Conflicts between human resource function
Conflicts between human resource function:
There are four different areas to Human Resources. They are:
* Human Resource planning
* Recruitment and selection
* Training and Development
* Performance Management
Human Resource Planning-
Is responsible for looking at the objectives of the business and whether they need to employ staff, how many, when and where.
Recruitment and selection-
This team tries to find the right candidate for the job by various means, promotion in house and external advertising etc.
Training and Development-
Take the selected person and train them to do the job efficiently and develop their career.
Performance Management-
Monitors the performance of the individual to see if they are coping efficiently and fitting in with the organisation.
A source of conflict could occur between the departments if the employee failed to meet the requirements of the job or found they were not suited to the position.
The human resource department normally have conflicts with the health and safety department.
Christmas time is the busiest time for the Post Office, and this is when most of the conflicts occur.
Staff would carry too much load (letters), therefore the health and safety manager would say its not allowed, but the other manager of that specific department would say that they would not get the job done if they had to carry a bit at a time, therefore they have a conflict between the two managers and the employee.
They have two ways of resolving this problem, and that is to either turn a blind eye because it will still go on, or to fight the case, which is not preferable as this would by costly and take up time.
Another thing that normally brings up conflicts is, making staff work through their lunch breaks ad employing people who are not fit for the job, for example they employed a boy that was 14 years old, and this was against the rules as he was only 14, and would not be able to pick up heavy loads, due to health and safety.
performance management could point the finger at the training and development team saying that the training had been inadequate. They could both lay the blame on recruitment and selection saying that the selection process was poor and did not produce the right person for the job. They may not possess the sills needed for the job. All three could then blame the Human Resource planning for not being specific in the advertising of the vacancy by not providing accurate details of what the job entails and the skills required. Without exact information the wrong type of person may be attracted to the job.
If the recruitment and selection team do not have specific requirements for the vacancy they could employ someone whom they think fits the picture, only to find out, when training and development take over, that they lack skills in some areas which adds to the training needed. This is costly and time consuming. If training and development do not identify this lack of skills performnce management will pick up when assessing the employees performance.
Conflict resolution is defined as a positive process whereby individuals resolve issues in an informal or formal atmosphere, or where issues are resolved as part of the ongoing interaction between individuals.
Conflict is a normal part of doing business because organisational members have different and often opposing goals. However, these differing goals keep the organisation vital by stimulating creativity, promoting innovation, and bringing about change. Organisations totally devoid of conflict would become apathetic, stagnant, and unresponsive to change. Conflict should not, therefore, be simply judgmental and evaluated as "good" or "bad," but instead should be evaluated from a broader perspective, which takes into consideration the individual and the organisation. Resolutions that reflect the mutual interests of the disputants, or interests-based methods, are likely to result in fewer formal grievances, improved morale, and more effective use of human resources.
This guide provides approaches that may be used whenever a conflict does arise. It should also be used to identify resources and information to assist you in conflict resolution.
Ideally, conflict resolution involves dealing with problems while they are manageable. Early recognition of conflict is critical since what can be dealt with effectively today may be much more difficult to mutually resolve tomorrow.
Conflicts are inevitable; however anger, grudges, hurt and blame do not have to be. While unmanaged conflicts, disagreements and out-of-control emotions can harm important work and professional relationships, effectively managed conflict can actually promote co-operation and build stronger relationships. Most conflicts can be resolved fairly and in a way that actually benefits all concerned.
An effective conflict resolution process leads to unity by addressing concerns or issues rather than suppressing them; can get people talking to each other (instead of about each other); and enable people to be part of a team that cares. This process promotes compromise or collaboration as people learn how to work harmoniously, develop creative solutions to problems and reach outcomes that mutually benefit those involved.
Don't fight -- solve the problem. Conflicts do not have to be adversarial. Focus more on work and less on anger. The result will be that work relationships improve, and the overall sense of well being will be strengthened as successful solutions to problems are developed and implemented.
