Introduction
The driving force behind any employee’s increased performance is enthusiasm. Essentially, motivation is the ability to enable employees achieves the desired goal. Therefore, managers have a responsibility of finding the explanations that inspires their personnel to increase their productivity (Andrews and Rose 241).
Studies indicate a correlation that exist enthusiasm and employees’ increased efficiency. In other words, factors that negatively affect motivation of employees in the workplace have also been found to have detrimental impacts on the employees’ productivity.
Essentially, enthusiasm at the workplace plays a significant role in influencing individual output since it affects the physical and intellectual potentials of the personnel. Moreover, the maintenance of workers’ motivation enhances the ability of employees to perform the physical and mental responsibilities to the optimal levels.
Management relating factors such as compensation system of the organisation, management structure, leadership style as well as other related work processes increases motivation on the employees. The way these factors affect the employees’ productivity remains critical to the attainment of the goals of an organisation.
Therefore, understanding the relationship between the motivating factors and the productivity of employees as well as the way related variables affect this relationship is significant to the organisations’ success. As a result, diverse observations have been developed to find out what motivates human resources in the workplace.
The paper tends to examine how organisations utilise various motivational models to increases job satisfaction and performance. In particular, the paper tends to evaluate how HSBC bank Middle East is applying motivational theories to motivate its workers in order to attain increased productivity and desired performance. In fact, various factors affect motivation of workers within an organisation. The factors can be understood through the application of various motivational models.
Essentially, the report provides an analysis of how various motivation models has been applied by HSBC bank Middle East to achieve the desired workers job satisfaction, increased productivity and performance within the workplace. Besides, the paper hypothesise that HSBC bank Middle East is utilising various motivational theories to achieve the desired workers job satisfaction, increased productivity and performance within the workforce.
Literature Review
As indicated, appreciation forms the deepest principle of human nature. In essence, recognising the efforts of employees, the provision of succession prospects to the personnel and enhancing job commitment and dedication among employees are ways through which employees can be motivated.
Further, the depths of individual human beings as well as their devotion to deliver tremendous output in the operation of an organisation contribute immensely in the competitive ability of the firm (Andrews and Rose 241). In fact, the performance levels of personnel play very significant roles in increasing the firm’s competitive advantage. Several factors affect employees’ job performance. For instance, motivation is considered to influence employee performance.
Firms often apply different concepts and models to explain the methods of motivation to increase the employees’ performance. In fact, employees are highly motivated when their interests are taken into consideration. In essence, the driving force behind any employee’s performance is enthusiasm.
Therefore, any organisation must adopt practices that inspire personnel to increase their productivity. Various organisation models of motivation are explained through a range of suppositions including the process theories of motivation, expectancy and equity theories, human needs and goal setting. Organisations can use the combination of these theories to establish models of motivation.
Motivational models
Content theories of motivation or the theories of human needs
Essentially, the content theories tend to examine the human factors that are likely to motivate employees. Factors such as the human instincts, satisfaction and job characteristics are identified by the theories. Generally, the theory of human needs centers on the workers’ emotional desires. Maslows’ hierarchy of needs, management assumption or the (Theory X and Theory Y), Alderfers’s ERG theory, McClelland’s needs theory and Herzberg’s two-factor theory advance content or theories of human needs.
Maslow’s hierarchy of needs
Abraham Maslow put forward the theory centering on the workers’ emotional needs. As a result, there are five levels of needs required by the employees in order to fulfill their wants (Locke 37). The idea proposed a hierarchy of needs varying from essential and physiological needs such as hunger, to the elevated ranked ones including self–esteem as well as self-actualisation. In fact, the recognition of such needs by employers leads to improved outcomes.
The benefits offered by the organisation provide essential as well as other needs of the employees. Most importantly, working in the organisation enables employees to achieve self-actualisation. In fact, self-actualisation is attained in various ways within an organisation including the ability to set personal goals and ways through which they can be achieved. The organisation must establish a set of programs that value workers together with their efforts.
