Term 2: Motivating Employees- Revision

Question 1

Human Resource Management (define)

Answer 1

Focuses on the relationship between the employer and employee and how each of these stakeholders is able to work to achieve goals of the business and their own objectives.

Question 2

Employee expectations (examples)

Answer 2

Job security, fair treatment by employers, safety, positive work environment

Question 3

Job satisfaction (examples)

Answer 3

Nature of work, remuneration (pay), supervision of work, relationship with fellow workers, work-life balance

Question 4

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs (name of person)

Answer 4

Abraham Maslow

Question 5

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs (define)

Answer 5

When basic needs are satisfied, they no longer provide motivation.

Question 6

Edwin Locke - Goal theory (define)

Answer 6

That satisfaction comes from achieving defined goals. The more challenging the goals, the greater effort will be put in and satisfaction enjoyed by the worker.

Question 7

Frederic Herzberg - 2 factor theory (state and define)

Answer 7

Herzberg’s theory underpins the idea that rewards should be both financial and non-financial

Hygiene (maintenance) factors: 
pay, working conditions etc. If not met, the worker will be dissatisfied.
	○ Company's policies and admiration
	○ Supervision
	○ Working conditions
	○ Salary
	○ Interpersonal relations
	○ Status
	○ Job security

Motivation factors: 
can create satisfaction
	○ Intrinsic motivators re derived from the work itself
	○ Focus on factors that enrich the job and satisfy the employee
	○ Achievement
	○ Recognition
	○ The work itself
	○ Responsibility
	○ Advancement
	○ Growth

Question 8

David McClelland (define)

Answer 8

McClelland says we all have three motivating drivers, and one of these will be our dominant driver. This dominant motivator is largely dependent on our culture and life experiences.

Achievement: self-actualisation and growth
○ A strong need to set and accomplish challenging goals.
○ Takes calculated risks to accomplish their goals
○ Likes to receive regular feedback on their progress and achievements.
○ Often likes to work alone

Affiliation: social needs or relatedness
○ Wants to belong to the group
○ Wants to be liked, and will often go along with whatever the rest of the groups wants to do.
○ Favours collaboration over competitions
○ Doesn’t like high risk or uncertainty

Power: esteem; need for attention and recognition
	○ Wants to control and influence others
	○ Likes to win arguments
	○ Enjoys competition and winning
	○ Enjoys status and recognition

Question 9

Motivation theories (name)

Answer 9

Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs,
Frederic Herzberg - 2 factor theory,
Edwin Locke - Goal theory,
David McClelland’s theory,

Question 10

Current motivation trends (name and explain)

Answer 10

Diversity management:
goes beyond basic requirements for equal employment opportunities to see diversity as an advantage to harness

Family-friendly workplaces:
recognises that employees do not leave their personal lives at home - expectations affect staff expectations and motivation

Question 11

Human Resource cycle (name sections)

Answer 11

Acquisition => Development => Maintenenance => Separation and Renewal

Question 12

Management Styles (define)

Answer 12

Refers to the way management gets things done

Involves aspects of the manager’s personality, values, and ability as a leader.

Main styles are:
	○ Autocratic
	○ Persuasive
	○ Consultative
	○ Participative
	○ Laissez faire

Question 13

Management styles - Autocratic style (define)

Answer 13

Authoritarian style

Management tells staff what decisions it has made

All policy dictated by management

Rigid setting of work organisation

Payment is sufficient motivation and reward for effort

Orders to be carries out without question

Problems with Autocratic style
○ Creates poor relationships between management and staff
○ Stifling imitative and management potential
○ Need for constant supervision

Considered least effective management style in modern organisations

Question 14

Management styles - Persuasive style (define)

Answer 14

Management communicates decisions effectively to staff

Management sells decision to staff

All policy dictated by management

Setting for work organisation b management

Commitment to tasks through persuasive techniques

Willingness to empathise with staff occasions

Question 15

Management styles - Consultative style (define)

Answer 15

Management consults staff before making significant decisions

Upward channels of communication

Information to staff

Encouragement of group discussion on policy

Staff suggestions are valued

Management seen as a regular part of the group (not them and us)

Objective and fact-based praise and criticism of work

Can be seen as expensive and time consuming

Question 16

Management styles - Participative style (define)

Answer 16

Management joins with staff to make a group decision

Authority delegated to subordinates

Goal and decision-making by group

Faith and trust in staff

Praise in terms of work results

Support of person being criticised

Problems of participative style
○ Cumbersome in responding to need for rapid change
○ Perceived lack of authority can lead to insecurity among staff

Question 17

Management styles - Laissez-Faire (define)

Answer 17

Organisation and its people are allowed to drift with very few useful management outcomes

French words for ‘leave alone’

Extreme form of participative style

Question 18

Management styles - Situational Approach (define)

Answer 18

Choice of the best management style depends on the situation

Each situation involves
	○ Manager
	○ Subordinates
	○ Tasks to be completed
	○ Constraints on organisation

Question 19

Management styles - Effectiveness Indicator (define)

Answer 19

Effective HRM - where management and employees work well together in their efforts to achieve business goals

Indicators:
○ Corporate culture - Corporate culture refers to the culture within an organisation. It relates to the values and beliefs within a business and directly impacts upon the relationship between management and employees.
○ Worker satisfaction - Whether or not they like the job or individual aspects or facets of jobs, such as nature of work or supervision.
○ Staff turnover - Staff turnover refers to the rate at which employees leave a business
○ Benchmarking key variables - Benchmarking is the process of measuring an employee’s performance against established standards.
○ Absenteeism - Absenteeism refers to an employee being unable to attend work for reasons such as illness or family responsibilities.
○ Accidents - It is inevitable that within any organisation, human error may occur. Regrettably this error may result in concerns relating to occupational health and safety arising.