28-09-2016, 03:40 PM
1456664640-EmployeeMotivation.pdf (Size: 952.04 KB / Downloads: 6)
INTRODUCTION:
Motivation from a psychological perspective has various definitions, many of which directly
relate to the way a business or a manager may look to employ it. Motivation is generally what
energizes, maintains, and controls behavior; it acts as a stimulus for desirable actions.
Motivation results in goal-directed behavior that employs foresight as to the way in which that
energy is being used, underlining that the energy input will act as an investment toward a
preferable outcome. The importance of this from a professional standpoint is enormous, as much
of what employees do is specifically delegated to capture present or future value for their
company.
The importance of motivation in the workplace is straightforward theoretically, but difficult to
measure empirically. Ascertaining the level in which high motivation results in higher
productivity is difficult to pinpoint, as an individual's drive is difficult to measure through
metrics. However, it is widely accepted that motivated employees generate higher value and
more substantial levels of achievement. The management of motivation is therefore a critical
element of success in any business, allowing the input of human resources to be maximized in
regard to fulfilling the potential output expected.
Motivation results from the interaction of both conscious and unconscious factors such as the (1)
intensity of desire or need, (2) incentive or reward value of the goal, and (3) expectations of the
individual and of his or her peers. These factors are the reasons one has for behaving a certain way. An example is a student that spends extra time studying for a test because he or she wants a
better grade in the class.
Motivation is a psychological factor that inspires people to accomplish certain aims. The
theories about motivation are governed by different approaches that deal with the exact
components of this psychological occurrence. The most widely spread motivational theories are
the drive-reduction, the need, the satisfaction and the incentive. They aim to explain the material
bases that influence the psychology of people and inspire them to achieve certain objectives.
1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:
1) To study the importance of the employees motivation.
2) To study the techniques of the employees motivation.
3) To study how to effectively engage and developing the employees.
4) To know the techniques used by the companies like Microsoft, Coca-Cola to motivate
their employees.
1.3 DEFINITIONS OF MOTIVATION
Business Dictionary defines motivation as "Internal and external factors that stimulate desire
and energy in people to be continually interested and committed to a job, role or subject, or to
make an effort to attain a goal."
According to Edwin B Flippo, “Motivation is the process of attempting to influence others to
do their work through the possibility of gain or reward.”
According to Michael J. Jacius ; “Motivation is the act of stimulating someone or oneself to
get a desired course of action or to push the right button to get a desired reaction.”
According to Dalton E. Mcfarland, “The concept of motivation is mainly psychological. It
related to those forces are many and keep on changing with time motives are invisible and
directed towards certain goals.”
1.4 MOTIVATION THEORIES
In Essentials of Organizational Behavior, Robbins and Judge examine recognition programs as
motivators, and identify five principles that contribute to the success of an employee incentive
program:
Recognition of employees' individual differences and clear identification of behavior deemed
worthy of recognition -
* Allowing employees to participate
* Linking rewards to performance
* Rewarding of nominators
* Visibility of the recognition process
The job characteristics Model (JCM), as designed by Hackman and Oldham attempts to use
job design to improve employee motivation. They show that any job can be described in terms
of five key job characteristics:
* Skill Variety - the degree to which the job requires the use of different skills and talents.
* Task Identity - the degree to which the job has contributed to a clearly identifiable larger
project.
* Task Significance - the degree to which the job has an impact on the lives or work of
other people.
Autonomy - the degree to which the employee has independence, freedom and discretion
in carrying out the job.
* Task Feedback - the degree to which the employee is provided with clear, specific,
detailed, actionable information about the effectiveness of his or her job performance.
According to Maslow, people are motivated by unsatisfied needs. The lower level needs such
as Physiological and Safety needs will have to be satisfied before higher level needs are to be
addressed. We can relate Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs Theory with employee motivation. For
example, if a manager is trying to motivate his employees by satisfying their needs; according to
Maslow, he should try to satisfy the lower level needs before he tries to satisfy the upper level
needs or the employees will not be motivated. Also he has to remember that not everyone will
be satisfied by the same needs. A good manager will try to figure out which levels of needs are
active for a certain individual or employee.