Herzberg’s two-factor theory
Herzberg presented two levels of needs that should be met in order to be satisfied. Herzberg categorised human needs into two factors that include hygiene needs and the motivators. The hygiene needs are the basic needs that have to be met by the organisation to increase workers satisfaction and motivation. On the other hand, motivators are set of needs that are needed to be met in order to increase the employees’ satisfaction.
According to Herzberg, the hygiene needs are the dissatisfying or extrinsic factors that should be taken into greater consideration by the organisation in order to satisfy the workers. The extrinsic factors directly relate to motivation and job satisfaction. The extrinsic or dissatisfying factors include administrative policies, supervision, working conditions, interpersonal relations salary, status, job security and personal life. Conversely, satisfying or intrinsic factors enhances individual fulfillment. Satisfying or intrinsic factors include achievements, recognition, work processes, responsibility, advancements and growth.
Alderfers’s ERG theory
ERG motivation theory as advanced by Clayton Alderfer is a simplification of the Maslow’s theory of motivation into three wide-ranging classes. The classes of needs include the existence needs, relatedness needs and growth needs. The existence needs are those wants that are necessary for the existence of the individual.
The existence needs ranges from psychological to needs required for physical purposes. The relatedness needs are the aspirations that workers require to sustain important interpersonal interactions. The growth needs are the requirements for individual growth and development.
McClelland’s needs theory
The theory of acquired needs as advanced by McClelland asserts that the desires of an individual determine their motivating factors. In other words, employees are motivated differently depending on their needs.
According to the theory, employees whose aims are high should be assigned challenging tasks with attainable objectives. Such employees are also supposed to be rewarded for the performance of hard tasks. In support of the changes in the management of employees in the firm, the theory suggests that employees with good relation abilities are high performers in an environment that encourage cooperation.
Process theories of motivation
Apart from content motivational models or theories of human needs, process theories of motivation look into the processes that influence the employees’ motivation. The processes theories classify internal factors and cognition that influence an individual towards attaining the desired outcome. Process theories have been advanced by Adams equity theory, Vroom’s expectancy theory and the theory of goal setting.
Vroom’s expectancy theory
The expectancy theory as advanced by Vroom asserts that a person become motivated when personal preferences are met. In fact, Vroom asserts that that the expectations of an individual are arranged in order of preferences. The perceived expectation with higher value or outcome should be met in order to enhance personal commitment and productivity.
In other words, an employee motivation is determined by personal perception and preference. The theory argues that individuals have diverse personal preferences for various outcomes. Individuals place value on the desired outcome or rewards. Personal preference is the emphasis of receiving the reward. The major weakness of the theory is that the value attached to a goal or reward is subjective since it varies with an individual.
Locke’s goal-setting theory
Goal setting theory as advanced by Edwin Locke argues that clear goals and appropriate feedback is a powerful motivating factor foe the employees. In other words, the theory is about setting clear goals and the manner in which the goals can help create task and strategies in order to attain the outcome.
The model argues that the attainment of the objectives of assigned tasks depends largely on the task performance. According to the model, employees will always pursue challenging and specific tasks with clear feedback. In essence, the set goals define individual employees’ efforts required to perform the given task (Locke 37). The model works well in an environment where employees set their own goals and ways through which such objectives can be attained.
Allowing employees to perform own job evaluation also indicate the application of the model. Further, the employees are left to suggest the best ways they can achieve their own objectives. Through the practice, employees are encouraged to be their own leaders and in effect motivate them towards attaining individual as well as the firm’s goals.
Other elements of motivation
Even though various models have been advanced to explain how workers can be motivated to achieve the expected outcome through rewards, other factors including monetary and non-monetary also contributes towards enhancing motivation and improved performance. Besides, various models argue that reward systems and methods are critical in determining the workers performance. However, direct compensation in terms of monetary rewards is a significant motivating factor.
