Employee Motivation: A Tool for Organizational Productivity Improvement.

Transcription

1 Employee Motivation: A Tool for Organizational Productivity Improvement. Samuel Maina Mari, Zubaida Ben Waffy and Babagana Modu Aji National Productivity Centre Maiduguri ABSTRACT Methods of motivating employees have broadly been defined as the psychological forces that determine the direction of a person s behaviour in an organization a person s level of efforts and a person s level of persistence. This paper dwells on motivation as a major tool of organizational productivity improvement. It focuses on the theories of motivation, especially Maslow s hierarchy of need and Herzberg s two factor theory, to determine the factors that cause job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction. The intrinsic factors otherwise called motivators and the extrinsic factors otherwise called the hygiene or maintenance factors were also elaborated. The paper explain the strategies of motivated factors in an organization through Mc Gregory theory X and Y. Behaviour modification has also been outlined as an important motivating factor in organization s productivity improvement. The research findings indicate that employee carried out their job satisfactorily provided the conditions, environment and the packages are fulfilling their interest, and they tend to be demotivated if there is poor system or workload. Hence, it is the responsibility of those in control of organization to employ various strategies of motivating by their staff for effective and efficient production of goods and services. Keywords: Employee, Motivation, organization, productivity. Introduction: The importance of employee motivation to achieve higher productivity in our organizations, particularly the public sector such as the local government administration cannot be overstated. Many organizations spend huge amount of money in order to recruit employees who are best suited for the position. These are people who are expected to produce or provide service to, or exceed predetermined standard. However, one of the major problems confronting human resource management today, be it in the public or private organizations is that of motivating workers to perform assigned task to meet or surpass predetermined standard. The local government employees are very important part of the nation s public service through which policies and programme of government are implemented right at the

2 doorstep of the ordinary citizen. Their service is very accessible to the people at the grassroots. To ensure their effective and efficient implementation of government policies and programmes that improve the living standard of the people particularly achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) such as poverty eradication, women employment and gender equality, universal primary education, environmental sustainability etc, the local government employee need to be motivated to improve their productivity for effective and efficient utilization of resources and service delivery. In this paper therefore, emphasis will be on ways of motivating employees for organizational productivity improvement. Conceptual Definitions Productivity has variously been defined, but in a simpler term however, it is the relationship between output (good and services produced) and the inputs (resources utilized) to produce them. In other words, productivity is the effective and efficient use of resources such as land, labour, capital, materials, energy and information in the production of various goods and services in an organization (Prokopenko, 1987). It should be understood however that an increase in productivity; rather, higher productivity means more is produced with the same or less resources. Motivation Motivation is the will to act. It was once assumed that motivation had to be injected from outside, but it is now understood that everyone is motivated by several differing forces in the workplace, seek to influence your staff to align their own motivations with the needs of the organization. To release the full potential of employees, organizations are rapidly moving away from command and control and towards advise and consent as ways of motivating (Heller and Hindler, 2008). In job performance, an employee s ability determine what he/she can do but his level of motivation invariably determine what he/she can accomplish (Alisiqwe, (2002). What then is motivation? It is that part of an individual s mental process that causes him/her to behave in a way that will ensure the attainment of some goal. Hackman (1975) stated that an employee will work because the work interests him and challenges him, and when he performs effectively the organization will reward him for doing well. Motivation usually involves such concept as aim, desire, and impulse, intention, objective and purpose. Hence Berelso and Steiner, G (1964) defined motivation as all those inner striving conditions, described as wishes, desire, drive etc It is an inner state that activate or moves

