QUESTION

Managers are interested in the subject of motivation because they want to learn how to get the most effort from their employees. I think this is ethical since, in the process of asking employees to do better and work hard, the employees gain a lot as well as the organization. Dozier (2013) suggest that most manager and business leader knows that their employees are the lifeblood of their company. Therefore, when employees are ordered to work extra hard, it does not necessarily mean that the manager is only interested in increasing production or raising more revenues. Still, they also want their employees to grow and become better people in the future. No one is born a manager; rather, one starts as an employee and is promoted to reach that position out of hard work.

As shown in the YouTube video on the two-factory theory of motivation and job enrichment, Herzberg talks about hygiene needs at work. He justifies that it refers to how employees are treated at work, paid, supervised, and the prevailing work conditions. When managers provide their employees with “good work hygiene,” they expect the best, and they may frequently ask them to work hard. Like Herzberg, I believe this is ethical and justifies variables that motivate people to include achievements, recognition, meaningful, interesting work, increased responsibility, and growth and advancement. Therefore, apart from asking employees to meet the requirements, managers should learn to motivate their employees by training and giving them opportunities.

Even when managers set hard, specific goals for employees, I think it’s not about manipulation; instead, it is about being result-oriented. In the YouTube video about setting SMART goals, a goal is defined as how to develop an effective one-to-three-year statement. When running a business, managers also set their goals to ensure the business doesn’t close due to debts and continue meeting all the expenses, such as paying salaries. Therefore, managers need to set SMART goals and follow up with the employees to ensure they are completed. SMART is an acronym that stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-bound.

DQ2: Performance management

I worked as a junior accountant in my previous job, and my supervisor, the chief accounting officer, was not very motivating. I think the supervisor ought to have utilized performance management to motivate me and make my work more rewarding. The supervisor would have done so by keeping a positive momentum. One way of doing it is by encouraging group work other than individualism. Davies, Chun & Kamins (2010) justifies that 60% of employees believe their performance is more likely to improve if they discuss it more frequently. I believe this would have motivated the rest of the team and I to perform better. The supervisors would have encouraged me by allowing feedback from everyone. My supervisor was very strict, making fellow accountants fear communicating anything. Baker (2014) justifies that work reviews among employees are effective ways of getting immediate feedback flowing. It would have allowed the supervisor to recognize my hard work and inspires me to produce the highest quality of work.

Herzberg’s Motivation Theory is one of the theories that I would have applied in my previous work situation. It is also known as the Two-Factor or Hygiene Theory and suggests that employees have two needs while working, hygiene and motivators (Malik & Naeem, 2013). It would have helped my supervisor understand that job recognition, promotion, and achievement are some factors that motivate employees. Maybe after realizing this, the supervisors would have changed and started motivating all employees through these ways.