Compensation system of the firm should be geared towards enhancing the employees’ performance. Forms of monetary compensation such as commissions, piece rate and overtime contribute hugely towards enhancing the workers performance. In other words, the importance of monetary rewards cannot be undermined. Monetary rewards help employees meet the basic and desired needs. Essentially, monetary rewards can be used to induce employees in order to continue working for the organisation.
Conversely, non-monetary rewards are also applied by organisations to motivate workers towards attaining the desired goal. Non-monetary rewards such as empowerment, teamwork and participation have been found to have greater influence on the employees’ outcome.
Empowerment involves allowing workers a greater autonomy on their work processes. In other words, workers should be allowed to have greater freedom and power to control their own working processes. Team working is organising the workers into groups, setting goals and providing rewards for attaining the set goals or targets. Participation involves allowing employees to participate in organisational decision-making process.
The non-monetary rewards in employees’ motivation are in line with the Mayo’s theory of human relations. Human relations concept stresses on the importance of society’s requirements to employees’ motivation. In other words, the theory argues that the personnel are not only inspired by the remunerations but also by social needs during the execution of responsibilities.
The concept concentrates on the bosses’ role of recognising employees as people with valuable views as well as their pleasure in relations with one another (Beck 208). In addition, managers are supposed to put more consideration on employees’ social needs. In reality, employees should be given opportunity to provide suggestions on how they can achieve the objectives of the assigned tasks.
The allusion that employees are allowed to set own goals and targets as well as the firm’s responsibility helps workers achieve own set of goals. Further, in a firm, the management teams are supposed to inspire and empower the employees towards the attainment of the set objectives.
Analysis
The effectiveness of the firm’s motivating practices can be assessed by the conduct and the views of the employees. The employees’ motivating practices enable firms to attain the set objectives. Additionally, the provision of incentives by the firm attracts as well as retains highly skilled and talented employees. Organisations should continue using motivating practices to attract talented employees and enhance their performance.
Moreover, the firms should enhance teamwork approach to challenging tasks in order to motivate employees. Embracing teamwork and increased involvement of managers in looking after the interests of workers greatly boost trust and interpersonal skills among the personnel (Beck 208).
Concerning the development of trust and interpersonal skills among employees, the organisation should ensure affirmative fairness. In essence, the leader should communicate evaluation standards as well as assessment points to the workforce for fairness and trust among employees. Finally, the firm’s human resources manager should embrace diversity in workplace in order to enhance the motivational effectiveness.
The changes that normally occur in the management of employees can be explained by Maslow and Herzberg theories of motivation. Abraham Maslow and Frederick Herzberg put forward the theory centering on the workers’ emotional needs.
As a result, Maslow introduced five levels of needs required by the employees to have their job complete. The idea proposed a hierarchy of needs varying from essential, physiological such as hunger, to the elevated ranked ones such as the needs of self–esteem as well as those of self-actualisation. Recognition of such needs by employers leads to improved outcomes.
In fact, organisations such as HSBC bank Middle East management of employees can be evaluated through the application of the theories. Essentially, whether HSBC bank Middle East has met the needs of the employees can be evaluated from the employees’ perspective. However, HSBC bank Middle East has achieved the prospect of maintaining the employees and increased productivity in the recent past.
Just like the other motivation theories, Maslow’s theory is equally vital in explaining the trust the HSBC bank Middle East has build on its employees as well as in rewarding system. Identifying employees’ individual places in the ladder of needs ensures the creation of terms that make it possible for the employees to acquire such needs through their endeavors (Andrews and Rose 291).
The firm’s management achieves this through identifying that not all employees move up the hierarchy at the same rate. As a result, the firm is able to offer different set of pay from worker to worker. Assigning power to the workers in making their decisions plays a significant role in developing a sense of trust among them and the company.
Maslow’s theory is equally critical in the understanding of the workers needs, which is vital in building trust between the organisation and employees as well as in developing the compensation system. Essentially, identifying employees’ individual places in the ladder of needs enables the organisation to create terms that make it possible for the employees to acquire such needs through their endeavors (Beck 208).
