Teamwork and Motivation Essay Example for Free

Teamwork and Motivation Essay An organization should take steps that would best benefit the organization as a whole to strategize a motivation plan. It first must identify what employees value and then determine how the organization can reciprocate that what the employees want is being heard. This can be done by taking the initiative to communicate first-hand with employees so that the plan is clear and concise. In the following motivation plan, I will explain how the plan encourages high job satisfaction, low turnover, high productivity, and high-quality work. Stacy Harris (2013) tells us that â€Å"the work environment is an important talent retention tool for any workforce, but it is particularly important for the skilled labor workforce. Work environments for the high-tech, healthcare, and manufacturing industries share several common issues: long hours, high stress, and often lower pay scales than positions that may require higher levels of education†. That is why creating and structuring a plan that is intended to motivate employees is such a significant piece to retaining skilled employees. When developing this plan I had to first answer the question, what behaviors will be rewarded and how. In this organization, we manufacture and sell a commodity and although sales are high, our products and delivery services are losing credibility. We are incurring costs that are avoidable and may be losing the trust of our customers if we don’t do something fast. Therefore, employee motivation is significant in rectifying the issues at hand. Quaratul-Ain Manzoor (2012) explains that â€Å"a motivated employee is responsive of the definite goals and objectives he/she must achieve, therefore he/she directs its efforts in that direction†. To achieve high job satisfaction and high quality work, we have created a system that will reward points for incentives that will be very appealing to our employees and we found this out by taking a poll of the most desired perks. Since no one motivation plan will satisfy all employees we have taken the initiative to strategize our plan to cater to each department in different ways. Each department has goals that need to be met and when employees exceed these goals their acts will be recognized and rewarded. In our sales department, we have employees that are experiencing frequent interaction with our consumers. In order for us to know what is really happening in those interactions we have implemented a survey system that is completed by consumers in reference to how our employees handled them. Once we receive surveys we will reward those exceeding the 91 percentile rating of satisfaction with points towards obtaining a free vacation day. Also, in all departments attendance will be recognized, especially since sales and assembly are high-priority human resource areas. When an employee misses no days within a six month to one year period we will have an award presented at our annual employee recognition program. Also, employees will be recognized every quarter for outstanding service according to their points and consumer ratings. This recognition will be displayed on our STAR employee board and they will receive gift certificates to the restaurant of their choice. For those employees that do not meet those requirements, throughout the year gas cards will be given to employees who are meeting targets, showing growth. In our assembly department the key to increasing the morale is encouraging employee motivation. Keeping employees engaged at the organization will satisfy their need to feel a part of the organization and also the company’s need of high-productivity. As suggested by Philip Mirvis (2012), â€Å"there is a daunting â€Å"employee engagement gap† in business†. To close this gap at WooWoo we are striving to promote from within. Giving employees the opportunity to rise up in the assembly department to become trainers, supervisors and line leaders will be an intrinsic reward available to them. Encouraging team members to treat everyday like an interview day will keep them aware that they have the potential to move up the ranks as fast as they produce high-quality work. To effectively motivate our administration team we decided to analyze their position to the organization and what they view as perks. Since this group of employees is more focused on the processes running smoothly we have decided to reward their dedication to the company in regards to recognizing and resolving human resource issues in a timely manner. From our research the most desired perks for this group are employee recognition and developmental pay increases. Our technology department is a significant piece to the puzzle and the most difficult to chose a motivational strategy for. This department focuses on the logistics of the organization and maintaining the functioning of equipment we use. Therefore, to encourage and motivate this department we focused on the tools they need to excel. When it comes to training and recertification for this group of employees it’s really important to maintain their credibility, so we have decided to reward their outstanding services with tuition reimbursement, and free certification for every 6 months they meet and exceed their goals. To address achieving low-turnover, we as an organization have decided to create a sense of job security for our employees. We have managed to do this by offering benefits such as employee assistance programs, on-site child care, extended severance pay (should we ever have to downsize), and a defined contribution plan that constitutes the organization matching the employees contribution. Turnover can take a huge toll on an organization and we have taken the necessary steps to decrease our turnover rates and to increase our employees’ satisfaction. Methods Two methods that could be used to motivate all of the employees here are: (1) addressing their needs and wants and (2) encouraging goals to be met by praising the work they currently are doing. The most significant method would be to address the employees’ needs and wants. Once a person feels a sense of belonging; they long to know that the interested party cares about them. Employees especially have a need to know that they are not just viewed as a number that makes money for the company. Also, taking the time to recognize the work employees have already completed motivates them to do more so that they can continue to receive praise and not criticism. In return, the organization has an opportunity to yield high-satisfaction from the employees that value this type of motivation. The minimum wage worker is not motivated by the perks that are appealing to regular full-time employees. Therefore, it is a task and requirement to be creative in catering to motivate them. Three ways to motivate the minimum wage worker are: (1) encouraging participative leadership/learning, (2) employee recognition, and (3) showing them that there is potential to grow and make a career in the industry wherein they will have full benefits. These methods are used in combination to cater to what appeals to this group of workers. In today’s workforce, most minimum wage workers are in the Generation Y age group and they are not working to stay in that pay grade, so turnover is inevitable. However, using these methods to show employees how you value them can sometimes encourage them to consider making a career in the industry. The theory that best fits this scenario is the Hierarchy of Needs Theory. This theory focuses on individual needs and it places them in order of importance. In this theory the two needs classified as the higher-order needs, are closely related to the suggested methods that could be used to motivate minimum wage workers. The first need addressed in this theory, self actualization, coincides with the first suggested method of motivating minimum wage employees. This need highlights that employees have a sense of fulfillment. The need which is entitled, esteem, would benefit from the second suggestion of employee recognition. Today’s Individual Worker – Organizational Relevance In today’s organizational context the individual worker is still significant and it would not be possible to consider otherwise. Individuals are what make organizations diverse and they keep the operating procedures flowing. Today’s businesses mainly depend on teamwork and teams are made of individuals. Without individuals, organizations would produce mediocre results and have no differentiation whatsoever. I believe that is why a lot of organizations are recruiting more diverse populations so that in return they aren’t hiring employees that are like them. It is wise of organizations to value each individual in their organization especially if those individuals are growing with the organization and not benefiting from the status quo. Conclusion In conclusion, organizations truly have their work cut out for them when analyzing the best method to use when creating a motivation plan. This task is not a one-size-fits-all deal and company executives must factors in all of the key questions to reach their ultimate goal of retaining employees. Motivating employees can be a difficult task if an organization does not ask themselves the right questions. Having a clear and concise plan that is encouraged and communicated throughout the organization on a regular basis is grounds for the retaining of highly-satisfied employees.