Problem in Employee Motivation

Keep the employee as engaged and motivated will help for boosting morale, reducing the turnovers and creating more profitable and dynamic operations. When different factors are motivating the different employees, there can be many demotivation practices that are negatively impacting the organization. Recognize & correct those issues are helping to improve their firm. (Varma & Chavan, 2005)

Poor Structure of Leadership

If no person is appeared for being in charge, or worse, all persons is thinking that they are on charge, this could be difficult for performing in a higher level. The lack of Hierarchical or directing the report structures can lead for the confusion, resentments & ultimate lack of directions. Employees can be demotivated due to the objective of them is unclear, & hence, hard for working towards. There are many issues which ate contributing for this problem in employee motivations: (Kovach, 2002)

• Nonexistent or Unclear description of job.
• Not having the chain of commands clearly.
• Disorganize the directive.
• Hazing the objectives and goals.

The problem of employee motivation could be solved through write the detailed description of Jobs, the creation of internal organizational charts and clearly set the goals of the organization, both departmentally and individually.

Lack of Challengeable Works

The employee who is getting bore can be normally unmotivated. He might not take the interests on task. They are considering mundane or might poorly do in their works they are attempting. There are few reasons to those motivational problems such as: (Varma & Chavan, 2005)

• Not proper hires.
• Not utilizing the advantages of their employees’ skills.
• Lack of opportunities to professional developments.
• Failures for promoting from within.

These issues could be pointed out in many fronts, consist the interview stages when the organization must strive for ensuring the persons hired can be the best match to their jobs. After positioning a person on a job, providing the appropriate training as well as the required tools for doing those jobs more effectively and efficiently. When they are appearing for master task quickly or are not showing the interests, considering the cross-trainings, job-shadow, mentoring or even various positions which is more utilizing those talents.

Conflicts at the Workplace

When the employee of an organization can be in odd with other people, or with their management, this does not only demotivate but also unproductive as well as will lead for the toxic working environments. Workplace conflicts can include: (Deci & Ryan, 2015)

• Bicker & open disagreements.
• Work product's Open sabotages.
• Formation of clique and Gossips.
• Constant complaint to the human resource

Resolving the workplace conflicts through set the directive clearly regarding the behaviors types that would not tolerate, and take the actions accordingly. Addressing the conflicts as these are arising and setting in place, the approach of medications for ensuring the employee has the abilities for working out that difference at the professional settings.

Lack of Confidences within an organization

When the employee doesn’t feel, the organization can "go anywhere," or perceiving the businesses can be mismanaged for the points of loss of potential jobs, that insecurity feeling is manifested as the poor motivations. Sign of that lack of confidences might be demonstrated as below manners: (Kovach, 2002)

• No interests on a long-term project. 
• Unwillingness for cross-training or developing professionally.
• Higher turnovers as people are searching for a newer job.
• Poor product qualities.

Those issues are being addressed through share the objectives of the organization with their employees. It is important for developing the strategic business plans for long-terms as well as soliciting the employees’ feedbacks. Demonstrating how those roles can be augmented along the team works & growths for getting the buy-in regarding the future of the organization. When the gossip is developing to the closures, merger or some altering elements, communicating quickly more than taking time hence employees can feel that they can be upfront regarding the future of the organization. (Varma & Chavan, 2005)

No personal Attentions

Regardless of the size of the organization, the employee should be regularly given the feedbacks for being motivated for doing those jobs appropriately. There are some factors that can make the employees to feel left out as following: (Kovach, 2002)

• Not regularly evaluating the performances.
• Not having a regular one-on-one meetings of management.
• Lack of individual goal-settings.
• Absence of feedback regularly.

 Those potential motivational issues can be solved through regularly schedule the private brief appointment with their employees for touching according to both works & professional developments issue. Holding the regular reviews of employees' performances (quarterly, annually or semi-annually) and on those discussions, setting the specific objectives and goals.

