Reference no: EM133231253

"The example of Suma wholefoods, based in West Yorkshire in the UK provides insights into alternative forms of organizing that encourage a more collective approach. Established over forty years ago, Suma started life in 1975 as a conventional business, and since 1977 has been organized a worker-owned and managed cooperative which prides itself on equal pay (all staff are paid exactly the same), multi-skilled working and collaborative decision making. They currently employ around 160 staff who collectively own and are responsible for the operation, management and health of the business. Their ethos and practices are underpinned by an expectation of self-management, where staff are expected to find information for themselves when arriving at decision. Suma is run by an elected management committee which works through a process of consensus management. As they argue in their recruitment literature:

Suma members are expected to be both workers doing their daily jobs and managers of the business. At Suma variety is the spice of life. As a trainee member, you will be expected to demonstrate your ability to contribute to the management of Suma whilst working in a range of roles. For example, you could be working in our sales team; order picking; checking in stock; driving a wagon; cooking lunch for 100 people or managing a project. Suma members carry out a mix of both manual and desk-based jobs each week. Hours can be flexible, and benefits are generous. At Suma we value diversity - our workforce is made up of people from all walks of life with a commitment to ethical values and collective working. You must be highly motivated with a strong desire to take on responsibility within our co-operative."

In what ways does Suma aim to build a thriving workforce? (Chapter 8, making reference to specific theories of motivation)