Employee Motivation and Job Satisfaction - Assignment Example

Reflection Report on Employee Motivation and Job Satisfaction Introduction The reflection project focuses on isolating the themes identified from a given activity and presents the findings in a report format. The primary objective of this reflection report is to illustrate the effects of employee motivation and job satisfaction on job performance. Other objectives of the project include identifying the main agents of motivation, writing a report to represent the findings, and establishing valid conclusions and recommendations in relation to employee motivation and job satisfaction. The project will involve conducting an interview with two employees from Nestle Company. Nestle S. A is a multinational corporation that deals with foods and beverages. Measured by revenues, Nestle is the largest food and beverage company across the world. The company has 450 factories that operate in 86 countries with approximately 328,000 employees (Casullo 34). The main products offered by Nestle include bottled water, dairy products, pet foods, baby food and breakfast cereals. The Profiles Interviewed Employees The selected employees for the interview are Frank and Janet (these are not their real names for purposes of concealing their identity). Frank is a chief accountant to Nestle at the headquarters in Vevey, Switzerland. Frank has joined Nestle six years ago, by then as the cost accountant. Three years later, the management promoted him to the position of the chief accountant. Frank, therefore, has an experience of six years as the accountant of the company and three years as a chief accountant. Janet is the overall marketing manager of Nestle. Initially, Janet was the production unit supervisor for four years after joining the company, but because of her remarkable performance, the management promoted her to the general marketing manager and posted her at the headquarters in Switzerland. Janet has five years experience as a marketing manager. Interview Transcript for Frank Interviewer: Student Interviewee: Frank, Chief Accountant-Nestle Interview Setting: The interview was conducted in the chief accountant office on October 24, 2013. Affiliation with the interviewee: The interviewer is my career mentor. Start of the Interview Interviewer: Particularly concerning the number of years you have worked for this company, why have you not left this company to work for a different organization? Interviewee: The main reason for my extended stay in this company is the motivation that I get from my employer. I have my own intrinsic motivation; that is, the internal desires to produce the best. The company has enabled me to develop positive attitudes towards my work through the extrinsic motivation it offers through bonuses, rewards, recognition, and promotions. Interviewee: Have you ever encountered any problem of receiving your benefits because of your race or gender? Interviewer: No, I think the company has very strict policies to counteract any form of discrimination among the workers. Interviewer: Do you believe that your working in this organization has a meaning? Interviewee: Yes, I do. Working for this company promises a bright future for me and my family. I am fully satisfied with working here because my job tallies with my profession. I am contented with what I receive from here, and I am ready to work here until my retirement age. Interviewer: Does Nestle provide you with opportunities to grow and develop as a professional and as a person? Interviewee: The company is excellent is providing the best opportunities for professional and personal development. The company has a program for allowing employees study leaves and grants financial support for employees who want to advance their careers. There is a pension scheme program where every employee is deducted a certain proportion of income and paid to them upon retirement. Interviewer: Are there any feedbacks you would expect to receive from your company in relation to your performance that you are not receiving? Interviewee: I think I receive all the feedbacks that I deserve from the company. Furthermore, my work is office-based; it does not require much feedback except recognition for accuracy and fraud minimization. Interviewer: Are you fully satisfied with the remunerations and compensations that you receive from this company? Interviewee: The compensations and remunerations I receive from my job are sufficient for my needs, savings, and investments. There is nothing to worry about concerning my finances. Interviewer: Does your company provide policies for ensuring employee motivation and job satisfaction among the workers? Interviewee: Nestle is committed to respecting a series of principles and conventions dealing with the rights of employees, remunerations and guarantee of employee benefits during the service period and upon retirement. The company has heavily invested in recognition activities and promotions while ensuring job security for the staff. Interviewer: Thank you for your time Interviewee: You are welcome Interview Transcript for Janet Interviewer: Student Interviewee: Janet, General Marketing Manager-Nestle Interview Setting: The interview was conducted in a restaurant in Switzerland on October 21, 2013. Affiliation with the interviewee: The interviewer is my personal friend. Start of the Interview Interviewer: Particularly concerning the number of years you have worked for this company, why have you not left this company to work for a different organization? Interviewee: I have not left this company because there is no any other organization that can reward me the way I am rewarded here. My current company tries to treat me in the best way it can; however, I feel that if I get a better organization, I can leave. Interviewee: Have you ever encountered any problem of receiving your benefits because of your race or gender? Interviewer: No, I have never experienced any problem. I am an Asian and I always receive all my benefits at the right time and place, and the right sum. Interviewer: Do you strongly believe that your work in this organization has a meaning? Interviewee: Yes, my work in this organization is meaningful. I work hard to ensure that the company increases its market share, and I gain in terms of salaries and compensations. I have seen the company grow for the time I have worked for it, I have also been able to increase my investments and pay my bills. Interviewer: Does Nestle provide you with opportunities to grow and develop as a professional and as a person? Interviewee: Nestle is excellent in providing opportunities for professional and personal development. The company organizes seminars, workshops and conferences, which are crucial for educating employees about their professional growth. The company offers study leaves and financial assistance for staff members who are willing to advance in their studies. Interviewer: Are there any feedbacks you would expect to