Employee's motivations can be directly related with the productivity & the success of operations. When an organization is concentrated on whether its employees can be motivated, inviting them for sharing those feelings in a subject through the focused groups, employees committee or surveys. The organization can create many feedbacks that can be used by them for getting advantages, and reassuring the employees’ inputs are valued. (Kovach, 2002)

References 

Baloglu, S. and Uysal, M. (2016), “Market segmentation of push and pull motivations: a canonical correlation approach”, International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. 8 No. 3

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2015). Intrinsic motivation and selfdetermination in human behavior. New York, NY: Plenum

Herzberg F., Mausner B., Snyderman B. B., (2002), the motivation to work. New York: John

Wiley & Sons

Hackman, J. R. and Oldham, G. R. (2006). Motivation through the design of work:Test of a theory. Organizational Behaviour and Human Performance, 16,

Kovach K. A., (2002), what motivates employees? Workers and supervisors give different answers. Business Horizons, 3

Varma, C., & Chavan, C.  R.(2005),  Envisioning  Organization  Culture  &  Human  Resource Management  with  Organization  Strategy–Creating  a  Competitive  Advantage  through People.

Process of Motivation

The behaviors of the individual be directed toward the goal by the inner drive can be known as the motivation as well as the processes which allow for motivate the people for doing some certain job can be known as the processes of motivations. The human behaviors are energizing, directing & sustaining through the process of motivation. (Balcetis & Dunning, 2006) In human resource management, motivation can be defined as the employees’ desires for performing their jobs with excellent ways or for exercising the full potential to perform their tasks assigned for their employees. Motivation can be important to the acquisition as well as retain the employees. These employees can be related to the objectives of the organization by the tools of motivation. Furthermore, employees’ performances and creativity can be also improved through the motivation process. The process should be followed by an organization to motivate their employees to perform their tasks in effective and efficient manners. (Ford, 2012)

Motivate the people can about get thee people for moving to the direction an organization wants them to be for achieving the results. Motivate itself can be regarding the independent direction setting and hence take the course of actions, that can make sure that it gets there. Motivations could be explained as the behavior directed toward the goal. People can be motivated if they are expecting that the course of actions are likely to lead for the goal attainment as well as the valued rewards-one that can satisfy those requirements. (Pritchard & Payne, 2015)

However, managers are still having the key part to be played to use those motivating skills for getting the people for giving those best, as well as for making the good uses of the motivational process given by a firm. (Ford, 2012) For doing that, this can be important for understanding the processes of motivations which can be how that can be worked and various motivation types that exist. So these processes of motivations can have the 6 stages which should be followed for motivating the person or employees by the organization to achieve their ultimate goals and objectives. Such stages can be explained as below: (Balcetis & Dunning, 2006)

The Motivation Process

Figure 1 - Process of Motivation

1.  Identification of Need

This can be the first stage of the motivation process where the employees feel the specific needs that can be unsatisfied and then employees identify those needs. Hence the unfulfilled needs can stimulate their employees for searching for specific goals through creates the tension on them. That tension can be acted as the driving force to accomplish the set goal which is able to satisfy those tensions creating needs.

2. Explore Ways for Fulfilling the Needs

On this stage of processes of motivation, various alternative methods can be explored which are able to satisfy the unsatisfied needs that are found at the 1^st stage. In reality, unsatisfied needs can stimulate the thought process of their employees that can direct them for adopting certain courses of action. (Ford, 2012)

3. Select the Goal

At this 3^rd stage of the processes of motivations, the goal can be selected in the basis to identify the need as well as the alternative courses of action. (Balcetis & Dunning, 2006)

4. Performance of Employees

In this stage of Motivation Processes, the identified needs can stimulate the employees to be performed in a specific way that is already been focused by them. Hence, the employee's cam perform a specific course of action to their satisfaction of unsatisfied needs.

