Motivation In Organizations: Importance, Theories, And Essay Practices.

Motivating individuals and teams to meet organisational objectives is arguably one of the most important tasks for a manager. With reference to examples from your own organisation or an organisation with which you are familiar, consider why this is so.

The skilful leadership creates the significant impact on the organisational performance. The effective management is determined through the achievement of the organisational objectives. Northouse (2015) indicated that the efficient leaders can motivate the people and influence them to bring out the effective performance attributes. It has been seen that the leaders usually follow the proper leadership style to bring excellence in the team work. However, the effective leadership style is even needed to be connected with the proper motivational process to achieve the pre-determined goals. The leaders need to think more deeply about the proper motivation process that will be beneficial enough to achieve the organisational excellence (Lăzăroiu 2015).

The study will be exploring the motivational attributes undertaken by the leaders of Morrisons in UK. The theoretical framework will be representing the relevant process of motivating the employees. Depending on such theoretical framework, the study will further provide the preferable recommendations to the managers of Morrisons.

Morrisons is the one of the most remarkable supermarkets in United Kingdom. Headquarter of the company is situated at Bradford, West Yorkshire. The mission of the company is to provide the customers more that their expectation level (Morrisons-corporate.com 2016). The company is therefore focusing on the high quality food at reasonable prices. In fact, the company is paying attention towards the development of their employees’ performance skills. Morrisons has set the aim to achieve the pre-determined goals of the organisation by providing the employees enough motivations. The company has considered two major components for achieving the success. The first is to acquire the unique approaches for motivating the employees. Another component is to provide the preferable and high quality goods to the customers. In such cases, the role and responsibility of the managers is necessary. There are almost 500 stores in UK that have been serving the customers by providing them the expected quality products (Morrisons.jobs 2016). The leaders or the managers have been improvising their leadership skills to motivate the employees and bring the performance excellence. The study will be presenting the existing literature related to the motivational theories that are needed to be applied in order to improve the performance parameter.

Importance of Motivation

It is noted that the maintenance of the proper motivational procedure is necessary for the managers. Over the past centuries, many of the motivational theories have been created in order to understand the human behaviour. Paillé et al. (2014) implied that motivation is a requirement that influence the human beings to take the proper action. Employee motivation is one of the major and necessary processes that play the significant role in the organisational behaviour. The efficient leadership tactics can motivate the employees in a significant way and bring out the best performance attributes. If an employee is receiving the proper motivation from the organisation, it will be helpful for that particular employee to improve their performance skills (Lăzăroiu 2015). Eventually, the efficient performance skills will lead towards achieving the organisational and personal objectives. The existing theoretical framework will be signifying the proper motivational process that the managers can apply within the internal organisation setting.

It is noted that the skilled performance attributes are required in order to achieve the organisational objectives. The major responsibility of the leaders includes the management of the employees as well as the entire organisations. The establishment of the proper communication skills and the interpersonal relationship of the leaders can increase the reliability among the other associates. When the employees will receive enough motivation from the organisations and avail the opportunities to develop their professional skills, it will energise them to provide more efforts. Therefore, motivation works as the driving force for the effective performance outcomes. Accordingly, the efficient motivational process can be beneficial for the overall organisational scenario.

The managers in the different organisations undertake diversified techniques to motivate the employees. In Morrisons, the management is trying to provide the high quality customer services to the target consumers. In order to achieve such objectives, it is seen that the company is concentrating on upgrading the performance level of the employees. Therefore, the company started the incentive policies. The employees will be awarded with the incentive amount for selling extra commodities to the customers (Morrisons-corporate.com 2016). In such times, the rewarded employees can receive enough motivations from the management. The process is even fruitful enough to ensure their efforts on organisational functionalities. While these employees are benefitted with the incentive amount, other associates are also being influenced for making their performance better. However, in some of the cases, it has been noticed that few people are unable to achieve their targets set for the month. Hence, the management needs to pay attention towards their performance and identify the reason behind such lagging. Accordingly, if the management can provide them the proper training and development session in order to upgrade their skills, it will also considered as the process of motivation.

How do managers motivate the employees?

Before analysing the theoretical background of the motivation process, it is necessary to concentrate on several factors that are essentially required to motivate the employees (Ghosh 2013). Such of these motivational factors are:

• Identification of the ability
• Growth and learning
• The sense of achievement
• Employee empowerment and responsibility
• Work stimulations
• Promotion
• Rewards

The factors are somewhat quite complicated and blended with different complex thoughts. Considering such factors, Fredrick Herzberg introduced Two Factor Theory that ensures a unique approach for motivating an individual or a group. The theory is described further:

Herzberg’s Motivational Theory: Frederic Herzberg was one of the pioneers of ‘job enrichment’ and the clinical psychologists who introduced the Two Factor theory of Motivation. According to him, several job factors are responsible for creating job satisfaction among the employees. He even mentioned that there are no such job factors that can even prevent the dissatisfaction. The Mr. Herzberg introduced two different factors for ensuring the motivational aspects. These two factors are Motivators and Hygiene Factors.  