3 The process of motivation begins with an unsatisfied need, the unsatisfied need causes tension (this can be physical or psychological) within the individual which makes him to engage in certain behaviour to satisfy the need in order to reduce the tension, once an individual goal is achieved, the motivation process is complete. This paper will therefore focus on the theories that provide broader understanding of what motivates employee to perform or improve their productivity in their organization. It should be understood however that people response to motivator might differ. Theories of Motivation One of the widely accepted theories, which explain employees motivation, is that of Frederick Herzberg, popularly called the Herzberg Two-Factor theory. It is aimed at determining the factors that cause job satisfaction and job dissatisfaction among workers, or the attitude individuals have about their jobs. Based on his extensive research among 203 engineers and accountant, Herzberg concluded that the degree of job satisfaction and the degree of job dissatisfaction felt by employee (workers) as a result of performing a job, are determined by two factors. The intrinsic factors otherwise called the motivators, which include; the nature of the work it self, Opportunity for achieving it., Opportunity for recognition, Responsibility, Advancement and Personal growth The extrinsic factor otherwise called the hygiene or maintenance factor on the other hand includes such things as: Organizational policy, Supervision, Relationship with peers, Working conditions, Salary and Relationship with subordinates According to this theory, the presence of hygiene factors to the satisfaction of the workers doesn t necessary motivate them but their absence result in dissatisfaction, because they are needed to maintain at least a level of no dissatisfaction. On the other hand, the absence of motivating condition doesn t prove highly dissatisfying but when present they built strong levels of motivation that result in good job performance. This means that the more motivators are built in employee job situation, the more they tend to be motivated and become productive. Managers or those who are placed in the position of control of employees can therefore motivate their workers through this process, which is referred to as job enrichment. This is a motivational technique of job design that added more task, responsibility, autonomy and discretion of performance to the jobholder.

4 Abraham Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs Another widely accepted description of human needs is the concept of hierarchy of needs developed by Abraham Maslow. He theorized that human beings possess five basic needs, which according to him are, arranged in order in which individuals generally strive to satisfy them. These needs include; Physiological needs, Security or safety needs, Social needs, Esteem needs and Self actualization needs Physiological Needs This is a biological needs and it relates to the normal functioning of the body. It includes needs for water, food, shelter, rest, air, and other essentials of life. Until these needs are satisfied or met, a significant portion of an individual behaviour is aimed at satisfying them. It forms the basis for survival of man. If and when these needs are satisfied, behaviour is then aimed at satisfying the next level on the hierarchy, the security needs. Security or Safety Needs Once the biological need has been met, the security or safety needs will set in to dominate the behaviour of the worker (employee). These are related to individual need for protection against any harm such as physical, psychological and economic disaster. For example, workers safety needs can be satisfied through health insurance policy, good pension plans, guaranteed job security, safe working conditions etc. Social Needs Human being is a social animal having desire or need to associate with others, give and receive love, and feel a sense of belonging. This is the first level of needs that money cannot satisfy. This has been demonstrated in the Hawthorne studies carried out by Elton Mayo of Harvard University. Policies and programmes that make provision for employees to belong to informal group and social clubs are some of the ways of satisfying these needs (Ajayi, S. T. 2002). More so such type of association can be achieved through civil service games and other sporting activities among employees. Esteem Needs After the social needs have been satisfied, individual s action and behaviour begin to be moved by the desire for recognition. The need for self-respect and the needs to be respected. It should be understood that the concern of individual at this stage is about achievement, prestige, independence, status etc, such as productivity award, national honour, prestigious title, promotion etc.

5 Self Actualization Needs The self-actualization represents the needs to maximize whatever potential an individual possesses. In other words, Maslow defined it as the desire to become more what one is, to become everything one is capable of this is the highest or last stage on the Maslow s ladder. When a worker has reached this stage or point, he or she may work not simply to make money or impress others, but also because the task is worthwhile and satisfying. It should be understood here that every person could climb through these levels of needs if given the chance. Thus, it is very important for people who are in position of dealing with employees especially at the local government level to provide a level ground for every worker under them to aspire to reach the top. This can help in no small way toward motivating employee to improve their productivity and that of the organization in general. Maslow s Hierarchy of Needs Physiological Needs Security Need Social Need Esteem Need Selfactualization Need From this theory, one thing is clear; people are motivated to perform certain behaviour to satisfy their needs. Therefore, to motivate employee, managers or heads of department as the case may be in the local government administration, should provide the opportunity through which employees can satisfy their needs as a result of performing productive task. Doing so will further motivate them to improve their productivity in service delivery which in turn improves the standard of living of the citizenry. The maslow hierarchy is relevant in workplace because individuals do not just need just money and rewards but also respect and interaction. Strategies For Motivating Employee Productivity In Organizations Mc Gregory theory X & Y

