The Most Effective Methods for Improving Employee Motivation - Dissertation Example

What are the most effective methods for improving employee motivation at the National Library and Information System ity BY YOU YOUR ACADEMIC ORGANIZATION HERE YOUR COURSE/TUTOR HERE DATE HERE What are the most effective methods for improving motivation at the National Library and Information System Authority Introduction and research background There are many different business and psychological theorists who have established different motivational theories, with many of these being applicable in a wide variety of different professional environments. It seems to be a contemporary theme: Businesses utilize different processes and procedures to attempt to induce staff motivation, however there never seems to be a singular model which is a best fit for specific organizations. Because of this, motivational levels never seem to reach corporate expectations, allowing for new theories of motivation to be developed which are applicable to different work environments (i.e. governmental agencies, corporate environments, low-level staff job role functions, etc.). This proposal identifies a specific governmental organization, the National Library and Information System Authority (NLISA) in Trinidad, which has a reputation for unmotivated workers and inefficiency. In this country, the basic social belief is that an individual who works as a government employee is both lazy and inefficient. Though this is likely a social stereotype for this particular type of business organization, it is important to identify whether employees at the NLISA are motivated to perform to social and business expectations and whether or not these employees can be properly motivated using modern motivation theories and practices. According to one business expert, “employers cannot motivate employees, but they can only remove the barriers to motivation so that people can motivate themselves” (Caswell, 2009, p.21). What this suggests is that motivation is strictly an inherent personality trait which can only be stimulated by leadership intervention by trying to provide the most rewarding job environment possible. However, is this necessarily the case? Can employees at the National Library and Information System Authority, which seems to have a dismal track record for providing superior public service, actually be motivated to achieve organizational goals? The NLISA has a mission: “To provide an international standard of service that delivers equitable access to information in all formats through highly capable and motivated staff” (NLISA, 2009). The key phrase in this mission is through highly capable and motivated staff. This is something which does not, at first glance or through experience with NLISA, seem to be occurring in this organization. It is highly relevant to examine the topic of motivation at governmental agencies like the NLISA as there does not seem to be a great deal of research literature available, from previous studies, which identify the means best able to provide motivation to governmental employees. Is there a difference in this environment over the traditional corporate job environment? Are they essentially the same and require the same motivational theories to boost staff satisfaction and performance? This proposal intends to answer these questions. Aim and objectives of research The aim of this research is to uncover which methods are most effective in improving motivation at the National Library and Information System Authority, which if identified properly, might serve to create a new model of governmental employee service to equip today’s leadership with the tools necessary to create a more motivated and highly-performing staff. The objectives of this proposed research study are: Are employees at the NLISA currently motivated to meet the company’s mission? What are employees beliefs about their roles and contributions to public service compared to the actual performance and attitudes in this organization? To identify what the current leadership at the NLISA believes about motivation and what policies or processes are currently in place to enhance staff motivation? What specific motivational concept or theory would be most practical, based on research data, to improve motivation at this organization? Literature Review One motivational theorist states it plainly: “Aspiration is the source of all motivation” (Freemantle, 2004, p.22). Aspiration is akin to desire and ambition, therefore the author suggests that an effective organization aspires to achieve performance and works to get staff members engaged in this process. This points toward giving cause for each and every organizational scenario or policy to remind employees that they are very much a part of organizational goals and should be reminded to aspire to achieve short- and long-term business ambitions. From this author’s perspective, motivating employees should be as simple as leadership engagement and vision. One difficulty in motivating people, for those organizations which take a Theory X approach to business, is offering employees more autonomous work environments (no micro-managing) and giving them more inclusion in organizational situations. The Theory X philosophy, proposed by Douglas McGregor, suggests that employees are simply lazy by nature, incapable of