CONSULTING FIRM COMMUNICATION AUDIT OF DINING SERVICES

Transcription

1 CONSULTING FIRM COMMUNICATION AUDIT OF DINING SERVICES

2 2 Table of Contents Executive Summary 4 Introduction 5 Organizational Strengths 7 Friendly Communication Climate 8 Availability of Motivational Activities 9 Respect within the Organization 10 Respect towards the Customer 11 Opportunities for Growth 12 Communication Gap 13 High Turnover 14 Pride & Self-worth 15 Lack of Commitment 16 Recommendations 18 Engage the Customer 19 Positive Points System 20 Designate Bridges 21 Turning High Turnover into an Advantage 22 Conclusions 23 References 25 Appendices 27

3 3 List of Figures Graph A: Co-worker Relationships 9 Graph B: High Turnover Rates 14 Graph C: Promotion of Motivational Aids 19

4 4 Executive Summary The following is an analysis of Shenandoah s communication audit of Longwood University Dining Services. Our summary is based upon extensive research including observations, interviewing, surveying, and interpretation. We have created a detailed summary of recommendations to help further the success of Longwood University Dining Services. The following report includes an analysis of the strengths, opportunities for growth, and recommendations that we, as a team, have prepared based on our research. Provided below is an outline of our findings. Strengths Friendly Communication Climate Availability of Motivational Activities Respect within the Organization Respect toward the Customer Opportunities for Growth Communication Gap High Turnover Pride and Self-Worth Lack of Commitment

5 5 Introduction Throughout the course of the communication audit of Longwood University Dining Services, Shenandoah evaluated several aspects of the organization s communication patterns. The purpose of the audit is to provide our client with information beneficial to improving their overall performance as an organization. Shenandoah first received permission from Longwood University Dining Services to conduct the audit during the fall of The main focus was on the student run portion of the organization, such as student supervisors and student workers that work in the Dining Hall. We then went further into communication relationships, internal and external, that included student workers. Research Methods Shenandoah used several means of retrieving necessary information in order to conduct a successful audit. Members of Shenandoah made multiple observations in different settings, and then compared these observations with one another. Members also participated in interviews with different members of the organization. Lastly, Shenandoah gathered information through creating a survey that was sent to all members of the organization. Meetings & Observations Toward the beginning of the audit, Shenandoah made individual observations and collaborated to assess any similarities or significant observations. Through these observations, we were able to observe interactions between members of the organization and relay them back to the team in order

6 6 to make assessments. Members of Shenandoah studied different aspects of communication during observations from September to November Interviews The next step in our audit process was to conduct interviews. Shenandoah conducted six interviews with members from different levels of the organization. With these interviews, we were able to compare and contrast responses between members to see if certain groups viewed issues differently than others. We were also able to get direct feedback from members about their feelings of organization, positive and negative. See Appendix for a complete list of the interview questions that Shenandoah used while conducting these interviews. Surveys Shenandoah used the online survey provider Survey Monkey in order to create a survey for Longwood University Dining Services members. The survey was used to evaluate the communication between members of the organization. Survey questions were obtained by using materials such as the International Communication Association Survey and the Downs-Hazen Communication Satisfaction Questionnaire. Shenandoah sent the survey via to the Director of Dining Services to then forward to the rest of the members of the organization. Members of Longwood University Dining Services were asked about, to name a few, respect within and outside of the organization, communication with higher up supervisors, and motivation while at work.

7 7 CONSULTING FIRM STRENGTHS

8 8 Strengths The information for this section was gathered through interviews, surveys, and observations of meetings and Longwood Dining Services as a whole. The following is a summary of the communication strengths within Longwood Dining Services: Friendly Communication Climate Availability of Motivational Activities Respect within the Organization Respect towards the Customer Friendly Communication Climate We found that the relationships between co-workers in your organization are very strong and, in general, they enjoy working with each other. We also found that management continually strives to build a strong bond among co-workers. While conducting observations, we all noticed the positive and comfortable atmosphere that surrounds student workers and supervisors while at work. We even saw managers occasionally joking around when giving directions to student supervisors. Most interviewees noted having a good relationship with their co-workers and having a good time at work. For instance, a student worker noted during an interview, I enjoy working with the managers. They are fun. Similarly, a supervisor said, I try to joke with student workers to make them feel more comfortable and keep them motivated. Downs and Adrian (2004) address the concept of the quality of communication relationships between workers and how those relationships can affect the organization. When relationships between certain parties are of good quality,

