Different types of culture include
Technological culture- effort is focused on the development of technology and there is a drive to be the best in that field. Ideas and suggestions from all levels of the business will be met with encouragement. Alcatel will have adopted this culture as in the telecoms industry you must always try to be one step ahead of the competition and without the strive for the newest, greatest technology then they could fall behind.
Person culture- a large emphasis is put on staff’s personal development and their progress through the business. This is true at Alcatel as they are constantly under deadlines and nobody likes to see anybody fail. Many people start from very low in the chain of command jobs to regional managers and higher, this shows that Alcatel likes to use internal recruitment to improve morale within the business.
Task culture- when there is a certain task or goal to be achieved, so groups or teams are formed to achieve the work in some cases. Alcatel have many groups/teams within its business as it builds staffs morale and working in a team can make the job that little bit more enjoyable and a little easier as you do not feel all on your own.
Role culture- is very much like the army or police, the power and authority at the top of the hierarchy are shown respect and everybody knows that they are in charge so if they say jump you say how high.
Competitive culture- is where people showing potential have the opportunity for promotion if there is a opportunity in the business. there can be a potential for conflict as employees maybe looking for the same promotion.
Customer driven culture- is where the business is dedicated to satisfying the customer at all levels, the best example of this would be co-op’s which were set up so that the customer would get the best prices. Attention will be always focused on improving the customers feelings of the business.
Positive culture- this is where the managers and workers work together and are supportive of contributes they may have and suggestions.
The different type of management may have a large impact on the culture of the business. Within a large business their will be a tall organisational structure where many of the influences of the top management will have to go through many sub ordinates to reach the workers, this means there is a break in communication. Within a flat line business the managers will be in constant touch with the workers so they can have regular meetings with each other to let everyone understand exactly what is being aimed for. This will generally mean that everyone in the smaller organisations will have the same attitudes which will make them work together effectively.
Different cultures affect the way in which a business will meet its objectives. Many businesses will have a mix of different cultures which will make that business the individual it is. The different type of business will obviously have its different types of culture for the business they are as you are unlikely to see a super market with a technological culture but these are what make the business what they are. Alcatel adopts many different types of culture into their business but I would say that the emphasis is on Techonological, positive and task cultures. Alcatel works in teams for a lot of their areas of speciality and are constantly striving to make new faster quicker equipment, I would say they have a positive culture because in at least the sales department they use each other contributions and efforts to learn new techniques and also to make a gauge of where and what they have to do.
When looking at culture you must also look into tradition as some organisations are heavily built around tradition. A great example of this is Cadbury as they have wanted to offer the best chocolate they can for the public for 100 years and in the past had opened houses and schools for their workers. Other businesses are more innovative and do not care about past methods as they are constantly looking for that new method that will help the business the most.
Alcatel is an old company but within the telecoms industry it is hard to keep to ‘tradition’ and have a more up-to-date approach on tackling business.
Management styles
All firms have different management styles that affect the success of their business and their companies objectives.
It is hard to pin down Alcatel’s overall style of management as it will vary from area to area but it is certainly a very hierarchical business with many chains of commands for the different areas covered in this country and around the world. Different area managers will have different styles so in one area it may be you have cover the Buckinghamshire area or individuals will be set for sales meetings for the clients that are chosen for them, so the most appropriate sales person will be doing the job.
Out of the many different management styles I would have to say that Alcatel is mostly a democratic style, as managers and workers liase closely to understand targets and what has been done and what needs to be done
Advantages of this style include;
- Good work atmosphere, no snide remarks about the boss behind their back.
- Your boss will know exactly what you need to do and if you need help with it can offer you that help, so you are not on your own.
- Good communication within the business, their will be no communication break downs
All styles have their individual strengths and weaknesses so it is important to identify the right style for the task, the contingency approach is where you use the right style for that exact situation so no actual style is constantly used. This can be good for some people but also very confusing for the staff as there is a big mix up in how they are being managed and doing their job.
The management style chosen by the business or manager will rely on 4 main factors, these are;
- Character of employees
- Character of leader
- The task at hand
- The environment and culture of business
Management style will affect the achievement of a businesses objectives. As well as the basic goal of to make a profit a company may have other objectives they want to achieve such as giving a percentage of profits to charities or to make their market share grow by 1-2%. If the wrong style of management is used this can have a very bad affect on workers as they may become unmotivated or unwilling to do their work, this means that their output will decrease and this will affect the customers. Sometimes the wrong style used will determine whether their objectives are reached.
A great way to ensure objectives are met and kept is to talk with the employees and ask them how they feel about the work etc. Meeting one of my contacts within Alcatel I asked them some general questions about Alcatel and their feelings.
