Summary
Numerous factors motivate an employee to be productive. Proper remuneration and benefits are highlighted as among the primary motivating element that can stipulate performance. Nevertheless, in some organizations, as depicted in the case study, employees can depict signs of “no motivation” regardless of the good remuneration. For instance, the monotony of work can lead to poor work motivation, which can hinder an employee’s performance. Additionally, a lack of a tolerant and conducive work environment can negatively impact the motivation of an employee to be productive. Thus, leading to increasing levels of employee retention, among other issues such as lateness.
Theories
Multiple theories have been developed to aid in providing explanations on factors that increase or decrease employee motivation. The paper discusses multiple of these motivation theories that include the Herzberg Two Factor Theory and McClelland’s acquired needs theory (Reich & Hershcovis, 2011; Rybnicek, Bergner & Gutschelhofer, 2019).
Fredrick Herzberg proposed the Herzberg Two Factor Theory in 1959. The latter posits that there are job factors that can increase or reduce an employee’s satisfaction and motivation level. Fredrick Herzberg categorized these two factors into motivational factors, which stimulate the motivational level of an employee and hygiene factor that reduces the satisfaction level of an employee. Regarding dissatisfaction, Fredrick Herzberg cited that poor working conditions, poor interpersonal relations, poor pay and supervision as mong the key factor that reduce employee motivation. Thus, based on Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory, the two engineers may seem unmotivated because of either lack of sufficient working conditions or poor interpersonal relationships with the CEO and the president. The above observation is consistent with the comments of Reich & Hershcovis (2011) that “positive interactions can foster positive interpersonal relationships, and it is from the development and maintenance of these relationships that many workers find fulfillment.”
McClelland’s acquired needs theory exclaim that an employee is motivated by three core factors: the need for power, achievement, and affiliation. The theory is based on the fact that employees learn or acquire motivators in the course of their employment (Rybnicek, Bergner & Gutschelhofer, 2019). The theory employs how an individual need is critical in determining how an employee is motivated. David McClelland affirms that the three motivating drivers determine how an employee is motivated or unmotivated in their course of employment. If an employee has no more long-term achievement within an organization, she or she may begin to be unmotivated. This may explain why the two engineers have been unmotivated in recent years despite the good remuneration. The lack of creativity in the production and installation of fabricated units may have facilitated the unmotivated. The repetitiveness of the work can increase boredom and dissatisfaction among the engineers, especially if they are creative and proactive individuals.
Motivation
There are various ways the president and the CEO of the company can motivate the employees. First, developing an open and inclusive relationship between them and their employees. Having a close and interactive interpersonal relationship can increase proactiveness and motivation among employees. Secondly, the CEO can invite the engineers to participate in proposing new and creative ways in which the organization can engage with the market. Such a step will play an important role in redefining the personal goals and achievements of the employees, which in turn can increase their employees’ motivation.
Reference
Reich, T. C., & Hershcovis, M. S. (2011). Interpersonal relationships at work.
Rybnicek, R., Bergner, S., & Gutschelhofer, A. (2019). How individual needs influence motivation effects: a neuroscientific study on McClelland’s need theory. Review of Managerial Science, 13(2), 443-482.
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