The Process of Hiring and Training

The process of hiring and training these managers varies widely. Some organizations hire experienced employees who have already developed their professional skills. Others hire inexperienced employees and train them to develop work-based skills.

The U.S. military uses the approach of hiring inexperienced personnel and subjecting them to organizational-specific training. As a result, it must invest in personnel development programs that enable its personnel to effectively perform their functions (Farrell, 2008). The hiring process for the U.S military is based on military recruitment policy (Farrell, 2008). Training then happens after recruitment (Farrell, 2008). The military also uses progressive training, which is characterized by continued work-based training programs throughout a person&s military career (Farrell, 2008).

Civilian personnel can be hired by the military if they have specialized skills in areas such as engineering, medicine, and administrative service (Noah, 2016). Skilled civilian personnel are also trained to develop their skills within a military environment (Farrell, 2008).

Active-duty personnel and General Schedule (GS) personnel (primarily civilian employees working for the military) work in different occupational specialties (Farrell, 2008). These two categories of employees differ in their roles and areas of specialty (Farrell, 2008). Military training for active-duty personnel normally happens after recruitment, whereas training for GS personnel can either be administered by learning institutions such as universities or by the military (Adam, 2016). Specialists such as accountants, engineers, strategists, doctors and other professionals are hired to provide their services to the military (Farrell, 2008). General Schedule training normally focuses on enabling them to effectively understand their roles, the operations of the military and other military functions (Adam, 2016). The impact of the training that military personnel is subjected to varies depending on employee performance (Giber, 1997). It can either be positive if it leads to the enhancement of performance, or it can be negative if it fails to help military personnel to effectively perform in their specific job categories (Parry, 1997).

In the military context, management leadership skills can be developed through training and through manager roles. Managers vary in terms of their leadership skills; some managers are more effective than others (Coleman, 2012). The variation in the effectiveness of trained managers is evident in the context of managing the civilian General Schedule personnel who work in the military.

For the purpose of this study, organizational leadership training programs are leadership training programs that exist in or can be introduced by the military (Martineau & Hannum, 2004). This study was undertaken to investigate the relationships (if any) between organizational training in leadership, leadership skills, and the customer service performance of General Schedule personnel working in the military. More specifically, the researcher investigates if there is a correlation between organizational leadership training and the leadership skills used by leaders tasked with managing General Schedule personnel and if there is a correlation between those leadership skills and the performance of General Schedule civilians. The motivation for this study stems from the identified problem of poor quality services offered by General Schedule civilian personnel in Customer Performance Advisory Centers (CPACs). The General Schedule personnel in CPACs work to ensure that they provide quality guidance and assistance to other military personnel deployed on military missions and spouses who may seek information concerning soldiers’ whereabouts and condition. Effective CPAC General Schedule employees enhance the effectiveness of other military personnel (Farrell, 2008).

Background of Problem

Prior research has shown that management leadership skills are affected by three factors: the level of training that managers receive; their personal and professional experience, and the leadership situations to which they are exposed (Parry, 1997). Research has also shown that the performance of an organization is affected by the organizational policies that are adopted, the management strategies that are developed, and the quality of employees (Randall, 2003). Furthermore, managers differ in terms of their leadership approaches, attitudes, levels of expertise, and other factors (Randall, 2003). These leadership skills have a negative or positive effect on employees and the organization as a whole (Randall, 2003). Complaints by active duty personnel about poor quality customer service that they receive from General Schedule employees who in CPACs has increased (DAIG, 2014). General Schedule employees play an important role in providing vital services for the military, including offering assistance to military personnel who inquire about issues that are important to military missions (DAIG, 2014). General Schedule employees can be managed and trained effectively. However, when they do not function effectively, the quality of the training they have received must come into question. The poor customer service that are provided by a majority of the CPAC personnel is as a result of the training that they receive, and which did not fully equip them with interpersonal skills necessary for CPAC personnel to effectively perform their roles (Giber, 1997).

Customer service personnel perform the important role of advising other personnel-based on their inquiries (Swartzlander, 2004). The quality of service that this category of personnel offer varies because the customer service personnel differ in their experiences, attitudes, preferences and other personal and professional attributes (ACSI, 2015). Active duty soldiers, their spouses and other stakeholders tend to interact more frequently with the employees who work in the military’s Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers when they need information or to make inquiries (ACSI, 2015). Poor customer service can affect their experience of customers, and this can hurt the reputation of an organization (Swartzlander, 2004). The reputation of the U.S. Military, like other organizations, can be impacted negatively by poor customer service. Given the critical role played by General Schedule personnel, poor customer satisfaction from the military’s Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers (CPAC) employees can negatively affect organizational performance overall (Swartzlander, 2004). To improve customer satisfaction and organizational performance, it is important to invest in more effective organizational training that focuses on best practices in customer service delivery. It is also important to develop leadership attributes in General Schedule Personnel (Bulut & Culha, 2010). The desirable leadership qualities can also be instilled in management level employees who work in an organization and performance levels for every General Schedule personnel and identifying a way to measure the performance is an effective way to intervene in how General Schedule employees apply themselves in conjunction with the military’s mission (Noah, 2016).