Maslow has money at the lowest level of the hierarchy and shows other needs are better
motivators to staff. McGregor places money in his Theory X category and feels it is a poor
motivator. Praise and recognition are placed in the Theory Y category and are considered
stronger motivators than money.
* Motivated employees always look for better ways to do a job.
* Motivated employees are more quality oriented.
* Motivated employees are more productive.
X Theory
Individuals inherently dislike work. People must be coerced or controlled to do work to achieve
the objectives. People prefer to be directed.
Y Theory
People view work as being as natural as play and rest People will exercise self-direction and
control towards achieving objectives they are committed to. People learn to accept and seek
responsibility.
Steinmetz also discusses three common character types of subordinates: ascendant, indifferent,
and ambivalent that all react and interact uniquely, and must be treated, managed, and motivated
accordingly. An effective leader must understand how to manage all characters, and more
importantly the manager must utilize avenues that allow room for employees to work, grow, and
find answers independently.
Other theories which expanded and extended those of Maslow and Herzberg included Kurt
Lewin's Force Field Theory, Edwin Locke's Goal Theory and Victor Vroom's Expectancy
theory. These tend to stress cultural differences and the fact that individuals tend to be
motivated by different factors at different times.
According to the system of scientific management developed by Frederick Winslow Taylor, a
worker's motivation is solely determined by pay, and therefore management need not consider
psychological or social aspects of work. In essence, scientific management bases human
motivation wholly on extrinsic rewards and discards the idea of intrinsic rewards.
In contrast, David McClelland believed that workers could not be motivated by the mere need
for money - in fact, extrinsic motivation (e.g., money) could extinguish intrinsic motivation such
as achievement motivation, though money could be used as an indicator of success for various
motives, e.g., keeping score. In keeping with this view, his consulting firm, McBer &
Company, had as its first motto "To make everyone productive, happy, and free." For McClelland, satisfaction lay in aligning a person's life with their fundamental motivations.
Frederick Herzberg's two-factor theory concludes that certain factors in the workplace result in
job satisfaction, but if absent, they don't lead to dissatisfaction but no satisfaction. The factors
that motivate people can change over their lifetime, but "respect for me as a person" is one of
the top motivating factors at any stage of life.
1.5 IMPORTANCE OF MOTIVATION
Motivation is a critical aspect of business, where the input of human resources is maximized
through achieving a high level of output. Motivation is one of the most important factors
determining organizational efficiency. All organizational facilities will go to waste in absence of
motivated people to utilize these facilities effectively. Every superior in the organization must
motivate its subordinates for the right types of behavior. The performance of human beings in
the organization is dependent on the ability in the motivation. Rensis Likert called motivation as
“the cost of the management". Motivation is an effective instrument in the hands of management
in inspiring the workforce. Motivation increases the willingness of the workers to work, thus
increasing efficiency and effectiveness of the organization.
KEY POINTS
Motivation is generally what energizes, maintains, and controls behavior; it acts as a
stimulus for desirable actions.
The importance of motivation in the workplace is straightforward theoretically, but
difficult to measure empirically.
Salary is often enough to keep employees working for an organization, but not
necessarily enough to capitalize on their full potential.
Motivated employees will retain a high level of innovation while producing higher
quality work at a higher level of efficiency.
The opportunity cost in motivating employees is essentially zero.
Best utilization of resources
Motivation ensures best and efficient utilization of all types of resources. Utilization of
resources is possible to their fullest extent if the man is induced to contribute their efforts
towards attaining organizational goals. Thus, people should be motivated to carry out the plans,
policies and programmes laid down by the organization.
