Theories for Motivation and Rewarding Employees - Case Study Example

Theories for Motivation and rewarding employees, Leadership and trust and Communication and interpersonal skills The management of an organization isa function that requires a high level of knowledge, regarding the various theories that are applicable to achieve effective organizational management (). The management function is a multidimensional organizational function, which has to look into the issues of organizational performance and productivity that is highly influenced by the leadership style adapted by the management. The management style defines the nature of the relationship between the managers and the employees, and thus defines the culture, attitude and discipline of the workforce (). Secondly, the motivation of employees to enhance their morale and ensure their high productivity is another management function that is important to the overall organizational performance (). Finally, the communication and interpersonal skills applied by the management ensures there is smooth and efficient flow of information through all levels of the organization. This is essential to ensure that information is accessed and acted upon in a timely manner, and thus help in averting the misunderstanding, misconception and the misapplication of information in terms of unnecessary delays, resulting from a poor organizational information flow (). Therefore, this discussion seeks to analyze the theories applied by the organization’s manager under the three categories of Motivation and rewarding employees, Leadership and trust and Communication and interpersonal skills. Theories for Motivation and rewarding employees According to the basic needs model/ content theory of motivation, there are different factors that motivates individuals in engaging in different activities, duties or responsibilities. Although most of such factors are found within an individual, seeking to fulfill their basic needs, there are also external influences that define the motivation for the individuals to engage in different responsibilities (). This theory is highly applicable in relation to the motivation of the manager of the organization to take up the managerial responsibility, since the feeling of satisfaction derived from having things done through managing people is the ultimate motivation for the manager. This kind of motivation falls under the secondary needs of the basic needs model/ content theory of motivation, which provides that factors such as the desire for achievement, power and love are some of the secondary motivations for individuals to engage in different responsibilities (). In this respect, the manager engages in the management of the organization, through being driven by the need for achievement as the major motivating factor. The Abraham Maslows hierarchy of needs theory is another theory that is highly applicable and extensively used in this organization. This theory defines the levels of needs of individuals, starting with the psychological basic needs such as the need for food, water, and air that forms the essential needs for human survival as a fundamental basic need (). This is then followed by the security/safety needs such as the need for job security, and then followed by the social needs which entail the establishment of social and friendly relationships (). The fourth category of human motivating factors according to this theory is the esteem needs, such as job recognition, promotion and praise and reward from the boss (). Lastly, the human motivation factors at the top of the hierarch are the self-actualization needs, such as the need to have a management role within an organization (). Thus, in this organization, the self-actualization needs have motivated the manager to take up the responsibility of the manager of the organization. On the other hand, the safety/security needs motivation factors, the social needs and the esteem needs are the fundamental factors that are applied to motivate the employees of this organization. This is achieved through a friendly and open relationship between the manager and the employees, guaranteeing the job security of the employees and also offering praise, reward and recognition to motivate the employees to improve their performance (). Herzbergs two-factor theory The Herzbergs two-factor theory is yet another theory that is highly applicable and extensively used in this organization, where the factors that motivates individuals have been classified into hygiene and satisfiers (). According to this theory, the hygiene motivational factors include job security, salary and a friendly working environment, while the satisfiers include factors such as promotion and feelings of recognition (). Thus in this organization, the hygiene factors are largely applied towards motivating the employees, through granting them job security and availing a friendly working environment for the employees, where they relate cordially with the management. Further, the satisfiers factor are also applied, through promotions and recognitions of the best performing employees, thus motivating them to perform even better (). Leadership and trust theories The Leader–member exchange theory The Leader–member exchange theory is a major theory that is most applicable in this organization, which has been used extensively by the organization to enhance the trust between the employees and the management. According to this theory, the nature of exchange that exists between the leaders and their subordinates define the kind of culture, the altitude and the mood of the workplace, which in turn influences the employee and the overall organizational productivity (). Therefore, where there exists a positive, constructive and two-way exchange between the leaders and their subordinates, the leaders are highly likely to influence the subordinates positively (). In this respect, the organization has been engaging the subordinates and the workforce in a more open and friendly manner, where the nature of interaction between the management and the workforce is less formal and bureaucratic. This has enabled the organization to apply democratic style of leadership, which is less bureaucratic, thus enabling the high speed of decision-making in the organization. Further, the management of the organization has adapted the employee empowerment leadership strategy, to ensure that the employees feel as an important of the organization. This has been done in recognition that trust is the fundamental platform on which a leader stand, and without which a leader cannot be effective in an organization (). Team management theory According to the team management theory, a leader is as effective as the team that he/she leads (). Thus, the effectiveness of the leader does not derive from the leadership style applied, but by the level of trust that the leader has been able to cultivate amongst the team members. It is through trust that a team is able to remain united towards pursuing the same goal, without issues of diversity of opinions and different levels of concern dismantling the team (). Thus, the management of the organization has avoided the application of both autocratic and laissez-faire leadership strategies, by observing that such strategies are necessary in a more military-oriented organization or an organization running under a lot of pressure. Thus, through being able to apply the open two-way friendly exchanges between the workforce and the management as well as applying the employee empowerment strategy, the organization has been able to cultivate and sustain the loyalty and trust of the organization, by making them feel as an important part of the organization. Communication theories and Interpersonal models Social Penetration Theory (SPT) The Social Penetration Theory (SPT) is a communication and interpersonal relationship theory that is highly applicable and used in this organization. According o the Social Penetration Theory (SPT) of communication, the effectiveness of communication and interpersonal relationships is derived from establishing relational closeness (). Thus, according to this theory, the interpersonal relationships develop from the superficial state to a more intimate state, depending on the level of application of self-disclosure, which entails to listening and being able to understand the needs of the other individual, based on what they are not able to say (). Further, the elements of self-disclosure which improves the interpersonal relationship include stability and security, rewards and benefits and social or friendliness satisfaction (). Thus, this organization has been able to apply this theory through applying group communication that is open and direct, through both verbal and written forms of communication. This way, the organization has been able to establish a cordial interpersonal relationship between the management and the workforce, as well as within the workforce itself. Further, the organization has also embraced the grapevine (gossip) mode of communication as a health communication tool between the management and the workforce, which is applied as a form of casual communication in relation to trends and happenings affecting the organization and the workforce, which are of concern and which requires attention. The grapevine (gossip) communication is embraced by the organization to make the feels feel like they are at home, and thus serves to reinforce the social or friendliness satisfaction (). Uncertainty Reduction Theory (URT) This is another theory that is applicable in the organization, and which has been applied to enhance the communication process and reinforce the interpersonal relationship within the organization. According o this theory, every relationship starts with uncertainties, which are then reduced through knowledge and understanding (). Thus, this communication theory is highly essential in breaking the communication barriers, through following the process of passive communication that is more observatory, followed by the active phase which is more inquisitive, and finally entering the interactive phase which combines the inquisitive and responsive modes to communicate (). Therefore, this theory has been applied by the organization to overcome the organizational communication barriers such as accent, religion and cultural differences both amongst the workforce and also the customers. In addition, this theory has been applied as the method of overcoming conflict within the organization, where the interactive process, entailing the inquisitive and responsive interaction is applied by the manager to address any conflict arising with employees. Read More