Staff involvement as a factor of improving work satisfaction

The involvement of staff in management is a 21st century management trend. Management consideration of employees as objects of management, suitable only to follow orders, is interpreted by researchers as a manifestation of toxic labor relations. In different countries, the manifestation of participation in management by workers occurs non-linearly and unevenly. Based on the materials of a sociological study, this article analyzes the prospects for involving workers in management in the Ural region. Contradictory trends have been identified: different categories of staff for the most part support the need for initiatives and innovations; however, there is a lack of confidence among employees that they can influence the ongoing changes, let alone initiate them. Not only the workers, but also the lower and middle levels of management assess the possibility of their participation in this process as low. The result is a decrease in the responsibility of staff for the results of the organization’s activities, ineffective use of involvement technologies, and a decrease in trust in the administration. The study makes it possible to determine the prospects for the use of staff involvement technologies: in decision-making through the design and rationalization of activities at the enterprise. Those employees who have the opportunity to participate in management decision-making activities are more satisfied with their work. The involvement of staff allows for the transformation of labor values from paternalistic and confrontational to a partnership.