9 9 positive benefits are usually the outcome, and vice versa. Your organization s friendly demeanor is important in maintaining positive relationships not only within your organization, but also between those that it serves. Availability of Motivational Activities Through our research, we have come to realize that your organization offers a widespread amount of motivational activities available to the student workers in the student work program. From interviews, we learned about the various different programs that your organization has in place to help keep workers motivated to work hard. One employee noted, The student program has different Motivational Events, which are fun activities that take place after work. An example of a motivational event is the showing of movies to student workers after shifts. We feel as though this is a great service that your organization offers and that your student workers could truly benefit from these opportunities. McCroskey (2005) discusses the notion that how employees perceive their job depends highly on motivation; whether that be motivation to do well, motivation to succeed within the organization, or motivation to thrive among other members of the organization. We feel as though your organization truly does thrive by setting standards for itself to motivate its employees to rise to these standards. Respect within the Organization Our team found that your organization has a very strong sense of respect within the organization. By this, we mean that it is clear that management treats all with respect and, as proven by observations and interview results, all seem to respect the

10 10 management in your organization. At the same time, student workers feel respected by both managers and student supervisors. We observed positive interactions between student workers and student managers, asserting the notion that there is a very great amount of respect within the organization. In addition, during interviews, one student worker mentioned, I feel respected by student supervisors, management, and coworkers. A supervisor also stated, I feel respected by management and I always treat student workers with respect. It is clear that respect is a common theme throughout your organization, and as Sias (2005) reminds us, positive communication stems from a mutual respect between supervisors and subordinates, coworkers, and managers, just to name a few. Your organization reaps the benefits of positive communication due to the apparent mutual respect throughout the entire organization. Graph A: Co-worker Relationships "I get along with my co-workers" Strongly Agree Agree Somewhat Agree Respect towards the Customer Another aspect in which your organization excels is the amount of respect shown towards the customers. By this, Shenandoah Consulting Firm means that you are always willing and ready to serve and help the customers with nothing but the best

11 11 respect. Our observations show just how much respect the workers give to the customers. The Dining Hall workers greet customers with a smile the moment that they walk into the Dining Hall. At the Panini station, it was noted that the workers always remain polite and happy while serving the customer. Throughout the interviews, we found that employees agreed that they strive to give the student customers as much respect as possible, regardless of how much respect the student customers give in return. One worker noted, Although I often feel disrespected by students, I still try my hardest to respect them. Another worker said, We are told to always treat students with respect. Downs and Adrian (2004) discuss the integration function, which deals with developing external relationships, which are those beyond the relationships within the organization. Dining Services does a phenomenal job with developing these external relations through the high amount of respect your organizational members display to customers. 43% 28.5%

12 12 CONSULTING FIRM OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH

13 13 Opportunities for Growth Information for this area was gathered through observations of meetings, interviews and surveys. In the following section you will find an explanation of the following opportunities for growth. Communication Gap Lack of Commitment High Turnover Pride & Self-worth Communication Gap A communication gap can be caused by several factors. The communication gap experienced by your organization can be attributed to issues with information directionality and failure to adequately exchange information. According to Downs and Adrian (2004), information directionality refers to the direction in which communication in an organization flows. The three types are upward, downward, and horizontal communication. Adequacy of information exchange depends on employees receiving enough information at the proper time to effectively do their job. Analyzing this information from the adequacy of information exchange standpoint indicates that employees experience an overload of information in the workplace. Overload occurs when employees have more information than they can possibly process (Downs & Adrian, 2004). Downward communication, which is the information that travels from Aramark employees to the student worker program, is a major factor contributing to the

