Increasing Motivation Levels among Workers - Coursework Example

Increasing Motivation Levels among Workers Among the various theories put forward to increase the level of motivation among workers, the most effective ones have been Hill’s and Frunzi’s theories. "Motivation is the process of satisfying internal needs through actions and behaviors" (Frunzi 139).  “Motivation is not something a person is born with or without, but rather is something that can be enhanced or developed (Hill 85).” "Motivation affects individuals differently, so managers must understand the process, theories, and fundamental components of motivation in order to motivate effectively" (Frunzi 139).  “Peter Drucker, an author who specialized in economics, first proposed the link between Equity Theory and employee motivation. The basic idea behind the Equity Theory is that workers, in an attempt to balance what they put in to their jobs and what they get from them, will unconsciously assign values to each of his various contributions. In addition to their time, workers contribute their experience, their qualifications, and their capability in addition to their personal strengths such as acumen and ambition. Money, of course, is the primary motivating outcome for an employee, but it is not the only, and in some cases not even the most important, factor. Power and status are also prime motivators, as are flexibility, perquisites and variety.” “According to the Equity Theory, the most highly motivated employee is the one who perceives his rewards are equal to his contributions. If he feels that he is working and being rewarded at about the same rate as his peers, then he will judge that he is being treated fairly.” emotionalliteracyeducation.com/ abraham-maslow... Maslow has at length described the fulfillment of emotional needs as a precursor for motivation. The above graph depicts how motivation levels are influenced by the need for fulfillment levels. Motivation could be achieved by fulfilling physiological needs, safety needs, love needs, self-respect/esteem and self-actualization needs. The more an individual has of these things/emotions, the happier he is or more motivated he is likely to get. In another theory on leadership, a good manager is one who can identify potential options based on concepts and capabilities. Thus, a good manager is one who can identify potential options and likely outcomes keeping in mind each employee’s strength and weakness. In my personal opinion, a few of the factors which might bring about an increase in the motivation levels of workers and improve their performance manifold could be the ones described in the following paragraphs. Compensation is the first and foremost consideration. No doubt, money makes the world go round. No matter what detractors might say, compensation to an employee is even today then greatest motivator. Compensation could be in cash, kind, medical or fringe benefits, paid holidays, gifts and a host of other things. “Walk the talk.” If the head of the organization sets an example of hard work and industriousness, the employees would automatically be motivated to work hard. The senior management must always remember that the workers too have a life of their own. If the boss is late everyday, no doubt the subordinates would follow suit. Thus it is imperative that the boss, managers and senior staff be punctual and diligent in their duties. Open Communication is the key to a thousand locked doors. Anything under the sun can be resolved with open communication. If the management is open to communication with the employees, a lot of problems can be resolved. This way, a worker feels needed and is ready to go great lengths for the sake of the company. The worker would feel that there is someone to understand him and his problems. A sense of belonging is very essential for a worker to feel motivated. If the workers are able to identify with the goals and ideals of the organisation, the output and motivation levels would zoom up. If there is a sense of “my organisation,” “my targets,” “my ideology”, prevailing in the organisation, the motivation levels would automatically go up. Regular trainings and Workshops are a necessary part of any successful organization. To be in touch with the developments in the industry, workers need to be provided constant training on their skills and knowledge bases. This way, an employee feels important and is not always on the lookout for better opportunities. He is happy to be associated with the organisation because the organisation is able to provide him with requisite and updated skills in his area of work. Performance related Incentives are the in-thing today.The oldest rule to enhance the performance of the workforce is to provide performance linked incentives. These could be in the form of commission, cash or in kind. When a worker has put in extra effort to get things done, and shown wonderful results, it is the duty of the management to recognize them in some form. This could be in the form of a bonus, incentive or promotion. This would also set an example for the rest of the workforce to increase their performance and strive for better results. A new idea gaining momentum in the global job market is allowing workers to follow Flexi hours. Though debatable in some cases, providing the employees the freedom to work in a flexible timeframe generally leads to enhanced performance, especially in the case of female employees, who have to balance the work with family responsibilities. Teamwork is essential for each individual to contribute positively to an organization’s growth. A good manager is one who motivates the entire team to work together. He would recognize each person’s weakness and strengths, including his own and play upon each member’s strength to make the performance of the team notable. Thus, there would be less competition within the organisation and the employees would feel a part of the family. Proposed Changes 1. Introducing performance based incentives As the director of the company, I would first and foremost, introduce performance-based incentives. Performance must be recognized and rewarded. This would lead to higher motivation levels not only in the individual being rewarded, but also the peers. Seeing the rewards coming through, everyone would want to emulate the performer and be motivated to show better results. 2. Compensation levels Since the salary levels of the workforce in our company are quite low, compared to industry standards, I would first bring the salary levels of our workforce at par or slightly higher than industry standards. 3. Check overstaffing To make sure each employee is motivated and has enough work on his hands, it is necessary to undersize the organisation. This way, only performers would remain with the company and each individual would be highly motivated on his job. 4. Communication As the Director of the organisation, I would make sure that I meet the lowest staff and interact with him directly at least once a month. All communication channels would be kept open and it would be possible for any employee to get in touch with me directly and appraise me of their problems. This would instill a sense of respect and belonging in them and would help in motivating them to a great extent. 4.Regular trainings All employees, having necessary qualifications and experience would be registered for trainings at the company’s cost to update their skills and be at par with industry peers. 5. Flexihours Though this would not be extended to all the staff, in the case of exceptionally good workers, introduction of flexi working hours with predetermined targets and goals would help tide over personal and medical problems. This would increase the efficiency and motivation levels of the workforce to a great extent. 6. Creche and Day Care centre for kids To make sure the employees are not worried about their children when they are at work, I propose to open a crèche and day care centre for pre-school cildren for the employees. 7. Laundry and Dry cleaning Services Taking a page from Google’s workplace, I propose to start laundry and dry cleaning services for the staff on our organisation, so the staff need not worry about these aspects while at work. 8. Regular Outings for the family Work hours getting hectic by the day across the globe, I would aim at keeping the families of the workers happy and together. Organizing regular get-togethers and outings for the families would help bring not only the families together, but would also help the workforce mingle and enjoy a family spirit. Reference: Equity Theory And Employee Motivation,Buzzle.com, accessed on 29th July,2008 http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/6-24-2006-100325.asp, accessed on 29th July,2008 2. academic.emporia.edu/smithwil/00fallmg443/eja/zilllman.html, accessed on 29th July,2008 3. ollie.dcccd.edu/mgmt1374/book_contents/4directing/motivatg/motivate.htm, accessed on 29th July, 2008 4. emotionalliteracyeducation.com/ abraham-maslow... 5. David Bradford on Real Options, Sept. 29th,2006. edbatista.typepad.com/.../ 6. www.gnu.org/software/gnowsys/ Read More