Teamwork and Motivation

Abstract

"Imagine that you are the owner of a small manufacturing company. Your company manufactures commodity, widgets. Your widget is a clone of a nationally known widget. Your company's widget, Woo Woo, is less expensive and more readily available than the nationally known brand. Presently, the sales are high; however, there are many defects, which increase your costs and delays delivery. Your company has 50 employees in the following departments: sales, assembly, technology, and administration. Motivation is a key element in organizational behavior because an employee needs to be motivated in order to exhibit an attitude or behavior that will help achieve the goals and objectives of the organization and thereby improve performance in the functions of an employee's teamwork abilities." Strayer, 2015.

Teamwork & Motivation

Motivation comes from within. It's the desire to achieve a goal by enthusiasm, energy and excitement from within oneself that can't be measured but only observed by one's behaviors.

Motivational plan for job satisfaction, low turnover, high productivity and quality work.

Research by Hackman, J. R. (1987), states developing a motivational plan for employees is essential to a successful business development and execution. Productivity and quality of work all comes from the people doing the tasks or job required to be done. Management's job is to evaluate and recognize attributes in employees that will be assets and add valuable contributions to the business.

Job satisfaction can be motivating for the employees with management taking care of the needs of the employees. It's the little things that go a long way. Take for instance the big companies like Walt Disney, Google, and Facebook. These companies believe the care and needs of the employee come first or are a high priority in order to maintain loyalty and commitment to the company and projects they are working on. Things like a cafeteria with good food, a post office, a bank, a convenient store, gyms, a cleaners, and a lounge areas to take breaks or naps or TV's to stay up on the local news are all motivational tools towards an employee experience high job satisfaction. Rewards and recognition of the employee's talent and skills should be done routinely and job training and education opportunities should be available for growth satisfaction.

Low turnover in a job is key to its success. Low turnover would be ideal in every business. The cost of losing an employee can cost the employer approximately three times the salary of the employee that left due to cost in hiring, advertising, recruiting, training and benefits to hire a new employee. Low job turnover is consistent with having a plan for high job motivation. Opportunities for job advancement, confidence in the leadership staff, and a proper balance of work and life is crucial to having a low turnover rates in the work place.

High productivity motivation. The biggest motivation to an employee is knowing that their added participation or assigned responsibility is integral to the success of a project. A team leader should have timelines and check points on the project and have the employees weigh in on their progress and challenges. Publically recognize the positive achievements of the employees who has accomplished a task to help push the project in the right direction.

Determine which motivational theory you would use to support your motivational plan.

Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory places employees' needs into five dynamic classes, starting with fundamental physical needs and advancing up to needs for self-improvement and vocation advancement. Maslow claims that employers must address each one level of employees' needs for employees to genuinely confer themselves to work environment objectives. Neglecting to address employee's needs at any level in the hierarchy can make an absence of satisfaction in employees' professional lives, making them inevitably attempt to satisfy these needs all alone, conceivably by discovering another manager who gives better opportunities.

The expectancy theory advances the reason that employees will advance a measure of work and responsibility equivalent to what they hope to get consequently. Commission structures influence this theory by permitting employees to win as much cash as they crave, totally taking into account their employment execution. (Schermerhorn, 2012).

Three ways to motivate the minimum wage service worker and support your suggestions with a motivation theory.

According to DeMatteo, (1998). Education and training is one method of to motivate low wage employees. Proper training makes one feel inspired and valued. The feeling of self-worth can be priceless to oneself. Education and knowledge of learning something is empowering. Gaining new skills to do a better job or advance upwards in a company provides self-esteem and empowerment to employees making low wage. Provide monthly or quarterly trainings to employees will support the self-actualization theory by Maslow which says one needs for accomplishing personal growth and self-fulfillment potential.

A second method of motivating minimum wage employees' can be through rewards. Awarding them with things like company mugs, pens, apparel and other desk or work items can be motivating and encouraging to do a great job.

Lastly, create a positive work environment through praise and recognition for good works publically and when errors are committed it should be done privately to minimize any humility or negative emotions. Offer opportunities for advancement and cross training within the organization. Positive reinforcement and recognition uses the self-esteem motivation theory that says people need to feel and acquire a need for achievement, prestige, and respect from others, a feeling of self-worth, feelings of independence and mastery of a skill.

Consider how communication, attitudes, behaviors, and culture affect team performance. Outline a guide that you would use to lead a work team (e.g., cross-functional, virtual, problem-solving, etc.).

Attitudes