14 14 communication gap. One interviewee reported that the greatest unresolved issue is the interaction between Aramark employees and the student workers group. Another interviewee noted, The communication from higher management is a major source of confusion when receiving orders. The survey data results show that 43% of the participants are dissatisfied with the information given to them regarding the progress of their job. This supports our theory that workers are either not receiving enough information or that they are receiving contradictory information, which attributes to the communication gap. This lack of communication affects your entire organization s overall performance. Closing, or at least narrowing, the communication gap and improving relationship quality between Aramark employees and student workers can only strengthen your organization. Lack of Commitment Throughout the audit process, we have come to realize that there is a lack of commitment in regards to the student workers. Our observations, interviews, and survey data all reflect and support this theme. Throughout observations, we observed many students who seemed to be anticipating the end of their shift, rather than working hard on their task at that time. Interviews lead us to the same information as a student worker admitted, Lack of commitment is a big problem in the student program, and another employee even noted Many student workers are not dedicated to their work or care about the organization. Our survey was the strongest indicator of this lack of commitment. Out of 412 people within the organization, only 8% of

15 15 employees opened the survey and a little fewer than 2% of the employees actually completed the survey. This shows that employees were not interested in helping and making your organization better for the future. This lack of commitment can be explained by the integration function. Downs and Adrian (2004) explain the integration function as the connection of employees to their organization. In turn, this relates to how committed employees are to their organization. The more the integration function is utilized, the more committed employees will become. This lack of commitment in your organization could stem from the fact that the integration function is not being utilized. High Turnover The majority of our interviewees commented on the high turnover rate present in your organization. We found that there were three main reasons for this. The first reason is that each semester new students either join or leave the organization due to graduation. The second reason is that many students are fired. The third is simply that many students do not enjoy the minimum wage payment, or are not able to balance it well with their studies at Longwood and therefore decide to quit. This high turnover rate results in wave-like phenomena, where workers are constantly entering and leaving the organization. A student supervisor mentioned, We face the same problems every semester due to the high turnover rate from the previous semester. Another employee said, At the beginning of the semester we face many problems because the majority of the student workers are new and inexperienced.

16 16 The survey data reveals that 43% answered that they were strongly dissatisfied with their job. Over the past six months, 43% also reported that this feeling of dissatisfaction has stayed the same and had not improved. It seems that there is a high level of dissatisfaction from these results, which might be an indicator as to why your organization sees such a high turnover rate from employees. The position of subordinate is one of immense responsibility within your organization. Without student workers, your organization lacks an entire department, one that connects directly with the student body in a variety of ways. Motivation is an important way to keep employees satisfied, along with participation in decision-making. During interviews, we learned that student workers do not feel they have a big part in decision-making, since decisions are usually passed to higher departments. Being responsible for making decisions is a way to keep workers active within the organization and returning to work year after year. Graph B: High Turnover Rates "For how long have you been apart of the organization?" 0-6 months 6-12 months 1 year- 5 years

17 17 Pride & Self-Worth We noticed that workers often go underappreciated by students, who do not realize what an irreplaceable service those workers and your organization provide. We also came to the assumption that students dinning at D-hall tend to feel superior to and often sorry for students who work in your organization. During observations, we watched as numerous students left plates on tables for the student workers to clean up, students treating workers with disrespect, and even at times, students laughing at the student workers. Throughout interviews, this notion was further supported, as student workers continuously mentioned feeling not valued by students. Supervisors and managers agreed with this belief. In one case, a student worker explained, Most people that eat in D-Hall expect to be cleaned up after. We feel that people pity us and say that they feel sorry. In addition, a manager said, I feel that students look down on the student workers, make things horrible for them, and make them really hate their lives. The same manager continued, An example of this is the way that students leave their tables dirty and make degrading comments to the student workers. We realize that this is not necessarily your organizations fault, but we think that your organization could change this negative perception from students. Changing this perception is something that will greatly benefit student workers and make them want to work harder for the organization, and in turn help your organization become more productive.

18 18 CONSULTING FIRM RECOMMENDATIONS

19 19 Recommendations In the following section you will find the following recommendations: Engage the Customer: Bring a friend to work day Enhance Commitment and Promote use of Motivational Aids: Positive Points System Designate Bridges to Enhance Communication Between different Work Groups Turning High Turnover into an advantage Engage the Customer: Bring a friend to work day Through our observations and interviews, we found that even though your organization provides an essential service to this campus, the majority of students take it for granted and do not value or respect your workers. Our recommendation for this is to put activities in place to make students realize the importance of your services and to help students gain a sense of understanding of what the workers do on a daily basis. A possibility for this would be to have a Bring a Friend to Work Day. Students who have never worked in the Dining Hall could take time to learn some of the various responsibilities of the student workers such as cleaning tables, making pizza, and working the Panini station. The students would be able to experience firsthand what work goes into the services that they receive and take for granted every day. This could be a fun, innovative way to help students gain respect for your organization and its employees. Downs & Adrian (2004) discusses the integration function, which details the importance of keeping customers feeling as though they have a connection to the organization. Bring a Friend to Work Day would be a great way to connect customers to the organization, while also helping customers gain a new sense of respect for the