5. Reward/Punishment as a Consequence of Performances:

When the consequence of the specific course of action followed by the employees can be in a form of reward, hence their employees will be motivated for performing the best levels of effort to the acquisitions of similar rewards in the following period. While if the anticipated result of their action of the employees lacks the reward, hence the employees will not be preferred for repeating their behaviors in the future. (Ford, 2012)

6. Reassessments of Deficiency of Needs

When the employees feel the satisfaction to their specific unsatisfied needs via the reward of the specific lines of actions, hence they will again reassess any more unsatisfied needs & resultantly the entire processes are again repeated. (Pritchard & Payne, 2015)

So, the motivation model related with needs can be suggested that the motivation can be initiated through consciously or unconsciously recognize the unsatisfied need. Those needs are creating the want, which can be a desire for achieving or obtaining something. The goal can be hence developed which 8s expected to satisfy those needs & want and the behaviors pathway can be chosen that is intended for achieving their goals. When the goals are achieved, their needs would be satisfied as well as the behaviors are likely being repeated, then the same need will be emerged in the future. When the goals are not being achieved, the actions are less likely being repeated. That repeating process of successful behaviors or actions can be known as the reinforcements or the laws of effects (Hull, 1951).

References

Ajila CO. (2009), Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory: applicability to the Nigerian industrial setting. IFE Psychol. 5:162

Atkinson JW. 1(2006), Motivational determinants of risk-taking behavior. Psychol. Rev. 64

Balcetis, E., & Dunning, D. (2006). See what you want to see: Motivational influences on visual perception. Journal of Personality and Social, 91

Ford ME. (2012), Motivating Humans: Goals, Emotions, and Personal Agency Beliefs. Newbury Park, CA: Sage

Locke EA, Henne D. (2010). Work motivation theories. In International Review of Industrial and Organizational Psychology, New York: Wiley

Naylor JC, Pritchard RD, (2012) A Theory of Behavior in Organizations. New York: Academic

Pritchard RD, Payne SC. (2015). Motivation and performance management practices. In The New Workplace: People, Technology and Organization:  New York: Wiley

Motivation Theories

These motivational theories are answering the questions that why a type of job motives and satisfies the employee as compared with another job. An organization’s managers should comprehend the motivational elements of their every employee as the motivated employee can be performed better than the non-motivated employee in an organization. There are many theories related to motivations which can be more helpful for understanding the motivations of the employee. Such as: (Salanova & Kirmanen, 2010)

1. Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy
   

Figure 1 - Maslow’s Needs Hierarchy

 Abraham Maslow has introduced this theory where the main needs of the human are categorized into 5 types with the hierarchal order. Based on Maslow, each person is trying to satisfy those organized needs with a certain order that means 1^st fulfill the lower level needs, hence it will consider the following upper-level needs. (Miller & Rose, 2009)

• Physiological needs (food, water and shelter)
• Security and Safety needs ( protect from theft and deprivation)
• Social needs (affections, belonging, love and friendships)
• Ego Needs (achievements, freedom, independence, recognition, self-esteem and status)
• Self-Actualization needs (realizing  the whole potential regarding one’s self)

This theory is providing the 3 major contributions such as: (Burton, 2012)

01-  The needs' influential categories has identified by Maslow which is very helpful to the manager of an organization for utilizing them as the positive reinforcement.

02-  2 normal need levels have found that can be higher-level need & lower level need as well as it should first satisfy the lower-level need.

03-  This theory is presenting the self-actualization of seven personal growth’s importance for the organization’s manager.

2. Theory of Existence Relatedness Growth (ERG Theory)

Alderfer has introduced the theory where the human's 3 major needs are mentioned. Such as 

• Existence need
• Relatedness need
• Growth need
  

Figure 2 - ERG Theory

Existence need has a resemblance with their physiological need as well as some elements in the security need of the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. Then relatedness can be satisfied by personal interaction with other persons such as self esteems from other person & prestige etc. Then the growth need can be the same as self-esteem and self-actualization need to be indicated in Maslow's theory. (Miller & Rose, 2009)

3. McGregor’s X & Y Theory
   

Figure 3 - McGregor’s X & Y Theory

McGregor has introduced this theory where Theory-X and Theory-Y has described.  Theory-X has explained that the organization’s employees can be lazy as well as they cannot be not interested on those jobs hence they must be stimulated for performing those duties. At the same time, Theory-Y has shown the opposite sides where the organization's employees can be creative, complex and mature which can be interested for performing those jobs. The McGregor has explained that their employees are showing that ingenuity and talents in those works when employees have placed in the right circumstance. (Salanova & Kirmanen, 2010) Moreover, the employees will be given some freedom for enhancing that talent & hence they are having the choice to select the method to accomplish those tasks which are ultimately accomplishing the organizational goals. The theory is explained that employees’ needs must be aligned with the organization’s needs by their manager hence the employees will be able to do better performances through regulating those own actions. (Burton, 2012)

4. Expectancy Theory

This theory explains that the employees are motivated for exercising a certain level of effort in 3 basic things such as: (Burton, 2012)

• Expectancy
• Instrumentality
• Valance

 Motivation=E x I x V.

