Motivating Information Technology Professionals - Essay Example

Motivating Information Technology Professionals Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Date Motivating Information Technology Professionals Executive Summary For companies to be competitive and gain a comparative advantage from its competitors in the same industry, embracing technology is key. This has resulted in many companies utilizing various forms of IT which mean they are employing many IT professionals. Just like the other employees, the IT professionals will need to be kept motivated so that their performance can be enhanced while the same time ensuring that they are satisfied with their job. As the report has discussed, although money has frequently been utilized as a motivator, it is not the best motivator. The report has established that money is not the best motivator because it is a short term kind of motivator and it does not change behavior as it is intended to. Following this, the report has evaluated alternative forms of motivation which will oversee their performance enhancement in the workplace. According to the report findings, the alternative forms of motivating IT professionals include career development and teamwork, changing organizational structures, enhancing competencies, and improving individual performance management among others as have been discussed. Introduction The utilization of technology is becoming increasingly widespread in almost all the kinds of companies so that they can manage to enhance their comparative advantage over its competitors (Maxwell & Knox, 2009). This means that these organizations are continuously improving their strategies to integrate the utilization of IT while at the same time devising ways to motivate their IT professionals so as their productivity can be enhanced as well as their work quality. The motivation strategies need to ensure that there are smooth operations when it comes to the information system business function (Maxwell & Knox, 2009). It is evident that the IT profession is quite challenging and demanding which means that there is a dire need for these professionals always to remain motivated (Pool, 2000). One of the commonest ways of motivating IT professionals has been money. However, money is not the most efficient way of motivating IT professionals, and there are various other more efficient ways of motivating these professionals. Therefore, this report will discuss some of the strategies which will motivate the IT professionals aside from money and make them become satisfied with their job. Money not being the Best Motivator It is true that money is important and can and has been widely utilized as motivation in many professions and companies including IT. However, money is not always the best motivator basically because the IT professionals, just like the other employees in other occupations, need more than the compensation alone (Folbre & Nelson, 2000). The IT professionals want and need to be recognized more so as being significant contributors to the winning team of the organization. This then means that the professionals would want to understand and be sure that the company that they are involved in is succeeding partly because of them and the contribution that they make in it (Folbre & Nelson, 2000). Knowing all of these significantly motivates the employees and make them become more satisfied with their job as well as enhance their motivation to do even more. However, all of these cannot be achieved by money as compensation alone, as various other factors need to come to play. Additionally, studies have affirmed that compensation is the motivator that has frequently been utilized for the IT professionals (Jansen & Spink, 2007). However, the same studies indicate that when the professionals receive this money as a motivator, then their motivating power ends very fast (Jansen & Spink, 2007). One of the aims of implementing some of the motivating factors is to change the behaviors of the professionals and in the process enable them to stay focused while at the same time become satisfied with their job. Using money alone, according to research, does not change behavior and it may make them satisfied with their job just for a short time, basically just within the duration that their money exists (Dewhurst, Guthridge & Mohr, 2009). Therefore, to achieve these motivating objectives, some other motivating factors will need to come into play as will be discussed in the report because evidently money is not the best motivating factor more so regarding the IT professionals. Ways of Motivating Structures and Competencies It is crucial for any employee to feel and know that they are undertaking a task or tasks that are meaningful and affirm that they have the necessary skills that are needed for the given job (Durant et al., 2006). This is particularly true concerning the IT professionals who mostly have a variety of technological skills which they have to dispense to the company. Following this, with the aim of keeping these employees motivated and enhance the levels of their job satisfaction, it would be paramount for the organization supervisors to delegate some tasks related to a complete project (Durant et al., 2006). This will motivate them in that they will have a complete overview of the entire project as opposed to just assigning them small pieces and bits of the particular project to various employees. In the same light, the internal structure of the organization is also a crucial factor for enhancing employee motivation. The company will need to avoid some of the bureaucratic obstacles so that that they would develop conditions which will oversee efficient work processes (Fairbank & Williams, 2001). This will, in turn, offer the IT professionals with all the technological assistance they require to be competitive in their work. In the end, they will be motivated even to do more as well as be satisfied with the job that they do. Career Development and Teamwork As discussed earlier, the IT professionals will need to feel and know that they are a significant part of the organization as well as be able to work together with the others for the overall success of the organization (Dockel, Basson & Coetzee, 2006). This means that enhancing teamwork is crucial when it comes to the employees being motivated