As previously stated, conflict does not have to be adversarial if the conflict is managed rather than allowed to move to an out-of control situation. The following is a comparison of the benefits of managed conflict and the damage resulting from out-of-control conflict:
Managed conflict
Out of control conflict
Strengthens relationships and builds teamwork.
Damages relationships and discourages co-operation.
Encourages open communication and co-operative problem solving.
Results in defensiveness and hidden agendas.
Resolves disagreements quickly and increases productivity.
Wastes time, money and human resources.
Deals with real issues and concentrates on win-win resolution.
Focuses on faultfinding and blaming.
Makes allies and diffuses anger.
Creates enemies and hard feelings.
Airs all sides of an issue in a positive, supportive environment.
Is frustrating, stress producing and energy draining.
Calms and focuses toward results.
Is often loud, hostile and chaotic.
There are constructive ways of resolving conflict so that people are able to express and work through their differences without the risk of, or necessity to damage one another. To effectively and constructively manage conflict resolution there are basic skills, guidelines and considerations:
Conflict resolution skills-
* Skill to initiate discussion - choose the issue(s) you want to address and be specific.
* Skill to communicate - choose language that is concise, avoiding vague/general terms.
* Skill to effectively listen.
* Skill to recognise the need and ability to make personal changes - be clear about what you want to change and follow through.
* Skill to learn and use what you have learned.
* Skill to seek out resources as necessary.
Problem solving guidelines-
* Attack the problem, not the person.
* Be clear about what you see, how you judge, and how you react to people and situations.
* Verbalise your feelings appropriately - sometimes this may be appropriate.
* Understand and take charge of your own feelings and behaviours.
* Move from justification to resolution.
* Look forward (opportunity), not backward (blaming).
* Analyse the situation and attempt to view from both sides.
* Identify the points where you can compromise rather than demand.
* Be open and make every effort to respond in a positive manner.
Performance Manager:
A business needs to manage the performance of its employees effectively if it is to remain competitive. In any business, the performance is directly linked ...
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* Understand and take charge of your own feelings and behaviours.
* Move from justification to resolution.
* Look forward (opportunity), not backward (blaming).
* Analyse the situation and attempt to view from both sides.
* Identify the points where you can compromise rather than demand.
* Be open and make every effort to respond in a positive manner.
Performance Manager:
A business needs to manage the performance of its employees effectively if it is to remain competitive. In any business, the performance is directly linked to the employees and the management of those employees. If an employee is underachieving, and is not being effectively monitored by management, the targets and objectives of the company will not be met. Managers exercise control at both individual and organisational level through:
* Planning- by setting objectives and targets which clearly link the employee to the strategic objectives of the business.
* Establish realistic, achievable performance standards.
* Monitor the employees performance by various assessments.
* Compare performance against targets agreed by manager and employee.
* Identify any problem areas and take the appropriate action.
* Encourage good work by incentives, training and motivation.
Performance Manager at the post office helps the post offices communicate strategy, manage performance, and provide people with the information they need to make decisions and act with confidence. Through goal setting and scorecards, individuals and teams can track achievement, collaborate with others, and follow recommended actions to improve organisational performance.
The post office have trial reports, which normally occurs after every 6 months, the employee will sit with the line manager and go through the sick holidays, the line manager will look at how many days the employee has taken off, if the employee has a bad sick record, which is, days off because of a hangover or football injury, the line manager will put them on report and monitor them for 3 months, if they still haven't improved then the line manager may terminate the contract.
Another thing is the appraisal system; this starts from the 1st of April till the 31st of March each year.
On the 1st of April or the first week of April, the line manager will set some objectives with the employee, the objectives can be either projects or work, after 6 months there would be a inter-room review, this way the line manger can see how the employee is getting on with the objectives and if they have any problems they can discuss them with the manager.
However good managers will talk to employees throughout the year, not just after 6 months.
Punctuality is also monitored, they do this with the help of signing in sheets.
When the staff get into work they would have to sign it and write down what time they got in and what time they leave.
