Motivating individuals in teams from a human resource perspective
Introduction
"All organizations are concerned with what should be done to achieve sustained high levels of performance through people." (Armstrong, 2001, p.155)
Motivating employees to engage effectively in teamwork is a perplexing and tricky issue. As Milkovich et al (2002) show, some prestigious companies, such as Microsoft, persistently hire top-quality workers for below market salaries and sometimes for little benefit. Yet, workers flock to the company sometimes from places where they are paid far more and although many of them crave autonomy, they are content to work as part of the team and actually productively contribute to team effort and success. The question then becomes: what attracts top quality workers to a certain place if monetary compensation is not always the solution, and, as equally important, what prompts them to remain engaged in their team work even though this may be boring, trite, and time-consuming.
Motivation theory is a huge part of Human Resource Management (HRM). A growing sub-section is motivating workers to work in tams. This is particularly important since a majority of companies (particularly those that employ at least 100 employees) engage teams. In 1992, this made for 82% of companies (Gordon, 1992). We can assume that the percent has increased today. Successful teamwork makes for successful business. The aim of this essay, therefore, is to conduct a cursory literature
In every organization, teamwork should be a term very emphasized among all the members. However, a company should have the tools and willing to motivate its employees towards a teamwork formation within the organization. Therefore, the company should acknowledge the correct incentives that are applicable to build a motivational environment where the people feel free to express ideas, and feel empowered to lead others to a common goal; a place where they feel valued and important for the development of the company, and also, well compensated.
Human Resource Practice says “it maybe a cliché that people are an organisations greatest assest, but no orgaisation exists without people and nothing is achieved expect through their efforts” (Page 9)
So often we find that unsuccessful firms have staff that does not perform well according to their bad working conditions. The motivation factors include a sense of achievement, recognition, advancement, enjoyment of the work itself, the possibility of personal growth, and a sense of responsibility. Increasing job satisfaction and motivation and improving mental health, therefore, lead to increase productivity. Herzberg has called for attention to the need for increased understanding of the role of motivation in work organizations. He advanced a theory that was simple to understand and offered managers specific recommendations for actions to improve employee motivational levels. He also argued that money is not the most potent force on the job. According to this theory the most effective way to stimulate motivation is to improve the work itself. Herzberg argues that the most appropriate technique for building in motivation factors to enrich jobs. Job enrichment means expanding the critical functions and challenges of individual jobs (2/205). There are so many different ways to motivate employees. Employers can motivate their workers as individuals, groups, teams, or the organization as a whole. Motivation takes forms like offering rewards and employee recognition. Team-based reward systems have been raised as an issue in work management areas. Many employees prefer team-based reward systems to an individual approach. In a business journal in San Diego published an
Over the last several years, the issue of employee motivation inside the workplace has been increasingly brought to the forefront. The reason why is because, globalization has been having an effect on the ability of firms to compete (which is placing more pressure on them). To deal with these challenges, most organizations are relying on their employees. The results are that those employers who are able to use this resource will be able to make adjustments quickly. This is when the firm will be able to maintain their dominance in the marketplace.
There are very many factors that motivate employees to do outstanding work in their jobs. Though most of them are non-monetary factors like participative decision making, work teams, challenging jobs, goals in life or in the company, power and other factors. Most of the employees that emerge in their workplace, either in a small cubicle or a mega office have got some drive that enable them to perform in their work, but the key question is, is money is the key motivation in their workplace? In this essay both sides will be argued in order to find the answer to this (Robbins, Odendaal & Roodt, 2003).
Motivation in the workplace is one of the major concerns that managers face when trying to encourage their employees to work harder and do what is expected of them on a day-to-day basis. According to Organizational Behavior by John R. Schermerhorn, James G. Hunt and Richard N. Osborn the definition of motivation is "the individual forces that account for the direction, level, and persistence of a person's effort expended at work." They go on to say that "motivation is a key concern in firms across the globe." Through the years there have been several theories as to what motivates employees to do their best at work. In order to better understand these theories we will apply them to a fictitious organization that has the following
Motivation can be defined as a process that starts with a physiological deficiency that activates a push that is aimed at a goal incentive The aim of this essay is to show that how motivation can be an important factor for better performance of employees in a sector (Steininger, 1994).
