Contemporary Issues in Business, Management and Marketing: Motivation in relation to managing people

CONTEMPORARY ISSUES IN BUSINESS, MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING

Motivation in relation to managing people

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Introduction

The performance of the organisation is directly related to the motivation of employees. An organisation can be said a performing organisation when it is accomplishing its goals. In any organisation, the employee is an essential part of it, and when employees fulfil their tasks then only the organisation can be considered as a performing organisation. An organisation should manage that employee must remain motivated towards their work (Kuswati, 2020, p. 995-1002). In the context of managing people, motivation plays an important role in making sure that people are productive towards the achievement of organisational goals. It relates to the motivation that comes within the person or outside forces that may affect the performance of the person. In the context of this essay, motivation will be identified as a critical factor towards the management of people in the organisation since it is vital in the efficiency and effectiveness of performance, satisfaction and organisational culture (Rivaldo, 2021, p. 25-30). This essay will focus on motivation, by comparing and contrasting a theory that have learnt in class and also explaining how managers can apply several motivational approaches to encourage high-level performance from the employees. Picking on the case of Tesco, this essay will discuss how this UK-based retail company motivates its employees in order to improve productivity. Knowing it is also vital to acknowledge variations in motivation and how managers may intervene in regard to the absence of motivation among the workforce will also be mentioned with reference to relevant cases in business contexts.

Main body

Purpose of the workshop and the concept of motivation: One of the most famous theories under this principle is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs which deals with motivation. According to Maslow, human needs are arranged in a pyramid whereby the lowest level is Physiological needs including food, water, and shelter, followed by the second level which comprises safety, then, the third level includes social needs, the fourth level is esteem and the last level is self-actualisation. By knowing this structure of needs, managers are in a position to develop motivational techniques that fit the employees' needs (Shi and Lin, 2021, p. 1-6). For instance, paid wages, medical cover and job security cater for basic and safety needs while embracing diversities fosters the need to belong. Recognition and advancement, furthering the employee's calling, and decision-making satisfy esteem and self-actualisation. Motivation is important since the level of motivation of an employee determines his level of output and tenacity. There is a correlation between motivation and organisational commitment as well as work performance and organisational citizen behaviours in an organisation. On the other hand, if the employees are demotivated, the outcome is that there is more slacking off more sickness certification, and low job satisfaction, all of which leads to a low level of performance. Current research suggests that when the motivation levels of workers are high then labour productivity increases by 21% while worker resignation rates are 87% lower (Koszela, 2020, p. 29-48). Hence it becomes important that managers have knowledge of motivational approaches for creating a workforce that can be productive as well as loyal. Both of the motives need to be met by managers to be able to foster a work environment in which everyone is productive, motivated and on board with necessary objectives.

Tesco’s approach to motivation: Tesco is a multinational retail company in the United Kingdom with approximately 330,000 employees. The aim of Tesco plc is to give its customers every day with economical, healthy food that is sustainable to assist them to enjoy easier living (Tescoplc.com, 2024). The company has comprehended the meaning of motivation and applies multiple techniques to motivate its employees to do their best. Another important aspect which is policy application in Tesco consists in the application of both, intrinsic and extrinsic rewards in order to maintain motivation at work. Intrinsic motivators: Intrinsic motivation is one that is driven from within such as satisfaction, pleasure relating to one's work or personal development among others. Autonomous motivation is promoted at Tesco through offering promotional opportunities for the growth of staff and their development (Fishbach and Wooley, 2022, p. 339-363). Like any other giant organisation, Tesco provides the best opportunity to learn and develop itself through the "Tesco Academy" The level of commitment to the development of employees was also high as revealed by the report by Tesco that at least 90% of its employees went through some sort of training in 2023. Also, encouragement of belonging through acknowledgement is done by Tesco through its quadrilateral value, "Tesco Values Awards" where employees are able to nominate their own colleagues for their efforts thus encouraging a culture of positive work morale. Research evidence depicts that recognition has a strong positive relationship with intrinsic motivation because people who receive this recognition are 2.7 times more likely to be highly engaged in their work. Extrinsic Motivators: Another major aspect of motivation in Tesco is the extrinsic motivators which include, monetary incentives and gains. It has favourable compensation in the form of wages and salaries, incentive pay, commissions, allowances, and other considerations that the company provides for its employees (Morris et al., 2022, p. 1801-1816). In the same year, Tesco declared their total Staff compensation cost by 9.1%, which reflects the company's investment in their employees. The company also provides certain incentives, which are usually tied to performance, to ensure that the employees deliver according to set goals. Further, the benefits offered to the employees of Tesco include free products from Tesco, flexible working time and pension schemes among others. These extrinsic motivations assist in fulfilling physiological and safety needs elements of Maslow’s Need Hierarchy besides increasing the satisfaction and retention of the employees.