Results for surveys conducted that focus on General Schedule customer Schedule personnel and other General Schedule employees show that there is great variation in the levels of satisfaction of active duty personnel and their dependents who seek for assistance from General Schedule employees (ACSI, 2015). Findings from previous surveys show that not all managers are skilled enough to lead effectively, and organizational based training strategies which vary in every organization. Some organizations can be effective in terms of administering effective training whereas others can fail to administer effective training to their managers and employees (Bulut & Culha, 2010). Ineffective leadership skills tend to impact negatively on personnel performance and the impact of organizational based learning varies depending on how the learning process impacts on the performance of all categories of personnel (Bulut & Culha, 2010). A survey of literature (Bulut & Culha, 2010) it is apparent that there is a lack of adequate research that focuses on examining the correlation that exists between leadership skills used to facilitate leadership for military personnel, and the training programs that are initiated in the military, and the performance of military personnel who work at Civilian Support Advisory Centers.

Statement of Problem

There is a growing concern among active-duty soldiers and their dependents relating to the provision of poor customer service by General Schedule (GS) Personnel who work at Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers (CPAC establishments). It is evident that ineffective training can impact negatively on the performance of General Schedule personnel who are employed from and work at Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers, management level military personnel and active duty personnel (Lynton & Pareek, 2000).

Some organizational management level employees lack effective managerial skills or leadership abilities that are necessary for managers who want to manage effectively (Daugherty, 2014). This means that poor management or leadership is the end result of poor leadership skills and this can have a negative implication on organizational performance (Collins, 2013). Some employees do not understand what is expected of them and also lack the necessary skill sets needed in order for them to work effectively, and clearly this is a problem (Collins, 2013). The specific problem (Lynton & Pareek, 2000) is that there is poor customer service among employees of Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers. Poor customer service is a problem that affects organizations and it is important for the problem to be resolved (Swartzlander, 2004). Poor decision making normally leads to poor organizational performance and the decision-making process is impacted by the skills and knowledge used to facilitate the decision-making process (Randall, 2003). Research problems normally tend to focus on examining specific problems of interest that form the basis for the research. The section that focuses on the problem statement for this research specifies the specific research problems that will be explored in this study. This study is a correlational study examining the relationships (if any) between organizational training in leadership, leadership skills, and the customer service performance of General Schedule personnel working in the military. Personnel performance, organizational training, and management leadership are the basis of the variables that will be examined. Variables tend to be different depending on the nature of the research (Creswell, 2003).

Purpose of Study

At its core, this study is an examination of leadership training among General Schedule personnel in the U.S. Army and the effectiveness of trained leaders in facilitating positive performance among their “follower” personnel. The purpose of the study is to determine the relationship (if it exists) between management leadership skills and organizational based training, and to determine if there is an indirect relationship between the resultant leadership and the performance of CPAC employees. It is an investigative study that applies best practices in quantitative research which is characterized by relying on data that can be represented numerically then subjected through statistical analysis aided by use of advanced statistical software (Mayer, Gamst, & Guarino, 2013). It is an extensive study that involves researching on the specific areas of focus such as management leadership, impact of leadership and management skills on performance, training (employee development) and strategy. Data will first be gathered from sources through the use of a survey questionnaire which comprised of key survey questions that will be relevant to this research and which primarily enable a researcher to strategically gather appropriate data from sources such as research participants (Mayer et al., 2013). This section of this chapter and it prioritizes on processing data into appropriate findings that can be used to inform policies made in the military about ways to enhance the performance of General Schedule personnel and other military personnel such as military leaders. It is an appropriate research because it aims to establish whether poor performance by General Schedule personnel is as a result of the training that they receive before working for the military or training received after working for the military. The study explores the performance of General Schedule employees who work in the United States military and explores the possible ways to enhance their performance. This is important because it can enable the military’s policy planners to develop effective leadership policies, employee relationship policies, training programs and effective decisions that can be used as the basis for enhancing the performance of General Schedule personnel and the performance of other military personnel (Dougherty, 2014). Poor customer service in and from Civilian Personnel Advisory centers employees that have been established by the military in many ways can be viewed as a problem but can be resolved if the factors that impact on the negative performance are identified, established or known (Collins, 2013). This correlation study aims to identify the causative factor or factors that cause the poor performance registered by the CPAC personnel and also propose an effective solution that can be applied to effectively solve the problem. The solution is based on findings that will be realized from processing quantitative data gathered through the use of a survey questionnaire prepared by the researcher and interpreting the findings into viable results that will aid in finding a viable solution to the research problem (Vogt, 2007). The above outline is a summary of the purpose of this study.