Figure 4 - Expectancy Theory

“E” can be the employees’ expectancy where the performances are resulted from their effort. “I” can be the relationships that can be perceived between received rewards and standard performances. “V” can be the award's value that can be perceived by their employees.

5. Reinforcement Theory

The Thorndike has created this theory where behaviours that leading toward the positive result can be again repeated in the future. That behaviour law is promoting the investigations on the positive consequences’ results that are motivating the behaviours & can be known as reinforcing. In the organization, the employees’ actions can be attempted for motivating. The 4 basic consequences can be related to employees’ behaviour for encouraging or discouraging such as: (Miller & Rose, 2009)

Figure 5 - Reinforcement Theory

• Positive Reinforcements: Recommendation letter, compliment, pay increase, positive performance evaluation
• Negative Reinforcements: Threatening memo
• Punishments: assign the unpleasant tasks, shout out employees, and send back without payment
• Extinctions: No compliments, no thanks for effective performances, the impossible accomplishment of the goal.

6. Herzberg’s Two Factors Approach

Maslow's theory is organized as 2 categories in this theory such as lower and higher-level needs. However, the employees are motivated if given the opportunities for fulfilling those higher-level needs (ego & self-actualization). Herzberg said that lower-level need can be quite varied motivation than higher-level need & creating the negative effects when this lower-level need is being used as the employees’ motivational tools due to this need can be quickly satisfied. (Salanova & Kirmanen, 2010)

Figure 6 - Herzberg’s Two Factors Approach

7. McClelland Theory:
   

Figure 7 - McClelland Theory:

McClelland stated that the need for powers; affiliations and achievements can be more significant. Thematic Appreciation Tests are used for stating the need for powers, affiliations and achievements in individuals. The individual who has more achievement needs can be motivated more for performing a challengeable task and goals & preferring less for accomplishing the task that has less chance to success. The individual who has more power need like to take the persuasion related job. While Individuals who posse the higher affiliation need can be motivated through develop a strong and warm relationship. (Miller & Rose, 2009)

References

Ahmad, S., Mukaddes, A. M., Rashed, C. A., & Samad, M. A. (2010). Implementation of motivation - Theory in apparel industry. International Journal of Logistics and Supply Chain Management

Burton, K., (2012), Management and Motivation theories. In:  Manage and motivation, Jones and Barlette Publisher

Miller, W. R., & Rose, G. S. (2009). Toward a theory of motivational interviewing. American Psychologist, 64, 52

Salanova, A., & Kirmanen, S. (2010). Employee Satisfaction and Work Motivation – Research in Prisma Mikkeli. Mikkeli University.

Wan, H. L. (2009). Employee Loyalty at the Workplace: The Impact of Japanese Style of Human Resource Management”,. International Journal of Applied HRM

Yudhvir, M. & Sunita, M., (2012), Employee’s Motivation: Theories an Perspectives. Vol.1 (Issue 2,).

Types of Motivation

Motivation is being known as a reason behind the action or behavior of a person.  Employees’ motivation is an element that is arousing the energy & desires in employees for constantly being interested or committed for the job, in attempting for attainment of desired results. Generally, motivation can be categorized as 2 types such as; (Deci & Ryan, 2005)

·         Intrinsic motivations

·         Extrinsic motivations

Figure 1 - Types of Motivation

Intrinsic Motivations

 Intrinsic motivations can be the motivation type that is coming from an individual. That motivation can be driven through the internal reward as well as through the pleasure and satisfaction sense one getting after complete the jobs. Intrinsic motivation can be referred for the purpose why are performing the specific activities to the inherent satisfactions or pleasures; it may say doing one of those activity to reinforce in-&-of itself – Brown, 2007