Will to Contribute
There is a difference between "Capacity to work" and "willingness to work". One can be
physically and mentally fit to work but he may not be willing to work. Motivation results in
feeling of involvement to present his better performance. Thus, motivation bridges the gap
between capacity to work and willingness to work.
Reduction in Labor Problems
All the members try to concentrate their efforts to achieve the objectives of the organization and
carry out plans in accordance with the policies and programmes laid down by the organization if
the management introduced motivational plans. It reduces labor problems like labor turnover,
absenteeism, indiscipline, grievances, etc. because their real wages increase by the motivational
plans.
Sizeable increase in production and productivity
When motivated properly, people try to put efforts produce more, thus increasing their
efficiency and as a result of this general production and productivity of the organization
increases. They (motivated employees) use the methods, system and technology effectively in
the best interest of the organization.
Basis of Cooperation
In a zeal to produce more the member's work 'an s a team to pull the weight effectively, to get
their loyalty to the group and the organization, to carry out properly the activities allocated and
generally to play an efficient part in achieving the purpose which the organization has
undertaken'. Thus, motivation is a basis of cooperation to get, the best result out of the efforts of
the human beings on the job.
Improvement upon skill and knowledge
All the members will try to be efficient as possible and will try it improve upon the skill and
knowledge to the progress of the organization which, in turn will provide the promised and
more, ultimately enabling them to satisfy their needs - personal and social both.
Acceptance of organizational change
Change is the law of nature. Due to several changes in the society, changes in technology, value
system, etc. organization has to incorporate these changes to cope with the requirement of the
time. If people are effectively motivated, they gladly accept, introduce and implement these
changes without reserving any resistance to change and negative attitude, thus keeping the
organization on the right track of progress.
Better Image
A firm that provides opportunities for the advancement of its people has a better image in the
minds of the public as a good employer. This, image helps in attracting qualified personnel and
thus simplifies the staffing function. This will also improve employee satisfaction and reduce
industrial stifle. In a nutshell, to achieve the organizational and individual goals in an
economical and efficient manner, motivation is an important tool in the hands of management to
direct the behavior of subordinates in the desired and appropriate direction and thus minimize
the wastage of human and other resources.
2. EMPLOYEES MOTIVATION
2.1 INTRODUCTION:
Employee motivation is a process or program employers will initiate to motivate employees.
Employers motivate employees to work harder or to increase attendance. Some employers will
offer incentives while others point out the satisfaction of workmanship.
Motivation is a powerful tool in the work environment that can lead to employees working at
their most efficient levels of production.
Employee motivation refers to the forces and reasons that inspire employees to engage in their
work. Research shows that motivated and productive employees contribute to the company's
profitability. Employers work to increase employee motivation because research indicates that
motivated employees lead to increased work quality and improved attendance.
What motivates employees varies depending on the individual. Many employees are motivated
by financial rewards, while others like a combination of recognition and financial rewards.
Managers must interact with each employee in order to determine what motivates each
individual and then develop an individualized approach.
Once managers find what motivates employees, they can use the information to reach
organizational goals on a daily basis. For instance, the manager can tie rewards to the ability to
meet customer perception levels. When managers know what motivates employees, they can
leverage that information so that the employees are effective.
Although employee motivation varies from employee to employee, some motivators include
money, nonmonetary incentives, job promotions, paid time off, feedback and recognition.
Managers also must consider how frequently they offer motivational items and the number of
rewards offered at one time. Offering only one reward demotivates employees, according to research, who say that one reward only motivates existing top performers, instead of motivating
underperformers.
