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Friday, 7 May 2010

Improving Staff Performance


Considering the theme of motivation, approaches and theories, can be divided in two different typologies: Process and Content theories. These approaches differ from the relevance that they give to the involvement of individuals in the motivation aspect and, especially, these have opposite thought concerning the way that individuals choose to motivate or be motivated. The relevant factor for content theories, are human set of needs and exigences, whose satisfaction represent for individuals the main purpose and aim; according to these considerations, motivational factors have to be focused on the contentment of these needs, in order to provide benefits to the entire organization. Process theories instead, propose a different evaluation about methods that humans use to motivate and to get motivated, process theories assume that individuals, to be motivated to reach a selected standard, set and choose their goals, in order to perform in the more efficient way to achieve them; all these processes are elaborated by an initial calculation.

A clear example of the use of motivation at work, is RBS (Royal Bank of Scotland), which is currently one of the major bank in the UK and EU; according to Maslow's theories, RBS's managers, recognize that money and salary are not the only interest of employees, but, instead, there are more exigences which need to be satisfied in order to improve staff performance. Obviously, employees are encouraged in their work by a real prospective of financial rewards, such as salary increase and payed bonuses to extra hours spent or more effort given, but there are also some other non financial prizes, which can seriously attract employees and change their intentions for the future. Staff effort is recognized by a total reward package that includes the possibility, for the employee, to change and choose working hours, health and medical benefits and paid holidays; RBS's staff is also allowed to buy and pay holidays period and have more accessibility to RBS products, finally they are encouraged to avail of many offers and shopping vouchers offered by the company. Practically, what RBS is offering to its employees, is an enjoyable and attractable community, where the staff is encouraged to provide, to the benefit of the company, the best of themselves; every aspect of an employee's life is considered as fundamental, RBS tries to maintain in harmony the work-life balance, enriches workers annual program with social and philanthropic initiatives, offer to its staff flexible work conditions, in order to satisfy individual needs, understanding that these are may different to each person. These choices are sustained by a solid basis made of a competitive salary (compared to same work employees), and an efficient process of bonuses reward, employees are encouraged to work hard and care of every aspect of the company, doing that, they are sure that their effort will be rightly and richly recognized.

An other useful example of motivation methods used at work is provided by Tesco's, which is currently leader in his market and one of the most powerful and influent company in the UK.

Tesco’s objective is to improve skills and job satisfaction of the employees, so that Tesco’s can not only grow as a company, but can also improve their customers satisfaction. Tesco wants also to maximise sales and profits of the company, furnishing services for the public, to achieve a defined level and maintain the position number one in the ranking of UK retail company. Finally Tesco's target is to maintain itself as a leader in the UK market.

To achieve these goals Tesco set up a plan which purpose is to define target to each employee, this action is clearly linked to Locke's theory of goals, which represent one of the process theory having the easily direct application to motivate companies performance. The objective is to reward employes that achieve best results with defined prize and to give them an higher position in the same company; this behaviour could guide Tesco to an improvement of employees motivation and to improve the sense of belonging of them to the company. Workers can achieve higher performance when they receive accurate feedback and when well chosen actions mean a reward. Finally, Tesco decided to give to its employees the possibility to participate in main decision of the company such as, individuate target and objectives and define prize and rewards, this behaviour produce many positive effects for employees motivation that feel them self important and their performance could earn an higher level because having a role and contributing in company decisions make them feel more responsible about the action they take while they work.


RBS's strategy is clearly following the instructions expressed by Maslow in his theories, and RBS approach to the motivation aspect is developed according to the hierarchy of needs, developed by Maslow itself in 1943. As said before, RBS recognize the importance of its employees needs, and understand that these usually do not only contemplate a financial reward, but, instead, there are more factors to be considered; starting from physiological needs, which represent the basis and an important factor in human needs, the company wants to satisfy each level of the hierarchy, which also contemplates: Safety needs, Love needs, Esteem needs and Self-actualization needs. RBS understand as well, that priority in human needs, may changes by individual considered, and the objective of the company is to provide more flexible choices in order to satisfy everyone.


The theme of motivation represent a sort of key for managers and companies themselves, helped by theories and elaborated approaches, organizations are enabled to control and manage their staff, they are able to set out targets knowing the effort that each employee will put according to the motivation they will provide; motivation represent also an useful and relevant instrument to permit the construction of a solid and healthy internal environment which otherwise can represent a de motivational factor if not well supported by managers. To conclude, motivation is a complex and fundamental system that links personal attitudes to every single sector of an organization, represent as well a powerful tool to control and manage the environment of the staff, not just in order to produce expected results, but also to allow the company to maintain a certain position in the market, making it more steady.



References:

-Mullins, L. (2007) Management and Organisational Behaviour. 8th ed. Pearson Education Limited: Harlow

-TheTimes100 (2009) RBS [online] Available from: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/downloads/rbs/rbs_12_full.pdf [Accessed 21 April 2010]

-TheTimes100 (2009) RBS [online] Available from: http://www.thetimes100.co.uk/company_list.php [Accessed 21 April 2010]

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