The Concept of Motivation and the Utilization of Individual Talents - Essay Example

? The business world has evolved and there has been a shift from product and production-centered approach to satisfaction. Since the delivery of service or product is dependent on the workers, organizations focus on developing and maintaining employee relations. Employees, in fact, have also been referred to as internal customers as organizations believe that a satisfied employee can translate into a satisfied customer. This suggests that Frederick Taylor’s scientific management is no more applicable as organizations can operate without clear demarcation of hierarchy and division of labor. However, human relations approach to managing people has not been able to totally replace the scientific management approach in all industries. In fact Richardson (1996) considers modern strategic management as the major problem causer in modern society rather than problem-solver. Richardson finds that scientific management is alive and used for strategic development in the highly competitive and productivity-conscious, organized world. Through time and motion studies it is possible to break down the work into simple tasks which could then enable the management to find the one best way to handle the task. Through this method it is possible to break down every step to the extent that it is possible to determine the amount of time that the worker could be allowed a break for drinking water. The workers then have to work like automated machines. Thus, to make the most effective use of human resources people have to be managed in this way. This principle of scientific management can amply be found in the way the fast food industry manages mass production based on the management principles of efficiency, calculability, predictability and control (Allan, Bamber, Timo, 2006). This sector is based on the classic Taylorist principles. Jobs are simplified, routinised and there is clear division of labor. Each step of the production process is clearly defined to the extent that it takes Burger King just 23 seconds to prepare a Whopper Burger. However, the work in the fast food industry is considered demeaning and exploitative. The fast food sector is seen as a sector with low pay, poor working conditions, with little training and practically no scope for career advancement. There is practically no human relations approach in this sector even though they have developed the production system based on Taylorist principles. Taylor maintained that workers often performed tasks that were unnecessarily wasteful, hazardous and exhausting (Peck & Casey, 2004). Hence the work should be broken up into small parts and each step should be optimized. Taylor also suggested that the breaking up of the tasks should be done by talking with the workers of the ‘one best way’ (Peck & Casey, 2004) but in the fast food industry employee decision making and discretion have been totally eliminated; workers’ interactions are controlled by employers (Allan, Bamber, Timo, 2006). The fast food sector is thriving globally despite only partially adopting scientific management and not having human relations approach to managing people. A good team needs and informed, intelligent leader, according to Taylor (Darmody, 2007). Managers have the responsibility of motivating their employees and instructing them of the best way of performing the task. The aim is to attain efficiency and maximize productivity. Taylorism or the scientific management separates the labor process from the skills of workers. The jobs are simplified and routinised so that less skilled workers would be able to comfortably work on it and the management would be less dependent on skilled workforce. It also states that the conception and planning should be in the hands of the management while the shop floor is concerned only with the execution of predetermined plans. Decision making is centralized and every step of the labor process is controlled through formal rules and procedures. This is precisely what is happening even today not only in the fast food industry but even at the call centers. Taylor asserted that decision making should be separated from work and this poses a fundamental weakness applied in today’s scenario. In the service organizations, especially in the call centers, workers find it demeaning to work for managers obsessed with average handling time (Seddan, 2004). How long they take on a call is calculated and this can even lead to adverse reaction from the customers. This even amounts to violation of human rights because the measure used to judge people should be fair, which is not the case with call center workers. The call centers are using the scientific method to cut costs which means the minimum time should be spent in handling each customer. They only standardize work which is mechanized and automated as has been proposed by Taylor. However, Taylor did emphasize that efficiency is a consequence of the method but the managers today chase efficiency without appreciating the method which can lead to disastrous results. Because of the total control imposed by the management in call centers, the workers are stressed out leading to high turnovers (Jack, Bedics & McCary, 2006). This implies that control and efficiency at the call centers is attained at the cost of employee turnover and stress. The labor processes at the call centers are intensive, pressurized and stressful because of the targets imposed on the employees (Taylor & Bain, 1999). Hence, the call centers have moved away from scientific management of mass production where there is no role for developing human relations. The human relations approach to managing people focuses on employee relations. The tradition people management evolved to human resources management (HRM) which focused on developing human relations. Different HRM models