Employees in any organization need something to keep them working. Most of the time, the
salary of the employee is enough to keep him or her working for an organization. An employee
must be motivated to work for a company or organization. If no motivation is present in an
employee, then that employee’s quality of work or all work in general will deteriorate. People
differ on a personality dimension called locus of control. This variable refers to individual's
beliefs about the location of the factors that control their behavior. At one end of the continuum
are high internals who believe that opportunity to control their own behavior rests within
themselves. At the other end of the continuum there are high externals who believe that external
forces determine their behavior. Not surprisingly, compared with internals, externals see the
world as an unpredictable, chancy place in which luck, fate, or powerful people control their
destinies. When motivating an audience, you can use general motivational strategies or specific
motivational appeals. General motivational strategies include soft sell versus hard sell and
personality type. Soft sell strategies have logical appeals, emotional appeals, advice and praise.
Hard sell strategies have barter, outnumbering, pressure and rank. Also, you can consider basing
your strategy on your audience personality. Specific motivational appeals focus on provable
facts, feelings, right and wrong, audience rewards and audience threats.
2.2 EMPLOYEE RECOGNITION PROGRAMS
Employee recognition is not only about gifts and points. It's about changing the corporate
culture in order to meet goals and initiatives and most importantly to connect employees to the
company's core values and beliefs. Strategic employee recognition is seen as the most important
program not only to improve employee retention and motivation but also to positively influence
the financial situation. The difference between the traditional approach (gifts and points) and
strategic recognition is the ability to serve as a serious business influencer that can advance a
company’s strategic objectives in a measurable way. "The vast majority of companies want to be innovative, coming up with new products, business models and better ways of doing things.
However, innovation is not so easy to achieve. A CEO cannot just order it, and so it will be. You
have to carefully manage an organization so that, over time, innovations will emerge.
2.3 BEHAVIORAL APPROACH TO MOTIVATION
The behavioral approach to workplace motivation is known as Organizational Behavioral
Modification. This approach applies the tenets of behaviorism developed by B.F. Skinner to
promote employee behaviors that an employer deems beneficial and discourage those that are
not.
Any stimulus that increases the likelihood of a behavior increasing is reinforce. An effective use
of positive reinforcement would be frequent praise while an employee is learning a new task. An
employee's behavior can also be shaped during the learning process if approximations of the
ideal behavior are praised or rewarded. The frequency of reinforcement is an important
consideration. While frequent praise during the learning process can be beneficial, it can be hard
to sustain indefinitely.
A variable-ratio schedule of reinforcement, where the frequency of reinforcement varies
unpredictably, can also be highly effective if used in instances where it is ethical to do so.
Providing praise on a variable-ratio schedule would be appropriate, whereas paying an employee
on an unpredictable variable-ratio schedule would not be.
Compensation and other reward programs provide behavioral reinforcement, and if carefully
crafted, can provide powerful incentives to employees. Behavioral principles can also be used to
address undesirable behaviors in the workplace, but punishment should be used judiciously. If
overused, punishment can negatively impact employee's perception of fairness in the workplace.
ESSENTIALS EVERY ORGANIZATION SHOULD KNOW
It is imperative for any business organization to retain the top employees by means of
motivation. An engaged workforce is a productive workforce. Businesses cannot achieve
desired goals without experienced and qualified staff. Therefore, organizations need to motivate
their employees to obtain the best possible results for a long period of time. There are several
techniques that businesses should consider in regard to motivation and retention of top
performing employees -
Monetary Compensation
What is your company strategy in regard to compensation? Although money isn’t everything, it
is a key motivator in regard to employment. Businesses need to keep in mind what other
employers are paying for similar positions. If employees are properly compensated for their
work they will feel as though they are a valued member of the team. Also consider incentives
such as bonuses and perks.
Organizational Culture
Your leadership team must be engaged in order to have staff buy-in. Values, policies, practices,
and behaviors all make up the culture of your company. Building an engaging company culture
is not something that happens overnight. You must work at it. Employees are looking for
follow-through and commitment from the leadership team.
Constant Feedback
In order to retain top performers, a business needs to provide constant feedback. The days of
quarterly or even annual reviews being the sole form of feedback are long gone. Employees
want to receive constant, specific, and clearly defined feedback from their supervisors. Usage of
positive feedback about the accomplishment is essential to motivate an employee. Additionally,
an organization must praise the employee promptly to reflect a positive and motivating gesture.
