Posts Tagged ‘Motivation’

Theory X and Theory Y framework proposed by McGregor in his classic book The Human Side of Enterprise (1960) consists of two alternative set of assumptions. Theory X percieves employees to be lazy, irresponsible and untrustworthy, while according to theory Y employees are approached as one of the most valuable assets of the company. According to Theory X assumptions employees do not like their work, they lack ambition and responsibility and employees prefer to be led rather than leading others. Theory X assumes average human being to dislike the work and avoid it whenever possible. The following statements relate to Theory X assumptions: Most people must be controlled and threatened so that they can produce an adequate level of output Responsibility is avoided by an average human who desires security above all An average human being has a little ambition and has to be closely supervised at all times   Theory Y set of assumptions, on the other hand, is based upon the idea that employees are generally enthusiastic about their work, they are creative and self-directive, and also employees readily accept responsibility. Theory Y is based on the following alternative assumptions: The expenditure of physical and mental effort in work is as natural as play or rest Methods of making people work are not limited to control and punishment, high level of commitment in organisational aims and objectives can result in self-direction Commitment to organisation can be achieved by designing satisfying jobs If proper conditions are created, an average human can not only learn how to take responsibility, but he can also learn to seek responsibility In practical levels, McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y framework aims to demonstrate the potential of employees that organisations should recognise so that the level of organisational efficiency can be increased. However, as…

Paauwe (2004) stresses the role of various types of team building activities in order for the each individual member of the team to be motivated. In order to achieve a greater positive impact, Paauwe (2004) stresses, team building activities have to be conducted in an environment outside of office and in informal circumstances. Shermon (2004) expands the above point by stating that company management has to adopt a proactive approach in terms of celebrating memorable dates that relate to everyone such as company anniversaries and a range of national and international holidays, as well as celebrations related to individual members within the workforce such as birthdays, additions to family etc. Moreover, Johns et al (2005) offer interesting viewpoint in terms of motivating employees in the workplace. Specifically authors state that managers have to be effectively motivated themselves in order to be able to motivate their subordinates. However, Johns et al (2005) fail to provide any sound recommendations in terms of self-motivation to be engaged by managers. Johns et al (2005) also maintain that employee motivation activities should be institutionalised within business activities and not to be occasional activities managers engage in. Furthermore, the authors state that there should be an employee motivation program established in organisations that should ensure systematic employee motivation through a range of measures that might include training and development programs, appreciations of the most notable contributions to the success done by individuals and groups through tangible and intangible means etc. Torrington et al (2008) take this advice to the next level by stating that ‘infrastructure of motivation’ should be present within organisations that include devising organisational systems including various policies and procedures in such a way that they contribute to the level of employee motivation. References Torrington, D, Hall, L & Taylor, S, 2008, Human Resource…

Johns et al (2005) divides motivational tools exercised by companies into two categories: tangible and intangible. Tangible motivational tools include money, facilities, benefits, travels and some perks of the job, whereas such elements of employee recognition, appreciation letters, informal talks etc. Byars and Rue (2007) highlight the efficiency of intangible motivational tool, stating that this form of motivation causes a deeper emotional attachment compared to tangible motivational methods if effectively implemented, and at the same time they are cost effective for companies as well. This idea has been supported by a range of other authors as well who list the shortcomings of monetary motivation with statements like “money can motivate individual performance; however, the impact on performance is typically short-lived” (Marciano, 2010, p.33). Another effective employee motivation tool that has been mentioned by Simon (2007) involves the trend of ‘employee ownership’. Namely, nowadays increasing number of companies are offering or awarding stock options of the company to their employees. Simon (2007) stresses that the effectiveness of this strategy is ensured by two facts. Firstly, employees are going to feel appreciated for their contribution to the company through ‘employee ownership’ motivational tool. Secondly, ‘employee ownership’ plan will effectively motivate employees for future efficient performances, because employees will feel the sense of ownership for the business. Currently, this form of motivational tool is especially popular with a number of leading retailers in UK such as Tesco, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury’s and others. It needs to be said that although many works have been done to address issues associated with motivation in the workplace most aspects of the issue are explored only in the surface within the business context. In other words, motivation issues within the business context are studied only with cause-and effect approach as “we can only observe the outward behaviour…

Employee training and development. The following purposes of training and development as proposed by Beardwell et al (2004): a)  Maximising  productivity and service provision for the company b) Developing  the adaptability for the workforce c) Developing an organisation as a whole d) Increasing job satisfaction, motivation and morale of workforce e) Improving  standards and safety at work f) Promoting the Better utilisation of other resources g) Standardisation of work practices and procedures Wood (2009) divides trainings methods into two categories: traditional training methods, and electronic training methods. Traditional training methods include lectures, on-the-job training, apprenticeship training, offside training, programmed learning, informal learning, job instruction training, and training stimulated by audiovisual tools. As a traditional training method, on-the-job training includes job rotation, coaching, and action learning, whereas the main elements of off-the-job training (offside training) are case-study, games, external seminars, Internet-based seminars and conferences, university-related programs, role-playing, behavioural modelling, Internet educational portals, and behavioural modelling. The main elements of electronic training are computer-based training, video-conferencing, electronic performance support systems, tele-training, learning portals and others. Paauwe (2004) specifies task analysis to be a detailed study of the job to be undertaken in order to identify skills required for the job. Performance analysis, on the other hand, as Shermon (2004) informs, examine individual and collective performances within organisations in order to identify deficiencies, then training and development programs can be devised in order to eliminate these performance deficiencies. Moreover, Behaviour Modelling has also been identified as an important element of training and development programs and Dessler (1984) informs that behaviour modelling includes three following components: a) Showing trainees the right (or “model”) method of performing a task b)  Giving opportunities to trainees to perform in this way c) Giving feedback on the trainees’ performance. Strengths of behaviour modelling as an element of training and development scheme is…

Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The nature of initial studies on motivation can be summarised in the idea that “early and modern approaches to motivation are based on the premise that increasing the amount of time and effort that an individual devotes to a task (i.e. task motivation) will result in higher levels of individual performance and increased productivity for the organisation” (Landy and Conte, 2010, p.368). Arguably the most prominent author on the topic of motivation is Abraham Maslow. Maslow states (1943, p.372) that employees have five levels of needs: 1.  The Physiological needs. This is the basic needs for living, which includes oxygen water, protein, salt, sugar, calcium, and other minerals and vitamins. They are also known as the “Biological necessities”. They also include the needs to be active, to rest, and to sleep. These needs are the strongest because a person needs to have the factors above in order to survive. In business environment it means good payment, and good environment for working. 2.  The safety and security needs. When physiological needs are reached, the second need comes into place, which for employees means finding the safe circumstances, stability, and protection. 3.  The belonging needs. When the both satisfactions are reached, belonging needs layer would arise. Employees might begin to feel the needs of friendships, affectionate relationships in general, or even a sense of community. 4.  The esteem needs. Maslow has divided esteem needs into two parts: lower and higher self-esteem needs. The lower one is the need for respects for others, whereas the higher one requires self-respect, which includes the sense of confidence, achievement, independence, and freedom. 5.   Self-actualization needs.  This is the level, when employees satisfy all their needs, including the four needs above. In business sense it means the opportunities for developing new skills, scope to meet challenges and room to perform…