Workplace Challenge, Motivating Employees - Essay Example

Work-Place Challenge WORK-PLACE CHALLENGE Foundations of Leadership – LSH 2113 Workplace Challenge Task -3 Introduction Within theworkplace environment, effective leadership is significantly essential, especially as it can sometimes mean the difference between a company’s failure and success, as well as general discontent or satisfaction among staff members and loss or growth for the company (Taylor & Rosenbach, 2012). Effective workplace leadership involves more than assignment of tasks, management, establishing financial goals, and setting work directions. It also involves a comprehensive responsibility that includes motivating and inspiring, encouragement and giving confidence, managing relationships, providing feedback, and ensuring all staff members are united and work as a team in achieving the long-term goals and mission of the organization. Effective workplace leadership is crucial and, for many employees, it can gain more importance than financial rewards and benefits (Taylor & Rosenbach, 2012). Challenges While leadership challenges are different for various organizations, the most common for majority of organizations have to do with encouraging and motivating employees, as well as effectively managing employees with regards to working together as a team to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization (Taylor & Rosenbach, 2012). This is particularly so for business organizations that require employees to work in tandem so as for the organization to be profitable. However, any situation in which there are both supporters and leaders are vulnerable to leadership challenges, including community movements, volunteer organizations, and, especially, business for-profit organizations. What is normally referred to as good leadership is usually simpler to describe than it is to implement. Majority of the most prevalent leadership challenges come about when the leadership is inattentive to problems as they develop or are not aware of the pitfalls (Taylor & Rosenbach, 2012). In this case, the most common challenges business leaders in the 21st century face are keeping their employees motivated and ensuring team unity and teamwork. Motivating Employees Organizations, however, informal or formal, will not get far if the employees are not motivated to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively. Employees without focus or those who are disinterested in the organization’s final objectives are normally unproductive and, usually, they undermine the authority and efforts of the leader (Taylor & Rosenbach, 2012). At times, the remedy for such a situation is as simple as communicating the organization’s mission to them, while, in some instances, it is important for the leadership to individually work with employees in figuring out effective structures of incentives. Majority of employee motivation and the challenges surrounding it involve workplace psychology with employees who feel more valued and happier being more likely to give the best efforts to the organization. As the leader of the organization, one of the most critical challenges involves motivation of employees to increase job satisfaction and encourage productivity (Taylor & Rosenbach, 2012). Solutions concerning Motivation Challenge Leaders must recognize that everyone defines achievement differently. Leaders should seek to ask employees what they seek to achieve in the next year during their performance reviews at least once every year. Leaders should also seek to involve the employees early on in making decisions, especially as this will ensure employees have a sense of ownership and the willingness to see a project to its completion. Finally, workplace flexibility enabled by leaders will guarantee that employees feel responsible to chip in when the organization is in trouble. Creating Team Unity and Teamwork Leaders are the most influential players when it comes to building unity and teamwork between members of staff. Teams that fail to work together effectively normally take a longer time to even complete simple tasks (Taylor & Rosenbach, 2012). For employees, it may take some time before they develop trusting relationships among themselves. In this case, the role of the leader involves the setting up of proper frameworks that encourage the growth of these relationships. While this does not mean that the employees have to be best friends, they should be able to work together effectively. However, this does not come as easily or naturally as it sounds. Challenges arise with conflicts between team members that may threaten the unity of the team, preventing effective team building processes (Taylor & Rosenbach, 2012). Solutions concerning team Unity and Teamwork Leaders should seek to understand teamwork dynamics by watching for symptoms of dysfunction within the team through complaints either from customers or employees The leader should also clarify the goals of team building and unity, as well as the employees’ individual roles to minimize miscommunication and conflicts. In addition, they should also implement social gatherings and team meetings Moreover, leaders should attempt to facilitate team activities and exercises that encourage information sharing and learning of new skills. Conclusion Majority of people may equate organizational leadership to a particular job title or position. However, when one has followers who depend on them for guidance, they need more than a title. True leadership involves the ability to influence employees to attain improved results for the organization. This comes with its own challenges, especially with regards to keeping the employees motivated enough to achieve the organization’s goals and objectives, as well as ensuring that they work together to effectively accomplish projects that are critical to the organization’s success. As a result, leaders are required to possess a strong self-sense that enables them understand the qualities of the employees and to know how these qualities can best be leveraged when circumstances require it. It is only when employees recognize the leader’s power and authority through motivation and team building that they can follow them willingly. Foundations of Leadership – LSH 2113 Workplace Challenge Final assignment Recommendation to Work Place improvement Task -4 Conceptualization of Challenge