Job Redesign and Workplace Rewards Assessment - Essay Example

Job Redesign and Workplace Rewards Assessment Saniya Varkhandkar Management Academia Research August 20, 2007. The Responsibilities of the Department in an Organization The technical department of an expanding technology solutions provider organization is studied. Comprising of about ten personnel and two department heads, this department is responsible for carrying out the following responsibilities. Troubleshooting the clients' queries and providing them proper support in installation of the software. It also means providing solutions to any query that the client faces related to the software provided by the organization,. The department head is informed about all the activities and queries handled by the subordinates. The role also involves maintaining back up operations within the organization as well as upholding the internal security by ensuring its proper functioning. The department heads ensure the continuing professional development of the staff The work progress is also monitored and staff interviews are undertaken to monitor staff performance. The department also assists in hiring new personnel to their staff. Self management and Motivation. "Self-managing employees are employees who can: Seek out guidance as needed. Set personal goals and monitor their own progress. Solve problems creatively. Develop new skills on their own. Tackle increasingly complex tasks" (Shauf, 2007). There is definitely scope for self management within these responsibilities. The staff can use its discretion while answering individual queries of the clients. It is up to the staff to see how creatively the problem is tackled. The heads or the superiors are not involved and do not intervene unless the solution to be provided is beyond the staff. As such there is minimal intervention. At the same time guidance is provide by the superiors when required. The staff is free to seek information as and when required. Also, the staff is free to tackle complex tasks on its own, even where superior guidance is required. At the same time, the staff is also free to develop new skills on its own. All these self management practices prove to be a motivating factor for the personnel. Since the staff can creatively tackle the queries, they are motivated to do better each time. Similarly minimal intervention by the heads makes them feel trusted and competent. At the same time the opportunity to develop new skills satisfies there internal urge for education. As pointed out below, "Self-managing employees require less oversight, so they improve productivity by reducing the need for continuous supervision. But that's just the beginning. By seeking out opportunities for growth and professional development, self-managing employees foster an environment of creative problem-solving, innovation, and personal accountability that strengthens the organization's strategic advantage. Although you can't train your employees to manage themselves, you can cultivate an environment conducive to self-management through support, recognition, and rewards for employees who take initiative and exhibit self-discipline" (Shauf, 2007). However, there is one practice that works against the motivational element. That is, the principal duties of the staff are segregated. The personnel handling the client queries are prevented from carrying out the back operations of the organization. As such even if a member of the staff is knowledgeable about both the functions of the department, he is not allowed to exercise his opinion. This sometimes makes some members of the staff distrusted. This necessarily works against intrinsic motivation for the job. Similarly, as far as hiring of new members is concerned, the heads or the staff is only partially consulted. They do not have a final say in hiring the staff. This is also an important element where the personnel feel unworthy. Rewards and Motivation "Jack Zigon defines rewards as 'something than increases the frequency of an employee action' (1998). This definition points to an obvious desired outcome of rewards and recognition: to improve performance" (as cited in Ryan) The rewards offered by the organization are in keeping with the industry standards. There are cash bonuses and stock awards, and a wide variety of company-paid perks, like car allowances, paid parking, and gift certificates. There are also opportunities for training. Other than that salary surveys are evaluated and compensation is reviewed periodically. There is a term insurance plan to all our employees to cover various life, accidental death and dismemberment risks. Incentives are geared towards individual and company performance. There are medical policies for self and family. Similarly there is a provident fund contribution scheme. Vacation and other leaves, gratuity and dependents pension is also available. All these rewards help a great deal in motivating the employees. They do feel they are compensated for their services. However, the main focus is on monetary rewards. Certain rewards which help in satisfying the intrinsic need of the employees to be appreciated are lacking. "The type of recognition employees appreciate most is to be recognized by people they work directly for" (Ryan). There is little or no recognition for the functions they perform. "People are motivated to higher levels of job performance by positive recognition from their managers and peers (Keller). Creative use of personalized non-monetary rewards reinforces positive behaviors and improves employee retention and performance. These types of recognition can be inexpensive to give, but priceless to receive" (as cited in Ryan) At the same time the staff has little say in the management and governance of their department. There are limited meetings with the Directors; and even when they take place the focus is on the achievements of the company. The staff has little to contribute or speak about its decisions. In short, the management decisions do not consider the staff involvement. These elements do not make them valued and provides acts as a major impediment to their motivation. "Non-monetary recognition can be very motivating, helping to build feelings of confidence and satisfaction (Keller 1999 as cited in Ryan). Another important goal is increased employee retention. An ASTD report on retention research identified consistent employee recognition as a key factor in retaining top-performing workers" (Jimenez 1999 as cited in Ryan). Goal Setting The goals set in the organization are realistic and are communicated to the staff by their department heads. There are long term objectives of expanding the businesses of the organization and to emerge a clear leader in their respective industry. The objectives and short term goals of the department are also established. Providing excellent support and satisfaction to the clients by troubleshooting all the queries posed within a particular period is the utmost goal of the department. The goals are primarily communicated by the Board of Directors to the various departments. These goals are in keeping with the values of the organization. The focus is on ways to propel the organization forward. The priorities of the management are also laid down. The criteria for evaluating success are also discussed. Finally, by determining the budgetary allocations and resources, the departments are asked to provide the necessary action plan. It then becomes the responsibility of each department, its heads and staff to achieve the goals in their own way. Within the department, the various goals are discussed. According to the order of importance all the goals are prioritized. The objectives for each goal are listed and plans of action for each objective are discussed. Then an action plan is devised whereby the goals are consistently evaluated and revised. The role of each staff member is clearly laid down. The resources are also established and made available. The staff is then free to accomplish the required duties on their own terms. At the same time deadlines are set whereby the staff has to accomplish their given duty. Finally, the goals are measured in terms of achievements. There are regular meetings with the Directors to discuss the achievements. The goal system in relation with the department is very effective. Since the Directors in continuous meetings convey the goals to the employees, it becomes convenient for the staff to internalize the goals of their organization. Secondly, an important message that is conveyed to the staff is that they understand why they are working for the organization. Once the staff has a clear purpose, it steers all its efforts in that direction. "When clear expectations are defined for each role, employees can understand exactly what's expected of them. Too often, employees are assigned tasks that have no defined or measurable objectives. When expectations are clear, employees can monitor their own progress and establish new goals as milestones are met" (Shauf, 2007) After the Board meetings, a considerable time is also spent discussing the immediate goals leading to the long term goals. Further plans that should be devised for attaining those goals are also discussed. This part is extremely fruitful as every member of the staff can contribute their plans regarding the objectives that are to be achieved. At the same time every member also has an opportunity to outline his individual contribution in achieving the goals. This becomes an important motivational element for the employees as they feel that their opinion is valued. The setting up of deadlines is another effective practice that forms the backbone of the entire process of goal setting. As deadlines are established, specific objectives that are to be achieved within a particular time frame are set. Based on the individual's skill, knowledge and experience, it will take to accomplish the task or activity, the deadlines can be set. "Deadline-driven activities are more realistic and viable when based on strategic goals and organizational objectives" (Setting organizational goals) Conclusion Thus it is seen that self management practices, rewards and goal setting are important elements in providing a healthy work culture. It influences employee motivation in a major way. References Ryan, S. "Rewards and Recognition" 19 August 2007. "Setting organizational goals" May 2003. 19 August 2007. Shauf, M. "Promote self-management in your organization" 2007. 19 August 2007. Read More