20 20 student workers. Enhance Commitment and Promote use of Motivational Aids: Positive Points System Your organization has great motivational activities available to help employees stay driven and connected to each other. However, our data shows that your employees do not take advantage of these opportunities as much as they could. This causes us to believe that if your organization came up with a system to help make these motivational events even more appealing, they would be more successful. We have developed a system known as the Positive Points System, in which employees are given positive points for attending these motivational events. At the end of the semester, your organization could total the amount of points and give rewards to the workers with the highest number of points. These points could also be expanded and given to workers who step up and cover a shift for a co-worker, or to someone who goes out of their way to help a co-worker. Letting workers know that they are being recognized for their positive doings makes workers feel as though they are valued in the organization. According to Sias (2005), commitment is something that comes as a result of personal relationships within the organization. Motivation is one of these concepts that comes along with developing positive personal relationships. In conclusion, we see this positive points system as something that will increase positivity and motivation in the work place, therefore enhancing commitment as well.

21 21 Graph C: Promotion of Motivational Aids "My organization's system for recognizing and rewarding outstanding performance" % 28.5% 43% Dissatisfied Somewhat Dissatisfied Indifferent Somewhat Satisfied Designate Bridges to Enhance Communication Between different Work Groups Due to the gap in communication between student workers, student supervisors and Aramark employees, we have designed a system to help keep communication flowing effectively. This system involves assigning each student supervisor to a specific Aramark employee so that they could serve as bridges for the organization. According to Downs and Adrian (2004), a bridge is someone who is a member of one group but also communicates with members of other groups. Knowing that communication should always flow from Aramark to student supervisors and from student supervisors to student workers, the presence of bridges will ensure that this proper communication flow is followed. With this system, the student workers will no longer receive several different directions at once. This would also help student workers concerns reach Aramark easily through the student supervisors who are serving as bridges in the company. Kuhlmeier and Knight (2010) focus on the importance of closing the gap between higher and lower levels within a single organization. We believe that this system of bridges would help narrow the communication gap between student workers,

22 22 student supervisors, and Aramark employees. Turning High Turnover into an advantage We realize that the nature of the majority of student employees in your organization makes it difficult to retain employees for a long time. However, high turnover would not necessarily be a problem if your organization provided more resources for students to be prepared in their job and become engaged with the organization. During our interview process, a student supervisor said If I were in charge of the student program, I would have more time for training because we only have one day of training to go through everything and that is not enough. Students are lost and overwhelmed the first weeks. Thus, more training would prevent students from dropping out due to lack of experience and skills. In addition, if your organization worked toward improving the image of their workers as we suggested above, student workers would feel more pride in their job. Moreover, if your organization made workers utilize the motivational activities, workers would easily engage with co-workers and the organization as a whole. Also if your organization had a positive point system in place, workers would be motivated to keep up the good work when busy times such as midterms week occur. Finally, your organization should turn high turnover into something positive by taking advantage of the energy and new ideas of the newcomers. Falcione (1974) suggests that engagement is key in keeping workers committed and happy with staying in a position for an extended amount of time. Reaching out to your new employees and engaging them would be a sure way to keep them committed and happy in the organization.

23 23 CONSULTING FIRM CONCLUSIONS

24 24 Conclusions Shenandoah Consulting Firm recognizes that your organization has organizational strengths in the following areas: friendly communication climate, availability of motivational activities, respect within the organization, and respect towards the customer. We encourage your organization to continue to grow with these strengths and work to maximize the potential of these areas. With that being said, we encourage your organization to work to continually improve all aspects of their organization. Shenandoah Consulting Firm has also identified the following areas as opportunities for growth: communication gap, high turnover, pride and self-worth, and lack of commitment. We hope to see these opportunities for growth addressed within the organization. After analyzing these opportunities for growth, Shenandoah Consulting Firm has developed recommendations that we believe will greatly improve your organization in several aspects. We have developed several recommendations to help guide the way your organization endeavors. Our recommendations include customer engagement, positive point system, designation of bridges, and turning high turnover into an advantage. We believe that your organization has potential for growth and we have confidence that your organization will consider this advice as you continue to grow. Shenandoah Consulting Firm feels that your organization is a thriving organization with a number of strengths. We have full confidence that the organization will have no problems with implementing our recommendations to help better all aspects of the organization.

