Workplace Motivation Essay Example for Free

Workplace Motivation Essay In this paper, I will examine many motivational strategies that affect productivity in a workplace. Another will include an explanation of organizational efforts to improve performance, employees’ resistance to increasing productivity and satisfaction, and management’s philosophy of motivation and its practices in the workplace. Motivation is one of the single driving factors in one’s work performance. Organizations take this very seriously and to waste time, and energy and the expense into training someone who is not motivated. Needs Theories, Goal-Setting Theory, Equity Theory and Expectancy Theory are the four specific theories that are used in motivational practice. In addition, I will identify and analyze the implications of applying any two motivational theories not currently used in my selected workplace and how they will influence both management and employees. Organizations are always looking for ways to increase productivity, especially in the growing competitive environment. It is a known fact that when employees are unsatisfied with their current job, productivity decreases, tension builds up in the work environment, and morale is low. Most organizations have motivational programs that provide useful tools to increase motivation, and reduce employee turnover. There are many strategies that are used to influence employee loyalty and these are intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation. Intrinsic motivation is one’s personal development, self-control over their work without reward. Whereas, extrinsic motivation is having external incentives, pay bonuses, time off, these are some common strategies used to motivate and individual to complete or do a task. I work for a organization mostly based on customer service and to provide nursing care for long-term residents and rehabilitation following a hospital stay; and assisted living communities. As an employee, I am a member of the nursing staff department. Some of the motivational strategies used at Trisun are competitive salaries, health benefits, sign on bonuses, and employee perks. Recently, their census has been very low, so now employees have to take longer lunches or downsized. Thus, they want employees to work shorthanded but at the same time still have the same responsibilities. This tactic only makes employees frustrated and unmotivated to be productive. Only when you reward employees, they become happier, stay longer, and become more productive at the workplace. Many organizations fail to recognize that money is not the biggest factor in motivating employees. An engaged employee comes in early, reaches out to other employees, smiles, and has great customer service. On the other had you have an disengaged employee and they come in late or absent, and doesn’t want to be bothered with and most always leaves right at five. Successful business should have only one kind of employee, engaged. The process is to reward, recognize, and keep those behaviors among employees. If you don’t recognize those behaviors, you won’t get them back. People think that more money is better than a closer parking space. That is not always true. Depending on what you do, even the smallest perk can be bigger than a bonus and would be more valued. There are whole ranges of factors that motivate people. Many organizations have surveys to find out what really motivates employees and learning their values. Are they motivated in intrinsic or extrinsic theories, do they like more money, status, rewards, or do they value what people think of their work instead. Management can sometimes be pulled in different directions, so it is good that other employees see you working hard and are recognized by your supervisors. The two motivational theories that are not used in practice in this workplace were the Goal-setting Theory and the Cognitive Evaluation Theory. Cognitive evaluation theory is the event in which affects individuals’ feelings and self-determination will affect their intrinsic motivation. By using this theory, it will help employees feel self-determined, competent, and intrinsically motivated. Secondly, Goal-setting Theory was not used in the workplace. This theory explains that individuals are able to reach a defined objective. Sometimes this is a reward in itself and primarily a goal’s ffectiveness is implemented by three factors; specificity, proximity, and difficulty. Another theory self-efficacy will enhance an individual’s to achieve the goal. By using the self-efficacy, it will give positive feedback and have impact on applying the goal-setting theory in management and increase productivity. The most noted theory would be Abraham Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. The Needs model is where each need is set on a basis of the strength of need. The human needs are physiological, Safety, Social, Esteem, and Actualization. Physiological need is the highest strength and is essential for survival. These form every human motivation and fulfilled more than any other human need. Motivation Strategies The highest levels of motivation for employees are individuals who empower workers, have an effective rewards system, redesign jobs, and create a more flexible work environment. Empowerment is to design the worker to become more responsible and encourage accomplishing a given task. Providing an effective rewards system is to reinforce employee behavior and the reward is when outcome is positive for the individual. There are two ways to receive rewards: Extrinsic rewards are common in the workplace, which are pay bonuses, promotions, time off, and verbal praises. Intrinsic rewards gives people a â€Å"natural high† when completing a job. It gives them a certain personal development and self-control over their work. Managers need to realize that all people are different; managers must provide a range of rewards, time off, recognition, and promotion. Redesigning jobs is a concept that will help employees not get bored with their everyday routine. One attempt would be job enlargement, which increases the job tasks decreases boredom. Job rotation is a practice which people can do different tasks and at the same time be exposed to new interest in the workplace. Job enrichment also includes tasks with more responsibility and authority. In today’s busy world employees value their personal time. Therefore, having a flexible schedule always helps employee’s needs. A full-time job is 40-hour workweek, so most employees get three days off which benefits the individuals lifestyle and give more leisure time and lowers commuting cost. Lastly, job sharing and twinning is when one full-time job is split between two or more people. Job sharing involves working only half a day, thus organizations benefit by employing people who wouldn’t otherwise be a unable to work full-time. In this paper, I explained different motivational strategies that affect productivity in the workplace, and analyzed two theories that are not in affect at my job. I explained organizational efforts to improve performance. By applying these theories and strategies will influence both management and employees to be motivated and be more productive at the workplace.