self-direction, and incapable of providing innovative or creative solutions to enhance organizational effectiveness (Kopelman, Prottas, and Davis, 2008). Under Theory X leadership, employees are rigidly-controlled by top-down hierarchies of management and are expected to simply conform to organizational mandates. Additionally, Theory X leaders seem to command and control employees, expecting no more contribution than generic job function each and every day in the business or organization. In opposite accord, McGregor’s Theory Y suggests that employees are not lazy but only need to be motivated in order to achieve organizational goals and job role performance (Kopelman, et al). A Theory Y organizational leadership structure involves employees in most areas of decision-making by gathering their unique input and insights into how best to enhance the business as a whole. Additionally, a Theory Y organization should flatten out multiple layers of management and treat the organization as a team-based business in which employees are given opportunities to work independently and without rigid management expectations. Another psychological theorist, Abraham Maslow, developed his Hierarchy of Needs which is supposed to be the basic motivational aspects for every human being. Under this model, Maslow suggests that employees’ basic physiological needs must be met in order to progress through his tiered motivational hierarchy. These needs include a stable job environment and the security of knowing that pay will be distributed at the appropriate, scheduled time. It is only after these needs are met, based on Maslow’s theory, that other, more important needs can be addressed such as job security, belonging with colleagues and managers, and the development of self-esteem. According to Maslow, all of these factors must be satisfied in the organization before the employee can reach the pinnacle of their motivation and performance: Self-actualization (Employee Benefits, 2006). Under Maslow’s theory, the importance of belonging and self-esteem seem to be two of the most fundamental needs of every worker and motivation simply cannot be created until these are met. Belonging represents having social cohesion and a solid purpose within the organization while self-esteem, a more difficult concept, could potentially be developed by reward for performance and recognition for a job well done. This is reward for achievement and staff members must believe that they have achieved contribution to organizational goals before giving 100 percent motivation to succeed in their individual job roles. Ilies, Judge, and Wagner (2006) offer that motivation is simply created at the leadership level and requires the presence of leadership charisma. Charismatic managers, under this theory, have significant, positive impacts on the emotional well-being of staff members and in developing self-esteem in workers, giving more credibility to Maslow’s theory of self-esteem development as a necessity for achieving full motivation and performance. A charismatic leader is a transformational leader which involves having a positive social personality, reflects respect and humor in most employee negotiations and interventions, and works consistently to get others on board with their organizational goals and beliefs. If charisma is actually one of the most influential motivational aspects of leadership, the motivation would simply be a by-product of a well-rounded and socially-inviting manager. Two additional organizational theorists suggest that motivation is none of the aforementioned situations, but is simply a product of making sure that employee values are completely congruent with the goals and values of the organization (Wright and Pandey, 2008). The authors highlight motivation and values specifically in the public service environment, which adds further importance to this theory for organizations like the National Library and Information System Authority. Under this theory, if employees do not perceive that their own personal goals and values are congruent with organizational goals and values, motivation and job satisfaction levels will be greatly diminished. This could potentially have implications for the recruitment and selection efforts at different public service organizations as this would speak toward ensuring that these individual values are identified prior to offering a job position. This is about ensuring that employees are assessed as to whether they are the right fit for the job position by assessing personality and values. Clarke, Williamson and Lehal (2008) offer a different viewpoint, suggesting that training is at the heart of employee motivation and higher levels of performance. According to the authors, “training can reduce staff turnover, improve motivation, and increase opportunities for promotion” (Clarke et al, 2008, p.74). Many public service organizations, according to the authors, believe that training takes up far too much time and is not worth the cost or leadership efforts to develop routine training programmes. However, if training and individual development through this process manage to enhance motivation and reduce costly turnover ratios, it would seem to be a valid construct in enhancing motivation by promising employees that successful completion of a training programme will likely lead to better job benefits, pay, or