Improving Staff Performance

 

Explain the differences between content and process theories.

[Management and Organisational Behaviour – 9^th Edition – Mullins] things that theories attempt to explain those specific things that actually motivate employees. There are two main categories of motivation theories, for example content theories and process theories.

The content theory of motivation primarily focuses on the internal factors that affect human behaviour at the work place. It also focuses on factors within the individual that can lead to motivation.   The major content theories are Maslow’s hierarchy of needs and Herzberg’s motivator-hygiene theory.

Another type of motivation is called process theory. This type of motivation provides an opportunity to understand the thought processes that influence behaviour at the work place. The most common process theories are Adam’s equity theory and Vroom’s expectancy theory.

Choose one organisation and identify all the ways in which they motivate their employees. Use primary research and/or secondary sources.  This information can often be found within the careers section of the website for that organisation

ASDA has several motivational strategies to make their employees work to best of their ability. They offer their employees a competitive package for the reason that they believe in rewarding their employees for what they do. To show how much they appreciate their staff they have developed a world class benefits and reward package.

Colleague Discount

When you work at ASDA for more than 12 weeks, the staff at ASDA will receive a Colleague Discount Card which allows them to save 10% off many items they buy in ASDA or ASDA Living stores. They are also able use their discount card in WalMart stores around the world, which will be useful if they want to go on holiday.

This is one way to motivate employees for the reason that it will save employees having to buy the full price of products. The quality of the products doesn’t change just the price.

Bonus

They also have an annual colleague discretionary bonus scheme. It is designed to recognise and reward colleagues at ASDA for their valued contribution throughout the bonus year and their continued contribution to ASDA. This is only eligible to employees who meet the length of service criteria.

This will motivate employees to work more efficiently for the reason that they will have something to look forward to at the end of every year. On the other hand the only problem with this motivation scheme some colleagues may fail to stay with the company for a year due to their contract only being temporary, and sometimes the colleagues who are only temporary usually work the hardest then the employees who are permanent. They tend to this for the reason they want to show the managers that they are worthy enough to be a permanent staff.

Review how this organisation uses one of the process theories in practice.

When people feel fairly or treated fairly they more likely to be motivated rather feeling like they are being treated unfairly, they will automatically feel demotivated. ASDA ensures that they treat all their staff fairly and equally in the workplace to motivate the workers. They do this in several ways. One way they do this is by providing all the employees the same uniform. This is one way to make the employees feel that they are all equal.

At ASDA they also try their best to make sure that pay their colleagues at a similar rate this will help the staff feel that they are being treated fairly. On the other hand this does indicate that everyone gets the same pay rate since all workers do not fulfil the stores demands in the same way.  

In conclusion I think it is highly essential that every buisness practice content or process theories in the workplace to motivate their employees. Staff that feel that their work has been recognised and appreciated would automatically feel motivated to do more for the buisness.
If all staff feel like this in the workplace then this is more than likely to make the buisness more successful and will lead them to generate more profit for the business.

Motivation

Ø Explain one of the content theories on motivation which you feel is particularly relevant to you

The theory on motivation that I feel is particulary relevant to me is Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. One of the reasons why I think this is for the reason that I have a job and in this job I am able to reach the next additional steps of the hierarchy.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs has five basic stages,

• Physiological

One of essential things I will need for work physiologically is my monthly pay that I have earned whilst working. I only work four hours a day so I am not entitled to a break also it will be important that I recieve good training so that I am capable to my job efficiently.

• Safety

I will have to feel safe whilst working. We havent got any security in the store, but we with a panic alarm right next to the till that we can use if ever we feel threatened. Also we have the security patrolling the Eden centre so they are easily reachable when a problem erupts.
In terms of being safe within my job, I am only safe for three months as I am on probabation, if my probabation goes well then I am safe for another six months.

• Social

On my first day I got introduced to all of my colleagues , this gave me the opportunity to know the sort of people that I am going to be working with.

• Ego-esteem

This stage of the hierarchy is one of the most important. This is the stage where I feel if I am motivated to do work every week. At my work place the manager always ensures that the colleagues know what they are doing at all times without no problems. As I am new at the store, they are not 100% confident to leave me alone at the tills. But as time will progress, they will have much more confidence in me as I have been working in the store for quite a while.

• Self actulisation

This the last stage on the hierarchy. I personally feel that I haven't reached self-actulisation at work for the reason I have just recently just started to work there. I would have to gain much more experience until I can feel that I have reached self-actulisation.

Explain your motivation for starting your degree course.  Why are you here? What has motivated you to get here and what will motivate you for the next 2 – 3 years?  Relate your personal motivation to the theory mentioned above

I have decided to study Human Resource Management at Bucks New University for the reason that I personally believe it will lead me on the right path to where I want to be in the next five to ten years. I got motivated to attend University becasue all of my older siblings have all attended University and have come out with a good job. Another factor that motivated me to attend University is that I will be able to move out of my own house and live on my own, which is quite an experience for me as I have never lived on my own before. What will motivate me for the next 2-3 years to stay in University is all the learning I am going to be learning.
 Reguarding the Hierarchy of Needs, I feel that I am in the social stage as I am getting to know new people and getting used to the area in which I am living.

Ø Can you think of a time when you were de-motivated, preferably related to work, either a part-time role or when you were at school or college?  Why did you feel like this?  Apply this to all the theories discussed in the lecture.  What happened to get you more motivated?  What would you do differently

At my old work place, I got demotivated because I didn't like my manager. I felt that he picked on me on several occasions which I didn't like. He will allocated me tasks that I struggled to complete becuase I found it difficult. This lead me not turning up to work so I could avoid him. 

I didnt feel this work place didnt live up to Herzberg's expectations in a work place. Herzberg two-factor theory states that work conditions and relationships with one another should be satisfactory. I felt that I didnt build any relationship with any of the people who worked there. Which is bad because the communication wasn't clear enough. The working conditions wasn't up to standard as well. The store was always messy, the canteen was too small for all of the employees to have a mini tea break. 

I spoke to my manager and I addressed all of my issues I had with him. This motivated me slightly for the reason that I felt that he was listening to what I had to say. He made a couple changes which worked effectively because I started to enjoy working more. 

If I could everything again, I think that I would my manager  my problems as soon as they started instead of bottling everything in. 

In conclusion I feel that motivation is very important when it comes to the work place and even during University.  Motivation is really useful when you want someone to complete a task efficiently. A lack of motivation can lead to someone being demotivated and not completing their job or task properly. Without motivation in the workplace, the atmosphere will be very dull and no one will feel happy to go work out of their own will but rather by force.