Working with Employees - Portfolio Assignment

Mr. Smith is a consultancy manager who has served for two years in this position. According to the data provided in the interview, he handles the process of recruiting new employees while overseeing all research operations in the firm. He successfully leads a team of project officers, research fellows, research assistants, data entry clerks and administration clerks in a consultancy firm. One of his roles in the company is managing human resources, where he oversees the processesof shortlisting, training, motivation and conflict management programs in the organization. 

Mr. Smith’s challenges and respective solutions in consultancy management

One of the common challenges, that Mr. Smith identified, was the difficulty in maintaining the employee motivation. This was his most significant occupational stressor. The second barrier was dealing with the negative job attitudes of his employees. He asserted that his employees’ attitudes and motivations significantly affected their job performance and influenced the counter-productive behavior. He stated that there was a correlation between the job attitude and the motivation of the employees, thus reducing their work input.

As a step to deal with these difficulties, he requires monthly reports on the supervisory experiences in the performance of his employees. He uses the Hertzberg Two factor theory, which identifies the motivator and hygiene factors affecting employee performance. The model works because he uses it to identify and rectify factors such as career development and job satisfaction as end results of employee attitude and motivation levels. 

He established the use of a suggestion box where employees are encouraged to air their grievances and complaints on critical issues regarding their work environment. He reviews the suggestions and gives feedback to his employees through monthly meetings, where he addresses the issues in an open forum. Employees discuss their occupational stressors and are actively involved in the decision making process of brainstorming solutions. He also makes necessary changes to the salary packages, the company benefits and provides an interactive environment with the employees so as to improve the company policies. His resolution methods work and manifest their importance in the low turnover levels and the increased employee retention percentage of the company.

Literature review

According to the Imran, Arif andAzeem’s article in the “Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management Journal,” there is a relationship between employee job satisfactionand the job performance (Imran et al., 2014). Employees are highly influenced by their attitudes towards work and the organizational commitment to uphold retention. Their attitude towards work affects their motivation to perform. Therefore, Smith’s solution to the challenges facing the employee motivation and job attitudes is appropriate because he identifies the underlying factors and deals with them.

Imran further explains that employee recognition and the conditions of the work environment affect their motivation (Imran et al., 2014). Smith should, therefore, respect the work of the employees by showing them that they are valued and that the organization appreciates their positions of work. Respect and recognition motivates employees to work at their optimum level. These factors are catalysts to an individuals’ full potential. Exploiting one’s potential fulfills the career goals of employees thereby improving the job performance and reducing turnover rates.

Shields article on “Managing Employee Performance & Reward: Concepts, Practices, Strategies,” points out to the occupational stressors (Shield et al., 2015). These stressors may cause unnecessary pressures to people in their various positions of work. Shield proposes the identification and eradication of such stressors in order to improve employee attitudes and motivation at the workplace. Managerial bullying, mismanagement of company resources and the unresolved interpersonal conflict between workers reduces the level of performance and satisfaction at work. These factors are the most common occupational stressors.

Shield proposes the approach of assessing behavior, need and satisfaction of employees as a step towards improving the attitudes and motivation of workers (Shield et al., 2015). People are motivated to behave in a certain way to achieve specific needs. When employers establish systems of reward such as periodic salary increment, job promotions, insurance benefits and the annual bonus package, employees tend to develop a better attitude towards employment. Moreover, they work harder to appeal to their supervisors or managers so as to have their needs satisfied.

Hu’s article on “The critical role of top management and organizational culture,” proposes the eradication of organizational communication barriers (Hu et al., 2012). This step creates a supportive environment for the employees. When employees feel supported, they assume control of the work environment and therefore it satisfies their needs to be respected and feel confident. Their attitudes improve and their motivation is restored.

Hu follows the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, which lists the needs such as confidence and respect as motivating factors to achieve self-actualization. The top management should ensure that other needs of the employees are met before demanding optimum performance. When the basic and psychological needs are fulfilled, people perform at their full potential. Additionally, when managers assess and provide satisfaction to other aspects of the employees’ life, the individuals develop better attitudes in their work environment. People exploit their skills more through motivation and increase their productive input in the firm when their core needs are met.

