Motivation

At MTV India

Every company requires motivating itself and its employees so as to grow into a bigger and more profitable entity. MTV India has taken several measures to ensure that the right kind of motivation is given at the right time and in the right amounts. Before going into specifics it is important to know that motivation comes of different types and for different reasons. Some are work related, while some pertain to your personal life and there are some that are meant for your social life. MTV India has outsourced their motivational department to a third party organization known as The Family Tree The family tree functions as the in house psychiatrist of the company. They meet with various department heads and the board of directors and discuss plans and methods of motivating the employees. There are basically four main types of motivation. 1. 2. 3. 4. Achievement Motivation Affiliation Motivation Power Motivation Competence Motivation

Achievement Motivation This is the type of motivation where people try to work hard so that they are noticed and recognized. It is usually common among people of the lower food chain in the

industry, but that does not mean people higher up do not have it. To motivate employees in this respect the channel attempts to give everyone an opportunity. Even someone as low as an intern is given the chance to showcase hi/her talent on occasions where the senior member believes that the risk is low. For example while shooting, a producer may tell his/her intern to take over the job so that the intern can be monitored on how much potential he/she possesses. Even during department meetings interns and junior producers are given an opportunity to share and express their opinions and ideas. Sometimes when a junior or an intern has an idea for a brand new show, he/she is entertained. Irrespective of how good or bad your work and idea is the senior department will give suggestion and pointers on improvement but will never discourage anyone. The family tree organizes seminars and workshops for the senior members on how to deal with the juniors and how to motivate them. In these seminars they are taught to maintain a balance between being strict and lenient. Because being too strict can stop a persons creativity out of fear and being too lenient leads to over confidence. Similar to the interns and juniors even the producers undergo the same relationship with their department heads and the department heads with the board of directors. Although each departments training is different. Because the higher up the food chain, the higher the risk factor in the work involved.

Affiliation Motivation This is the type of motivation where people get motivated by working with a specific category of people. It is not a prominent factor in the channel but is applied every once in a while. In this type of motivation the person to be motivated needs to be working with someone well known or famous in the field. For example a first time director is put to work with the biggest star in the industry, this motivates him to do his job better that he is capable of. At intern and junior level this is done by putting them to work with very senior personnel or by putting them to work with bigger celebrities. Different departments send their employees to bigger projects with the aim of motivating them. The VJs visit the office to interact with the employees off and on so that a feeling of closeness is generated which helps in motivating the team. Affiliation motivation sessions are usually planned. For example a junior or intern is given a big project only when he/she is not really required there but the feeling that something greater is given to them helps motivate and build their confidence. Similarly senior producers are either asked to attend high profile meetings or put to work with bigger celebrities. Although the top most level i.e the board of directors are not applicable for Affiliation Motivation, social gatherings are organized where very high profile guest are invited so that the board feels a greater sense of affiliation.

Power Motivation This form of motivation is entirely different. It is applied to employees based on observation. Power motivation is something that cannot be given to everyone. Some people like being in control and like the ability to influence the decisions of others. People of this sort like power. It psychologically stabilizes them and causes a tendency to work better. Seniors are taught to observe signs of leadership in juniors. Mannerisms such as being organized, systematic, the potential to handle a crew under stress etc. is looked out for. When noticed and when the opportunity presents its self these employees are tested by giving them the chance to lead. Although these tests are more common in the managerial department they are used in all the other departments because most of the work involved is a team effort and each team has a leader. For example a marketing manager might randomly tell an intern to lead a campaign. Although the stress involved is high as is the risk the intern goes under high observation. During the seminars and workshops based on power motivation, instructions are very precise and clear, as the risk factor is very high. If any employee fails to handle a situation the effects could sometimes be disastrous. Also the giving of power should be handled very delicately. Too much power can cause ill effects to the company as well as the employee. And too little power could render no result at all.