This is also done for fire regulations.
When the employees don't meet all of the objectives, the line manager allows them to carry them over to next year.
The line manager then tries to find out what happened, for example marriage break-ups etc.
They do not give rewards for objectives met, as some employers might have favourites.
Appraisals
This is the system used by the Isle of Man post to review and rate the performance of an individual against targets set, agree a job improvement and development plan, and set objectives for the next year.
Employee performance appraisals that work share some common characteristics. They tell workers how they've performed and can improve- then motivate them to do so. The process generates understanding and commitment, which, together, should result in increased employee productivity.
The link between appraisals and productivity, then, depends on the effectiveness of the appraisals. Yet most of these encounters fall short of expectations.
When managers were surveyed, the vast majority of them felt that their bosses, who had conducted the most recenbt appraisal of their performance, had given little or no thought to the appraisal process- to all the things that should have happened before, during, and after the appraisal to make it pay off.
In effect, the participants in the survey said one thing consistently, "we're willing to work hard to achieve our objectives, but we're not sure how to go about it."
How to go about it is what performance appraisal should teach; in many cases, it evidently fails to do so.
Most companies have some form of appraisal policies for their employees, both hourly and salaried. These policies take different forms; sopme are informal, I.e., the manager or owner verbally tells an employee that he or she is doing a good job and gives them a wage increase; others are more formal in that the appraisal policy is reduced to writing and contains specific steps for evaluating employees.
The Post Office tells their employees how they are doing informally. The line manager will have a meeting with the employee and tell them that they are doing well.
The down sizing of many companies over the past several years has made performance apprisal policies more visible because these policies are now being used to bring litigation against the company in unlawful dismissal cases, age discrimination lawsuits, etc.
A written performance appraisal system is usually closely tied to salary administration and contains the following elements in the salary administration policy:
* Hiring range
* A control point (middle of salary range)
* A maximum rate
Performance appraisals will normally list the duties and accountabilities of the employee and may include a rating system similar to the following:
* Performance not adequate. Not fully up to standards. Requires development or other action.
* Performance fully competent. Measures satisfactorily to all standards.
* Performance is above expectancy. Is consistency outstanding.
* Performance is exceptional. Unusual and clearly of superior quality.
The appraisal form will also include the duties and accountabilities an employee is rate on. The supervisor will evaluate the employee assigning numerical numbers to each category and if the employee receives a satisfactory rating, he or she is eligible for an increase.
The Isle Of Man post performance appraisal-
The appraisal process is in four stage:
Stage one- setting the performance objectives
Stage two- interim review
Stage three- performance appraisal and development report
Stage four- the joint appraisal meeting
The purpose of performance appraisal-
The purpose of performance appraisals is to:
* Asses and improve the performance
* Asses personal development, career development and training needs.
Performance appraisal aims to enable job holders to understand:
* What is expected of them
* How their strengths and weaknesses are measured
What is an appraisal supposed to do?
* To ensure a common understanding of the job holders accountabilities and standards of performance; their priorities and how they relate to the organisations overall strategic objectives.
* To provide regular two-way feedback between manager and job holder on progress, with a view to improving performance.
* To identify training and development needs required to improve present and future performance.
* To create a shared commitment to the achievement of objectives and performance standards.
* To provide a fair basis for performance related or merit pay increases where these are directly linked to individual performance.
Appraisal is part of a feedback loop.
Appraisal is important to employees because it answers a basic question, "How am I doing?".
People want feedback, some more often then others.
Feedback provides:
* Reassurance of contribution and doing the right things.
* Awareness of the impact of performance on desired results.
* A measure of the adequacy of performance.
* Recognition of the importance and value of their performance.
* A basis for setting new expectations and action plans.
* An affirmation of behaviour that should be continued.
