Employee Motivation 1

Running head: Employee Motivation

Employee Motivation

Antoinette Smith

Kaplan University

CM225-02: College Composition II

Professor April Burge

July 30, 2010

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Memorandum
To: Timothy Lyons, Operations Director 2
CC: Nail Seiden, Operation Director 1
Peter Sakovich, Project Manager
From: Antoinette Smith, Lead Program Analyst
Date: 7/30/2010
Re: Employee Motivation for PMS 450 Department

The foundation of your business has always been that you would not be in business if it were not
for your employees. That premise is what drives me to strive to be a better lead program analyst
for this company. That has not changed, but I feel that it is my duty to bring to your attention the
issue of employee morale in my department. In my role and in my personal and professional
opinion, morale is low and getting lower. I base that statement on the quality of work that is
currently being produced and on the interactions I’ve had with other program analysts that report
directly to me. We need employee motivation, and we need it badly. Before you dismiss this as
just another employee complaint or another ploy to spend money, please take a few minutes to
read my proposal below. I believe that you will find it stimulating and provocative. Stimulating
in that it will encourage action. Provocative in that you will have no choice but to act.

Four program analysts report directly to me. I am responsible for their administrative training
and employee evaluations. We have daily meetings where we discuss the priorities for the day,
who’s working on what, and if any one of us needs help. This forum gives the analysts the
opportunity to bring forward any issues they may be having. Over the last six months, I’ve
noticed that there is more griping and complaining about various tasks taking place during these
meetings. Although I’m in a supervisory position, I do not have the leverage to bring about the
change that could make these meetings more productive and less resentful.

Sharon Jones, one of the program analysts, is a married mother of four, often works six days a
week, 10 hours a day, and occasionally submits reports remotely. She realizes that economic
conditions have resulted in company-wide layoffs and cutbacks, and that everyone is doing more
with less. However, Sharon has not had a raise, promotion, or special recognition for her efforts
in two years. Again, I can only do so much working in a non-management position. Sharon is
the hardest worker here. I can clearly see the toll her workload is taking on her. She, like the
other analysts, needs her job to help support her family, but her hard work needs to be
particularly recognized and compensated.

CONFIDENTIAL
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So my initial proposal is that the daily meetings that occur with the analysts become like a
‘Happy Hour’. During this time, refreshments are provided by the company’s catering
department. Also, this meeting could be used as a formal means to announce a special monthly
reward for the employee who has produced the most work. It could be in the form of a gift
certificate to a local eatery, bookstore, or market. Or it could be in the form of a company item
such as an ink pen, designated parking space for a month, or T-shirt. These are not extraordinary
expenses because they are already available through our marketing and promotions department.
We just need the ok from upper management to proceed.

In addition, I recommend that Sharon is given an additional week of vacation, an employee

service and merit reward, or an opportunity for her to telecommute from home so that she can
spend more time with her family. I am sure she would appreciate one of these perks that would
not cost anyone anything, but would certainly make her more grateful.

My proposal should not come as a cost to you or the department, but should come as compliment
to the level of work that we do. This will encourage other program analysts to keep giving their
best efforts and make our department more productive. Please give this serious consideration.
We win. You win. I look forward to hearing from you regarding this matter.

Thank You,
Antoinette Smith
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Employee Motivation

Lack of motivation usually results in less work being accomplished in a business

environment. Productivity does not disappear, but it is usually transferred to aspects not related

to the company's bottom line. Things like personal conversations, internet surfing, and taking

long lunches will eventually cost the company time and money.

Employee motivation in business is valuable from both a production and revenue

perspective. “The goal of any leader should be to focus on behaviors that make their

employees feel accepted for who they are as people, not just as team members” (Motivation

and Team Building, 2008). The employee motivation process is one in which companies and

managers define what motivates each of their employees individually and incorporate that

with the goals of the company. This is a very critical element to any business venture to

support day-to-day operations, business growth, and to provide positive experiences for the

company’s consumers. Employee motivation is the level of energy, commitment, and

creativity that a company’s workers bring to their jobs.

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There are a few positive ways employee motivation can impact businesses. One of the

keys to a successful business is to nurture employee motivation through recognition, aligning

personal and organizational goals, and professional environments where dignity, respect, and

trust are upheld. In a diversified workforce, businesses have the opportunity to utilize many

outlets and ideas. In conjunction with goals of the business, employees have their own personal

motivation goals in the occupation they choose. Embracing a wide variety of individual goals

can produce a more complete product or service and possibly reach a larger customer base or

target market. “Business owners should identify what their employees want and need from their

jobs, and use this information to help motivate their team” (Motivation and Team Building,

2008).

Employees are looking for a “new currency” that can be found in the five (5) Rs:

Responsibility, Relationship, Respect, Recognition, Rewards. Managers have many options for

implementing the 5 Rs in the workplace, and using them for planning, managing and evaluation

performance. Effective managers can create these circumstances by building relationships and

supportive environments. Coaching, teaching, supporting and guiding all are strategies for

producing the right outcomes. Above all, managers need to be authentic, honest and ethical.

Building trust is essential to helping employees are motivated to take risks and perform to their

highest levels. In a respectful environment, employees are valued and respected for the

intellectual capital they contribute. Feelings, ideas and actions are valued and do not go

unnoticed. Managers should build on the concept of teamwork, respecting differences, solving

problems collaboratively, and supporting one another by avoiding negative energy, such as

gossiping or harassing. Managers should engage employees in developing operating principles or

defining a vision that expresses how everyone will work with one another, how customers are to
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be served, and how communications are to flow. To provide optimum return on investment,

rewards must be an integral part of an overall recognition and reward strategy linking business

goal and objectives with the 5 Rs.