Competence Motivation This type of motivation causes people the urge to learn everything possible about their jobs. They aim to become adepts in their field. They learn from past mistakes and carefully make their next moves. They have this constant thirst to know as much as possible. People aim to be at the pinnacle of the knowledge pyramid when it comes to their field. They like to come up with creative solutions for their problems. They are also known as out of the box thinkers. This is one of the simplest methods of motivation as most of the time the drive within leads to self-motivation. Interns and juniors spend a lot of time with the work force to learn in detail how every aspect of the job works. People in senior positions experiment with different possibilities with an expected outcome in mind only to test the accuracy of their estimation as it directly reflects upon their knowledge of the subject. Seniors are taught to observe this hunger for information. When and where applicable and if time permits seniors teach their juniors as much as possible. Sometimes to feed their hunger sometimes to invoke the thirst. These people also have a downside, impatience being one of the biggest. When an outcome is estimated, the person is in a hurry to get to the result without letting the procedure play out. They are impatient with their workforce. And have ridiculously high standards. Most of which are so

unattainable that irrespective of the results it leads to disappointment. Employees are trained to control their impatience in the seminars and workshops so that improvement stays at optimum levels. Other Factors So far we have discussed factors that pertain to the career directly. Now we shall move on to factors that affect the personal life. According to Maslows Need Hierarchy Theory a humans most basic needs are the Physiological needs. Then come our safety needs, our love needs, our esteem needs and finally our need for self-actualization. The family tree had studied this factor and had made several allowances to the employees for any sort of motivational help. Physiological Needs: Physiological needs involve hunger, thirst, sleep, avoidance of pain, sex and the maternal instinct. A lack of any of the aforementioned factors leads to building of stress, depression and other results that hamper performance and de-moralize employees. To avoid such mishaps, employees are sent to private as well as common seminars where their doubts and problems are clarified. The private sessions are kept confidential so that employees feel free to share information that could be causing stress like, delayed loan payments, family problems, etc.

Employees are constantly asked to take care of their health. They are provided with diet charts that help them keep a balanced diet. They are taught to keep a fixed schedule as much as possible and are asked to get adequate amount of sleep. Medical exams are conducted from time to time to ensure no one is ill. Allowances are made sick employees to take leave with pay. All efforts are taken to keep the employees as happy as possible. Safety Needs: As a human being everyone needs a safe and secure environment to function peacefully. If an employee does not feel safe at work he/she will not be able to perform properly. If a persons environment is not secure, instincts take over and the persons priority becomes looking for a stable and secure environment. Hence the channel provides its employees with insurance, medical policies, provident funds etc. this helps keep working conditions happy so that the employee may concentrate on work. There is also a contradictory factor in this case. Too much security causes motivation to cease. Hence every now and then seniors give their juniors a little scare that leads them to work harder in fear of losing their jobs. Love Needs: These are also known as social needs. Human beings cannot handle being alone. They are social animals that need to be around others of the same kinds to be able to function properly.

People work better when they are around friends or family. This creates a feeling of belonging. It tells their subconscious that they are loved, accepted and not alone. The channel holds get-togethers and outings for the employees. As work schedules sometimes make outings difficult every month the last Friday is declared as an office party. Employees are encouraged to interact with one another. Sports events are organized and teams are made to play using different employees from different departments. Within the office building there is a foosball table, a table tennis table and a pool table. Employees are allowed to play a game should they require a break from work. Some outings are planned well in advance where people finish their work beforehand so as to avoid any backlogs. The biggest outing was planned in May 2011 when the entire channel was taken to Amsterdam for a holiday, as a reward for being No. 1 for the whole year. Esteem Needs: Ego is an important factor in a human beings life. Everyone likes to feel good about themselves. If someone does not get credit or acclaim or any sort of recognition for their work, it demoralizes them and does not motivate them to work harder or give in more. Organizations hold R&R (Rewards and Recognition) events to highlight employee achievements. Gifts and certificates are given to employees that perform well. This creates a competitive atmosphere for employees as they try to aim for the achievements or better.

The channel awards prizes gives presents for jobs well done throughout the year. Even birthdays are celebrated. All efforts are taken to make the employee realize that he/she is an important part of a huge family that is the company. Self-Actualization Needs: This is known as the humans need to be complete. This is when a person reaches the highest point oh his/her ability. Even though it is not possible to stay in that state on a daily basis employees are motivated to give in their best at all times. This form of motivation is more of a self-motivation where a person tries of his/her own accord to live up t their best potential. And any help required the company ensures to provide. Conclusion The Family Tree holds various seminars and workshops that cover any and every topic that affect an employee on a personal and on a professional. Topics are covered in view that some employees may be shy to discuss certain matters openly. Employees are also given the liberty to approach The Family Tree and request a personal session where a trained professional will attempt to help in any way possible. All in all the workplace appears to be a very happy and comfortable office.