Literature Review on Motivation Whiteley (2012) defines employee motivation as the psychological forces that seek to determine a person’s level of persistence, their level of effort, and the direction of their behavior within the organization. Everyone is motivated to do something, as it is intrinsic to who humans are and, in fact, everyone has a motivation style that drives them each day. However, it is important not to confuse motivation for enthusiasm. The latter refers to emotionally explosive eagerness, fervor or zeal, intense worthiness or conviction, or rapturous intensity. Enthusiasm, unlike motivation, is temporary as it is only sustainable for a short time until another sustained feeling or emotion takes over. One main area where personal motivation has become confusing, contentious, and challenging in the workplace is the workplace. If a business wants to increase its bottom line and gross profit numbers that are declining, the first place they look is inside the organization. The top-level management is pushed to increase profits that, in turn, pressure the middle management level and the latter pressures lower level management. In turn, lower level management pressures the employees for lack of motivation (Whiteley, 2012). According to Banks (2011), most leaders seek solutions for motivational challenges in programs like motivational workshops and seminars, in which employees are “trained” to reach peak performance, treating motivation as a skill that can be learned. This training, however, begins a downward spiral that brings confusion, self-sabotage, and distress, particularly since these seminars only have short-term effects. In such a workplace, a lack of confidence and doubt are the result of waning enthusiasm. It is up to the leader to ensure that employees do not feel that something is wrong with them. In fact, the main challenge facing motivation in the workplace has to do with inaccuracy in understanding the motivation concept. Rather than being a learned skill, motivation is present naturally and is an expression of one’s state of being. It is the energy and propellant, which employees need to express their unique existence in the workplace and the world. By understanding motivation as a learned skill of performance, the leaders, demonstrate poor understanding of the primary function and reason for motivation. It is for this reason, Banks (2011) states that motivation has become such a distinct problem and challenge in the workplace. Westernized culture and its capitalist society have shown a problem with defining motivation as a state of being. Leaders should be aware of the effect that low self-confidence has on the employee’s motivation, especially as self-confidence enhances the motivation of employees and makes them believe they can perform the necessary tasks required to achieve set goals (Banks, 2011). It contributes to the employee’s willingness to complete projects and persevere, failure to which they feel unable to take decisions, feel unworthy, or are only motivated until the objective of the task is met. A lack of employee self-confidence is a challenge that faces many organizational leaders, particularly as the employees are unable to assert themselves or form good relationships at work, which are both critical in ensuring workplace success. Leaders are also faced with challenges related to employees having low expectations for success. When leaders have high and positive expectations for their employees, they are more likely to give them engaging tasks, which, in turn, increases the self-esteem of employees, as well as on-the-job performance and confidence (Banks, 2011). Low expectations prove challenging for leaders in the workplace, as employees are unmotivated and fail to perform to the levels expected by the employer. Motivational Theory Maslow’s hierarchy of needs contends that motivation is based on a hierarchy of needs and that people cannot move to another level of needs if they have not satisfied the last level. It begins at the lowest level, which involves primary physiological needs like food, water, and air. Organizational leaders who pay employees a minimal wage are able to meet the basic needs of these employees (Tracy, 2013). Security and safety needs are the next level of needs, including a place to live safely, which workplace leaders can meet through ensuring that the employees are safe from emotional, verbal, or physical hazards. Level three is social belonging and affiliation that includes the need for employees to feel a sense of belonging, which the workplace leader can achieve by implementing participation programs for employees and rewarding them. Level 4 entails esteem needs that involves employees feeling that their lives have a sense of purpose and value (Tracy, 2013). The organizational leader should seek to use techniques of job design to create tasks that are cherished and important to the employee. Finally, the fifth level is self-actualization that refers to employees reaching a potential well-being state. Organizational leadership should seek to ensure employees are in the right job and that all other needs are met. Literature Review on Team Unity According to Dyer et al (2009), while organizations normally focus on the essential nature of personal performance, they usually fail to consider how this can also destroy morale. For any workplace, getting employees to work together in a team is crucial because job retention and satisfaction is higher when the leader is able to build a united team that works together and supports each other. For example, team unity increases productivity and job satisfaction, while employees are happier in their job and find it easier to support one another. Organizational leaders motivate employees to continue towards achievement of their objectives, boosting the organization’s bottom line. Ensuring team unity and teamwork can be a challenge if the employees are unable to collaborate. Collaboration, especially with regards to finishing large projects, is one of the major functions of teamwork and team unity. However, if there is lack of collaboration, employees are unable to work together and support one another in completing their tasks and projects on time (Dyer et al, 2009). If the leader cannot enable the employees to communicate openly and share ideas, team building may fail, thus harming team unity and