Alcatel uses many different motivational techniques to achieve higher performance within the business, I discovered that Alcatel are strong believers in Maslows hierarchy of needs. They believe that it is not just money that motivates workers and try to offer up different rewards to motivate their workers.
One technique I was told that they use is to build small teams of workers together, so that they have “friends” to work around giving a better atmosphere in the work place. This would come under maslows “social” needs, within the Maidenhead building there is a variety of different individual methods that Alcatel use, these include ;
- Free lunch if you get to the office before the start of work, this way it motivates people to not be late for work and also the costs of a lunch for each worker is nothing compared to the costs of late workers they used to have. Since introducing this lateness has fell to only 2%.
- Coffee rooms for every different section of the building, rather than having everyone make there own coffee I was told that the workers like to send one person to get a groups drinks and switch around who goes each time. This way it stops groups of people crowding round the coffee room and having chats and wasting time for the business.
To motivate their employees Alcatel should
- Involve the team in planning and decision making
- Communicate effectively
- Delegate and show confidence
- Align delegated objectives with individual's objectives
- Emphasize working as a team
- Actively seek harmony in the team
- Be positive and enthusiastic
- Give praise and recognition for good performance
Company and administrative policies. An organization's policies can be a great source of frustration for employees if the policies are unclear or unnecessary or if not everyone is required to follow them. Although employees will never feel a great sense of motivation or satisfaction due to your policies, you can decrease dissatisfaction in this area by making sure your policies are fair and apply equally to all. Also, make printed copies of your policies-and-procedures manual easily accessible to all members of your staff. If you do not have a written manual, create one, soliciting staff input along the way. If you already have a manual, consider updating it (again, with staff input). You might also compare your policies to those of similar practices and ask yourself whether particular policies are unreasonably strict or whether some penalties are too harsh.
Supervision. To decrease dissatisfaction in this area, you must begin by making wise decisions when you appoint someone to the role of supervisor. Be aware that good employees do not always make good supervisors. The role of supervisor is extremely difficult. It requires leadership skills and the ability to treat all employees fairly. You should teach your supervisors to use positive feedback whenever possible and should establish a set means of employee evaluation and feedback so that no one feels singled out.
Salary. The old adage "you get what you pay for" tends to be true when it comes to staff members. Salary is not a motivator for employees, but they do want to be paid fairly. If individuals believe they are not compensated well, they will be unhappy working for you. Consult salary surveys or even your local help-wanted ads to see whether the salaries and benefits you're offering are comparable to those of other offices in your area. In addition, make sure you have clear policies related to salaries, raises and bonuses.
Interpersonal relations. Remember that part of the satisfaction of being employed is the social contact it brings, so allow employees a reasonable amount of time for socialization (e.g., over lunch, during breaks, between patients). This will help them develop a sense of camaraderie and teamwork. At the same time, you should crack down on rudeness, inappropriate behavior and offensive comments. If an individual continues to be disruptive, take charge of the situation, perhaps by dismissing him or her from the practice.
Working conditions. The environment in which people work has a tremendous effect on their level of pride for themselves and for the work they are doing. Do everything you can to keep your equipment and facilities up to date. Even a nice chair can make a world of difference to an individual's psyche. Also, if possible, avoid overcrowding and allow each employee his or her own personal space, whether it be a desk, a locker, or even just a drawer. If you've placed your employees in close quarters with little or no personal space, don't be surprised that there is tension among them.
Before you move on to the motivators, remember that you cannot neglect the hygiene factors discussed above. To do so would be asking for trouble in more than one way. First, your employees would be generally unhappy, and this would be apparent to your patients. Second, your hardworking employees, who can find jobs elsewhere, would leave, while your mediocre employees would stay and compromise your practice's success. So deal with hygiene issues first, then move on to the motivators:
Work itself. Perhaps most important to employee motivation is helping individuals believe that the work they are doing is important and that their tasks are meaningful. Emphasize that their contributions to the practice result in positive outcomes and good health care for your patients. Share stories of success about how an employee's actions made a real difference in the life of a patient, or in making a process better. Make a big deal out of meaningful tasks that may have become ordinary, such as new-baby visits. Of course employees may not find all their tasks interesting or rewarding, but you should show the employee how those tasks are essential to the overall processes that make the practice succeed. You may find certain tasks that are truly unnecessary and can be eliminated or streamlined, resulting in greater efficiency and satisfaction. sincerely want to do a good job. To help them, make sure you've placed them in positions that use their talents and are not set up for failure. Set clear, achievable goals and standards for each position, and make sure employees know what those goals and standards are. Individuals should also receive regular, timely feedback on how they are doing and should feel they are being adequately challenged in their jobs. Be careful, however, not to overload individuals with challenges that are too difficult or impossible, as that can be paralyzing.