Hygiene Factors: the hygiene factors include the essential components for the motivational process. This particular factor is not considerably leading towards the long term positive satisfaction. However, the absence of these factors may affect the employee motivation that may lead towards dissatisfaction. In different words, it can be interpreted that the presence of hygiene factors is reasonable for the employee satisfaction (Dwivedula, Bredillet and Müller 2015). There are some of the psychological needs that are associated with the hygiene factors. These are as follows:

Policies and Administration of the Company: The employees do not prefer the rigid policies of an organisation. The maintenance of the fair and clear approaches in the organisational policies will be beneficial for keeping the existing employees motivated. For example, the flexible working hours, vacations, breaks, and dress codes are needed to be ensured by the organisation (Abahe.co.uk 2016).

Pay: The salary structure of the employees should be reasonable and appropriate. The organisation needs to maintain the equality and competitiveness to those in the same domain and same industry.

Physical working condition: The employees prefer the hygienic, safe, and clean work environment to work. The equipments used within the organisation should be well-maintained and upgraded.

Fringe Benefits: If the organisation can offer the employees proper health care plans, health programmes, and benefits for their families, it will be much motivating to the existing employees.

Interpersonal Relationship: The managers have to maintain the efficient relationship with the employees. If the employees are treated well by their supervisors, managers, and other subordinates, it inspires them to work peacefully.

Theories of Motivation

Status: The status of the employees should be retained ad familiar. It will be effective enough for making them more loyal towards the organisation (Dwivedula, Bredillet and Müller 2015).

Job Security: The job security is the major concern for the employees. Therefore, the organisations have to keep the major focus on such securities that are needed to be provided to the employees.

These hygiene factors are leading the employees towards job satisfaction to some extent. On the other hand, the absence of any of these factors may lead towards the job dissatisfaction. However, apart from such hygienic factors, the motivational factors are also necessarily needed to be implemented.

Motivational Factors: Herzberg also explained that some of the hygienic factors are not signified as the motivators. Hence, the motivational factors yield the positive satisfaction of the existing employees (Ghazi, Shahzada and Khan 2013). The presence of such motivators influences the employees to initiate the better performance outcomes. These factors are initially rewarding the employees and making them feel appreciated. These factors are discussed further:

Rewards and recognition: If the employees’ performance is beneficial for the organisation, it is required to recognise their accomplishments. The managers have to take such responsibility in this regard.

Growth and Promotional Opportunities: if the employees perform well, the organisation needs to provide the sufficient opportunities to develop their professional careers (Ghosh 2013). The employees can even make the significant growth in their personal and professional behaviour as well.

Sense of Achievement: Each of the employees needs to receive the sense of achievement. The managers need to allocate the job as per the skills. The performance of the skilled employees in their expertise areas will thus be fruitful for the organisation as well. Besides, the employees will get the sense of achievement that leads towards satisfaction.

Work Meaningfulness: The employees prefer the challenging, meaningful, and interesting works. The managers have to select the preferable work settings to keep the employees motivated.

Responsibility: The major concern for the employees is to recognise their responsibilities towards the organisation. The leaders or the managers need to keep the employees informed about the set of responsibilities that are required to be maintained.

The recognition of the motivators is leading the employees towards the job satisfactions that keep them motivated for bringing the efficient performance outcome. However, the theory is not focusing on the situational variables that may change the entire scenario (Malik and Naeem 2013). There is the clear assumption based on the linking between motivations and productivity (Yusoff, Kian and Idris 2013). However, later, it was proved that the motivation is not linked with the productivity enhancement. Depending on such factors, the further recommendations are provided.

The above theoretical discussion is reflecting the necessity of motivating the employees. On the other hand, it was highlighted that the company, Morrisons, has set the aim to motivate the existing employees for the betterment of organisational process. Therefore, the managers or the leaders have to take the set of responsibilities to motivate the employees and ensure the performance excellence. Observing the above factors, it can be interpreted that the first and foremost step of motivation is to understand the requirement of the employees. The skilful leaders therefore need to acquire the proper communicational transparency to understand the basic needs of the employees. If the communicational transparency is present, the employees even feel the security to retain their job. During the situational conflict, the employees should not hesitate to speak about their problems. If they can raise their concerns to the team leaders or the supervisors, it would be effective enough to prevent the employee turnover ratio. The proper motivation provided to the employees will thus lead the organisation towards accomplishing the goals and achieving the performance excellence.

Conclusion

The study is focusing on the motivational factors that are needed to be implemented by the managers of the organisation. It is noted that the Morrisons is the supermarket chain that provides the quality goods to the customers. Accordingly, in ensuring the enhancements of the performance skills, the leaders of the company are paying attention towards proper motivational process. It is to be indicated that the proper motivation process can make the employees much satisfied. If the employees are satisfied with the organisational environment and the facilities, it will inspire them to bring the better performance outcomes. The literature study indicates the theoretical background based on the employee motivation. Frederick Herzberg introduced the Two Factor Theory, which suggests the hygienic and motivational factors that the organisations need to maintain. It is important to note that if the leaders or the managers can communicate with the employees more significantly, it will be helpful enough in resolving the situational conflicts. However, if the managers of Morrisons can pay attention towards such basic needs to keep the employees motivated, the determined organisational objectives can be accomplished.

References

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Yusoff, W.F.W., Kian, T.S. and Idris, M.T.M., 2013. Herzberg’s Two Factors Theory On Work Motivation: Does Its Work For Todays Environment. Global journal of commerce and Management, 2(5), pp.18-22.