job role function. All of the different theorist perspectives on motivation serve to create a wide variety of opportunities for boosting motivation at the National Library and Information System Authority in Trinidad. However, prior to determining whether these activities or leadership interventions would be beneficial to this organization, it must first be identified whether motivation currently exists by gathering the perspectives of employees and managers alike at the NLISA. The next section describes the research methodology for the proposed primary study linked to motivation at this organization. Research design/Methodology In order to gather the unique perspectives which currently exist at the NLISA, the proposed study must take a qualitative approach to research. According to one research expert, qualitative measurement “provides broad open-ended methods which address verbal and non-verbal behaviour” (Smith, 1991, p.20). This is what is needed to fulfill the aim and objectives of this study, by identifying the different beliefs, from staff and management, about motivation and how various motivational theories might be inclusive in the NLISA. Personal beliefs and motivations cannot be measured quantitatively, through the use of statistical research instruments, therefore qualitative research tools such as the interview, personal observation, and a short qualitative questionnaire should achieve the desired results in measuring staff values. The interview process will consist of meeting with 3-5 current employees at the National Library and Information System Authority in multiple levels of job role function. This will provide a cross-section of different lower-level staff members, of different demographics and backgrounds, in order to understand how motivation is perceived by each interview subject. Additionally, 2-4 managers at the NLISA will be interviewed, using a semi-structured interview template to allow for more free expression of thoughts and principles. Observational research will also take place by scheduling a session in which the researcher can observe the interactions between staff and managers, staff and the public, and to observe the different management styles currently in place at the NLISA. The observational approach will identify whether leaders maintain a charismatic personality or provide any recognizable acknowledgement of employee behaviours when they have contributed to meeting an organizational goal. Being a casual observer of this environment will allow the researcher to see how the organization functions as a whole unit, with each of these observations entered into a journal for later data analysis and reflection. The questionnaire instrument will be developed with 5-10 questions, highlighting specific factors relating to motivation, values congruency, preferred leadership style, and other relevant information related to the concepts proposed in the review of literature previously described. The questionnaire will be distributed to at least five employees and at least three managers on the day of the observational session, which will be scheduled with the appropriate leadership on a day where this session is feasible to the researcher and the NLISA. Largely, the qualitative analysis of the research data will be interpretative, looking for commonalities in subject responses or leader perceptions in order to determine the most appropriate, recommended model for improving motivation at this organization. If qualitative analysis determines that there is currently an effective motivational system at the National Library and Information System Authority, then this model will be identified and proposed as a recommended motivational model for other public service organizations in Trinidad and, potentially, abroad. This research approach will also take a quantitative method in the event that the research data returned identifies specific, measurable correlations between staff and management responses based on personal beliefs, values, or current motivational theories in place at the organization. Should any of these correlations be identified through research, they will be charted on an X-Y scatter chart to identify whether staff and management values and beliefs are widely-different or consistent across the organization. This type of quantitative analysis will also provide a visual representation of whether new motivational theories for the NLISA leadership should be implemented or which motivational theories, currently in place, should be removed from the organization’s agenda. Timescale The chart below identifies the expected timeline for completion of all secondary and primary research, including all data analysis and construction of the final project for submission. Gantt Chart for Research Timeline Start Duration Perform Secondary research 5/1/2009 5/20/2009 Compile Research findings 5/20/2009 5/25/2009 Construct research instruments 5/25/2009 5/28/2009 Distribute questionnaires 5/28/2009 6/2/2009 Perform Interviews 6/2/2009 6/5/2009 Perform Observation 6/5/2009 6/6/2009 Compile/Analyse findings 6/6/2009 6/15/2009 Construct Dissertation 6/15/2009 7/1/2009 Editing and Submission 7/1/2009 7/15/2009 Assuming no interruptions to this timescale or difficulty in establishing the appropriate appointments for observation and questionnaire distribution, the proposed timeline represents