Desk Research
The term Motivation is used to describe feelings of accomplishment, professional growth and recognition, which are experienced in a job that offers sufficient challenge and scope to the worker. Motivation factors increase sustained satisfaction, which in turn increases productivity.
Motivation actually means a force that causes incentive to do a certain task. Everyone needs motivation to carry out certain tasks happily. If an employee is not motivated then they may struggle to stay focused on their work. This means every work place should have different challenges to carry out every so often or people will become bored and unchallenged. The more motivated an employee the better work they are likely to do for the company because they feel appreciated and want to do more for the work place. This will raise productivity and efficiency.
The pyramid in Appendix A shows Abraham Maslow’s pyramid of needs. He worked on the theory for example, if you are hungry and thirsty, you will tend to try to take care of the thirst first. After all, you can do without food for weeks, but you can only do without water for a couple of days! Thirst is a “stronger” need than hunger.
Results – Taken from my questionnaires()
Conclusion/ Evaluation
My results from the questionnaires prove to me that my hypothesis needs to be adjusted to match my results. This is because my survey is far too small to have any significant results. Therefore if I were to redo this work I would expand my survey. Theory x seems to be the most popular choice of management. I feel this is because the people in Sevenoaks that took the survey were fairly wealthy. So this could mean they are mainly interested in money. Most of the people who took the survey were between the ages of 35 and 55 so this means that they may have family so money is a more important factor than anything else. There is a combination of factors from varying theories. However the key factors were rewards and recognition for good work, and varying types of work of a challenging requirement. To keep the staff motivated at Kings Estate Agents these two important factors must be considered and worked on, however the other factors must not be ignored as motivation varies from employee to employee. This is partly due to the area in which they live. And skills in their jobs and aptitudes of those surveyed will vary.
The fact that 35 to 55 year old people took the survey means the survey was biased towards the middle age people. To improve the survey next time I would have interviewed more people with a wider range of age and gender.
There is a combination of factors from varying theories. However the key factors were rewards and recognition for good work, and varying types of work of a challenging requirement. To maintain the motivation at Kings Estate Agency these two important factors must be considered and worked on, however the other factors must not be ignored as motivation varies from employee to employee.
There is no single factor that affects the motivation of the employees at Kings Estate Agents. This is because all people are uniquely different in some way. Factors vary from employee to employee, from fringe benefits to wages, as with factors there is no single theory that completely sums up what motivates the employees at Kings Estate Agents. High wages are essential in the south-east because otherwise people wouldn’t be able to afford the cost of living. This is a factor that could have affected my results. Some people wouldn’t have as higher wages so their answers in the survey would be different to others in the south-east. There is a combination of factors from varying theories. However the key factors were rewards and recognition for good work, and varying types of work of a challenging requirement. To keep the staff motivated at Kings Estate Agency these two important factors must be considered and worked on, however the other factors must not be ignored as motivation varies from employee to employee. Skills and personality count as personal motivation. So if the employee is put into the right environment they are going to feel more motivated whereas if an employee is put into an environment which they are new and inexperienced in their work may suffer as a result. They may be de-motivated and suffer as a result.
Appendix A – Glossary of terms
Companies looking to motivate their employees can follow these guidelines that can help motivate their staff:
Safety needs are the desires for security and stability, to feel safe from harm. The organization helps to satisfy employees' safety needs by benefits.
Physiological needs are the most basic human needs. They include food, water, and comfort. The organization helps to satisfy employees' physiological needs by a pay –check.
Social needs are the desires for socialising. This can be found as quite an important factor. They include friendship and belonging. The organization helps to satisfy employees' social needs through sports teams, parties, and celebrations. The supervisor can help fulfil social needs by showing direct care and concern for employees. A company often has a sport team where employees can compete.
Esteem needs are the desires for self-respect and respect or recognition from others. The organization helps to satisfy employees' esteem needs by matching the skills and abilities of the employee to the job. The supervisor can help fulfil esteem needs by showing workers that their work is appreciated.
Self-actualisation needs are the desires for self-fulfilment and the realization of the individual's full potential. The supervisor can help fulfil self-actualisation needs by assigning tasks that challenge employees' minds while drawing on their aptitude and training.
Motivation:
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A factor, which effects motivation, is that every individual has different needs. For example an employee may prefer to work on his or her own than in a friendly team. In order to have good motivation employees needs have to be found. This is shown in how lack of motivation equals reduced effort and lack of commitment.
Appendix B
This is why people may work better as a team. People work better if the basic needs are fulfilled. Every employee feels a great need to be appreciated and praised for his or her achievements to know they are doing a good job.
Every individual has different needs. I believe this is very important because if everyone enjoyed do the same challenges work could become boring. For example an employee may prefer to work on his or her own than in a friendly team.
You could satisfy an employee by involving them in serious discussions. If they are involved in the discussion employees may feel more importance in the company and responsibility and will lead to increased job satisfaction and therefore motivation.
A business could also set up discussions with management about goals and working practises which would make employees feel their opinion counts and also that their contribution is valuable. In the long term this may result in the employee being willing to work longer hours or take responsibility.
The idea of a pay rise or promotion to a more important and powerful position in the company is very motivating in itself. If a worker is aiming at a promotion they will normally work at their full potential and aim to display their qualities. If there is always a chance of promotion along the company's career ladder then a full performance will be displayed all the time. Many would be motivated by fringe benefits like company cars, paid holidays and bonuses. These can also make the worker feel more involved. Feeling like an important figure of power is probably the most important things. Also work that will be enjoyed, having a well-structured workplace (Well organised) and not being taken for granted. (Being appreciated) will be key factors to job satisfaction.
Appendix C
Equity theory
When someone receives a reward they are instantly thankful for it, this in itself can motivate people but if they compare it with others who complete similar tasks as them and there reward is not as big or of there same amount, then the employee can become angry or de-motivated.
Since motivation influences productivity, supervisors need to understand what motivates employees to reach peak performance. It is not an easy task to increase employee motivation because employees respond in different ways to their jobs and their organization's practices.
Appendix D
Douglas McGregor’s Theory X and Theory y
Theories of Motivation have been created throughout the years and one of the most famous is The Theory X and Theory Y methods. This was created by McGregor, and displays two types of managers:
Theory x – This is the recognised this to be the old fashioned way of thinking. It dictates people are more motivated towards money. It gives the impression that people are interested in a descent driving wage/salary. In my opinion generally people dislike work and will avoid it if he/she can.
Therefore most people must be forced with the threat of punishment to work towards being organised.
Many people in my survey prefer to be directed; to avoid responsibility; is relatively un-ambitious, and wants security above all else.
Theory y – People consider this to be the more modern day view. People are not just motivated by money but many other things as well. Effort in work is as natural as work and play.
People will apply self-control and self-direction in the pursuit of being organised, the need for threats of punishment. People should be more aware of their own responsibilities so there is less need for supervision – which is also cost effective.
Commitment to objectives is a function of rewards associated with their achievement.
People usually accept and often seek responsibility.
The capacity to use a high degree of imagination, ingenuity and creativity in solving organisational problems is widely, not narrowly, distributed in the population. In industry the intellectual potential of the average person is only partly utilised.
Bibliography
www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/business/
www.ship.edu/~cgboeree/maslow.html
www.hyperdictionary.com/