In today’s turbulent, often chaotic environment, commercial success depends on employees using their full talents. Yet in spite of the available theories and practices, managers often view motivation as something of a mystery. How are employees motivated? What are other companies doing to motivate employees and is it possible to motivate employees without money? These are questions that need to be answered.
Team-based incentive programs are designed to motivate employees in addition to holding each other accountable for job responsibilities and activities, while working toward a common goal within an organization (McQuerrey, n.d.). When utilized, team-based incentive programs have the ability to improve the productivity and performance at all levels within an organization. Teams can be categorized into many groups and at any level, such as management teams, quality circle teams, problem-solving teams, and department teams (Bethel University, 2013). Therefore, teams can be studied and suggestions can be made on meeting criteria in order to qualify for customized pay plans.
Mind Tools Editorial Team. (2015). MindTools: Team management, McClelland's human motivation theory. Retrieved October 30, 2015 from https://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/human-motivation-theory.htm
For a long time, managers have been known to focus on the use of financial rewards aspect of extrinsic motivation to motivate their employees, but this method seems to be failing, as “only 13% of employees worldwide are engaged at work”, as per Gallup's study on 142 countries, (Crabtree, 2013).
For this final paper of the course we will discuss the importance of teams within organization, and the importance of motivation within the workplace. These two facets of today’s workplace are incredibly important to an organizations success. In my opinion motivation is the most important area to cultivate in an organization, after all without an organization is only as good as its workforce. If they lack motivation the organization will never see its full potential, since the employees would not be giving 100%. The use of teams within organizations is just as important. In fact, 90% of corporate leaders believe teams are the solution to the complex problems presented to organizations (Meyer. N.D.). This paper will discuss both of these concepts in greater detail, beginning with teams within organizations.
2.2: Explain how organizational theory underpins the practice of management for the Irish TESCOS scenario. 2.3: Evaluate four different approaches to management used by different organizations. Task 3: Understand ways of using motivational theories in organisations 3.1 Discuss how different leadership styles may impact employee motivation in organizations in periods of change. In tackling this task, discuss to what extent specific leadership styles may positively or negatively could affect performance in specific change scenarios (e.g. adoption of new staff rota, etc.). Please provide how this could help with a change at TESCOS in Ireland. 3.2 Identify and discuss the application of three different motivational theories within the workplace. 3.3 Evaluate the usefulness of a motivation theory for managers at the TESCOS in Ireland. Task 4: Understand mechanisms for developing effective teamwork in organisations 4.1 Explain the nature of groups and group behaviour within organizations. 4.2 Discuss factors that may promote or inhibit, limit, or undermine the development of effective teamwork in organizations (physical, social, etc.) 4.3 Evaluate the impact of technology on team functioning within such an organization as TESCOS in Ireland.
Employee motivation is a hugely important factor regarding the efficiency and productivity of any organization. Though there are many management theories regarding how employees are best motivated, the majority of these specific theories fall under two broad categories. On the one hand, there is the scientific management theory, or classical approach, in which employees are treated as mechanical components of an organization and motivated purely by economic incentive (Almusaileem, 2012). On the other is the human relations approach, which theorizes that employees are best motivated through group dynamics, human relations and the meeting of social needs (Almusaileem, 2012). However, management theory is significantly more complicated. Each individual responds to motivation differently, and often, the grouping of all employees under one motivating factor or another is ineffective. Personally, I find the human relations approach to be significantly better motivator through the focus on psychological and social needs of the individual (Almusaileem, 2012). Additionally, I find that the human relations approach leaves room for creativity and entrepreneurship, which classical management theory lacks. Most importantly, the human relations approach provides significantly more reward than classical production incentives. Taylor’s theory of scientific management may have made sense in the early part of the twentieth century, in which most employees worked in the industrial
Motivating individuals and groups at work often times can be a challenging task. Individuals must have the desire to want to be motivated. This challenge is difficult as individuals have different types of goals that motivate them. Motivation is typically driven by some sort of recognition. In today’s economic hardship businesses are having to do more with less. Businesses are downsizing, which causes them not to re-hire for open positions or eliminate unnecessary positions completely.