the estimated submission date of 7/15/09 for the final dissertation copy. Resources and access to study population Gaining official approval to interview and observe the NLISA will require meeting with senior-level managers and leaders to discuss the most appropriate time for these research activities. If there are any delays in scheduling these sessions, it will likely impact the timeline for final submission of the project. However, preliminary discussions with one low-level staff member at the NLISA confirmed that the management at the organization was quite liberal about the presence of consultants and researchers and would likely generate the necessary approvals. Fortunately, as this study only requires the construction of relatively simple qualitative research instruments, there are no budget or finance issues involved which could hinder research process and viability. Essentially, with the assistance and dedication of staff and managers at the NLISA, no resource-related problems are anticipated with this research study design and methodology. Ethical considerations There is one, specific ethical consideration which involves anonymity on behalf of the organization, leaders, and low-level staff members. Each of the recruited participants will be informed that their responses will remain strictly anonymous and their individual responses will only be utilized for the purpose of educational research studies. An anonymity guarantee form will accompany the questionnaire distribution and interview sessions to reinforce this privacy policy. All respondents will be treated with the utmost and professional standards expected of a professional researcher. Since none of the participants will be minors, no university approval for this type of research will be necessary and will make the process of gathering the qualitative information easier and more efficient. As an observer in the National Library and Information System Authority, the utmost in professionalism and ethical behaviours will be guaranteed as a representative of this academic organization. Employee responses will not be led by researcher bias on the subject and participants will be invited to freely offer their opinion regarding the organization and their current levels of motivation without concern over their responses being highlighted for managerial review. This should avoid any issues with the reliability or validity of the research project and its data results, offering a non-biased analysis of all gathered research data. Conclusion Because there is such a high degree of social belief, in Trinidad, that most governmental employees are lazy and inefficient, this study maintains the ability to either support these long-standing beliefs or deconstruct them appropriately based on the returned data. Companies and other organizations seem to consistently be looking for new and innovative methods to motivate employees, and this proposed research study maintains the ability to develop a completely new or adapted model of motivation which can best service other public service organizations as well as the National Library and Information System Authority in Trinidad. Based on the results, a new model could align staff and managers desired motivational behaviours with the organizational mission at the NLISA to develop more motivated staff members in the process of providing public service. This proposed research study gives a new opportunity for understanding what drives public service employee beliefs and values in order to provide a more meaningful job environment. Additionally, the viewpoints of various leaders at the NLISA can serve as a template for other organizational improvements in the area of staff motivation or simply serve to refute some of the existing motivational theories which may no longer have relevance, especially in public service or governmental agencies like the NLISA. Bibliography Caswell, Bill. (2009). Stimulating lazy employees. Canadian HR Reporter, Toronto. 22(*2), p.21. ProQuest Database. Accessed 21 Apr 2009. Clarke, J., Williamson, G. and Lehal, H. (2008). “The Problem”. People Management, London. 14(6), p.74. Employee Benefits. (2006). Motivation: It needn’t end in tiers. London. Aug 2006, p.S.7. Freemantle, David. (2004). The Biz: 50 Little Things that Make a Big Difference to Team Motivation and Leadership, London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing. Ilies, Remus, Judge, Timothy and Wagner, David. (2006). Making sense of motivational leadership: The trail from transformational leaders to motivated followers. Journal of Leadership & Organizational Studies. 13(1), p.1. Kopelman, R., Prottas, D. and Davis, A. (2008). Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Y: Toward a Construct-valid Measure. Journal of Managerial Issues. 20(2), pp.255-264. NLISA. (2009). About us: Our Mission. National Library and Information System Authority, Trinidad. http://www2.nalis.gov.tt/AboutUs/tabid/56/Default.aspx?PageContentID=4 (accessed 20 Apr 2009). Smith, Elizabeth A. (1991). The role of qualitative information in productivity measurement. Industrial Management, Norcross. 33(2), pp.19-24. Wright, Bradley and Pandey, Sanjay. (2008). Public Service Motivation and the Assumption of Person – Organization Fit: Testing the Mediating Effect of Value Congruence. Administration & Society. 40(5), p.502. Read More