25 25 CONSULTING FIRM REFERENCES

26 26 References Downs, C. W. & Adrian, A. D. (2004). Assessing organizational communication Strategic communication audits. New York: Guilford Press. Duncan, W. (1973). Communications Theory and problems of knowledge flow in management. Journal of Business Communication, 11(1), Falcione, R. L. (1974). Credibility: Qualifier of subordinate participation. Journal of Business Communication, 11(3), Kuhlmeier, D. B., & Knight, G. (2010). The critical role of relationship quality in smalland medium-sized enterprise internationalization. Journal of Global Marketing, 23(1), doi: / McCroskey, L., McCroskey, J., & Richmond, V. (2005). Applying organizational orientations theory to employees of profit and non-profit organizations. Communication Quarterly, 53(1), doi: / Ming-Ten, T., Shuang-Shii, C., & Wei-Ping, H. (2009). An integrated process model of communication satisfaction and organizational outcomes. Social Behavior & Personality: An International Journal, 37(6), Picherit-Duthler, G., & Freitag, A. R. (2004). Researching Employees' Perceptions of Benefits Communication: Channel Preferences, Understanding, Decision-Making, and Benefits Satisfaction. Communication Research Reports, 21(4), Sias, P. M. (2005). Workplace relationship quality and employee information experiences. Communication Studies, 56(4), doi: /

27 27 CONSULTING FIRM APPENDICES

28 28 Appendix A Interview Guide Complete list of interview questions: 1. Interview questions [Auditor: Introduce yourself and explain the purpose of the interview as well as a confidentiality statement.] 2. Could you tell me your name and position please? 3. Could you describe your position and its responsibilities? 4. Tell us about the ways that decisions are made in your organization. a. Are you responsible for any of these decisions? b. Do you use informal or formal policies to determine these decisions? 5. Do you take pride in your work? a. Do you feel that others take pride in your work? 6. What is the organizational structure like? 7. Describe the chain of command and how it operates. 8. What are the strengths in your organization? 9. What are the weaknesses in your organization? 10. Do you have fun at work? a. What does upper management do to encourage a fun work environment? b. Have you ever done anything to make your job more fun? 11. How do you enjoy working with your coworkers? a. How about your supervisors/supervisees? 12. What does upper management do to motivate employees? 13. What is your opinion on the relationship between student workers and student supervisors? a. What type of interactions have you witnessed between the two groups? 14. How does your organization communicate to the student body? a. What is the best way in which they communicate? b. What could they improve on more? c. Do you have any ideas to help this?

29 What do you see as the greatest unresolved issue in this organization? a. Are there any other issues that you deem unresolved? 16. When conflict occurs, how is it resolved? a. What is the normally causes the conflict? 17. Do you feel respected by your peers and management? 18. If you were in charge of the Student Program, what changes would you make? Why? 19. What affects your performance in the program? 20. Do you feel like you have personal accomplishment in your job? 21. Do you feel motivated by your peers and/or managers? 22. Are you willing to put in a great deal of effort beyond what is normally expected? 23. What is important to you in your job? 24. Do you ever feel criticized at work? How? 25. How do you handle criticism? 26. Is there anything else left that you would like to talk about that we have not yet?

30 30 Appendix B Survey Complete list of survey questions: 1. By clicking "Agree" below, you are acknowledging that your participation in this research is voluntary, and that you agree to participate. Yes---No Job Satisfaction 2. How satisfied are you with your job? Dissatisfied---Somewhat--- Indifferent----Somewhat--- Satisfied---N/A Dissatisfied Satisfied 3. In the past 6 months, what has happened to your level of satisfaction? Significantly---Gone Down---Stayed the Same----Gone Up--- Significantly---N/A Gone Down Gone Up Satisfaction with amount and/or quality of information received Please indicate how satisfied you are with the amount and quality of information you receive from the organization regarding these topics. Dissatisfied---Somewhat--- Indifferent----Somewhat--- Satisfied---N/A Dissatisfied Satisfied 4. Information about my progress in my job 5. Information about company policies and goals 6. Information about how I am being judged 7. Recognition of my efforts 8. Information about the requirements of my job 9. Reports on how problems in my job are being handled 10. Information about employee benefits and pay 11. Information about achievements and/or failures of the organization 12. Extent to which my supervisor listens and pays attention to me 13. Extent to which I receive in time the information needed to do my job