Dual Roles in Performance Evaluation-
PURPOSE
COUNSELLING
JUDGING
Performance feedback
Reassurance, involvement, recognition
Making employees aware of impact measures, performance adequacy
Changing performance plans
Mutual agreement on expectations
Introducing new (higher) standards
Development capabilities
Motivating, focussing development for future improvement
Identifying gaps and development needs
Staffing and compensation actions
Build understanding of link of performance to actions
Provide sound defensible base for actions
The performance management process-
Performance management is an on- going process shared between managers and job holders, it is about improving results.
Good performance management means that people are clear about what their priorities are, what they should be doing currently, what they should be aiming for and how this contributes to individual and post office performance. Managers and job holders therefore have key roles in this process.
Integral to the success of any performance management system is the links between individual, departmental and organisational objectives. Performance appraisal should be a part of the everyday management process and not seen as a once a year chore. It must be recognised as a major factor in the effective management of job holders making a significant contribution towards the achievement of Isle Of Man posts objectives in the short term and the development of job holders potential in the long term.
Objectives-
What are they?
Objectives describe what must be done to achieve the tasks agreed with the department manager. They define the task in terms of:
* What is to be achieved
* When it is to be achieved
* What standards is to be expected
Understanding the need for objectives-
Setting objectives with employees establishes clear expectations. Effective objective setting can help foster a spirit of greater cooperation as well as contribute to higher productivity and morale.
Why do we use them?
Objectives give direction to both job holders and the organisations performance and by the use of targets, indicate the amount of effort required. Using objectives have many benefits.
For the job holder, they:
* Clearly state what needs to be done, and by when.
* Identifies priorities.
* Give clear specific targets.
* Involve the job holder in shaping the job and how to approach it.
* Communicate in advance how performance will be measured.
For the manager setting objectives means:
* Organisational goals are translated into individual tasks.
* Makes clear the role of the manager.
* Provides a framework for monitoring and measuring performance.
* Ensures job holders are focused on organisational goals.
Understand what effective objectives are-
An employees objectives should relate directly to the key areas of responsibilities for their job description. The key areas identify the most important skills and behaviours necessary for success. Effective objectives are:
* Observable and measurable.
* Specific.
* Related to the most important job requirements.
* Under the employees control.
* Achievable given time and resources.
* Limited in number.
When writing specific objectives, always include the following components:
* A specific action
* A measurable result
* A time frame for completion
Every objective established must conform to the following rules and be SMARTA:
Specific-
Identify precisely what the objective is. Use verbs (increase, improve, design, implement, change etc.)
Measurable-
Describe precisely how attainment of the objective will be measured. (Monetary values, satisfaction indicies, turn around time) using what standards.
Agreed-
Both you and the person being appraised must agree all details of the objective being set.
Realistic-
The objective being set must be achievable but reasonably challenging.
Time bounded-
The objective must be reached by a specific date.
Add value-
Goals must result in a benefit to the organisation.
The objective setting process-
When preparing for objective setting the manager will consider the departmental objectives and how the job holders objectives should relate to them. The key stages for discussion are:
Stage one-
To discuss with the manager the purpose of the job and to understand and agree its key responsibilities.
Stage two-
Precise key work objectives are identified and the job holder has the opportunity to contribute their views.
Stage three-
To discuss and agree how each objective will be measured for achievement either by numerical or qualitative measures.
Stage four-
The manager will set targets for outputs. A target is a quantified objective to be achieved at a specific future date.
Stage five-
One or two development objectives are identified for development purposes or based on areas where improvement is required.
Establishing evidence procedures-
As objectives are established thought must be given to which measures of achievement will be used to establish success (or not) and the time bounding identifies when the objective is to be achieved.
This degree of precision may not be adequate for a longer-term objective and consideration must be given to intermediate measuring, on a more frequent basis, with aim of identifying a trend toward the satisfaction of the objective.
The agreements that are reached in this regard become the justification for frequent measurement procedures, which provide the evidence of goal achievement or progress towards a goal
These measurements may be in terms of money spent, money saved, turnover achieved, man-hours spent, specific products being produced or developed, accuracy rates, customer satisfaction etc.
