Application of employee motivation theory to the workplace

Job satisfaction - is there a trend? This is the title of a study carried out by the US Department of Labor among 1500 workers, who were asked to rate the ob factors, from a list of !", which they considered important starting from the most important factor# Their findings $San%otta $1&''(( are contained in the table below# Job Satisfaction Findings White-collar workers Blue-collar workers )# *nteresting work )# +ood pay ,# -pportunities for de.elopment ,# /nough help and resources 0# /nough information 0# 1ob security D# /nough authority D# /nough information /# /nough help and resources /# *nteresting work 2# 2riendly, helpful coworkers 2# 2riendly, helpful co3workers +# See results of own efforts +#0learly defined responsibilities 4# 0ompetent super.ision 4#See results of own work *# 0learly defined responsibilities *# /nough )uthority 1# +ood pay 1# 0ompetent super.ision *t is interesting that out of the !" ob factors listed for the sur.ey, yet with the e5ception of two items $white3collar workers6 choice $,( and blue3collar workers6 choice $0(( groups selected the same top ten factors, although with different rankings# *t is significant that good pay was considered as the most important factor by the blue3collar workers, but it ranked as the least important for white3collar workers#
ndividuali!e motivation policies

*t is well known that indi.idual beha.ior is intensely personal and uni7ue, yet companies seek to use the same policies to moti.ate e.eryone# This is mainly for con.enience and ease compared to catering for indi.idual oddities $Lindstone $1&'8((# 6Tailoring6 the policy to the needs of each indi.idual is difficult but is far more effecti.e and can pay handsome di.idends# 2airness, decisi.eness, gi.ing praise and constructi.e criticism can be more effecti.e than money in the matter of moti.ation# Leadership is considered synonymous $Tack $1&'&(( with moti.ation, and the best form of leadership is designated as S)L, situation adaptable leadership# *n this style of leadership, one is ne.er surprised or shocked, leadership must begin with the chief e5ecuti.e and it is more a matter of adaptation than of imparting knowledge# Ultimately,

it is the leadership 7uality which leads to the success of a company through team building and moti.ating its people#
"#he one-minute manager"

) contemporary bestseller $,lanchard 9 1ohnson $1&8"(( aimed at managers who seek to make star performers of their subordinates# To start with, the manager sets a goal, e#g# one page read in one minute, and it is seen to be achie.ed by 6one minute6 of praising or reprimand as the case may be# ,ut to be effecti.e, these must be gi.en $a( promptly, $b( in specific terms, and the beha.ior, rather than the person, should be praised or reprimanded# The concept is basic and it makes sense, although the book seeks to 6dramati%e6 it# 6-ne minute6 praising is seen to be the moti.ating force# /.eryone is considered a winner, though some people are disguised as losers, and the manager is e5tolled not to be fooled by such appearances#
"$essons from America"s Best-run %ompanies"

)nother bestseller, *n Search of /5cellence $:eters 9 ;aterman $1&8!((# Se.eral criteria, including analysis of annual reports and in3depth inter.iews, were used to pick 1< 6model e5cellent companies6 out of an initial sample of =! companies# )s e5pected, most of the action in high3performing companies re.ol.ed around its people, their success being ascribed to>

producti.ity through people? e5traordinary performance from ordinary employees? treating people decently#

:ersonnel function and in particular leadership were considered the most critical components# *f the leaders in an organi%ation can create and sustain an en.ironment in which all employees are moti.ated, the o.erall performance is bound to be good# The three essentials for creating such an en.ironment are>

fairness? ob security? and in.ol.ement#

-f all the resources a.ailable, the human resource is clearly the most significant, but also the most difficult to manage# /5cellence can only be achie.ed through e5cellent performance of e.ery person, rather than by the high3pitched performance of a few indi.iduals# )nd moti.ation is, undoubtedly, the cru5# %onclusion

There is no simple answer to the 7uestion of how to moti.ate people# 0an money moti.ate@ Aes, but money alone is not enough, though it does help# ;e ha.e discussed some of the pertinent theories bearing on human moti.ation and this is balanced by some of the practical factors which can lead to e5cellence# 4uman resource remains the focal point and leadership the critical component, and moti.ation has to be 6tailored6 to each indi.idual# The ne5t section deals with an important mode of moti.ation, namely financial aspects of rewarding employees# Be5t C /mployee rewards