Significance of Study to Leadership

The leadership process is facilitated by leaders who can either be effective or fail to be effective in terms of the way they make decisions that impact on the performance of other employees (Randall, 2003). If leaders are fully equipped with the necessary skills sets that are appropriate for their specific organizations and the type of employees that they are required to inspire and manage, the leaders tend to perform better than leaders who have not been subjected through effective training and who lack the necessary skill sets that are appropriate for leaders who seek to manage effectively (Randall, 2003). Organizational training programs that focus on leadership training are mostly aimed at enabling leaders to develop their leadership skills and the programs can be effective or less effective depending on the way they impact on the performance of leaders who also influence the performance of other employees through leadership (Parry, 2007). Military leaders play an active and important role of leading Active duty and General Schedule military personnel and problems such poor performance registered by General Schedule personnel can be resolved by the military leaders tasked with the responsibility of managing the General Schedule personnel if they actually know of effective ways to find a solution to the problem (Daugherty, 2014). Most organizational training programs are introduced by leaders, so it is therefore it is important for them to identify proper training programs (Randall, 2003). If organizational training fails to impact positively on organizational performance, an organization can be affected negatively in terms on poor performance standards (Parry, 1997). On the other hand, if organizational training effectively manages to equip employees with work-based skill sets that enable them to perform effectively; the organization can benefit in terms of enhanced performance standards (Parry, 1997). If poor performance levels by some employees are tolerated by the leaders of an organization, the organization can face the challenge of it being exposed to risks such as: It not being able to compete effectively for human capital, labor or employees when it seeks to hire, decreased levels of performance and other performance based challenges that can vary in every organization (Randall, 2003).

The study’s significance arises from the observation that concerns have been constantly raised by active duty personnel with respect to the poor quality of services that are delivered by the General Schedule employees hired by Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers. Poor quality of service leads to client dissatisfaction, and client dissatisfaction will taint the reputation of the whole organization. It is therefore imperative that reasons for poor quality of service are investigated. Insights from such investigation can be used to inform the development of strategies designed to remedy the issue of poor customer satisfaction with the services offered by General Schedule employees. Although poor personnel performance is no doubt a complex problem, the role of leadership in influencing personnel performance cannot be ignored. The influence of leadership quality on work performance of followers is well documented in literature (Randal, 2003). Thus, with the goal of making inroads to addressing the serious issue of General Schedule employees’ poor customer service, the study investigates if there is indeed a relationship between the organizational training and the leadership skills of the trained leaders, and if, in turn, there is a relationship between leaders’ skills and their personnel’s quality of service performance (an indirect relationship with the leaders organizational training). The study is significant because the findings will enable the leaders tasked with the key responsibility of managing the General Schedule personnel working in and from CPAC establishments to identify the factors that cause the employees to perform poorly in their respective work roles. This means that an effective solution to the problem can be developed by first understanding the problem and strategizing on an effective approach that can be applied to effectively resolve the problem. An effective management strategy for General Schedule personnel can be developed if the military leaders understand industry trends, factors that impact on employee performance and other important factors that need to be considered when making decisions that impact on all employees and the organization (Randall, 2003). This study will facilitate the introduction of change programs that are aimed at enhancing the performance of General Schedule employees and also the performance of active duty personnel who will benefit from the provision of better advisory services by the General Schedule employees. The findings will also make it easier for leaders to identify effective organizational learning programs that can be adopted and can positively impact on organizational performance (Randall, 2003).

Nature of the Study

This study is a quantitative correlational research study. This method and research design have been selected because they are the most appropriate for this study. Quantitative research is characterized by relying on numerical data that are processed into useful findings (Vogt, 2007). Quantitative data can be analyzed using statistical software that can be selected based on the expertise and preference of the researcher such as SPSS, a statistical software program developed by IBM (Mayer et al., 2013). Rapid innovation and developments in statistics as a field has resulted to the development of advanced software that effectively facilitates data analysis (Mayer et al., 2013). The sample for this study consisted of 30 participants. It was important to find participants who will be in a better position to provide better responses (Bouma, Wilkinson, & Ling, 2008). The participants were active duty Army veterans and retired General Schedule civilians who worked for the United States Army.

Research Questions & Hypotheses

The following research questions and accompanying hypotheses guided this study:

RQ1: Is there a relationship between leadership skills gained through training administered by the military and the performance of general schedule employees who are work in CPACs (Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers)?

Hl₀: There is no relationship between leadership skills gained through training administered by the military and the performance of General Schedule employees who are work in CPACs (Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers).

H1_A: There exists a relationship between leadership skills gained through training administered by the military and the performance of General Schedule employees who are work in CPACs (Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers).

RQ2: Is there a relationship between leadership strategies at CPAC centers and the quality of employee performance in terms of customer service?

H2₀: There is no relationship between leadership strategies at CPAC centers and the quality of employee performance in terms of customer service.

H2_A: There exists a relationship between leadership strategies at CPAC centers and the quality of employee performance in terms of customer service.

Theoretical Framework

According to the expectancy disconfirmation theory, consumers judge the quality of a service or product by evaluating the actual product or service (Anderson, 1973). Satisfaction is measured by comparing expectations with experience. The assimilation theory, based on dissonance theory, (Festinger, 1957) posits that after a consumer uses a service or a product, they will make comparisons between that service or product and another. Adaptation level theory focuses on customers’ expectations and level of satisfaction after using a product (Helson, 1964). The theory dictates that people usually perceive stimuli based on an adapted standard, so perceptions of quality tend to vary based customer expectations (Helson, 1964).

