AOS2 - Managing Employees

Question 1

What is Managing Employees?

Answer 1

The activities and tasks involved in getting the very best out of the employees who are working for you.
The Strategies for Managing Employees include:
• Motivation
• Training
• Performance
• Termination
• Wages & Conditions of Work

Question 2

What are Worker Expectations?

Answer 2

• Paid
• Good terms and conditions
• Job security
• Develop their skills
• Enjoy their work
• Feel they are useful and helping achieve something meaningful
• Have pride in their business

Question 3

What are Manager Expectations?

Answer 3

• That Employees will work hard
• That Employees are punctual and reliable
• That Employees are loyal

Question 4

What are the benefits of having Motivated Employees?

Answer 4

Increase in productivity.
Increase in sales or better services being provided for customers
Competitive edge in its business environment

Question 5

What is the relationship between Managing Employees and achieving Business Objectives?

Answer 5

Managing Employees is concerned with getting the best out of your employees, whereas business objectives are concerned with having a goal that the company is seeking to achieve.
The relationship is that if the employees are well managed, they can help achieve business objectives.
For example, Improve customer service skills =, long-lasting relationships with customer = More future sales = greater revenue = greater profits.

Question 6

What is Motivation?

Answer 6

Motivation is the factors or practices that drive an employee’s desire to achieve objectives

Question 7

Describe Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

Answer 7

Maslow’s hierarchy of Needs is a representation of human needs in the form of a pyramid. Each level of the hierarchy must be satisfied before moving onto the next level, which is then activated as a motivator. Once satisfied, it is no longer motivates an employee

Question 8

How does Self-Actualisation relate to Managing Employees

Answer 8

Self-Actualisation refers the need to try to strive for self-improvement and experience growth. Examples of this include opportunities for Advancement, Promotion

Question 9

How does Esteem relate to Managing Employees

Answer 9

Esteem refers to the need to gain acknowledgement and gratitude from their peers and senior managers. Examples of this include Recognition, Delegation, Empowerment

Question 10

How does Social relate to Managing Employees?

Answer 10

The Social Level refers to the need to try to be part of the workplace culture and earn their acceptance. Examples of this are Teamwork and Social Activities such as staff functions

Question 11

How does Safety relate to Managing Employees?

Answer 11

The Safety Level refers to the needs that are necessary for an individual to feel secure and comfortable. Examples of this include Pay, Safe Working Conditions, OH&S, Job Security, Insurance

Question 12

How does Physiological relate to Managing Employees?

Answer 12

The Physiological Level refers to all the basic needs that an individual requires to live and breathe. Examples of this include Providing Employee with Job, Income

Question 13

What is an Advantage and Disadvantage of Maslow’s Hierachy of Needs?

Answer 13

A: Allows employees to progress at their own pace through the levels, Exhibits an intuitive appeal which can be easily grasped and applied
D: Does not account for Cultural and Social between individuals

Question 14

What is Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory?

Answer 14

Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory is a theory that focuses on the process of setting and attaining goals. It was noted that the setting of goals leads to increased effort, task focus and persistence of individuals.

Question 15

What are the 5 Principles of Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory?

Answer 15

CCCCP
• Clarity – Clear information allows less room for error and individual interpretation.
• Challenging – People tend to exert more effort and try harder to attain more difficult goals. However, goals must be achievable and realistic.
• Commitment – Having an employee oblige to increase performance to achieve goal
• Performance Feedback – Feedback can help in conveying whether a task has been completed well or not
• Complexity – Task must be achievable and straightforward so employees feel able to complete them

Question 16

What is an Advantage and Disadvantage of Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory?

Answer 16

A: Individually focused. Tailors for any individual and their aspirations based on skillset
D: Time Consuming (e.g. Sitting down with each individual to set goals)
Manager’s may

Question 17

What is Lawrence and Nohria’s Four Drive Theory?

Answer 17

Lawrence and Nohria’s Four Drive Theory is a theory that identified four basic motivational needs that act to drive people

Question 18

How does the Drive to Acquire relate to Managing Employees?

Answer 18

The Drive to Acquire relates to acquiring remuneration, but it could also be satisfied with high status positions or recognition of achievements.

Question 19

How can a Manager satisfy the Drive to Acquire?

Answer 19

Generous remuneration packages for the employees as well as setting challenging tasks for employees

Question 20

How does the Drive to Bond relate to Managing Employees?

Answer 20

The Drive to Bond relates to wanting to form long-term relationships within the business and to feel supported and included.

Question 21

How can a Manager satisfy the Drive to Bond?

Answer 21

Placing employees in supportive teams to conduct their work. They could also organise Friday night drinks, team building activities to help employees to bond.

Question 22

How does the Drive to Learn relate to Managing Employees?

Answer 22

The Drive to Learn relates to people’s desire to continually discover new things and increase their ability to comprehend the world around them.

Question 23

How can a Manager satisfy the Drive to Learn?

Answer 23

Managers could satisfy this drive by sending employees off-site to attend a course to develop new skills or set challenging goals.

Question 24

How does the Drive to Defend relate to Managing Employees?

Answer 24

The Drive to Defend relates to feeling the need to defend ourselves and those for whom we care. In a business, this could be linked to defending the company at large and their beliefs, defending employee’s position within the workplace or defending people in their department if criticised.

Question 25

How can a Manager satisfy the Drive to Defend?

Answer 25

As this drive is not activated until there is a threat, managers could ensure that employees do not feel that their jobs are at risk, through positive feedback or meaningful performance evaluations.

Question 26

What is an Advantage and Disadvantage of Lawrence and Nohria’s Four Drive Theory?