Intrinsic motivation can be occurred when the person acts without any external obvious reward. Person is simply enjoying the activities or seeing it as the opportunity for exploring, learning, and actualizing their potential – (Coon & Mitterer, 2010)

Figure 2 - Intrinsic Motivations

1. Achievements

Some individuals are setting these personal goals and can be motivated for working hard for achieving it.  (Bandura, 2011) More than the desires for achieving the goal, people can be motivated through the desires for learning, for improving the skills as well as for being competitive. They can identify it satisfy for proving those abilities for themselves as well as to others person.

2. Growths

The desires for increasing the knowledge to be grown and developer can be the true & strong motivation form and could be regarded a very powerful thing also as this can be a cause to the real progresses. (Maehr, 2014)

3. Acceptances

Each person is wanted them and those opinion & view for being accepted or valued through those co-workers and seniors. The excellent employee's opinion can be always considered as a best than the other employee who is having the poor performances comparatively. So, people are becoming as committed in those works.

4. Independence

Employee can identify it demotivation when they can be micromanaged in every time. So, there can be always the desire to the employee for working hard as. Well as becoming independent hence these work & opinion can be respected. (Maehr, 2014)

5. Powers

This can be the human nature for having the desires to be superior to other. Among the employees, each employee like to be a person who giving the orders, instead of following them. That desires can be regarded for being the strong motivations driving element.

6. Social factors (contact & status)

There can be many social elements that are driving the motivations.  Such elements can be:

·         Social status

·         Social contacts

·         Social services

The successful employee can be identified by each person; in their organization as well as in their society also. The status of them will be raised, with which expanding those influencing powers & reaching each person. Other reason that thee individual is motivated can be that they can be genuinely interested for doing good to other persons like establish the free educational institutes, health care center, etc. (Deci & Ryan, 2005)

7. Changes

No person will like for staying the same as this can be the nature of human for seeking the changes & developments. People are changing those attitudes, behaviors & performances to bring the change in result.

8. Fears 

Good elements are not always motivating the people for being committed on those duties. Where the elements such as reward & promotions fail for motivating their employee, fear do to work. The fears to be demoted, suspended or fired can keep their employees on tracks.

Extrinsic Motivations

Extrinsic motivation can be the motivation type which can be driven through the external factors. Those external factors might be monetary & non-monetary. The extrinsic motivations when the people are interested or encouraged for doing something for obtaining the rewards, more than the self-satisfactions. Extrinsic motivation can be referred as the tendency for performing the activities to the known external reward, whether it can be psychological (e.g., praise) or tangible (e.g., money) in nature – (Brown, 2007)

Figure 3 - Extrinsic Motivations

1. Awards

All people like to have those pictures/name framed as well as hang on their organization, with the bold letter say as “Employee of this Month”. The hunters to the fames, praises & recognition can make a person to be motivated for doing their duties faithfully.

 2. Benefit package

Many organizations are having the systems for providing many fringe benefits like return gifts to those contributions. Those benefits might be included the health insurances, transportation facilities & others. It is boosting the employees for working hard. (Bandura, 2011)

3. Bonus

Many organizations are having the policies for adding the commissions on the employees’ salary based on those performances. Employee can put whole the effort of them for making as good output as possible to the desires to get additional payments.

4. Other factors

There can be other factors like poor economic conditions that are genuinely motivating the person for working harder. (Maehr, 2014)

References

Bandura, A. (2011). Social cognitive theory of self-regulation. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, 24 

Climente, C. C. (2009). Motivation for change: Implications for substance abuse treatment. Psychological Science, 10, 20

Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2005). Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior. New York: Plenum.

Dunn, E. C., Neighbours, C., & Larimer, M. E. (2006). Motivational enhancement therapy and self-help for binge eaters. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 20

Graham, S., & Golan, S. (2011). Motivational influences on cognition: Task involvement, ego involvement, and depth of information processing. Journal of Educational Psychology, 83, 1

Maehr, M. L. (2014). Culture and achievement motivation. American Psychologist, 29,