Whatever measurement is used to gather evidence it is, like the objective itself, important that the measurement, its standard, frequency and expectation are agreed.
Managing expectations-
The setting of objectives, relative to the company's goals and objectives, indicates the level of acceptable performance to be attained. Simple achievement of objectives, per se, does not imply level of performance warranting exceptional rewards in the form of salary increases or promotion. (unless of course, these objectives are specifically linked to the company bonus system). Corporate objectives indicates the targets for the organisation and, if average performance is delivered, their achievement indicates an average performance across the organisation. Such performance does not warrant exceptional rewards.
As a general rule, supervisors give their subordinates inflated performance appraisals. Poor employees are evaluated as marginally competent, marginal employees as satisfactory, satisfactory employees as above standard and good employees as deserving a throne next to God.
Inflated performance appraisals give employees a false sense of security and deprive them of the opportunity to improve. And not surprisingly, they often provide discharged employees with an incentive to sue. But discharged employees that receive inflated performance appraisals have more than just an incentive; they have a strong weapon in their arsenal of litigation weapons.
Effective appraisals-
What makes performance evaluation effective? Many articles and studies have addressed the requirements for the effective performance appraisals. However the requirements reflect different perceptions of the purpose served, which in turn reflect the human resource issues being addressed. These include:
* Providing employee feedback: constructive feedback results in performance improvement.
* Changing performance plans: mutual acceptance of new performance objectives or action plans.
* Developing performance capabilities: mutual acceptance of development action plans.
* Supporting human resource actions: valid evaluations supporting pay, promotion, and employment decisions.
A single system may not support all these purposes. However appraisals are considered more effective if they:
* Are objective,
* Use appropriate techniques,
* Actively involve the employees,
* Are well understood
* Accepted as a management responsibility
Objectivity-
Is characterised by honesty, justice and freedom from improper influence and belonging to actuality. This means that appraisals must be fair, impartial, equitable, candid, dispassionate, just, impersonal, using fatcs that are material, sensible, tangible, substantial, physical or based on observed phenomena.
The establishment of objectives bases your appraisals on carefully defined performance expectations, which include:
* Basic activities required in the job.
* Special activities required that are unique to a given location, project, technical requirement, etc.
* Identifiable or measurable outputs or products resulting from performance.
Appropriate techniques-
Narrative appraisals-
Describe behaviour strengths and weaknesses of an employees performance. Without carefully defined criteria for evaluating performance they tend to be highly subjective and focus on personal qualities rather than actual performance.
Goal setting and reviewing-
This relates individual performance to goal- based criteria. Achievements are normally directly measurable or easily identified with comparison to a standard. This method is highly flexible and relevant to specific job demands. However of deterioration to subjectivity and focussing only on the most obvious aspects of job performance.
Rating scales-
This method measures performance against establishment factors on a multiple- point dimension. This is a means of measuring such things as integrity, dependability and sociability, anchored to brief descriptions of desirable and undesirable behaviours. The major drawback is the cost of developing the scales based on an empirical analysis of each job.
Checklists-
These specify job factors against which individual performance may be evaluated. They are typically used for routine jobs with well-defined tasks, e.g. clerical, food service, technician or customer service.
Ranking techniques-
Compare employees by relative performance levels. A straight ranking involves ordering employees from best to worst on wither overall performance or a number of factors. Job relatedness is an indirect consideration in this method.
Employee involvement-
Appraisals are more effective when employees participate actively in them.
There are several ways to do this:
* Self evaluation- reviewing of own performance, interests and goals.
* Work plan development- employees prepare a work plan and then manage the process of achieving it.
* Evaluation discussions- are two way communication between manager and subordinate.
Responsible management-
Managers are accountable for the performance of their staff and therefore must see appraisals as an integral part of their job.
Elements of an appraisal-
. Review what has been achieved since the last review and examine the reasons for successes and failure.