Answer 26

A: Allows Employees to progress at own pace in satisfying each drive
D: Time Consuming (e.g. Sitting down with each employee to determine drive)
Manager may not be able to identify the drives

Question 27

Outline the Similarities and Differences of the Goal Setting Theory and the Hierarchy of Needs

Answer 27

S: Goal-setting could lead to Maslow’s esteem level being satisfied, through challenging yet realistic and achieveable goals
D: L&L’s theory is based on goal-setting
Maslow’s theory is based on satisfying needs one level at a time, therefore their fundamental approaches to improving motivation are quite different.

Question 28

Outline the Similarities and Differences of the Goal Setting Theory and the Four Drive Theory

Answer 28

S: Setting goals and the motivation felt by the achievement of them can be linked to the drive to acquire (achievement)
D: L&L theory is a goal-setting theory.
L&N – Managers need to identify and satisfy the four drives, therefore their fundamental approaches to improving motivation are quite different.

Question 29

Outline the Similarities and Differences of the Four Drive Theory and the Hierarchy of Needs

Answer 29

S: Both relate to satisfaction. E.g. In Maslow’s case, it is needs and in L&N’s case it is drives.
D: Maslow has five levels of need.
L&N has four drives.
Maslow- Employees must progress up through the levels one at a time.
L&N- It is possible to be working towards more than one drive at the same time.

Question 30

What is a Motivational Strategy and why would a business implement one?

Answer 30

A Motivation Strategy is a specific action that a manager or a business takes to motivate employees.

Lift employee morale
Improve performance and productivity

Question 31

Explain what Performance Related Pay is?

Answer 31

Performance Related Pay is a financial reward given to employees whose work has reached or exceeded a set standard. It may be in the form of a reward (bonus), salary increase, sales commission or profit-sharing.

Question 32

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Performance Related Pay?

Answer 32

A: Objective Focused, Tangible way of recognising achievement, Increased Productivity
D: Expensive method of motivation, Generates a competitive culture, Money may not motivate people, Reduces Equality

Question 33

What are the Short and Long Term Effects of Performance Related Pay?

Answer 33

Short term motivator due to immediate reward.

Unenjoyable work with money won’t be enough in long-term to motivate

Question 34

What is Career Advancement?

Answer 34

Career Advancement is a strategy that involves promoting employees to positions that include more responsibility or authority.

Question 35

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Career Advancement?

Answer 35

A: Retains talented employees, Helps retain intellectual property, Personally focused, Sense of achievement/ responsibility
D: Demotivates overlooked employees, Feeling of unrest if the promotion is taken out in an inequitable manner, Small scale business’ = Limited opportunity

Question 36

What are the Short and Long Term Effects of Career Advancement?

Answer 36

Short term - until they are given job or overlooked

Long term - demonstrate good work habits over an extended period of time before being considered for a promotion.

Question 37

What is Investment in Training and some examples?

Answer 37

Investment in Training is the process of providing the employee with necessary skills and knowledge required to do a particular job.
e.g. taught new computer software, how to use a new piece of equipment.

Question 38

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Investment in Training?

Answer 38

A: Contribution to business is valued, Sense of Loyalty and Attachment, Positive Corporate Culture, Displays a willingness to form career advancement
D: Expensive, Dissatisfaction if opportunity to utilise skills is not present

Question 39

What are the Short and Long Term Effects of Investment in Training?

Answer 39

Short term - boost in morale

Long term - loyalty due to belief in their ability

Question 40

What is Support?

Answer 40

Support is assistance given to employees in the form of encouragement or direct recognition, in the hope of repeating good work

Question 41

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Support?

Answer 41

A: Leads to more diligent work, Does not cost the business money, Employee feels valued, Instils a positive culture

D: Time consuming with benefits possibly taking longer than expected, Requires manager exercising good communication and interpersonal skills

Question 42

What are the Short and Long Term Effects of Support?

Answer 42

short term - employee’s morale and confidence increases.

long term - willing to undertake more difficult tasks

Question 43

Explain what a Sanction is?

Answer 43

A Sanction is imposing a penalty for undesirable behaviour. Sanctions can take the form of reprimand, disciplinary counselling or dismissal

Question 44

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Sanction?

Answer 44

A: Very power strategy for those motivated by fear, Leads to a rise in focus, Idea of missing out on promotions acts as a motivator
D: Employees don’t want to work harder, which decreases motivation, Builds negative fearful culture, Does not encourage mistakes - learn and develop business

Question 45

What are the Short and Long Term Effects of Sanction?

Answer 45

short term - fast and direct form of motivating employees.
long term - feelings of fear and resentment will be implanted within the employees.

N.T. If a sanction is needed, follow with support or investment in training to get long term benefits

Question 46

What is Training?

Answer 46

Training is the process of developing workplace
skills, knowledge,
attitude and behaviour to allow employees to do this job more efficiently and effectively.

Question 47

What is the difference between On the Job Training and Off the Job Training?

Answer 47

On the Job consists of a mentor guiding a new staff member or specific training sessions AT the workplace. Off the Job requires the employees to attend a course or a training session at another venue.

Question 48

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of On the Job Training?

Answer 48

A: Reduced Cost, Learn skills directly related to business, Develops good relationships, Produce goods and services whilst training
D: Creates distractions with normal work, Unlikely to learn broader skills, Unlikely to develop networks with other businesses, Staff may not have required expertise to train new employees

Question 49

What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Off the Job Training?

Answer 49

A: Removes work distractions, Possible employee formal qualifications (Certificate IV), Develops employee morale, Broaden social networks & additional skills and knowledge
D: Expensive, Time consuming, May find difficulty integrating skills into workplace, Old practises vs new practises

Question 50

What is Employee Engagement?

Answer 50

Employee Engagement is the commitment employees feel towards a business based on identifying with the
values, objectives and
the way the business operates.