In fact, the understanding of the individual employees’ places in the hierarchy of needs enables the management to create motivating terms and increases satisfaction within the workplace. While ensuring that the needs of employees are met, the management should recognise the fact that not all employees can achieve the same needs at the same time. In other words, the organisation should take into consideration each individual employees needs.
Motivation-hygiene theory can also be applied to better understand the changes in the employees’ impetus and attitude at HSBC bank Middle East. However, unlike Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, the motivation-hygiene theory advanced by Fredrick Herzberg categorises the needs of employees into two major factors that either increases the workers fulfillment or causes redundancy.
As indicated, motivation-hygiene theory as advanced by Fredrick Herzberg tends to determine factors that contribute to the fulfillment and frustrations of employees within the workplace (Andrews and Rose 291).
Before, organisation such as HSBC bank Middle East pursued human resources management policies that ensured adherence to the firm’s strategies, close supervision, tense relationships between workers and their seniors, tight controls in work processes, low remunerations or compensations based on output as well as poor relations with other workers.
However, new changes were implementation that encouraged participatory management in which the firm managed its workforce. In fact, the management considered factors such as the employees’ pursuit for individual achievements, recognition of the workers achievements, employees’ responsibility as well as individual advancement and growth. Essentially, the firm implemented the motivation-hygiene theory as suggested by Fredrick Herzberg.
In addition, HSBC bank Middle East also brought changes that were supported by McClelland’s acquired needs theory. In fact, the firm encouraged employees with high aims. Moreover, HSBC bank Middle East recognised employees with increased need for affiliation. Besides, the firm provided top leadership positions to the employees who sought such positions. All these policies are in accordance with the theory of acquired needs as suggested by McClelland.
The theory of acquired needs assert that the desires of an individual determine their motivating factors. In other words, employees are motivated differently depending on their needs (Andrews and Rose 291). According to the theory, employees whose aims are high should be assigned challenging tasks with attainable objectives.
Such employees are also supposed to be rewarded for the performance of hard tasks. In support of the changes in the management of employees in the firm, the theory suggests that employees with good relation abilities are high performers in an environment that encourage cooperation.
Another important theory that can be used to explain the management of workforce is the ERG theory advanced by Alderfer. Clayton Alderfer simplifies the Maslow’s theory of motivation into three wide-ranging classes. The classes of needs include the existence needs, relatedness needs and growth needs.
The existence needs are those wants that are necessary for the existence of the individual. The existence needs ranges from psychological to needs required for physical purposes (Andrews and Rose 291). The relatedness needs are the aspirations that workers require to sustain important interpersonal interactions. The growth needs are the requirements for individual growth and development. Meeting both the relatedness and growth needs ensures increased satisfaction, which leads to increased productivity.
In fact, the HSBC bank Middle East should understand the various desires of its employees and put in place the rewarding systems that ensured satisfaction of the needs. The implementations of these measures are in line with the ERG theory.
Moreover, the ERG theory implies that managers should not concentrate on one type of need rather they should be considered as whole for workers to be motivated. Managers at HSBC bank Middle East should ensure that employees’ needs are considered and the remuneration system satisfies the needs of employees. The firm should also provide a work environment where employees’ growth and development are to be enhanced.
Through the application of Elton Mayo’s theory of human relations, the organisation should study the productivity levels of different groups of employees. For example, increased employee recognition, consultations as well as offering them an opportunity to give response leads to easy decisions concerning remuneration (Beck 201).
In addition, embracing teamwork and increased involvement of managers in looking after the interests of workers greatly increase trust and interpersonal skills among the personnel. Therefore, a firm should restructure itself taking into consideration the significance of recognising workers’ interests.
According to various models, the workplace environment plays significant roles in motivating employees (Grant and Gino 949). In other words, workplace environment contributes significantly in increasing the level of motivation. Considering other factors of motivation, the type of relationship workers have with their superiors contributes hugely to their motivation and productivity (Grant and Gino 949).