People in general want to be recognized individually for a job well done, especially in a

corporate setting where there may be dozens of other employees working on the same project.

Recognition is a morale booster and can drive your employees to their full potential. It is okay to

stroke your employees' egos with a 'job well done' when it is deserved. When employees are kept

happy and satisfied, they are more likely going to work harder for the success of the company

they are employed by. “Studies show when employees feel they are just stuck in one place and

that they are going unnoticed, that when companies have a high true over in their business”. (US

Department of Labor 2004)

It might be helpful if business owners would administer an employee survey to gather

useful information about their employees. They would discover how employees really feel about

their jobs and what improvements could be made. One company, Infosur Innovation, designs and

implements employee motivation surveys to measure employee satisfaction levels, track changes

in employees’ satisfaction over time, get actionable feedback from employees, and improve

overall satisfaction and retention. An employee motivation survey could be the first step towards

employee retention. The survey might include nearly every facet of employee motivation,

including overall satisfaction, corporate culture, supervisor relations, training, work environment,

communications, and pay and benefits. “A standard employee motivation survey is

comprehensively designed to identify and isolate key independent and dependent variables”.

Once some key components have been identified, employees need to be encouraged to do

their best work, trained to expand their knowledge base, and shown appreciation for the hard
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work they put into their jobs. That encouragement, training, and appreciation has to be inspired

from the management ranks of the business, including the owner and operator. When people feel

they are just stuck in one place and that they are going unnoticed, they start to look for ways to

get out. If your employees are busy focusing on finding employment elsewhere, then they cannot

be focusing on getting the best job done for your company (Infosurv 2010).

Motivation is a behavior that you can influence but not create. Even highly motivated

individuals can get frustrated, discouraged or tired on a project or job. Employees need to know

they are valued, their efforts are noticed, and their good work is appreciated. Managers need to

keep in mind that each employee is different and motivated or rewarded by different things. The

key is to be timely, authentic and that the motivation or reward matches the interests and goals of

the employees, whenever possible to get the job done. According to Beckingham and Coffman

the front line manager is the key to attracting and retaining talented employers (Beckingham and

Coffman 1999). The managers need to lead by example for the employees.

Effective employee motivation at the workplace definitely plays a crucial role in reaching

the goals of the business. In order to keep your business competitive and to attain the maximum

profitability, one thing that becomes imperative is to motivate employees and strengthen the

working desire of your staff so that you can harness their talent and hard work to the maximum.

“The will to perform is the biggest motivational factor and brings out the utmost potential of an

employee” (Motivation and Team Building, 2008). Proper balance of appreciation and allotment

of responsibilities boosts the confidence of the employees and makes them strive enthusiastically

to bring out their best and meet the expectations. It forms another imperative motivational factor

in the workplace. “Your business should have a well targeted technology strategy.” If it is

current and operational, it should also play a part towards employees’ motivation and efficiency
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enhancement. Work should be more efficient when employees are provided ample training

opportunities to keep up with production and work related developments (Employee Motivation

for Dummies, 2008).

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If managers can find the right employee motivation techniques, they can then start to

unlock the potential in their employees. Why is it so important to offer meaningful rewards?

Once employees create a picture in their mind associated with a specific reward, that picture

works to inspire them to continued achievement. The idea of receiving a reward, gift, or a thank

you is enough to move employees to the next level. Employee motivation techniques like

incentive programs may offer short-term rewards, but they can impact long-term elements, like

employee engagement. Employee engagement is an incredibly important part of any successful

business today. Managers need to keep in mind that engaged employees work harder, stay longer,

and care about customer experience more.

An employee motivation program must be in place in order to be accomplishing business

goals. The question is what makes an effective employee motivation program? It would help if

managers understand how human nature works. All humans are motivated by two parts –

pleasure or pain. The difference between pleasures is when we find something pleasurable we

will continue to talk about it, and if painful we avoid the subject. That is a good example of an

employee who is happy at the job, and the one that is not.
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“In order to get motivated employees your program must focus on two areas; ability and

motivation” (Zahorsky 2010). Ability is a person’s aptitude to perform a task. Either they have

the skills to perform a given task or they do not. Ability can be improved with training and

education. This can be a time consuming process, but it needs to be included in the total

program. Motivation is the willingness of a person to want to do or we do what someone or

something motivates us to do. For example: we have to go to the bathroom while watching our

favorite show. We will sit there until a commercial come on before (what we want to do) we go

to the bathroom (what we are motivated to do). So to motivate employees we should give them a

positive reason to want to perform a task. To have an excellent employee motivation program for

your business you need to be sure it includes all of the following: positive reinforcement along

with high expectation, provide training when necessary, restructure or reorganize jobs and job

descriptions when necessary, have a rewards system based on job performance, understanding

and addressing employee needs, teach employees how to set work related goals, treat people

fairly, with respect and honestly. Managers will see an amazing difference in how your employee

motivation program is having a positive impact on your organization.

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References

From First, “Break All the Rules”, Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, New York: Simon
and Schuster, 1999.

Darrell Zahorsky 2010 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company

From “Motivating Employees for Dummies”, Max Messmer, New York: Wiley Publishing Inc.
2001

Motivation and Team Building, 2008

In Brief: “Recognition is greatest motivator.” Employee Benefits. 7 July 2009

White, Carol-Ann. “Expert’s View on Managing Demotivated Employees.” Personnel Today.

US Department of Labor 2004, www.dol.gov/trun over for business