receive from your company in relation to your performance that you are not receiving? Interviewee: Yes, there are. During the year 2010, I actively developed marketing programs that enabled the company to increase its market share by approximately 21 percent. I have visited several countries of the world in search of new markets. My extra efforts are just seen as normal work that I am paid to perform. There are, however, additional efforts I put to practice to achieve the organizational objectives; the company does not recognize these efforts. Interviewer: Are you fully satisfied with the remunerations and compensations that you receive from the company you work for? Interviewee: I am not fully satisfied with the rewards. I would be comfortable with my current earnings if I was only working in this city. Consider the number of trips I make to other countries and the risks associated. I sometimes feel like going with my family because of extended stays, but the company does not provide for this expenses. I would expect to be compensated an amount equal to these costs, but it is not possible. Interviewer: Does your company provide policies for ensuring employee motivation and job satisfaction among the workers? Interviewee: Yes, there are policies that the company has adopted to ensure employee motivation and job satisfaction. Examples are delegation, employee appraisals, job security, compensation policies, communication, autonomy, and independence. These policies are strictly adhered to ensure that employees are satisfied and motivated effectively. Interviewer: Thank you for your time. Interviewee: You are welcome. Report Analysis Employee motivation and job satisfaction are critical elements of efficient performance among the employees. Motivation encompasses the drives and forces that make workers to put extra effort in performing their job functions (Royal and Agnew 43). Job satisfaction refers to the ability of the package provided by the employee to satisfy workers and enable them to be contented with working for the company. Companies that have effective ways of motivating employees and ensuring job satisfaction have lower employee turnover levels than those that do not. The compensation and benefit practices that companies adopt constitute the guidelines and basis of efficient and effective human-resource management. Multinational companies must come up with flexible and dynamic practices, which allow adjustments to fit diverse environments (Clark 98). Every company should have human-resource compensation policies that are addressed to the organizational stakeholders who have the responsibility of managing people and human-resource professionals. Motivational compensation and management practices include the guidelines of ensuring fair treatment of employees in terms of rewards. Motivating companies are committed to adherence to a series of principles and international conventions dealing with the rights of employees, remunerations and guarantee of employee benefits during the service period and after retirement. Discrimination in allocating benefits for reasons of origin, nationality, race, religion, and gender should not tolerated as it is regarded the greatest offence (Bowling, Eschleman and Wang 922). Most companies favor a long-term employment policy, which guarantees its workers a continuous and regular flow of compensation and benefits throughout the period of service. Whenever there is a legal requirement to retain the salary of any employee, the company will take reasonable steps prevent the overall loss of the employee’s benefits where possible. If this is impossible, the matter will be handled in full respect of the local legislation while considering the internal business’ compensation and benefit practices. These compensation practices help to attract and retain people while reconciling economical imperatives with well being. Most employees prefer to work for companies that guarantee them personal and professional development. Employers should take initiatives to support their workers through allowing them study leaves and financing their educational advancement efforts (Bowling, Eschleman and Wang 916). Companies should also organize for workshops, seminars and conferences and finance their employees to participate. Personal development efforts include instituting compulsory and voluntary saving plans in order to avoid employees to live miserable lives after retiring from the company. Recognition is another primary element of job satisfaction and motivation. Recognition increases the morale of employees to work harder than when they are not recognized. Companies can consider awarding certificates to best performers of the year, giving them financial incentives and including them in the records of the company’s best performers. Lack of employee recognition makes workers to lose the drive for putting extra effort, which may be detrimental to the business performance. Conclusion and Recommendations Business organizations cannot succeed in their operations if they cannot adopt proper mechanisms of motivating employees. Extensive employee motivation and job satisfaction strategies minimize the rate of employee turnover, which enable the company to retain its most qualified staff (Sergio 175). Effective compensation practices include the guidelines and policies adopted to ensure fair treatment of employees in terms of rewards. Socially responsible companies strictly adhere to a series of principles and international conventions that guarantees rights of employees, remunerations and promise employee benefits during the service period and after retirement. Companies should Institute effective methods of employee motivation and ensuring job security if they want to enhance the effectiveness of their performance. These companies should also seek proper methods of employee rewards, compensations, remuneration, and rewards in order to maintain employee motivation and job satisfaction. Works Cited Bowling, Nathan A, Kevin J. Eschleman, and Qiang Wang. "A Meta-Analytic Examination of the Relationship between Job Satisfaction and Subjective Well-Being." Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology. 83.4 (2010): 915-934. Print. Casullo, David. Leading the High Energy Culture: What the Best Ceos Do to Create an Atmosphere Where Employees Flourish. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print. Clark, Timothy R. The Employee Engagement Mindset: The Six Drivers for Tapping into the Hidden Potential of Everyone in Your Company. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print Royal, Mark, and Thomas G. A. Agnew. The Enemy of Engagement: Put an End to Workplace Frustration-and Get the Most from Your Employees. New York: American Management Association, 2012. Print. Sergio, Fernandez. "Examining the Effects of Leadership Behavior on Employee Perceptions of Performance and Job Satisfaction." Public Performance & Management Review. 32.2 (2008): 175-205. Print. Read More