effective teamwork. Another challenge to workplace team unity is conflict and leadership faces an added challenge when team members work against one another, rather than with one another. If this occurs, workplace conflict increases, which means that most employees will be unwilling to submit their ideas, which means that the leaders are unable to get holistic information from the employees to resolve the conflict (Midura & Glover, 2011). Leadership challenges in relation to team unity may also result when morale is low. This happens when employees are unable to work together and trust each other, which makes them feel uncomfortable around the workplace. Leaders, therefore, must seek to ensure that they provide substantial boosts in morale to reduce this challenge. Where the employees are unable to appreciate their jobs and their fellow employees, their morale decreases and the leader is faced with challenges regarding retention of employees with low morale. Keeping employees in the organization and as part of a united and effective team has proven a challenge for most organizational leaders, which, in turn, results in higher hiring costs (Midura & Glover, 2011). If the organizational leaders are unable to retain the best employees, this will hurt their team unity and decrease the efficiency of their teamwork. It also poses a challenge because the leader has to focus continuously on new hires and training of employees. Team Building Theory Bruce Tuckman developed one of the most influential teamwork theories that identified all five stages that groups and teams go through as they transition from new teams to highly efficient and performing teams (Goncalves, 2013). These stages include forming stage, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning stages. Comprehending the five stages that groups go through as they develop their groups into high developing teams that are united and efficient. Each of these stages involves task behavior, and interpersonal relationships and leaders are required to be aware of the fact that groups divide their attention between socio-emotional or expressive needs, as well as task-related or instrumental tasks. In addition, Belbin team roles theory is also crucial to understanding how leaders can identify the behavioral weaknesses and strengths of different employees. Leaders will find this information important in building productive relationships amongst the workers, aid in recruitment, build mutual understanding and trust, and select high-performing teams and develop them (Goncalves, 2013). This is crucial if the leader is to ensure team unity and effective teamwork. By identifying the team roles for different team members, the leader can ensure that employees use their strengths to the team’s advantage, while also managing the weaknesses to avoid conflict and team disunity. Description of Proposals for Resolutions Motivation Proper motivation is essential to ensuring that one gets the best from their employees, especially for organizational leaders. Understanding the unique forces that drive each employee, for example, some work to stay simply in employment, while others work for advancement (Bruce, 2013). Whatever the reason for working, the leader must be aware of their employees’ motivating factors to help them achieve their potential. Several solutions to dealing with the discussed challenges that face organizational leaders with regards to motivation include; Build a strong foundation by getting to know the employees, as well as what the ultimate outcome will be and how the organization will get there. The best way to begin the motivation process is through understanding the employees’ personalities. Employee development is also important in tackling motivational challenges by positive reinforcement. For example, the leader should follow up on the employees’ progress and giving constructive critiques. Leaders should set goals for their employees, both business and individual-wise, which should also be followed up by recognition programs for employees who achieve these goals. However, the goals should begin as small and achievable objectives that ultimately lead up to the ultimate objective. Team Building Team efforts normally result in better and more effective results compared to individual efforts. In fact, teams are generally able to be more innovative and creative in their solutions, while also being more productive than individual efforts. However, challenges arise for organizational leaders, especially with regards to infighting and conflict between team members, disagreements concerning the future direction of projects and tasks, and vague objectives for team projects (Goncalves, 2013). These issues can result in team disunity and decreased teamwork effectiveness for even the most skilled teams. There are several ways in which these challenges can be tackled, including; Implementation of recognition programs to encourage quality teamwork. This may involve creation of incentives for effective teamwork, which instills a sense of value and meaning in the project and boosts teamwork and team unity. Leaders can encourage social activities will also enhance team unity and teamwork, especially as employees get to know one another and get more comfortable around one another, improving team unity. Organizational leaders should also seek to outline clear roles for the team members prior to the commencement of each project, working with each team member in outlining deadline charts and skill sets. References Banks, L. (2011). Motivation in the workplace: Inspiring your employees. West Des Moines, Iowa: American Media Pub. Bruce, A. (2013). How to motivate every employee: 24 proven tactics to spark productivity in the workplace. New York: McGraw-Hill. Dyer, W. G., Dyer, W. G., & Dyer, J. H. (2009). Team building: Proven strategies for improving team performance. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Goncalves, M. (2013). Team building. New York: ASME Press. Midura, D. W., & Glover, D. R. (2011). Essentials of team building: Principles and practices. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. Taylor, R. L., & Rosenbach, W. E. (2012). Leadership: Challenges for todays manager. New York: Nichols Pub. Tracy, B. (2013). Motivation. New York: American Management Association. Whiteley, P. (2012). Motivation. Oxford, U.K: Capstone Pub. Read More