6 One strategy for motivating employee that is consistent with human relations focuses on the assumptions, Manager s Possess about the nature of human being. Douglas Mc Gregory identified two sets of these assumptions as Theory X and Theory Y. According to theory X, managers often assume that; i. The employees dislike work and will avoid it if possible. ii. Because of this dislike for work, the employees must be forced, controlled, directed or threatened with punishment to motivate them to put forth enough effort to achieve organizational objectives. iii. The average person prefers to be directed, wishes to avoid responsibility, and has relative or little ambition and want security. According to Certo and Co (1984), those who hold these assumptions, might for example, constantly monitor, bully and even threaten the employee s security with threat of dismissal. In contrast however to theory x, theory Y are assumptions managers should constantly strive to use in dealing with an employee. Theory Y assumes that; i. Work is as natural as play and rest. ii. People will work hard to achieve an objective if they are committed iii. This commitment is tied to the rewards they will get for achieving these objectives. iv. Under proper condition, people not only accept responsibility but also seek it. v. Many people are able to use their imagination and creative talent in solving organizational problem. Those who hold these assumptions might, for example give their employee responsibility, encourage them to come up with their own ways of fulfilling these responsibilities, and reward them for a job well done. In summary, the assumptions behind theory X emphasize authority, while theory Y emphasizes human growth and self-direction. It is believed that workers will not continue working in organizational system based on theory X assumptions when they are ready to realize their higher levels of needs. Behaviour Modification Actual behaviuor is very important, but so are the reason behind it. In most cases, the only way to know how motivated your staff members are through the ways in which they behave. This includes what they say, their gestures, expressions and stance. One strategy that is also consistent with modern human relation thought and which managers can use in motivating employees reflects on a concept developed by B. F.

7 Skinner, which is known as Behaviour Modification. It focuses on modifying and encouraging appropriate behaviour as a result of consequences of that behaviour. This concept is based on the premise that behaviour that is rewarded tends to be repeated. In other words rewarding an employee for a job well done will encourage that behaviour to be repeated. While behaviour punished tend to be eliminated. Although Behaviour Modification programme typically involves the administration of both rewards and punishment, the administration of rewards is generally emphasized since it is typically considered to be a more effective long-run influencer of behaviour than punishment. Based on this concept, managers who want to modify employee behaviour must ensure that appropriate consequences occur as a result of new behaviour. For example, if a worker always comes to office late, if he/she is rewarded the day he comes to office on time, the employee will probably come on time most often. Conversely, if the worker is punished for coming to office late, the worker may probably be late less frequently. It should be known however that, although punishment stops behaviour quickly, it might have side effects such as, staff turnover and absenteeism if such is emphasized over the long run. Positive reinforcement differs among individuals and so managers must make an attempt to develop a reward system that is appropriate for all staff. Rules for Behaviour Modification Techniques Rule 1: To be effective, reinforcement should be based on performance. Rule 2: Be aware that failure to respond can also modify behaviour e.g. failure to appreciate or praise a deserving subordinate may cause that subordinate to perform poorly next time. Rule 3: Be sure to inform all individual what they can do to get reinforcement. This enables everyone to adjust his or her performance accordingly. Role 4: Advice subordinate when what they are doing is wrong. Manager should make it clear what they consider it an unacceptable behaviour. Role 5: Don t punish in front of others. Public reprimands demotivate and humiliate the employees. Discipline must be done. Role 6: Be fair and consistent. The consequences of behaviour should be appropriate and same for everyone. Job Enrichment

