values.’

1.4.2 Vision:

Future Group shall deliver Everything, Everywhere, Every time for Every Indian

Consumer in the most profitable manner.

1.4.3 Mission:

They share the vision and belief that our customers and stakeholders shall be served only

by creating and executing future scenarios in the consumption space leading to economic

development.

They will be the trendsetters in evolving delivery formats, creating retail realty, making

consumption affordable for all customer segments – for classes and for masses.

They shall infuse Indian brands with confidence and renewed ambition.

They shall be efficient, cost- conscious and committed to quality in whatever we do.

They shall ensure that our positive attitude, sincerity, humility and united determination

shall be the driving force to make us successful.

1.4.4 Core values:

Indianness: confidence in ourselves.

Leadership: to be a leader, both in thought and business.

Respect & Humility: to respect every individual and be humble in our conduct.

Introspection: leading to purposeful thinking.

Openness: to be open and receptive to new ideas, knowledge and information.

Valuing and Nurturing Relationships: to build long term relationships.

Simplicity & Positivity: Simplicity and positivity in our thought, business and

action.

Adaptability: to be flexible and adaptable, to meet challenges.

Flow: to respect and understand the universal laws of nature.

1.4.5 Major Milestones

Three Big Bazaar stores launched within a span of 22 days in Kolkata, Bangalore

and Hyderabad (2001).

Next Food Bazaar, the supermarket chain is launched.

Central - India’s first seamless mall is launched in Bangalore.

Group moves beyond retail, acquires stakes in Galaxy Entertainment, Indus

League Clothing and Planet Retail. Sets up India’s first real estate investment

fund Kshitij to build a chain of shopping malls.

Future Capital Holdings, the company’s financial is formed to manage over $1.5

billion in real estate, private equity and retail infrastructure funds. Plans forays

into retailing of consumer finance products.

Home Town, a home building and improvement products retail chain is launched along

with consumer durables format, Ezone and furniture chain, Furniture Bazaar. Future

Group enters into joint venture agreements to launch insurance products with Italian

insurance major, General Forms joint ventures with US office stationery retailer, Staples.

Future Group crosses $1 billion turnover mark. Specialized companies in retail

media, logistics, IPR and brand development and retail-led technology services

become operational.

Future Capital Holdings becomes the second group company to make a successful

Initial Public Offering in the Indian capital markets. Big Bazaar crosses the 100-

store mark, marking one of the fastest ever expansion of a hypermarket format

anywhere in the world. Total operational retail space crosses 10 million square feet

mark. Future Group acquires rural retail chain, Aadhar present in 65 rural

locations.

1.4.6 Passion for Retail

At Pantaloon Retail, Empowerment is what you acquire and Freedom at Work is what

you get. They believe the most valuable assets are People. Young in spirit, adventurous

in action, with an average age of 27 years, our skilled & qualified professionals work in

an environment where change is the only constant.

Powered by the desire to create path-breaking practices and held together by values, work

in this people intensive industry is driven by softer issues. In our world, making a

difference to Customers’ lives is a Passion and performance is the key that makes it

possible. Out of the Box thinking has become a way of life at Pantaloon Retail and living

with the change, a habit.

Leadership is a value that is followed by one and all at Pantaloon Retail. Leadership is

the quality that motivates us to never stop learning, stretching to reach the next challenge,

knowing that we will be rewarded along the way. In the quest of creating an Indian model

of retailing, Pantaloon Retail has taken initiatives to launch many retail formats that have

come to serve as a benchmark in the industry. Believing in leadership has given us the

optimism to change and be successful at it. We do not predict the future, but create it.

At Pantaloon Retail you will get an opportunity to handle multiple responsibilities, and

therein, the grooming to play a larger role in the future. Work is a unique mix of

preserving our core Indian values and yet providing customers with a service, on par with

international standards.

Pantaloon Retail is not just an organization - it is an institution, a centre of learning &

development. We believe that knowledge is the only weapon at our disposal and our

quest for it is focused, systematic and unwavering.

At Pantaloon Retail, we take pride in challenging conventions and thinking out of the

box, in travelling on the road less traveled. Our corporate doctrine ‘Rewrite Rules, Retain

Values’ is derived from this spirit.

Over the years, the company has accelerated growth through its ability to lead change. A

number of its pioneering concepts have now emerged as industry standards. For instance,

the company integrated backwards into garment manufacturing even as it expanded its

retail presence at the front end, well before any other Indian retail company attempted

this. It was the first to introduce the concept of the retail departmental store for the entire

family through Pantaloons in 1997. The company was the first to launch a hypermarket in

India with Big Bazaar, a large discount store that it commissioned in Kolkata in October

2001. And the company introduced the country to the Food Bazaar, a unique 'bazaar'

within a hypermarket, which was launched in July 2002 in Mumbai. Embracing our

leadership value, the company launched all in July 2005 in Mumbai, making us the first

retailer in India to open a fashion store for plus size men and women.

Today we are the fastest growing retail company in India. The number of stores is going

to increase many folds year on year along with the new formats coming up.

The way we work is distinctly "Pantaloon". Our courage to dream and to turn our dreams

into reality - that change people’s lives, is our biggest advantage. Pantaloon is an

invitation to join a place where there are no boundaries to what you can achieve. It means

never having to stop asking questions; it means never having to stop raising the bar. It is

an opportunity to take risks, and it is this passion that makes our dreams a reality.

1.4.7 BIG BAZAAR

Big bazaar, Pondy Bazaar was the second store to make an impact in the minds of the

customer. It was opened in the month of June, 2008. Situated in the midst of an IT hub, it

welcomes customers with exciting offers and discounts. Pondy bazaar is among the few

areas in Chennai that is full of activities with shopping malls, eat out joints, restaurants

etc. This also brings a lot of competition for the store. Measures are taken to retain the

customers by training the employees to be polite and vigilant.

The various departments in the store are as follows:

• Food bazaar department

• Cash department

• Plastics, Utensils and Crockery

• Appliances

• Footwear

• New Business Developments

• Depot

• Home Linen

• Furniture

• Apparels

• Visual merchandise

• Human Resource

• Administration

• Ware house / Logistics

• Maintenance

• Luggage

• Customer Service Department

1.4.8 OGRANIZATIONAL CHART

The organizational chart in the store is as shown

Store Manager

Assistant Store Manager

Department Manager

Assistant Dept Manager

Team Leader

Team Member

Support Functions

Human Resources

Cash

Visual Merchandise

Administration

Logistics

Maintenance

Customer Service Department