Job Satisfaction and Management Motivation in the UK - Essay Example

Job Satisfaction and Management Motivation in the UK al Affiliation Lack of Job Satisfaction and Management Motivation in the UK Introduction The issue of job satisfaction and motivation as effectively addressed by managers remain to be a continuing concern. Lack of appropriate motivation has been proven to lead to lack of job satisfaction (Herzberg, Mausuer, & Syndermas, 1959). Herzberg’s model was noted by Martires & Fule (2010) as more specific in providing a framework by which needs can be satisfied in the work setting. It was acknowledged that Herzberg related need satisfaction to job conditions: job content and job context; where the job content factor was specifically identified a motivators (Martires & Fule, 2010, p. 15). The aim of the current discourse is to determine lack of job satisfaction and motivation as a contemporary management issue through the use of current events that were published on the subject. Identification of a Contemporary Management Issue In an article entitled “10 factors creating job satisfaction: what motivates now?” written by Spicer (2010) and published online in the Bradford University School of Management, the author actually delved into a closer evaluation of factors which apparently have been perceived as contributory to motivation. The author sought the participation of an original number of 268 managers across UK and Europe. As disclosed, there were “10 longstanding factors that research identifies as significant in influencing people’s motivation” (Spicer, 2010, par. 2). The factors were clearly enumerated and presented as Table 1, below: Table 1. Ten Longstanding Factors that Significantly Influence Motivation Factor 2010 2008 Interesting work 1 1 Job security 2 6 Full appreciation of work done 3 4 Good wages 4 2 Promotion and growth in the organization 5 3 Personal or company loyalty to employees 6 7 Feelings of being in on things 7 8 Tactful discipline 8 9 Good working conditions 9 5 Sympathetic help with personal problems 10 10 Source: Spicer, 2010 From the study, it was revealed that the factors most regarded as contributory to job satisfaction in 2010 were: interesting work, job security, and appreciation for work well done (Spicer, 2010). The top factor in 2008 was similar: interesting work, followed by good wages, as well as promotions and growth in the organization (Spicer, 2010). As published in Employee Benefits, “motivating employees is vital if employers are to achieve maximum performance and productivity. There are a wide variety of methods available for motivating staff, at prices to suit all budgets. These range from recognizing employees achievements by simply saying thank you to more complex schemes which combine set targets with fixed rewards” (Employee Benefits, 2006, par. 1). This is consistent with Spicer’s findings that acknowledged appreciation for work as a significant motivating factor that contributes to job satisfaction. Concurrently, in another study that aimed to determine the level of motivation and job satisfaction among employees of KFC, UK, the author disclosed that “non­financial factors have a significantly higher impact on the employees motivation than  the financial  factors…(and that)  the study concluded that the employees working at KFC UK Ltd are adequately motivated, though a significant difference of level of motivation was  noticed  among  gender,  different  age groups,  working  status,  working  position  and  length  of employment comparison” (Hossain & Hossain, 2012, p. 21). The study written by Adeyemi and Ositoye (2010) supported the theoretical frameworks on motivation as originally published by Maslow (1954), Koontz, O’Donnel and Weintzrizh (1980) which asserted that “what really matters in boosting employee productivity or output is not the kind of motivation that is employed but the extent to which the employee is being truly motivated by any chosen method. .. (And) the ability of the employer to identify employee needs and to attend to them adequately is what determines adequate motivation and corresponding productivity” (Adeyemi and Ositoye, 2010, par. 36). In the current discourse, the focal point emphasized the significance of designing motivational programs and incentive schemes which cater to the needs of the employees. This corroborates Maslow’s (1970) and Herzberg’s (1959) concepts which pinpointed identifying the needs that actually drive people towards achievement. Finally, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2006) paper entitled “Incentive Systems: Incentives, Motivation and Development Performance” disclosed that “incentive measures, such as salaries, secondary benefits, and intangible rewards, recognition or sanctions have traditionally been used to motivate employees to increase performance” (p. 4). The same discourse emphasized that “incentive systems reside within organizations, their structure, rules, human resource management, opportunities, internal benefits, rewards and sanctions, etc. Whether based on perception or reality, organizational incentive systems do have a significant influence on the performance of individuals and thus the organization overall” (United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) 2006, 8). These