Recognition. Individuals at all levels of the organization want to be recognized for their achievements on the job. Their successes don't have to be monumental before they deserve recognition, but your praise should be sincere. If you notice employees doing something well, take the time to acknowledge their good work immediately. Publicly thank them for handling a situation particularly well. Write them a kind note of praise. Or give them a bonus, if appropriate. You may even want to establish a formal recognition program, such as "employee of the month."
Responsibility. Employees will be more motivated to do their jobs well if they have ownership of their work. This requires giving employees enough freedom and power to carry out their tasks so that they feel they "own" the result. As individuals mature in their jobs, provide opportunities for added responsibility. Be careful, however, that you do not simply add more work. Instead, find ways to add challenging and meaningful work, perhaps giving the employee greater freedom and authority as well.
What Alcatel does to demotivate staff and how they should change
After talking to several sources in Alcatel I found out that the business has certain practices that actually demotivate their staff, these include ;
- Long hours, Alcatel strive on excellence and if a job is not close to completion then staff are expected to put in extra hours to get it done, I was told this can happen regularly and even though they get extra pay the fact they do not know when these long hours can happen makes them unhappy.
- Language complications, Alcatel is a French company and often there can be complications in communication as some parties can only speak English and others only speaking French. Alcatel have already put an action plan into action which involves the hiring of workers that can speak both languages and also the hiring of translators for different buildings.
On the internet I found some interesting information on how employers control employee motivation ;
Employers hold the key to employee enthusiasm through the work they offer and the skills of their managers. That's the key finding in new research from Investors in People examining what makes employees give their best while at work.
The research - which supports growing awareness within Britain's businesses that the route to employee productivity does not come solely through the pay packet - found that 43% of employees cite job content or the challenge the job presented as the main motivator in the workplace. Only 14% noted pay as the key influence, followed closely by team spirit, with 13% seeing this as an important factor. The results show that enlightened employers who examine employee needs, and create an environment to stimulate them, reap business benefits through a more enthusiastic and productive workforce.
The NOP survey, which interviewed around 2000 employees in Britain, also highlights the dangers lurking for employers who don't take motivation seriously. Nearly one-third (32%) of employees in the survey saw lack of recognition from management for the work they do, or poor management communication, as the most demotivating factors in their work. This shows how easily a manager's actions and behaviour can undermine people's sense of involvement in an organisation. Notably, men see lack of recognition from management as more demotivating than women (22%/10%).
Ruth Spellman, Chief Executive of Investors in People, said, "Our research highlights that management hold the key to keeping employees fired up - but they must focus time and attention on them to make this happen. Maintaining productivity - and addressing the sections of the workforce who remain demotivated - present important challenges for managers; the need to keep the interest high and the challenge fresh are vital to any business, because motivated employees can mean the difference between success and failure."
"Employers should also take heed of the findings on employee demotivation and realise that poor management practices can have a major impact on the workforce. Improving communication and recognising employee contribution can make a real difference to employee motivation and, ultimately, an organisation's bottom-line. An organisation that leaves its employees to drift without direction is on the short road to ruin."
Other findings of the research include:
* Job security is high on the agenda, with nearly four out of 10 employees (39%) citing it as something they want from their employers. This is particularly prevalent amongst men, with 43% looking for job security compared to 33% of women.
* Over one-quarter (28%) of employees see work-life balance as something employers should deliver for them. This is more important to women (32%) than men (24%).
* Recognition for the contribution an employee makes to an organisation becomes more important as employees get older (16-23 year-olds - 11%/ 55-64 year olds - 24%).
* Employees working for large organisations see lack of recognition from management as the main reason for demotivation in the workplace (22%). In comparison, employees working for SMEs cite poor communication and lack of leadership as the main demotivating factors.
This information shows that employees are looking for much more than just money they all have different needs (referring back to the hierarchy of needs). Although money motivates people to actually have a job it does not motivate them to do their work, work for certain companies and explains unhappiness levels at jobs which do not challenge their workers such as Mcdonalds etc.
Motivation on a project depends on
- Often established by the project manger
- The project's reward system
- Especially if it is challenging
- Especially if it is conducive to creativity
- Especially if it is a source of learning
- And not overbearing
- And the opportunity to network
Motivating Factors
Project turn-ons
- Recognition
- Increased responsibility and status
- Advancement
- Opportunity for intellectual growth
- Opportunity for personal achievement
- Flexible working
- Variety and the job itself
- Good communication
- The leader's enthusiasm
De-motivating Factors
Project turn-offs
- Constraints of company policy and administration
- An over-bearing bureaucracy
- Below-average compensation
- Poor quality supervision
- Poor communications
- A poor working environment
- Either sociologically or physically
- A negative attitude of the project leader