came up and HRM became the dominant approach to people management (HRM Guide, 1997). The human factor in scientific management was doubtful. The US human relations movement started dominating management thinking. Scientific management came under criticism because the focus was on maximizing productivity. It did facilitate job specialization and mass production but workers were no better than machines. The focus was only on how individual performance could be improved. The Hawthorne Studies laid emphasis on people. It stated that work performance is influenced by the work environment as well as by the people they are working with. The Hawthorne Effect brought about a change in the way people could be managed. These were based on the studies conducted by Elton Mayo at the Hawthorne plant where the effect of light on productivity was ascertained. The Hawthorne Effect has been summarized as follows – employees are more productive because the employees know they are being studied (Envision, 2007). This was based on the Hawthorne studies at the Western Electric Company plant in Chicago. At that time there was no clear connection between productivity and the amount of illumination that could enhance performance but it did raise questions in the mind about what could influence output. Fatigue and monotony were the two aspects that were studied to determine its effect on productivity. How to control fatigue and monotony were studied through variables such as rest periods, breaks, work hours, temperature and humidity. The experiments revealed that workers were happy to receive attention and this enhanced performance. The studies also found that informal organization affects productivity. The Hawthorne studies provided the rationale for human relations within the organization. Different terminologies may be used by to manage people, this principle is extensively used. South West Airlines (SWA), the low cost carrier is an example in people management techniques. Its employee-centered culture is responsible for the success of the company. Similar to the Hawthorne Effect, Jung (2001) also contends that when there is a climate for support within the environment, the right leadership can enhance organizational performance. SWA has a de-layered organization which has an immediate impact on effective communication and where the management is close to its people (Applebaum & Frewster, n.d.). The management seeks ideas from people on how to run the company. They have no bureaucracy or hierarchy as these can impede progress. They believe in coordination and collaboration across departments (Wilson, 1999). They honor their employees and publicly recognize their people. They demonstrate a personal touch when they display the photographs of their employees inside their aircrafts and in their offices. Because of their genuine efforts to develop and maintain human relations they have been enjoying uninterrupted success. They recognize that their people are the greatest assets and hence they allow them to have fun while working. The human relations approach is the soft, developmental humanist approach which deals with the ‘human’ aspect of HRM (Gill, 1999). This is concerned with communication and motivation. This is in sharp contrast to the ‘hard’ approach to managing people where the control lies in the hands of the management and can be akin to Taylorism. In this hard approach the human resource practices and policies are closely related to the strategic objectives of the organization. In the soft approach people are the most important and hence all efforts are made to keep them motivated. The human relations approach thus gave rise to the concept of motivation where the management tries to determine the factors that could enhance performance. The soft approach deals with the utilization of individual talents and McGregor’s Theory Y perspective on individuals. This assumes that people should be led rather than be managed (Truss et al, 1997). People should be motivated to such an extent that commitment comes naturally from within. This is what is known as intrinsic motivation which leads to higher levels of competence (Hardre, 2003). Intrinsic motivation reduces stress and tension and enhances performance. SWA has been providing autonomy to its people as they recognize that under favorable conditions workers produce better. Such efforts require time and commitment from managers and stretches beyond the scientific approach. Thus both the scientific approach and human relations approach have contributed towards the management of people. While the scientific approach is basically concerned with maximizing productivity through focus on the process itself, human relations lays emphasis on the people. Scientific management is used even today in the services sector such as call centers and the fast food industry but this ignores customer satisfaction aspect which has become essential to attain competitive advantage. Airlines like the South West have been able to achieve success because of their focused approach on their people. They recognize that their success depends on the efficiency of their people and hence they have adopted an employee-centered approach. Motivation plays a vital factor in enhancing performance. Intrinsic motivation is self-owned and since it comes from within, employee commitment is stronger. The human relations approach has been greatly appreciated because humans are not machines that can be automated. References Allan, C Bamber, GJ & Timo, N 2006, 'Fast-food work: are McJobs satisfying?' Employee Relations, vol. 28, no. 5, pp. 402-420 Applebaum, SH & Fewster, M n.d., 'Human Resource Management Strategy in the Global Air line Industry – A Focus on Organisational Development', http://www.touchbriefings.com/pdf/12/avia031_p_apple.pdf Darmody, PB 2007, 'Henry L. 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