Samenvatting

"Over two-thirds (67%) of global office workers feel like they are constantly repeating the same tasks over and over again, according to a recent survey performed by a leading enterprise automation software company.
The employees (specifically the starters and interns) of Cushman & Wakefield in Prague (C&W) are not finding joy in their work, which is evident from numerous feedback sessions. After a brief analysis of the root problems causing this low job satisfaction, it is found that the abundance of tedious, repetitive tasks leads to less joy in their work. In turn, this leads to less time that could be spent on enjoyable and self-developing tasks.
Following this, a Main Research Question was developed:

“How can the hospitality team of Cushman & Wakefield improve the aspects of monotonous tasks which have a negative impact on job satisfaction among starters and interns?”

A literature review was conducted, with a goal to provide background details of the key concepts and theories of the study. It was found that simply reducing the time and/or number of repetitive tasks is not enough, and that the balance between variety and specialisation should also be taken into consideration. Also, a correlation of job tenure and job satisfaction could be found, yet due to the reliance of job satisfaction on other external factors such as compensation, it is too premature to conclude anything. Automation was found as a widely acclaimed and proven solution to monotonous tasks. Several noteworthy gaps were also found in the literature: a gap of automation in the lens of the commercial real estate sector, and a gap of the influence of repetitive tasks in the commercial real estate sector. Finally, a conceptual framework was designed to create a visual stimulus of what the study is aiming to achieve.

Based on the findings of the literature review, three secondary research questions were developed. This led to the methodology of the study, which is qualitative in nature, using interviews, focus groups, and observations as a method of research. Due to the exploratory nature of the main- and secondary research questions, semi-structured interviews were chosen to be conducted, using an inductive relational content analysis strategy to analyse the findings. Furthermore, various measures were taken to ensure an ethical approach to the data collection, analysis, and dissemination.

Four interviews and one focus group were conducted. Based on the analysis of the transcriptions, the research findings were written. It was found that the starters and interns of C&W seek more variety in their work, and that the satisfaction that they perceive from specialising in their work has faded away. The tasks that were perceived as most monotonous included recording transactions, performing market analyses, formatting, and organisational tasks. The respondents named numerous potential solutions for the problem; primarily the use of automation and standardisation.
The findings from the qualitative research were then aggregated with the findings in the scientific literature, and the sub-research questions were answered.
The Main Research Question was answered with a means of a solution design. The defined solution is to allow and empower the starters to implement automation and standardisation in their work, following a predetermined schedule to ensure the effectiveness of the solution. Besides that, the sense of variety and specialisation is improved by enforcing cross-departmental initiatives to the job design, and widening the decision-making process to allow for more collaboration among the departments.
The solution was made clear and actionable by means of a schedule and timeline, indicating who has what role in the solution, how it will take place, and when it will take place.