Fugate, Prussia, andKinicki’s article on “Managing employee withdrawal during organizational changes role of threat appraisal” proposes the conceptualization of holistic involvement. The attitude and motivation of employees improves when they are involved in the decision making process of the company (Fugate et al., 2012). Workers uphold the brand of the company and are therefore affected by decisions that the managers make on behalf of the organization. They feel appreciated in a work policy that includes their input during the transformation of organizational structures.

According to Fugate, most employees develop negative attitudes towards management bullying and toxic work environments where people in superior roles look down on the employees (Fugate et al.,2012). Additionally, this creates tension between the management and the workers who end up quitting or sabotaging their work. They hold negative sentiments towards the organization and lack motivation to achieve the firm’s goals. 

Managers who employ harsh or unfairly punitive measures to such employees risk losing valuable and long-term skilled labor. They risk the cost and time wastage involved in the hiring and training of new recruits. They also risk the loss incurred in suits against the company based on discrimination and harassment.

Asrar-ul-Haq and Kuchinke article on the “Impact of leadership styles on employees’ attitude towards their leader and performance’ makes empirical recommendations based on research. The study concludes that a negative attitude towards the leadership style of the employer negatively affects the job performance (Asrar-ul-Haq & Kuchinke, 2016). Employees prefer the bottom-up approach rather than the reverse. Harsh and extremely strict leadership demotivates and taints the attitudes of employees in their places of work. Managers, therefore, need to establish a liberal style of leadership where employees have the emotional and psychological support to exploit their performance levels. Additionally, government bodies should conduct periodic audits on firms to expose harsh types of leadership and replace such managers. 

Conclusion

In the modern times, people spend more time at the work place rather than with family and friends. Managers should therefore provide favorable working conditions that appeal to the motivation and attitudes of employees. Positive attitude and increased motivation levels plays an advantageous role to the job satisfaction and performance. Employers should understand relationship between the needs and the behaviors of the employees so as to motivate them to achieve company goals.

References 

Imran, H., Arif, I., Cheema, S., &Azeem, M. (2014). Relationship between job satisfaction, job performance, attitude towards work, and organizational commitment. Entrepreneurship and innovation management journal , 2 (2), 135-144.

Shields, J., Brown, M., Kaine, S., Dolle-Samuel, C., North-Samardzic, A., McLean, P., ...&Plimmer, G. (2015). Managing Employee Performance & Reward: Concepts, Practices, Strategies . Cambridge University Press.

Hu, Q., Dinev, T., Hart, P., & Cooke, D. (2012). Managing employee compliance with information security policies: The critical role of top management and organizational culture. Decision Sciences , 43 (4), 615-660.

Fugate, M., Prussia, G. E., &Kinicki, A. J. (2012).Managing employee withdrawal during organizational change the role of threat appraisal. Journal of Management , 38 (3), 890-914.

Asrar-ul-Haq, M., &Kuchinke, K. P. (2016). Impact of leadership styles on employees’ attitude towards their leader and performance: Empirical evidence from Pakistani banks. Future Business Journal , 2 (1), 54-64.

Appendix 1

A semi-structured interview on the challenges facing a Consultancy Manager and the recommended solutions

Name of interviewer:………………………………………………………………………………

Name of interviewee:……………………………………………………………………………...

Place of interview:…………………………………………………………………………………

Date of interview:………………………………………………………………………………….

Questions

What is your current position in this firm? 

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What are the responsibilities and tasks in this position?

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Do you find it difficult to deal with people at your work place? 

What is the most common challenge when dealing with employees?

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What are the challenges involved when motivating employees to encourage productive behavior?

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How do you handle employee motivation challenges? Do the solutions work?

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How do job attitudes affect your work in this firm?

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Can you tell me how you deal with these difficulties in employee attitudes towards the job?

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Do your solutions to the change the negative job attitudes work?

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What advice would you give to young people that aspire to be future consultancy managers?

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Thank you for your time.

Enjoy your day.

Interviewer sign………………………