The theoretical framework serves as the bases for identifying appropriate research questions (Ennis, 1999). This section focused on organizational training, personnel performance, management skills, management theory, leadership, personnel management, customer satisfaction and organizational development. Organizational training consists of the in-house training programs that focus on training personnel within an organization (Bulut & Culha, 2010). Personnel performance focuses on how the employees who are part of an organization perform and performance standards can either be favorable or unfavorable depending on how the standards affect the organization (Bulut & Culha, 2010). Management skills and management theory focus on managerial aspects (Ma, 2000).

Definition of Terms

Defining the meaning of terms for a specific study helps to minimize confusion or difficulties in understanding why the terms have been used (Bouma et al., 2008). These definitions have been included in order to assist the reader to understand the specific meaning of certain terms and phrases used in this chapter.

Active-duty personnel: For this study, the term refers to soldiers who work in the military on a full-time basis. They are deployed to participate in military activities and missions either within or outside the U.S. (Adam, 2016).

CPAC: This abbreviation refers to Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers.

Customer: A customer is a person who uses a service or specific product being sold or offered by an organization (Swartzlander, 2004).

Customer Service: Support or assistance provided to customers, including complaints and inquiries, problem-solving, and other issues (Adam, 2016).

GS: This refers to General Schedule (Adam, 2016).

Productivity: Productivity is the level of output for each employee and for the entire organization (Burke & Black, 1990). It is affected by different factors such as management strategies, level of training, employee skills, and resources invested (Burke & Black, 1990).

Assumptions

It is important to examine research assumptions since they may color the nature of the study. Assumptions are based on researchers’ beliefs, judgments, or opinions related to a specific issue (Creswell, 2003). In the present study, it is assumed that participants will answer the survey questions correctly, be truthful, and be cooperative. It is important to note that participants can falsify their responses, fail to be truthful, and be non-cooperative (DeSimone, 2015). Another assumption is that there will be minimal level of bias from participants and minimal bias from researchers when analyzing the data collected through the use of a survey. Minimal levels of bias normally lead to the discovery of more reliable and more accurate findings (Klugh, 2013). Other assumptions underlying the research include that poor managerial skills tend to negatively affect the performance of other employees and that employees perform based on their leaders’ influence.

Leaders who guide their employees and serve as good example to their subordinates tend positively influence the performance of their subordinates. Some General Schedule employees working at CPACs are aware of their poor performance, but they failed to embrace change by enhancing their performance standards and changing their attitudes. Ineffective training has a negative effect on personnel performance (Giber, 1997).

Scope

The scope of this study is limited to General Schedule personnel, management leadership; customer service by CPAC personnel, active duty personnel, organizational based training and personnel performance. Participants for this study were active duty Army veterans and retired General Schedule civilians who worked for the United States military. A limited scope that focuses on specific areas makes it easier for researchers to define specific objectives and devise ways to achieve those objectives (Creswell, 2003). Failing to limit the scope of a study can make it difficult for researchers to conduct a meaningful study (Creswell, 2006).

Limitations

The most obvious limitation of this study is geographic. Geographic limitations characterized by difficulties in conducting surveys and accessing information in specific geographical locations (Creswell, 2003). Accesses to resources needed to facilitate the research were limited and this is an example of another limitation. Access to participants was also another limitation because of bureaucratic obstacles such as being required to seek permission before conducting a survey. Other limitations included managing a large sample size, limits to data collection methods, and difficulties in accessing software needed for statistical analysis (Vogt, 2007).

Delimitations

Delimitations refer to the specific boundaries that are created by the researcher so that the researcher can control the extent of the study (Creswell, 2003). The participants are limited to retired military personnel: active duty army veterans and retired General Schedule civilian employees. Other delimitations include prioritizing surveys: Conducting a study that will be correlational and quantitative and using appropriate literature that will be in line with the objectives that have been defined for this research. The study will be quantitative because this design will be the most appropriate for this research: This is because it will require numerical data to be subjected through extensive statistical analysis (Vogt, 2007).

Chapter Summary

This chapter contained an introduction to this thesis detailed information about this quantitative correlational study. The study was undertaken to establish the correlation (if any) between leadership skills, management-based training, and the quality of employees’ performance. Leadership skills tend to vary from organization to organization, and leadership strategies vary depending on organization type (Randall, 2003). In the U. S. military, leaders are required to effectively oversee complex operations (Davis, 2015). This includes personnel management and introducing policies and training programs that affect the performance of employees across the organization (Davis, 2015).

The General Schedule (GS) employees discussed in this chapter are civilian personnel hired by the military to offer services including medical, technical, logistical, engineering, and supporting staff. General Schedule (GS) personnel vary in terms of their areas of specialty and performance levels (Adam, 2016). This chapter contains a description of the background of the problem that formed the basis of this research and the study’s problem statement as well as the purpose of this study. This section also includes a discussion of the significance of the study, the nature of the study, and specific research questions. The chapter ends with the study’s theoretical framework.

