Motivation is the impetus of the efforts by the employees of any firm who desires to achieve their goals and objectives. A motivated workforce is what keeps an organization going even in hard economic times. On the other hand, a workforce that is not motivated will succumb to extraneous factors such as a severe economic recession.
It is the responsibility of the management in any organization to keep its employees motivated in a bid to evade the unpleasant consequences that come with a demotivated staff. Several theories have been suggested to explain the concept of motivation. This essay will discuss the motivational theory that best describes United Way’s use of training.
A keen observation would reveal that United Way Company uses Clayton Alderfer’s ERG theory in its use of training. This theory posits that motivation solely relies on three main aspects. These aspects are Existence, Relatedness and Growth. The theory is an improvement of Abraham Maslow’s Need Hierarchy theory.
In this theory, Alderfer tries to find an explanation for the different levels of human needs. The three elements of the ERG theory each have a role to play in the satisfaction of an individual’s needs. One notable thing in this theory is that the satisfaction or dissatisfaction of one element directly affects the other.
According to Alderfer, growth is the internal desire that an employee develops for personal development. United Way capitalizes on this factor of the ERG theory in order to motivate its employees. This comes from the company’s realization that each single employee has an intrinsic desire for personal and professional growth. The most effective way of attaining this goal is to formulate a special training program that builds on the employees’ knowledge and skills hence boosting the company’s performance.
The United Way’s extraordinary training strategy is effectively structured to meet the employees’ motivational needs. For instance, by providing the employees with a chance to suggest on the training sections that are most effective and those that are not, they get a feeling of importance and are hence motivated.
The volunteers in the organization also get the same feeling and devote more dedication to their service in the company. The end result will be a motivated work force that has realized the need for personal development as well as the development of the United Way Company.
The personal development of the employees is also achieved when they get a chance to meet with senior managers of the organization. They are motivated because they get a chance to interact with them and learn the skills that will take them to such levels. This is especially important for those workers who have just begun their career and have big professional goals to achieve. It is also important for the general company which will stand to benefit from the motivated efforts of the workers.
In addition, the need for personal development and growth works in favor of the United Way Company. This is because while in pursuit of this growth, employees are unlikely o heed to the extrinsic factors which may be a source of distraction. Such factors may include low income levels and uncomfortable working conditions. This motivation that is derived from the organization’s training will go a long way in improving its operation.
In conclusion, it is evident from the above explanation that Alderfer’s ERG theory best describes United Way’s use of training as a tool to motivate its workers. The training program offered by the company contributes to the personal and professional growth of the workers leading to their increased efficiency.