31 31 Please indicate how satisfied you are with the amount and quality of information you receive from the organization regarding these topics. Dissatisfied---Somewhat--- Indifferent----Somewhat--- Satisfied---N/A Dissatisfied Satisfied 14. Extent to which conflicts are handled appropriately though proper communication channels 15. Extent to which informal communication is active and accurate 16. Extent to which communication practices are adaptable to emergencies 17. Extent to which my work group is compatible 18. Extent to which our meetings are well organized Indicate your satisfaction with the following ONLY if you are responsible for staff as a manager or supervisor. If you are not staffed as a manager or supervisor, please select N/A. Dissatisfied---Somewhat--- Indifferent----Somewhat--- Satisfied---N/A Dissatisfied Satisfied 19. Extent to which my staff anticipate my needs for information 20. Extent to which my staff are responsive to downward-directive communication 21. Extent to which I can avoid having communication overload 22. Extent to which my staff are receptive to evaluations, suggestions, and criticism 23. Extent to which my staff feel responsible for initiating accurate upward communication Channels of Information Listed below are a variety of channels through which messages are transmitted. Please indicate the amount of information you receive through that channel NOW. Very------Moderately-----Average-----Moderate-----Very------N/A Small Small Amount Amount Large Amount Amount Amount 24. Face to face Telephone 27. Written memos, letters, and notices 28. Bulletin boards 29. Staff meetings 30. Meeting with Supervisor

32 32 Listed below are a variety of channels through which messages are transmitted. Please indicate the amount of information you NEED to receive through that channel. Very------Moderately-----Average-----Moderate-----Very------N/A Small Small Amount Amount Large Amount Amount Amount 31. Face to face Telephone 34. Written memos, letters, and notices 35. Bulletins boards 36. Staff meetings 37. Meeting with Supervisor Timeliness of Information Indicate the extent to which information from the following sources is usually timely (one gets information when one needs it-not too early, not too late). Much too late---slightly after---just in time---slightly before---well ahead---n/a to be helpful deadline deadline of time 38. Subordinates (if applicable) 39. Coworkers 40. Immediate supervisors 41. Middle management 42. Top management Organizational Communication Relationships Considering your relationships with others in your organization, please choose the answer that best describes the relationship. Dissatisfied---Somewhat--- Indifferent----Somewhat--- Satisfied---N/A Dissatisfied Satisfied 43. I trust my coworkers 44. My coworkers get along with each other 45. I trust my immediate supervisor 46. My immediate supervisor listens to me 47. I am free to disagree with my immediate supervisor

33 I can tell my immediate supervisor when things are going wrong 49. My immediate supervisor praises me for a good job 50. I trust top management 51. Top management is sincere in efforts to communicate with employees 52. I have a say in decisions that affect my job 53. I influence operations in my unit or department 54. I have a part in accomplishing my organization's goals Organizational Outcome One of the most important outcomes of working in an organization is the satisfaction one gets or fails to receive through working there. Such satisfaction can relate to the job, one's immediate supervisor, or the organization as a whole. Please mark your responses to indicate the extent to which you are satisfied with the following: Dissatisfied---Somewhat--- Indifferent----Somewhat--- Satisfied---N/A Dissatisfied Satisfied 55. My job 56. My pay 57. Working in my organization 58. My progress in my organization up to this point in time 59. My chances of getting ahead in my organization 60. My opportunity to "make a difference" and to contribute to the overall success of my organization. 61. My organization's system for recognizing and rewarding outstanding performance 62. My organization's concern for its members' welfare 63. My organization's overall communicative efforts 64. The overall quality of my organization's product or service 65. For how long have you been a part of the organization? Less than 6 months---6 months---a year Years---More than 5 Years---N/A 66. What is your position in the organization? Management---Supervisor---Server---Dish Washer---Chef---Student ID Swiper