CHAPTER 2

This study is concerned with the poor customer service offered by General Schedule employees. This literature review contains articles about leadership, training, personnel satisfaction, work ethics, communication, leadership empowerment and customer service factors (Greene & Kropf, 2011). The review of literature aids in increasing levels of comprehension about how customer service relationships can be developed by developing an effective customer service relationship management programs, policies and strategies. The influence of leadership on personnel performance is explored. Leadership attributes, organizational training and effective personnel performance are explored. The literature review explores issues such as loyalty theories, customer service, management concepts, management theories, organizational leadership concepts, work-based policies, communication strategies, change programs and leadership practices. The literature review highlights how decision-making impacts on performance and how ethics and organizational policies can be used as the basis for developing performance evaluation standards, guidelines and practices that are effective (Giber, 1997).

It is established that the quality of services directly impacts levels of satisfaction among military personnel who need assistance, guidance or help. This study primarily focuses on the quality of services in Civilian Personnel Advisory Centers. The significance of study is detailed in Chapter 1. As established in Chapter 1, it is evident that poor customer service by CPAC employees cause hardships to active duty military personnel and their dependents. Soldiers and their spouses who are deployed to new locations to serve in military missions usually require time to adapt to new locations.

Title Searches, Research Documents, Articles, and Journals

The literature for this review was gathered from journal articles, books, and other relevant information resources. The databases used to find these articles include ProQuest, AOM, EBSCOhost, peer reviewed articles from sources such as JSTOR, military websites, government websites, and other online sources.

History of CPAC

The United States military CPAC (Civilian Personnel Advisory Center) was established to advise military personnel, their spouses, other civilian personnel and stakeholders who need to be assisted in terms of the inquiries that they make (Fort Sam Houston, 2010). The center operates based on guiding principles and operations policies that have been developed by the military so as to serve as the basis for enabling the CPAC personnel to understand and appropriate perform their roles. Among them include insuring that the CPAC personnel comply with regulatory, legal and institutional requirements (Fort Sam Houston, 2010). CPAC employees interact with external parties on a regular basis considering the fact that the establishments that they work in serve as advisory centers. The development of CPACs started during 1776 whereby it was referred to as the Board of War and Ordnance. Its roles at that time ranged from dispatching soldiers, servicing and maintaining administrative records, paying personnel and facilitating the provision of appropriate equipment. The establishments or centers have evolved over the years and are now more diverse in terms of their operations, functions and capabilities. Current roles of CPAC include: planning, acquiring, sustaining, structuring, transitioning and developing programs that are in line with the objectives that need to be accomplished (Fort Sam Houston, 2010). The CPACs are required to work closely with military leaders (Commanders) Supervisor, Army units and establishments; military personnel by providing guidance and support that is needed. They oversee civilian programs and work towards ensuring that policies and key directives are adhered to in every military installation. CPACs also work to ensure that the rights of civilian personnel are not violated and also assist the spouses of soldiers who have been deployed to missions based on their inquiries (Dept. of the Army, 1998).

Literature Review

The literature review contains articles about leadership skills, theories on management, organizational policies, customer satisfaction, performance measurement standards, factors that affect performance, and organizational-based learning. It is important for the military to invest resources in ensuring that soldiers and their spouses receive quality customer service from CPACs (Collins, 2013). This chapter contains a review of the theoretical framework for providing customer service based on how customer service is delivered to stakeholders in the military. The theoretical framework based on leadership attributes is explored and the impact of customer service on organizational management is also explored. This chapter discusses the leadership process, managerial behaviors and the impact of ineffective training on personnel performance. This chapter discusses theories that will help or assist the readers in terms of enabling them to understand the link that exists between front line employees, leaders (managers), the CPAC’s and the customers. The theories will serve as a foundation used as the basis for answering the research questions.

Internal Customers

According to (Swartzlander, 2004); internal customers refer to the different categories of employees who work in an organization and seek services that are provided by other employees in the same organization (Swartzlander, 2004). They differ from external customers because the external customers tend to buy goods or services produced by an organization whereas internal customers are the employees who rely on each other for support, assistance, advice and other work-based needs that tend to vary in every organization (Change & Kelly, 1994). The internal customers include the employees’ directors and managers who work in an organization and their roles tend to vary. Based on the observations made by (Swartzlander, 2004); organizations that are more successful normally prioritize on satisfying the needs of each category of customers. For instance, an organization can adopt an audit policy that focuses on identifying the needs of the internal customers and focus on establishing a committee that focuses on developing a strategy that is aimed at ensuring that the organization effectively satisfies the internal customer needs that have been outlined (Change & Kelly, 1994). A committee that has been established can focus on developing a culture that promotes or encourages all employees to interact effectively and conduct their roles more effectively. Service standards that outline the specific performance standards that need to be adhered to, performance management and employee training can be used to improve internal customer service experience (Change & Kelly, 1994).

Effective customer service is an essential part of an organization that aims to impact positively internal customer experience (Swartzlander, 2004). On the basis of CPAC establishments, the customers who rely on the services offered by employees who work at CPAC include: Active duty personnel, military leaders, dependents and spouses of military personnel and other General Schedule personnel. Varying customer needs need to be satisfied and the level of satisfaction varies depending on the varying needs of customers. Poor customer service is noticeable, so is important to discourage all employees from being less productive. Prior research by (Swartzlander, 2004) has demonstrated that poor customer service does negatively affect organizational performance. Managers or leaders can influence the way internal customer services are provided in an organization by developing policies such as a performance-based guidelines and programs such as a performance enhancement course. These can be aided towards enhancing the way employees interact with each other (Change & Kelly, 1994).

