Motivation in the workplace - Essay Example

In the workplace it is important for the employees of a firm to be motivated at their jobs in order for the company to obtain the maximum effort fromits employees. Workers that are motivated are more effective and productive at their jobs than unmotivated workers. Motivation can be defined as forces within an individual that account for the level, direction, and persistence of effort expended at work (Schermerhorn, Hunt, Osborn, 2003). Employees in the public sector must be motivated in order to provide the people with a high quality of service.

Americans are often disappointed by the level of service that is provided to them by public servants. A way to ensure that governmental workers do their jobs correctly is by keeping them motivated. The person responsible to ensure that public servants are motivated is the manager. Managers have to use their people skills and leadership to motivate public workers. A lack of leadership by governmental leaders can lead to disastrous results for a public agency. It is important for managers to always keep the lines of communication open.

Communication in the workplace can be enhanced by providing training and development. Active listening skills are also important. A way to motivate public workers is by empowering the staff. “Empowerment is the process of increasing the capacity of individuals or groups to make choices and to transform those choices into desired actions and outcomes” (Worldbank, 2011). Empowering the employees allows the workers to make more decisions on their own without a manager harassing them over every single detail or decision.

A theory of motivation that can be used by the managers of public agencies to improve the motivation of the workers is Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is composed of a pyramid of lower order and higher order needs. The five needs of Maslow’s hierarchy are physiological, safety, social, esteem, and self-actualization. The physiological needs are the most basic of all human needs which include biological maintenance, need for food, water, and substance. To comply with these needs the manager of a governmental institution must provide the employees with a lunch hour and two fifteen minutes breaks, one in the morning and another in the afternoon.

There should be a lunch room in the facility with a refrigerator and a water fountain. The safety need deals with the need for security, protection, and stability. This need can be met by the manager of a governmental entity by hiring a security guard to secure the physical facilities of the agency. The social needs deals with the need for love, affection, and a sense of belongingness in one’s relationships with other persons. Establishing goods working relationships with all the employees is a good way to comply with this need.

Physiological, safety, and social are the three lower order needs. The two higher order needs are esteem and self-actualization. The esteem need deals with respect prestige, recognition, need for self-esteem, and a personal sense of belongingness. The self-actualization has to do with growing and using your abilities to the fullest. This need can be met by a manager of a public agency by providing training and development, promotion opportunities, and a chance to work in different projects that keep the employees motivated.

ReferencesShermerhorn, J., Hunt, J., Osborn, R. (2003). Organizational Behavior (8th ed.). New York: John Wiley & Sons. Worldbank.org (2011). Empowerment. Retrieved January 30, 2013 from http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTPOVERTY/EXTEMPOWERMENT/0,,contentMDK:20245753~pagePK:210058~piPK:210062~theSitePK:486411,00.html