8 Job enrichment is a job design approach, which incorporates motivators in a job situation. It is not concerned with salary or working condition, as many will believe or think, rather, it is an added responsibility. It seeks to improve both task efficiency and human satisfaction by means of building into people s job, quite specifically greater scope for personal achievement and recognition, more challenging and responsible work, and more opportunity for individual advancement and growth. In job enrichment programme, the effort is on enhancing skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy and task feed back to increase motivation. However, to be successful, job enrichment programme must be carefully designed and administered. Table 1 A Successful Job Enrichment Program Specific changes aimed at enriching job Removing some control while retaining accountability Increasing the accountability of individual for their own work Giving a person a complete natural unit of work (module, division, area etc) Granting additional authority to an employee in his/her activity, job freedom Making periodic reports directly available to the worker, rather than the supervisor Introducing new or more difficult task not previously handled Assigning individuals specific or specialized task, enabling them to become expert Motivators aimed at increasing satisfaction Responsibility and personal achievement Responsibility and recognition Responsibility, achievement and recognition Responsibility, achievement and recognition Internal recognition Growth and learning Responsibility, growth and advancement Source: Harvard Business Review (1969) in Business by Certor& Co (1984) Guidelines for Motivating Subordinates i. Try to identify and understand the need and personal goals of your staff Be aware of your assumption, which may be false and misleading.

9 ii. Remember that money is not the only motivator. Many other rewards, which you can influence, may be more effective than money in getting your staff to work harder. iii. Set clear performance expectations for your staff, which are realistic and achievable. If possible, involve subordinates in setting their own target. iv. Always recognize achievement by praise or some other rewards. v. Do not alter targets or goal without consulting with the staff concerned. If changes are necessary these should be agreed upon. vi. Harness the strength of group. Group pressure can affect motivation positively and negatively. Involving your staff, as a group in making decision will strengthens commitment. vii. Keep your staff informs about what is going on in the organization. Source: Human Resource Development Centre, Ibadan 2001 Demotivation; Workplace demotivation for many people tends to be caused by poor systems or workload. And this leads to Effects of Poor Motivation 1 Low productivity among employee, this may affect the organization as a whole. 2 Problem of work stress such as stress related diseases like high blood pressure, etc. 3 Employee turnover and absenteeism. 4 Industrial disharmony etc. Conclusion Achieving organizational productivity is very important as far as the survival of any organization is concerned. When an organization achieves higher productivity, the standard of life of the people will be changed because individual will be rewarded. Hence it is the responsibility of those in control of organization to employ various strategies of motivation on their staff for effective and efficient production of goods and services. The local government is a very important tier of government and their staff are the engine of development at the grass roots. Hence deliberate effort should be made by those concerned to motivate their employees to improve the organizational productivity.

10 Reference Alisiqwe, C. C. (2002), Motivation and productivity improvement in the private sector or the Nigerian Economy. In productivity Journal vol. 1 no Ajayi, S. T. (2002), Productivity improvement and incentive schemes as strategies for productivity improvement in Nigeria. In productivity Journal vol. 1 no Berelson, B and Steiner, G. A. (1964) Human Behaviour. An Inventory of Scientific Fending, New York Harcout Brace JavanOvice, page 239. Certo, Douglas and Husted (1984) Business, WAI C. Browm publication USA page 157. Human Resource Development Centre, (2001) Raising workers consciousness towards collective wisdom and strength. A workshop organized for NEC members & key officials of Non-Academic staff union. Ibadan February Heller, R and Hindler, T (2008): Essential Managers Manual, published by in Dorling Kinsley Books London. Prokopenko, J. (1987), Productivity managemet, ILO Geneva.