Importance of Considering Individual Differences: Based on the reason of Maslow’s theory of needs, it is good for managers to understand that people have different motivation factors. For instance, there are those who may focus more on tangible incentives like bonuses and the availability of benefits as compared to those who may focus on intangible incentives such as opportunities to grow in their professions, and those who may fancy their jobs. Research showed that employees are majorly motivated by growth and development opportunities to be 21% and monetary rewards at 40%. The company understands specific features of its personnel being individualistic and addresses motivational goals according to the preferences of employees. For example, junior employees who have not been able to get a permanent job may be more interested in promotion and training in comparison to the employees in their middle ages may be more concerned with permanent employment and flexible working hours (Chen and Antonelli, 2020, p. 1898). From the benchmarked motivational strategies applied, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation is evident throughout the Tesco needs of its employees.

Motivating unmotivated employees: Lack of motivation among the employees poses a big problem to organisations in as much as they can affect its success rate. Due to their inefficiency and low productivity, their ability to hamper workflow general productivity and overall performance of any business can have adverse effects. Further, employees who are disengaged do not have commitment issues to the workflow and this can affect other employees and thus have the tendency of reducing the morale of the group (Rajin, 2020, p. 152-160). This ripple effect leads to the formation of a toxic working environment in that other employees also feel frustrated or lack motivation. This is why it is critical for managers to prevent this by finding out why the particular employee does not have the motivation that is needed at the workplace, it may be due to a lack of appreciation, unclear objectives or even personal issues. If managers care to discuss these matters with the employee in an open and understanding manner, the manager can then address the issues as these could be met with professional development sessions, work-life balance or more communication. Not only does it motivate the unmotivated employee but it also promotes order in the workplace therefore increasing the productivity of the workforce. Identify the cause: The first way is to diagnose what has caused the absence of motivation in an employee in order to address the problem effectively. Such reasons include low visibility of the job, low wages, restricted promotions, or else in their lives. Awareness of these factors enables managers to address the causes of low motivation in the right manner. Managers can also have individual interviews with the employees so as to discover what is troubling or frustrating them. During those meetings, the manager should not dominate, but rather, he or she should listen and also indicate understanding with respect to the employee's situation by asking questions (Bugdol, 2020, p. 1217-1239). It also makes the communication more personal thus creating a friendly atmosphere and the consumers feel more comfortable. When the problem has been determined, the managers can then work together with the employee in order to develop a suitable course of action which might mean an increase in the level of recognition that the employee wants change, more recognition, or a change of responsibility, or a chance to advance for growth. This way the manager is able to get the employee back on track and increase his or her motivation and performance levels. Providing Support and Development Opportunities: One of the strategies for dealing with the employees’ lack of motivation is through providing encouragement and career growth. For instance, if an employee has a perception that he or she is not challenged enough within the organisation then the managers can offer the individual extra tasks or enroll the individual in other courses that would help him or her gain more experience. Furthermore, Tesco has the “Step Up” scheme whereby the employees are given challenges and new responsibilities through which they feel engaged and motivated (Liberadzki et al., 2021, p. 7918). The actual looks at how development opportunities can boost the morale of the workers are demonstrated by Google. The company has to create a policy that lets the workers of the company devote 20% of their time to any idea or project of their choice, this will boost creativity and productivity in the organisation. Likewise, at the workplace, Tesco's management tries to come up with ideas and initiatives that would make the employees adopt new working experiences and make them feel compelled to work hard. Consequences of Unmotivated Employees: Employees who are not motivated lead to negative effects on the performance of the organisation. The article in the Harvard Business Review argues they are 30% less productive than motivated employees and this makes organisations decrease the levels of output and productivity. This also has an impact on customers whereby if the employees are careless, then the company may end up providing its clients with poor products most of the time, which impacts the reputation of the company. In addition, negligent employees on the job can demoralise other workers leading to the growth of organisational politics, truancy, and high turnover. This effect can certainly decrease the whole team's productivity and expenses because the company may have to spend more money on recruitment and training of new staff. If not positively motivated, the employees often become a liability to profitability and thus, the business's future.

Conclusion

In conclusion, reward power is another important knowledge area in managing people because motivation is a determinant of performance, employee commitment, and job satisfaction. In line with the set Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, managers can facilitate motivational plans that address both core and acquisition-related needs. Tesco gives an excellent example of the motivation strategy that should be used by a large organisation in order to ensure optimum performance among its human assets, training and development and monetary incentives. Moreover, the facts about motivation and individual differences suggest that it is necessary for managers to adapt to them. Thus, any lack of motivation in employees can be addressed, through support, development prospects and recognition in order to negate the impacts in the organisation. Forcing a motivated workforce will enable companies such as Tesco to realise high productivity levels, employee retention/loyalty and success.

References

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