and driving their need to be competitive. Since the technology world is frequently changing, it means that the IT professionals could significantly depend on the support from the professionals to assist them to develop their skills and themselves professionally (Dockel, Basson & Coetzee, 2006). Regarding career development, the IT professionals will need to be subjected to constant training and development so that they can keep up with the changing technological environment (Bruque & Moyano, 2007). In the same light, as a way of developing them professionally, there will be the need for them to be assigned with mote responsibilities and tasks in particular positions as well as provide them with solid career moves. In the end, the employees will be motivated to keep doing more and in the process become satisfied with their jobs. Giving Open and True Feedback It is evident that everyone and every employee needs some recognition in the organization that they work in; this motivates them in one way or the other. Given that IT is a field that is technical, it involves a lot of mental activity and after a certain task is completed efficiently, them acquiring recognition will help them stay motivated (Kim, 2005). In the same light, feedback usually makes the professionals aware of the way others perceive the work that they do; this way, they come to the realization that their efforts were significant and were not in vain. In turn, this makes them become inspired to keep on striving to be successful in the activities that they partake (Kim, 2005). However, this does not mean that the IT professionals will need to be always praised; the most important aspect is to provide these professionals with an honest feedback which is constructive for the careers. It is imperative to show these professionals the areas where they can improve without being judgmental (Kim, 2005). In a nutshell, when a learning environment is created in the workplace, then the IT professionals will not be afraid of making mistakes and take these mistakes as learning experiences to enhance job satisfaction. Herzberg Theory Herzberg developed a theory or a model of the motivation factors which were known as the ‘hygiene factors’ (Maxwell & Knox, 2009). Some of these hygiene factors include the supervisory satisfaction and the organizational policies which may impact some of the work outcomes like staff turnover. Following this theory, the IT professionals can be motivated through them being promoted or having some perceived fairness when it comes to how the other employees are treated and rewarded in the same organization (Maxwell & Knox, 2009). Additionally, the organization management will need to create some appropriate work conditions which may, in turn, lead to having high-performance levels by the IT professionals while at the same time reduce their employee turnover (Maxwell & Knox, 2009). Obtaining a Clear Perception of Individual Performance For the IT professionals, it is of utmost importance to have a performance management on a 3600 view (Dockel, Basson & Coetzee, 2006). Therefore, the company may have a software on talent management which will enable them to have this type of performance management. In this way, the managers will be in a position to obtain a broad perspective of the individual IT professional which means they can see more of them (Dockel, Basson & Coetzee, 2006). When the managers see a lot of their employees, it means that they can do more as well. In the end, this performance management ends up assisting the professionals as well as the managers to identify their personal weaknesses and strengths which will develop a competency framework for the individual succession planning and development (Dockel, Basson & Coetzee, 2006). Consequently, the employees will be highly motivated through this and b satisfied with their jobs as well. Conclusion Various organizations, regardless the industry that they are in, are increasingly incorporating IT in their everyday functioning. This means that most of them have some IT professionals amongst other employees. Money has been widely utilized as a way of motivating the professionals, but it is evidently not the best motivator. This is primarily because it is a short-term form of motivation, it lasts for a short while, and it does change behavior as expected. Following this, some of the alternative and most effective ways of motivating them include giving honest and true feedback, career development, teamwork, and a complete performance management among other ways as having been discussed in the report. References Bruque, S., & Moyano, J. (2007). Organisational determinants of information technology adoption and implementation in SMEs: The case of family and cooperative firms. Technovation, 27(5): 241-253. Dewhurst, M., Guthridge, M., & Mohr, E. (2009). Motivating people: Getting beyond money. McKinsey Quarterly, 1(4): 12-15. Dockel, A., Basson, J. S., & Coetzee, M. (2006). The effect of retention factors on organisational commitment: An investigation of high technology employees. SA Journal of Human Resource Management, 4(2): 20-28. Durant, R. F., Kramer, R., Perry, J. L., Mesch, D., & Paarlberg, L. (2006). Motivating employees in a new governance era: The performance paradigm revisited. Public Administration Review, 66(4): 505-514. Fairbank, J. F., & Williams, S. D. (2001). Motivating creativity and enhancing innovation through employee suggestion system technology. Creativity and innovation management, 10(2): 68-74. Folbre, N., & Nelson, J. A. (2000). For love or money--or both?. The Journal of Economic Perspectives, 14(4): 123-140. Jansen, B. J., & Spink, A. (2007). Sponsored search: is money a motivator for providing relevant results?. Computer, 40(8): 52-57 Kim, S. (2005). Factors affecting state government information technology employee turnover intentions. The American Review of Public Administration, 35(2): 137-156. Maxwell, R., & Knox, S. (2009). Motivating employees to" live the brand": a comparative case study of employer brand attractiveness within the firm. Journal of marketing management, 25(9-10), 893-907. Pool, S. W. (2000). The learning organization: motivating employees by integrating TQM philosophy in a supportive organizational culture. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 21(8), 373-378. Read More