Essentially, the type of relationship workers have with their immediate supervisors determines the level of performance and productivity derived from motivation towards the work processes. The relationship between workers and the managers is a critical determining factor affecting employees’ motivation within the workplace. Besides, the relationships within the workforce also play a significant role in ensuring that the desired outcome is achieved.
Besides the relationship workers develop with fellow workers also determine the level of motivation. In other words, relationships developed within the workforce affect their motivation levels. The findings underscore the assertion that relationships generated within the organisation have greater influence on the general performance of employees as well as the organisation. Essentially, the relations between the employees and management as well as between the employees play a critical role in motivating the workforce.
Another important factor that has come out clearly to be affecting employees’ motivation is compensation. Compensation remains critical in determining the employees’ performance and productivity (Ismail 927). In fact, increased productivity result from the enthusiasm workers have on the assigned task. Compensation and motivation of workers have a direct relationship. In other words, compensation directly influences workers motivation, which in turn affects performance and productivity.
Other related factors such as promotions, annual vacations as well as security have been found to be motivating. Regarding job promotions, maintaining fairness in the distribution of promotion as well as other benefits is motivating. Unfairness results in reduced motivation and performance (Ismail 927).
Most of the studies indicate that over employees greatly consider fairness in the distribution of promotion as well as other compensation benefits practiced by the organisation. Actually, fairness is a critical attribute of compensation practices that ensure job satisfaction among employees.
In other words, in order to achieve the motivational objective, the compensation method as well as related factors such promotions must be perceived as being fair by the employees.
In this case, fairness implies that employees perceive the overall policy of the organisation regarding compensation benefits and promotions as reasonably representing their contributions to the goals of the organisation (Ismail 927). Essentially, job satisfaction is a perception among employees particularly where the general organisation practices are perceived to be fair.
The findings on other related compensation practices such as annual vacations, job security and the manner in which employees are remunerated such as paychecks indicate the importance of compensation practices to employees’ motivation. In fact, the practices increase the job satisfaction among employees (Schoeffler 349). As indicated, job satisfaction is primarily derived from the motivation.
Further, the study indicates that highly motivated workers are more satisfied on their jobs than employees who are not motivated. As such, annual vacations, job security and the manner in which employees are compensated remain critical factors influencing employees’ motivation.
The appreciations of workers’ contributions to the attainment of the organisation goals have significant and direct influence on workers performance (Schoeffler 349). In fact, studies on employees motivation indicate that appreciation of employees’ contribution to the organisation greatly influence their motivation. Managers and immediate supervisors should acknowledge the contributions of workers in order to motivate them towards the attainment of desired outcomes.
Moreover, training and being acquainted with the work processes was also cited as important motivating factor. Appropriate training on how to undertake the assigned tasks motivate employees and increase their performance. Appropriate training enables employees be knowledgeable about the assigned tasks and increases their efficiency as well as effectiveness in attaining the desired results (Grant and Gino 951). Ensuring that employees get the required technical skills is critical in increasing their motivation and performance.
Conclusion
Many factors affect motivation among employees within the organisation. However, workplace environment, compensation and the relationship between employees and management remain critical factors that influence motivation. The relationship between motivation and work performance is direct. The likelihood of attaining increased performance on motivated employees is very high. In other words, there is greater possibility of attaining increased performance on highly motivated employees.
On the other hand, compensation increases job commitment and satisfaction, which are critical in determining the performance of employees. Moreover, management structure, practices and leadership styles culminate all the organisation’s work processes that motivate, increase satisfaction and job commitment leading to increased performance.
Works Cited
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Beck, Robert C. Motivation: Theories and Principles. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 2000. Print.
Grant, Adam and Francesca Gino. “A Little Thanks Goes a Long Way: Explaining Why Gratitude Expressions Motivate Prosocial Behavior.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 98.6 (2010): 946–955. Print.
Ismail, Azman. “Relationship between Performances features and job satisfaction: Does interactional justice act as a mediating role?” Academy of Management Journal, 35.5 (2007): 921-955. Print.
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