2. Agree on actual levels of achievement.
3. Stimulate and discuss ideas about what can be done to improve results achieved.
4. Agree on future performance goals, the basis of measurement, and timing of review.
5. Help the individual analyse personal performance and underlying factors affecting performance, such as skills and knowledge, job structure, standards, resources available, etc.
6. Strengthen the individuals commitment to the job.
7. Learn about the individuals interests, goals, long range career plans and help the individual relate these to the job.
8. Strengthen the understanding between manager and individual, and foster an open line of communication.
9. Discuss and resolve specific anxieties, uncertainties, or misapprehensions affecting job performance plans and directions for future career development; plan specific activities in support of these plans and directions.
0. Get feedback from the individual on how well you have managed.
Starting the appraisal-
The appraisee should complete his/her Appraisee Preparation Notes and the Appraiser must carefully prepare his/her notes and comments in preparation to agreeing and documenting any performance summary and future objectives prior to the meeting.
Although preparation may have been done the first consideration must be to determine if the appraisee has a strong need to raise a particular point- has something been worrying them, have they a burning problem of which the appraiser is not aware? If so, they are going to get nowhere unless it can be brought into the open so that it can be aired. The appraisee may simply switch off on any other subject.
Knowing this, it would be logical to ask the appraisee if there is a particular subject that they would like to start with and get this problem, and any emotion which may surround, it out of the way.
However, this may not always need to be so. For example, an appraisee may be concerned about their future or lack of promotion and prospects for development. In this case, going through performance in the present job may be profitable in helping the appraisee to appreciate what they need to learn and thus get things in perspective.
This becomes the start of a number of strategy decisions, which must be made to ensure a successful appraisal.
Good news first versus bad news first-
Some appraisers are so preoccupied with the weak points of an appraisee that they will launch straight into them. However, if people feel threatened their instinct is to protect themselves and they may withhold information that could be to their disadvantage. Since the appraiser needs accurate information in order ti effect a cure, this approach would be determined.
If appraisers are to help, they must gain the appraisee's trust and be able to demonstrate that they are there to help and not punish. Thus if the good news, such as praise, comes first, the appraisees will at least know where they stand and are much more likely to accept criticism later. If an appraiser can get across the concept of helping the appraisee to do even better, they are much more likely to get acceptance of the need for a change in behaviour.
The appraisee needs to know that the appraiser is sincere and this can best be achieved by saying what specifically was good and what the apprasier liked so that it can be repeated. PERSONAL, PROMPT and PRECISE.
Handling the bad news- Criticising-
It is vital to think of the effect of insensitive criticism. Telling people what they did wrong and what they ought to have done will get results- of a sort. It does not guarantee that the same thing will not happen again.
On the other hand if the appraisee is led back over the incident or events in a neutral atmosphere, it is more likely to encourage self- criticism and a realisation of what the appraisee should do next time. It is generally not possible to get someone to change their behaviour unless the person concerned can see the effect of the behaviour and thus the need for change.
Treat employees fairly-
One of the forst questions an employment tribunal usually asks when investigating a discrimination claim is whether any other employee hs similar performance deficiencies but did not receive the same evaluation. All supervisors should ask themselves this same question before giving an employee a negative evaluation but in reality, few do. And if the question is asked, at the very most, the supervisor will ensure only that he or she is consistent with regard to the evaluations of immediate subordinates.
When individuals challenge employment evaluations, investigators and lawyers willo usually look not only to the evaluations performed by the complaining employees supervisor, but also at the evaluations of other similarly- situated employees who may have different supervisors. Like discipline for misconduct, a performance appraisal that seems fair standing alone can appear unfair in comparison to others. This unfairness can translate into legal liability if the employee alleges that a co-worker of a different sex, race, national origin, or religion has been treated more favourably.
Using competences in the appraisal process-
What are competences?
Competences are descriptions of effective behaviour that should answer the following questions:
* What must the worker be capable of to be effective in the job
* How does the work know if they are performing effectively
Competences are underpinned by:
* Attributes- the attributes and values which are brought to the job
* Skills- the abilities needed to perform the job effectively
* Knowledge- of the work area in order to apply attributes and skills effectively
To help the employee perform better, competences must be clearly defined so that they know what skills, knowledge and qualities they must display and develop.