Evidently, effective customer service is an essential part of an organization (Swartzlander, 2004). On the basis of CPAC establishments, the customers who rely on the services offered by employees who work at and are hired by CPAC include: Active duty personnel, military leaders, spouses of military personnel and other General Schedule personnel. Varying customer needs need to be satisfied and the level of satisfaction varies depending on the varying needs of customers. Prior research by (Swartzlander, 2004) has demonstrated that poor customer service does negatively affect organizational performance. Managers or leaders can influence the way internal customer services are provided in an organization by developing policies such as a performance-based guidelines and programs such as a performance enhancement course. These can be aided towards enhancing the way employees interact with each other (Change & Kelly, 1994).

360 degrees feedback

Feedback needs to be gathered and shared continuously (Lepsinger, Lucia, & Lepsinger, 2009). Feedback is important because it facilitates effective planning, effective interactions and better performance. When employees make inquiries that are aimed at seeking for clarity, information or assistance from other employees, it is important for timely feedback to be provided (Lepsinger, Lucia, & Lepsinger, 2009). An interaction is much more effective if it involves adequate feedback that is shared, on time, by every employee and managers. Frequent feedback tends to make it easier for the employees to operate or perform based on the specific work-based standards that have been defined by the managers. For instance, the management teams at CPACs should prioritize on ensuring that all the CPAC employees provide adequate feedback to the internal customers who can be regarded to as the active duty personnel, leaders in the military and their dependents and spouses. Inadequate feedback can limit an organization from realizing its full potential because of lack of effective collaboration by the employees, the management and external stakeholders such as regulatory agencies (Lepsinger, Lucia, & Lepsinger, 2009).

Behavior-based Safety

Behavior-based safety relies on the science of behavioral change to develop safety standards for employees and managers (Williams, 2015). The standards outline what is should be done and how it should be done. The aim of behavior-based safety is to create an organization that is safe for all employees to work for. The expected employees’ behaviors and roles need to be clarified. Roles need to be assigned and conflict resolution procedures need to be defined (Williams, 2015).

Management by Objectives

Management by objectives is primarily a model aimed at enhancing organizational performance by specifying the objectives that need to be accomplished and managing the employees to ensure that they are focused on achieving the specific objectives (Cardona & Rey, 2008). This means that the managers work collaboratively with the employees. Adequate guidance, support, resources and assistance must be provided to employees (Greenwood, 2017). Employees, on the other hand, are normally required to be committed, ethical and productive and they play an important role of working with each other in a way that will enable them to achieve the key objectives that are defined by the management (ÄŒiutienÄ— & Petrauskas, 2012). Performance based objectives should specify the performance goals that need to be achieved during a specific period. Provision of feedback on performance is necessary on a regular basis to examine if objectives are being met. Employees need to be motivated so that they actively participate in working towards defined objectives, and motivation is increased if progress is actively monitored (Greenwood, 2017). This applies to General Schedule personnel who work at and are hired by CPACs. Performance should be rewarded or fail to be rewarded depending on if the outcomes that are realized are in line with the goals or objectives that the employees are required to accomplish (Ward, 1968).

Soft Skills Neglect

Soft skills are the personal attributes that make it easier for them to interact effectively with other people (Daft & Marcic, 2014). These skills can differ between individual people because no person is identical in terms of attitudes, beliefs, experiences and personalities (Daft & Marcic, 2014). In contrast to soft skills, hard skills (such as reading, sewing, writing and programming) can be taught relatively easily. Soft skills are personal, and they are usually developed rather than taught (Nonaka & Johansson, 2017). Many employees lack the soft skills that are critical for personal and organizational success (Farmer, 2015). Most employees tend to possess hard skills that have been acquired through training such in areas such as data management, operating equipment and performance monitoring (Daft & Marcic, 2014). There is much variation in employee soft skills. Those with better soft skills tend to perform better than those employees with weaker soft skills because they are able to collaborate effectively and interact more effectively with others (Daft & Marcic, 2014). In a workplace where interaction with others is crucial, soft skills tend to enhance the strengths of an employee. Ideally, employers, when hiring, should focus on evaluating both soft and hard employee skills (Farmer, 2015). Unfortunately, most employers place emphasis on evaluating the hard skills, and often neglect evaluating employee soft skills. This is problematic because poor organizational performance will likely result from hiring employees who are well equipped with hard skills but are deficient in soft skills (Daft & Marcic, 2014).

Employees with excellent soft skills are more effective at social interaction and will usually provide better customer service (Farmer, 2015). Customers tend to prefer organizations with better services and products (Farmer, 2015). This means customers will be more satisfied by the services that they receive (Farmer, 2015) when employees have strong soft skills (as well as adequate hard skills). Conversely, poor customer service is as a result of lacking appropriate social skills and will likely negatively affect the customer experience and the performance of the organization as a whole (Daft & Marcic, 2014). It is therefore important not to neglect employees’ soft skills when hiring and evaluating their performance (Farmer, 2015).