Clear Communication
Is your company mission statement clearly understood by all of your employees? You are
leading a team and you need to ensure all members of your team know what direction to head.
What is your business working to accomplish? What are the short and long term goals of your
organization? Your mission statement should be posted in a very visible place for all
employees to see. Consider adding your mission statement to the “about us” section of your
website.
Employee Involvement
Every business looking to retain its employees should improve organizational communication.
Top management needs to learn the art of involving employees in the decision-making process.
Though, management will most likely make the final and ultimate decisions, seeking advice
from staff members can infuse a sense of employee ownership in the process. Staff members
should be encouraged to actively participate in the decision making process by providing
suggestions and feedback.
Learning & Development Opportunities
The goal of talent development is to maintain a competitive advantage for your business.
Employees want to know that there are growth opportunities within the organization.
Mentorship programs help to facilitate development activities through allowing newer
employees to shadow more tenured staff. If an employee feels that there is a long-term plan for
them within your organization that will afford them opportunities that align with their
professional goals, they will be more apt to stay with your organization for the long-term.
Getting Rid Of Bad Employees
Why would you hang on to employees that have negative attitudes and low performing? Have
you ever heard the saying, “One rotten apple spoils the whole barrel?” If your employees see
that you’re letting their co-worker get away with poor performance the rest of the team will
resent that. Why should everyone else have to pull the weight of the poor performer?
Additionally, employees with bad attitudes can poison your entire staff. Cut your losses!
2.5 EFFECTIVELY DEVELOPING AND ENGAGING EMPLOYEES
Developing and engaging
The biggest underlying theme for engaging employees is not tracking their every move, or even
their happiness, but to inspire them to do their job to the fullest extent and to do it well, and then
enjoyment with their work will come. Employees that are properly engaged tend to be more
effective and productive.
Transparency
For many years transparency has had a different meaning. Now employees consider insight into
business performance and operations as a necessity to fully rally behind a company. Private
companies are not required to publish financial information; however, those that choose to share
this information internally with its employees have had better luck with either encouraging or
inspiring their employees to do better. This helps employees better understand their
contribution to the company. Additionally, what is sometimes better insight than financial
numbers is performance and operating metrics?
Communication
Employees need to be informed and feel involved. As a result, being transparent is
fundamental. This can include periodic meetings or updates on the company’s status and goals;
these should be broken out both broadly and specifically, as to allow for celebrating milestones
along the way.
Start early
Part of the continued employee engagement process begins with the hiring process and ensuring
solid fits with respect to company setting and culture. This includes actively conveying the
company values in the beginning and before hiring. Also, convey expectations and goals of the
position. This will go a long way in making sure the overall engagement strategy is effective.
Team
Part of developing employees is to ensure they are not overworked. Ensure the proper team is
in place, and that employees have the right support and are not understaffed. This includes
recognizing when an employee does not fit with the team and being able to quickly and
delicately remove that person.
Continuous feedback
Assess your employees and company constantly. Monthly, semi-annually or annually is not
enough; if you wait that long to address issues your employees will lose encouragement and
leave managers frustrated. Continuous feedback is difficult if only in-person meetings are used.
Many tools offer social based feedback and easy exchange of feedback from managers. It is
hard for employees to be able to make necessary changes and develop their skills if feedback is
only periodic.
Objectives
Set expectations, reasonable and obtainable ones. This will allow employees to know what you
expect, but also allow them to gauge their progress. Objectives should include development
goals that come from feedback reviews.
Personal engagement
Have outings for the employees, dinners and team building activities. Also, do company
lunches, even if catered into the office. These are great ways to build rapport with employees
and help the company grow as a team. Being able to interact informally, plays great to being
able to provide useful continuous feedback.