studies evidently proved that the inability of contemporary organizations to identify the factors that effectively motivate the employees would naturally lead to job dissatisfaction, lower productivity, and even low morale. Managers’ Response to the Issue After having identified the factors that were deemed most important to workers in varied organization in the UK, the managers’ responses include the following tips or strategies: (1) showing due recognition and appreciation in noteworthy ways; (2) openly acknowledge the efforts exerted by employees; (3) encourage and practice open communication by being actively involved in disseminated relevant information that concerns the growth, progress, and performance of the organization; (4) be firm yet bold in assuming a proactive stance in leading the workers and steering them to comply with strategies that would utilize their potentials to the maximum and be acknowledged as contributory to the achievement of organizational goals (Spicer, 2010). In the study on KFC UK Ltd. worker, manager were made aware that there is a need to “create a good working environment and employees receive recognition and feel valued. As the need for development and growth is also identified as a motivating factor, KFC should provide adequate training and development to ensure employees are  motivated” (Hossain & Hossain, 2012, p. 26). Management Skills Required to Respond to the Issue To effectively identify the needs and drives of people from various demographic and socio-cultural backgrounds, the most significant management skills include the skill of introspection, or “the ability to understand the position of a leader and his impact on the organization” (Mintzberg, 1973; cited in Martires & Fule, 2010, p. 156). Following this skill, is the skill that enables the manager to accurately assess the needs and drives of his employees. This requires people skills, discernment skills, and an appropriate knowledge of psychological theories that provide concepts on personality and behavior (Parks & Guay, 2009). Finally, there is a need to intensify motivation and employee development skills of managers through focusing on aspects such as “the management communication, coaching and mentoring skills to hold employees accountable in a positive manner, engaging employees to accept responsibility for improved performance, and empowering employees to be more productive” (Alliance Training and Consulting, Inc., n.d., par. 3; Meyer, Becker, & Vandenberghe, 2004) Conclusion The current discourse has effectively achieved its aim of presenting issues relevant to the lack of job satisfaction and motivation as a contemporary management issue through the use of current events that were published on the subject. The managers’ responses to the issue were likewise presented; as well as the skills needed by managers to effectively address these concerns. Overall, it was acknowledged that more than having appropriate knowledge on the theories and concepts on motivation and job satisfaction, manager must be able to apply what has been learned from various best practices from contemporary organizations through following the strategies used and with the development of skills which would make them effective and adept at addressing concerns and problems on motivation and job satisfaction. Bibliography Adeyemi, M., & Ositove, A. (2010). Motivational Techniques, Communication Patterns, and Job Productivity of Non-Academic Staff in Ogun State Owned Universities. Academic Leadership, Vol. 8, Issue 4. Alliance Training and Consulting, Inc. (n.d.). Motivation and Employee Development Skills for Managers. Retrieved from alliancetac.com: http://www.alliancetac.com/index.html?PAGE_ID=2449 Employee Benefits. (2006). Orange gives staff money help. Retrieved from employeebenefits.co.uk: http://www.employeebenefits.co.uk/item/1544/pg_dtl_art_news/pg_hdr_art/pg_ftr_art Herzberg, F., Mausuer, B., & Syndermas, B. (1959). The Motivation of Work. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc. Hossain, M., & Hossain, A. (2012). Factors Affecting Employees Motivation in the Fast Food Industry: The Case of KFC UK, Ltd. Research Journal of Economics, Business and ICT, Vol. 5, 21-30. Kootnz, H., ODonnel, C., & W. H. (1980). Management. Tokyo: McGraw Hill. Martires, C., & Fule, G. (2010). Management of Human Behavior in Organizations. Quezon City: National Bookstore. Maslow, A. (1970). Motivation and Personality. New York: Harper and Row. Meyer, J., Becker, T., & Vandenberghe, C. (2004). Employee Commitment and Motivation: A Conceptual Analysis and Integrative Model. Journal of Applied Psychology, Vol. 89, No. 6, 991-1007. Mintzberg, H. (1973). The Nature of Managerial Work. New York: Harper and Row. Parks, L., & Guay, R. (2009). Personality, values, and motivation. Personality and Individual Differences, Vol. 47, 675–684. Spicer, D. (2010, September 27). 10 factors creating job satisfaction: what motivates now? Retrieved from Bradford University School of Management: http://blogs.brad.ac.uk/management/experts/2010/09/10-factors-creating-job-satisfaction-what-motivates-now/ United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). (2006). Incentive Systems: Incentives, Motivation and Development Performance. A UNDP Capacity Development Resource. Read More