Generational Differences

People born in a certain generation tend have certain shared values, opinions and attitudes (DelCampo, 2010). Current generational classifications list the following categories: Generation Z, born after 1996; Generation Y, born between 1977 and 1995; Generation X, born between 1965-1976; Baby Boomers, born between 1946 and 1964; and Traditionalists, born before 1945 (Gravett & Throckmorton, 2007). These groups tend to share certain characteristics. Members of Generation Z are younger and active, and they tend to want to work in organizations that they personally find appealing in jobs that they consider to be less stressful or demanding (DelCampo, 2010). Members of Generation X tend to be more considerate than others, and Traditionalists tend to be less adaptive to change (DelCampo, 2010). Levels of productivity also tend to vary from generation to generation (DelCampo, 2010). Disregard for work regulations and rules are mostly common among younger employees and specifically among those from Generation Y and Z (DelCampo, 2010). For instance, the work attitudes, behaviors, beliefs and preferences of customer service personnel at the military’s CPAC born during different generations tend to be different (Emma, 2014).

Staff Loyalty and Trust

According to Hajdin (2005), the employees who work for an organization need to be loyal to the organization. Loyal employees normally prioritize on ensuring that their organization succeeds and pride themselves for being part of the organization (Hajdin, 2005). Employees who are more loyal to their employer mostly perform better than employees who are not loyal to their employer. Some differences in performance may therefore be attributed to the extent to which individual employees are loyal to their organizations (Hajdin, 2005). Some CPAC personnel who work at the centers and hired from the center to work in a military unit or organization, are more productive than others because they are loyal to the military (DAIG, 2014). Other CPAC employees who are not loyal to the military tend to underperform by providing poor quality services to military personnel who seek for assistance from the CPACs (DAIG, 2014).

Employees who trust each other collaborate effectively with each other (Sprenger, 2004). On the other hand, the employees who do not trust each other tend to collaborate ineffectively, and this has a negative effect on their performance and the general performance of their organizations (Sprenger, 2004). Leaders who do not trust their subordinates can fail to effectively work with their subordinates because the lack of trust will limit them from sharing adequate information and other work-related feedback to with their subordinates (Jiang & Probst, 2015). It can also be argued that the subordinates or lower-level employees who do not trust their managers can fail to effectively work with their managers (Sprenger, 2004). A significant number of CPAC personnel who do not trust military personnel can fail to effectively provide quality service (Jiang & Probst, 2015). The level of trust that employees have towards each other can affect the way they relate with each other (Jiang & Probst, 2015).

Leadership Development

Leadership development can be aided by learning and practice (Russell, 2005). Initiating new learning programs aimed at developing employees’ leadership skills help an organization develop better leaders. Leaders who are skilled and experienced in their specific areas of practice tend to perform much better than leaders who are less skilled or inexperienced in their respective areas of specialty (Kets de Vries, & Korotov, 2011). Employees tend to learn from their leaders, so it is therefore important for leaders to develop leadership strategies that inspire their subordinates (Russell, 2005). Leaders need to understand their employees, and this is important because it facilitates the creation of better strategies that are in line with the preference of not only the leaders but also the employees who work for an organization. Understanding employees can be aided by use of the Myers-Briggs type indicator instrument. The instrument can be used to measure and evaluate the personalities of all employees (Kets de Vries, & Korotov, 2011).

Transformational Leadership and Theory

Transformational leadership is a leadership approach that can be applied to facilitate effective leadership (Krishnan, 2001). Transformational leadership mainly focuses on motivating employees so that they focus on achieving their full potential through transforming or changing the way processes normally operates in an organization (Krishnan, 2001). For instance, transformational leadership can be applied to facilitate a change program in an organization. Facilitating change involves evaluating the specific situations that require leadership, and then adopting appropriate strategies that will enable the leader to more effectively handle the specific scenario that they are dealing with (Krishnan, 2001). To enact change, goals must be identified, and resources mobilized to ensure that the specific goals set will be achieved at a specific date (Krishnan, 2005). Subordinates who are working on organizational goals are normally rewarded based on their performance (Krishnan, 2001). The theory is based on the strategies developed on paper that focus on transformational leadership and which have not been implemented (Randall, 2003). For a leadership strategy, or any approach to leadership, to be considered as either effective or not effective, the strategy must be implemented, and more importantly, evaluated (Randall, 2003). A change program that is for instance adopted by the military and aimed at enhancing the operations at CPACs, can be implemented effectively and evaluated over the long term such that the military leaders can determine if the strategies, programs and policies are effective or not (Randall, 2003).

Transformational Leadership Skills

The transformational leader should have effective communication skills (Spinosa, Glennon, & Sota, 2008). This allows subordinate employees and other leaders to understand the goals that need to be achieved, their roles, strategies that need to be implemented, and other important organizational aspects (Koehler & Pankowski, 1997). The objectives to be achieved during a specific timeline need to be clarified. Every employee needs to understand what is expected from them, and this can be aided by effective communications (Koehler & Pankowski, 1997). Leaders should be innovative and think about the long-term aims of the company (Koehler & Pankowski, 1997). The leader can visualize the organization’s future. This allows them to be creative as well as focused on achieving this vision (Spinosa, Glennon, & Sota, 2008). The leader can inspire other employees so that they become more motivated to work towards achieving the vision (Spinosa, Glennon, & Sota, 2008).