For the Isle of Man post five competences have been set to reflect the work of all employees. It is recognised that some employees will not be expected to demonstrate all of the competences in the course of their daily work.
The competences are outlined below:
Providing a quality service-
The ability to deliver excellence in customer service displaying the required level of knowledge and ability to enable the person to do the job correctly and keep pace with changes. This competence is also about demonstrating and understanding of the Isle of Man Post Office and its business aims and objectives.
Getting the job done-
Being able to plan and organise the work effectively using resources and information to produce results that contribute to the delivery of a quality service and the achievement of business objectives.
Communication-
Having the ability to inform and consult with colleges and customers in a manor that is creative, appropriate, concise and accurate.
Responding to change- displaying the ability to plan ahead and to take an innovative positive approach to the job and to changes.
Personal effectiveness-
The ability to be aware of the impact of personal behaviour, attitude and potential and to respond appropriately to achieve results. Treating others in accordance with equal opportunities principles and developing working relationships with colleagues and customers including aspect such as team working and leadership.
Motivation-
The job of a manager in the workplace is to get things done through employees.
Managers cannot do everything themselves, they need to motivate employees to help them.
If the manager is off, staff must handle everything well, there is no use of having staff who are capable of doing the work, but wont do it, a motivated team will think of it as a chance to try.
What motivates one does not motivate another, everybody is different, so managers will need to find out what motivates each staff.
Good managers also have to realise that peoples motivation changes, example, money might motivate someone at the beginning, but then later on in life it might be carrier progress or job security.
Another thing that motivates staff is bonuses, staff nights out, appraisals, etc.
Good managers will praise their staff throughout the year to motivate them.
During their busiest time, which is Christmas time, they have a huge amount of mail, and to motivate the staff they get their cook in to make bacon baps etc, this helps the staff to keep in focus.
There is an old saying you can take a horse to the water but you cannot force it to drink; it will drink, only if its thirsty- so with people. They will do what they want to do or otherwise motivated to do. Whether it is to excel on the workshop floor or in the ivory tower, they must be motivated or driven to it, either by themselves, or through external stimulus.
Are they born with the self-motivation or drive ? Yes and no. if no, they can be motivated, for motivation is a skill which can and must be learnt. This is essential for any business to survive and succeed.
Performance is considered to be a function of ability and motivation, thus,
Job performance = (ability)(motivation)
Ability on turn depends on education, experience and training and its Improvement is a slow and long process.
On the other hand motivation can be improved quickly. There are many options and a uninitiated manager may not even know where to start. As a guideline, there are broadly seven strategies for motivation:-
* Positive reinforcement / high expectations
* Effective discipline and punishment
* Treating people fairly
* Satisfying employee needs
* Setting work related goals
* Restructuring jobs
* Base rewards on job performance
These are the basic strategies though the mix in the final recipe will vary from workplace situation to situation. Essentially there is a gap between an individuals actual state and some desired state and the manager tries to reduce this gap.
Motivation, is, in effect, a means to reduce and manipulate this gap. It is Inducing others in a specific way towards goals specifically stated by the motivator.
Naturally, these goals as also the motivation system must conform to the corporate policy of the organisation. The motivational system must be tailored to the situation and to the organisation.
In one of the most elaborate studies on employee motivation, involving 31,000 men and 13,000 woman, they sought to determine what their potential employees desire most from a job. This study was carried out during a 20 year period from 1945 to 1965, and was quite revealing.
The ratings for the various factors differed only slightly between men and women, but both groups considered security as the highest rated factor.
The next three factors were:-
* Advancement
* Type of work
* Company- proud to work for
Surprisingly, factors such as pay, benefits and working conditions were given a low rating by both groups. So after all, and contrary to common belief, money is not the prime motivator.
