Companies are currently struggling to retain their most talented employees who are in high demand. It has been established that this generation’s employees are motivated by different things and factors. It is, therefore, the prerogative of the employer or the management to determine what motivates individual employees to be able to retain them for a longer time. Motivation is important for personal success as well as the success of the organization. What is more, employees’ motivation factors change with time. Good leaders have an instinctive knowledge of what their employees want to perform to the best of their abilities. They are also willing to use different leadership strategies to address their employees’ needs and to motivate them. Moreover, motivating employees is an inexpensive and appropriate approach for increasing engagement, productivity and employee retention at work. In this light, this essay highlights some of the motivational strategies that can work on individual employees within a team in a small department within a public sector agency.
1st Employee – Melanie
Melanie is a loyal employee who has worked in the organization for at least 10 years. While she does her job as expected, she spends too much time on the internet and she is not concerned about career development. She reasons that she does not have a role model who can motivate her to advance herself. To help Melanie, I have to assess Maslow’s hierarchy of needs to identify what she wants the most. Melanie’s needs fall under level 4 of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Maslow, 2019). She does not have self-esteem. Melanie expects to get esteem from other leaders or managers. She lacks the self-confidence to advance herself in her career. Hence, she needs a manager who understands her and who can value and respect her. Given that these needs are not met, she is frustrated and feels inferior. In this light, Melanie needs a transformational leader who can help her realize her potential and reach for ambitious projects and responsibilities. Also worth pointing out is the fact that McGregor’s theory X assumes that most people are not ambitious (Arslan & Staub, 2012). As such, they need to be pushed to be directed to be productive. Hence, what Melanie may want is a challenging assignment that will make her get out of her comfort zone.
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2nd Employee – Patrick
Patrick, on the other hand, is a senior employee who is going through a rough time. Not only is he going through a divorce but he has one year left to retire. He is, however, strong-willed and determined to be involved in the organization’s decision-making process. Despite Patrick’s history working in the military and the public service, he is human like the rest of the employees. The divorce is likely to distract him and interfere with his productivity. What Patrick needs the most is motivation form the organization’s leadership and assurance that everything will turn out fine. McGregor’s theory X assumes that motivation occurs at the security and physiological levels of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (Arslan & Staub, 2012). This is true considering that Maslow’s security level emphasizes the importance of feeling safe. Patrick is currently undergoing a crisis. He, therefore, needs to feel secure. The best way to make him feel secure is to give him some time off so he can take care of his family issues. What is more, he needs a servant leader who can help him focus on his work instead of being obsessed with his retirement. Servant leaders listen, empathize and commit to the growth of the people who surround them. As such, in Patrick’s case, a servant leader can help him focus on his work while still dealing with personal; issues.
3rd Employee – Tom
Tom is a new employee who is both young and energetic. He is also restless. He is overly productive and thinks that he is not being paid enough for his services. He is also concerned about the organization’s impact on society. According to Tailor’s theory of motivation, most organizations use their employees like machines to increase efficiency, profits, and output (Teeboom, 2018). Hence, workers are motivated by nothing else other than money. Taylor’s assessment of the employer-employee relationship is true to a larger extent. If Tom does not get a salary increase, he is likely to jump ship and go work for another company given that he is already looking for employment opportunities in the private sector. It is, however, worth pointing out that money is not the only thing that Tom wants. He wants the organization to have an impact on other people. As such, he has a self-actualization need that is the highest need on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (Maslow, 2019). Tom can be motivated by being placed in a unique position to drive the company’s social responsibility projects.
The specific needs of the three individual employees highlight the need for appropriate leadership strategies that can motivate employees and enhance their productivity. Ignoring the individual employees’ needs is likely to disrupt services in the organization. For instance, if Tom does not get a salary increase, he is likely to look for another employer. More so, if Melanie is not motivated by being given more challenging tasks, she is likely to be a burden to the organization. Lastly, if the leadership does not empathize with Patrick’s situation, he is likely to get sidetracked. For these reasons’ employers must always pay attention to the needs of teams as well as individual employees’ needs.
References
Arslan, A., & Staub, S. (2012). Theory X and Theory Y Type Leadership Behavior and its Impact on Organizational Performance: Small Business Owners in the Şishane Lighting and Chandelier District. 2nd International Conference on Leadership, Technology and Innovation Management (pp. 103-109). Istanbul: Elsevier Limited. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2013.04.012
Maslow, A. H. (2019). A Theory of Human Motivation. New York: General Press.
Teeboom, L. (2018, October 15). Herzberg & Taylor's Theories of Motivation . Retrieved from Chron: https://smallbusiness.chron.com/herzberg-taylors-theories-motivation-704.html
