Motivation for Performance

Scenario (fictional):

The Timber Building Company modifies and builds portable offices and homes based on customized plans. The company has been in business 35 years and has prided itself on providing a very competitive salary and great benefits as well as retaining most of their original employees. While they originally began the company doing creative designs and one-of-a-kind housing and office buildings, much of the routine work in the factory is now done robotically. They still need a supervisor and technicians to keep the operations running, as well as the construction crew who actually deliver and construct the products on site. Although the designs might be modified slightly now, they are already in the company computer and ready to produce with some small modifications when needed. There are two main engineers, one who predominantly works on high-end mansions, and the other who predominantly works on corporate office projects from Timber’s main offices.

The CEO and president (the husband and wife team who are the founders), are the ones who meet with prospective corporate clients and negotiate the prices and building parameters. While the company used to construct low-income housing as well, the clients are now almost exclusively wealthy private clients or corporate titans. The CEO and the company president are beginning to think about retirement. They want to keep the company running, but they cannot understand why the two engineers seem unmotivated when they are receiving such competitive salaries and great benefits with 3 weeks’ vacation a year. In addition, the production line has had more problems of late, and the supervisor seems to be coming in late several times a week, as have the technicians. They are worried about the future of the company they built.

Checklist: Minimum Submission Requirements

Using critical thinking and analysis:

Summarize the problems at the company that are possibly affecting employee motivation and performance.

Analyze motivation theories as provided in your text and learning activities (providing proper attribution) to explain the engineers’ lack of motivation.

Name the theory or theories.

Define the theory or theories.

Explain how the theory or theories apply/applies to the scenario.

Analyze motivation theories as provided in your text and learning activities (providing proper attribution) to explain the supervisor’s, technicians’, and construction crew’s lack of motivation.

Name the theory or theories.

Define the theory or theories.

Explain how the theory or theories apply/applies to the scenario.

Explain how the CEO and president might better motivate employees to improve performance.

Your essay should demonstrate a clear and sustained point of view.

Submit your 2- to 3-page expository essay with additional title and reference pages using APA formatting and citation style

ANSWER

Motivation for Performance

Introduction

The Timber Building Company deals with the development of portable offices and home-based customized plans. The company has been facing challenges linked to motivation and performance of the employees. Ideally, motivation plays a great role in the achievement and performance of employees within an organization. This paper will focus on issues of performance and motivation within Timber Building Company through an analysis of motivation theories that will help understand the scenario.

Employee motivation and performance are being affected by artificial intelligence introduced to conduct routine work in the factory. This has dramatically affected the creativity and employee engagement in running the operations of the company.  Ideally, the employees cannot use their creativity in the office and home designs since they are already prepared in the computer and only less modification is required. Another issue leading to employee demotivation is the fear that they might end up unemployed if the company continues to automate its operations. The use of robots has become a cause of unemployment, thus creating fear among employees. Additionally, employees get motivated when they feel that their work is being appreciated. If employees feel that their efforts are not being appreciated or recognized, they soon begin to lack commitment and energy in their roles.

Engineers’ lack of motivation is linked to Hertzberg two factor theory of motivation. Hertzberg’s two-factor theory of motivation states that various factors influence motivation and job satisfaction in the workplace. These include the hygiene and motivator factors. The motivator factors entail feeling acknowledged, appreciating work, and career development. (Alfayad and Arif, 2017). While hygiene factors entail company guidelines, wage, relationship with coworkers and leaders, and benefits. According to the theory, the company has failed to protect the safety of the engineers since they feel less valued in the company after the automation of much of the company’s operations. Ideally, a lack of the stated factors in an organization can lead to dissatisfaction since they are independent of each other. The theory implies that the company needs to improve both hygiene and motivator factors for a productive and happy workforce.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is a theory that focuses on models of human needs. The idea is used to understand how humans have intrinsically partaken in their behavioral interventions. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs begins with the most basic needs at the lowermost levels while the intricate needs are at the utmost levels (Fallatah and Syed, 2018). As individuals progress in their work, they become increasingly social and psychological, which is developing and growing to achieve individual potential.

The supervisors, technicians, and construction crew want their creativity used in work. This means that the company has failed to fulfill its needs by introducing automated and robot operations. Concerning Maslow, security, psychological, esteem, and social needs are deficiency needs that appear at the lower level needs which are essential to an employee and prevent unpleasant feelings that lead to demotivation. For instance, lack of job security may lead to consequences of demotivation since the employees feel insecure with the robotic technology. Because employees are less involved in their duties due to the automated technology, they get demotivated since there is a lack of personal worth.

The CEO and president should focus on generating a positive company setting. Creating a positive working atmosphere includes encouraging communication and listening to everyone’s ideas to develop a positive working relationship. Ideally, every employee is with the company for specific reasons. Therefore listening to everyone shows that each employee is valuable, thus building positive attitudes within the company.

A positive work environment means that the CEO and president prioritize well-being and satisfaction at work. They need to understand their employees to make the jobs more interesting and connect with the employees to solve issues within the company. To prevent demotivation, there is a need to ensure that employees feel valued and appreciated. Giving attention to employee’s needs and feedback to understand how they can grow and progress within the company can form a supportive relationship that builds the employees’ commitment and motivation.

Conclusion

Motivation can be intrinsic such as feelings of achievement and satisfaction or extrinsic such as rewards and goal obtainment. Timber building company has failed to focus on extrinsic motivations which have negatively led to demotivation of employees. With regards to the theories of Hertzberg and Maslow hierarchy of needs, the CEO and president need to focus on the psychological process that keeps the employees motivated and committed in their duties within the company.

References

Alfayad, Z., & Arif, L. S. M. (2017). Employee voice and job satisfaction: An application of Herzberg two-factor theory. International Review of Management and Marketing, 7(1), 150-156.

Fallatah, R. H. M., & Syed, J. (2018). A critical review of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. Employee motivation in Saudi Arabia, 19-59.