Collaborative skills: Transformational leaders should possess the ability to effectively collaborate with their subordinates (Koehler & Pankowski, 1997). Leaders can provide necessary guidance, assistance and resources that are required to enable other employees to perform their specific roles. Leaders can collaborate with other employees and resources. Bold leaders can ensure that all employees effectively perform their roles (Ullah, 2011).

Leadership Styles and Challenges within Customer Service Fields

The leadership styles present in the customer service fields vary depending on the preferences and skills of leaders (Randall, 2003). Transformational leadership, facilitative, strategic and autocratic leadership styles are all examples of leadership styles that are present in customer service fields (Krishnan, 2001). Leadership styles tend to vary depending on the preference and skill-set of leaders who work at the CPACs. The way the leadership process is facilitated tends to directly impact on the performance of other employees or subordinates (Randall, 2003). Leaders at the CPACs who are more skilled and focused on ensuring that all employees perform based on the set standards normally. Challenges that are present include: Bureaucracies that can make it difficult for the CPAC personnel to communicate with each other and their leaders, poor levels of collaboration; Lack of adequate personnel needed to meet the demand for customer service needs and time constraints which can make it difficult to meet the needs of all customers at a specific timeline (Randall, 2003).

Management Theories

Management theories focus on the responsibilities of managers and supervisors (Ward, 1968). They also focus on developing reward systems used to compensate personnel based on their performance and punishment systems used to discipline personnel based on unethical behavior (Randall, 2003). Punishment systems are developed so as to enable the management to identity the performance areas that are less productive (Randal, 2003). Unproductive employees can be identified and subjected to disciplinary action. Disciplinary action is a process that may involve demotion, perhaps not awarding them with performance bonuses, and possibly suspension. Rewards are awarded in order to motivate personnel so that they become inspired to work more effectively (Krishnan, 2001). Productivity and performance can be enhanced by developing a better reward system that identifies more productive and less productive employees and reward them based on their performance (Smith, 2003).

Situational Leadership Theory

Situational leadership focuses on facilitating leadership by changing the style of leadership or leadership strategies depending on the leader’s environment and goals (Yukl, 2012). No single leadership approach is perfectly viable for all leadership situations, so leaders should prioritize on being adaptive (Yukl, 2012). Developed by Dr. Hersey (Hersey, 1985), the research focuses on analyzing leadership-follower relationships, which are based on support provided by the leaders and readiness of leaders when it comes to facilitating leadership or performing leadership functions (Hersey, 1985). Based on this theory, leaders are required to diagnose situations in order to effectively understand them and strategize effectively (Hersey, 1985). They can be adaptive and adopt a leadership style that is more appropriate for the specific situation (Hersey, 1985). Leaders can communicate effectively with other stakeholders such as employees so that the employees understand the strategy, objectives and their roles and situational leaders also can ensure that they strategically lead their subordinates (Hersey, 1985). Effective situational leaders can effectively influence employees and also effectively manage change programs (Smith, 2003).

Participatory Leadership Theory

Participatory Leadership Theory can be used as the basis for developing an organization’s culture. For instance, the theory argues that the employees should be allowed to participate in the decision-making process (Smith, 2003). Differing opinions between employees and managers when it comes to decision-making can play an important role of enabling an organization to adopt better policies, strategies, and resolutions (Smith, 2003). A culture that promotes collaboration among the employees and managers can be developed or be nurtured if the management applies this theory on leadership. Other employees or subordinates can participate in making decisions and the managers can either accept or reject the proposals that are made by the employees (Smith, 2003). This means that a lot of proposals or suggestions can be made, and the management will be able to make better decisions. The employees can be empowered to be actively engaged in contributing ideas, suggestions or proposals that can enable their managers to make decisions that are better (Ullah, 2011).

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Customer Service and Satisfaction

Levels of satisfaction among different customers tend to vary; some customers can be less satisfied whereas others can be more satisfied with the customer service experience that they receive when interacting with CPAC employees (Swartzlander, 2004).

Communication and Customer Focus

Managers are expected to communicate effectively with employees, customers, and other stakeholders. They must therefore ensure that there are systems and policies in place that will make it easier for all stakeholders to communicate with each other effectively (Randall, 2003). Customer relationships can be enhanced by as use of face to face communication, facilitating real time feedback, and providing information that is relevant to customer inquiries (Smith, 2003). Levels of trust among customers, employees and management can be enhanced if these stakeholders communicate with each other effectively (Smith, 2003). Better communication involves sending and receiving relevant feedback. The process can be easy or complex depending on many factors such as the medium used, bureaucracies involved, languages used, location of the people communicating, and the kind of feedback that is being requested (Randall, 2003). Bureaucracies that make it difficult for managers, their subordinates, customers, and other stakeholders need to be minimized (Ma, 2000).

Viable customer relationship management strategies need to be developed at the CPAC because this will enhance the way the personnel communicate with the customers (Swartzlander, 2004). A customer focus prioritizes on the needs of customers and providing specific services for them. Customers expect to receive timely and informative feedback when they request information or for assistance (Williams, 2015).