UNIT 3 - 2A Managing employees Flashcards
What is employee management
The activities and tasks involved in getting the very best out of the employees who are working for you. This covers a wide range of areas such as motivation, training, performance management, termination and wages.
Define Motivation
The practices or factors that drive a person to perform at their best. These factors can be either extrinsic or intrinsic
What are the three motivation theories
Hierarchy of needs - maslow
Goal setting - Locke and Latham
4 Drive theory - Lawrence and Nohria
Describe how Locke and Lathams Goal Setting Theory relates to motivation
Edward Locke and Gary Latham found through research that employees are motivated by goals that are challenging but attainable.
What are the 5 elements to Locke and Lathams Goal setting theory
Clarity Challenge Commitment Feedback and task complexity
How does Clarity in goals motivate employees
Clear goals give employees a direction to work towards and they know exactly what needs to be achieved. It is ideal that goals are given a time frame so the employee understands when it needs to be achieved.
How does challenging goals help motivate employees
The more challenging the goal, the more motivation it can provide. However, it the goal is too difficult, it becomes overwhelming and motivation is diminished. I essence, goals need to extend employees without being too ambitious. Challenging goals give employees drive and a sense of satisfaction that they are getting the best out of themselves.
How does commitment towards goals lead to motivation
If a goal is set b the manager, it is likely there will not be full commitment. Therefore, goals should be set collaboratively between the manager and employee, as then the employee is likely to take more ownership over the goal and become more committed.
How does feedback for goals lead to motivation
The manager should provide constructive feedback to the employee to keep them on track. The feedback should be ongoing to help the employee feel appreciated for their efforts, even if the end of goal seems far away. This keeps the employee satisfied and makes them want to continue to do well.
What is task complexity for goals and how does it lead to motivation.
Complexity of the task can not be beyond employee’s capabilities. While goals should extend employees, they should be tailored to the abilities of the employees to ensure goals are achieved and to keep them motivated.
How can Locke and Lathams goal setting theory be applied to business
A manager can improve employee motivation by setting clear and specific goals that are challenging, but not overwhelming. To ensure optimal motivation these goals should be set collaboratively to ensure commitment, and constructive feedback should be provided to ensure the employee remains on track. Overall this should lead to business success.
What are advantages so Locke and Latham’s goal setting theory
It is very individual focused as each employee sets a personal goal.
You can also adapt goals for individual people and their abilities
Can improve employe and manager relationship
What are disadvantages so Locke and Latham’s goal setting theory
Time consuming nature - to set goals for everyone and provide feedback
This can also be expensive
It is hard to have a very specific goal for everyone in a group
Define Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory
A theory of motivation devised by Abraham Maslow whereby human needs are represented in a hierarchical pyramid. The elements in this pyramid are sequential, and people move up the pyramid as they strive to do better, with the basic fundamental needs at the bottom to be satisfied first and the more challenging and highly developed needs at the top. In order, the needs are physiological needs, safety needs, social needs, self-esteem needs and self actualisation needs. Some of these needs are intrinsic and extrinsic.
How can Maslows hierarchy of needs be applied to business and employee motivation
If managers can work out which level their workers have already have already satisfied, they can put in place strategies to allow staff to work towards the next stage of motivators. Once a worker has mastered one level, they can be motivated by managers assisting them to move up to the next level of need.
What are the 5 elements in order to Maslows theory
Physiological needs Safety needs Social and belonging needs Self-esteem needs Self-Actualisation needs
What is physiological needs
Basic needs to survive, such as food and water.
How can Managers provide physiological needs
Providing a job, good pay and an income
What is safety needs
Personal and financial security (also includes job security).
How can managers provide safety needs
Provide contract to ensure job security
OH&S for safe working conditions
What is Social and belonging needs
Love, affection and a sense of belonging in the business.
How can managers provide social needs
Teamwork/team building, social activities, and staff functions.
What is Self-esteem needs
To have respect and a sense of accomplishment. A sense of value
How can managers fulfill self-esteem needs
Can provide recognition (employee of the month), delegate and empowerment
What is self-actualisation
Personal fulfilment and reaching an employees full potential. They set goals to achieve.
How can managers fulfil self-actualisation
opportunities for advancement, promotion, set goals with employees
What are advantages and disadvantages of Maslow’s theory
- Allows people to progress at their own pace (go up and down)
- Can be a structure that applies to everyone/not time consuming
- Very formal and not individual based as maybe people can jump between needs
- Does not build personal goals
Define the Four Drive theory
Works on the idea that people have four main drives which intrinsically motivate them. To ensure motivation, every job must provide an opportunity to fulfil all four drives. The four drives are the drive to acquire and achieve, bond, learn and comprehend and to defend.
What is the drive to Acquire and achieve
Where employees have the drive to gain both material goods and services in life as well as status.
How can a business motivate employees to drive to acquire
They can develop incentives so they want to acquire, such as developing a reward system clearly linked to performance
Offer best performers opportunities for advancement
What is the drive to bond
the urge by employees to seek relationships with others within the workplace.
How can a business motivate employees to drive to Bond
Develop and maintain a culture within a business that encourages teamwork.
Create collaboration, and social gatherings.
What is the Drive to learn and comprehend
Relates to an individuals desire to continually learn new things and be challenged. Employees are more motivated when they are engaged in performing and and learning on the job
How can a business motivate employees to drive to learn
Giving the opportunity for employees to constantly learn new things and be challenged. Through training and dev. programs, mentors and job sharing.
What is the drive to defend
Relates to an individual desire to defend themselves and their accomplishments or what they feel pride in whenever they feel threatened. This drives the employee to defend. If employees feel pride in their business they may want to defend the company from various ‘attacks’ from competitors, rumours or the economy.
How can a business motivate employees to drive to defend
encourage defending company through role models, setting pride in values and beliefs, but also assisting employees to overcome their fear and the need to defend themselves, which can be done through open communication.
What are 2 similarities and 2 differences between the hierarchy of needs and goal setting theory
- goal setting theory similar to the self-actualisation need as both encourage the achievement of goals results in motivation
- Both based on intrinsic motivators through Maslow’s tiger order needs and Locke and Latham’s goal commitment.
- Goal setting theory is not based on a sequential order
- Goal setting theory has a time frame, whereas Maslows theory is ongoing
What are 2 similarities and 2 differences between the hierarchy of needs and four drive theory
- Both theories focus on the pursuit of satisfaction (needs and drives)
- L&N’s drive to bond is similar to Maslow’s social need
- Maslow has 5 levels of needs whereas L&N had 4 drives
- Maslow’s theory is sequential, whereas with the four drive theory it is possible to be working towards more than one drive at the same time.
What are 2 similarities and 2 differences between the Goal setting theory and the four drive theory
- L&L achievement of goals is similar to the drive to acquire (both sense of achievement)
- Drive to learn is similar to feedback
- Locke and latham generally pursue one goal at the time
- L&L very individual focused whereas 4 drives applies to a group
What are the five motivation strategies
Performance-related pay Career advancement Investment in training support Sanction
what is performance related pay
A salary or wages system based on how well an employee works, the greater the production, or the greater number of sales. Employees are motivated to increase performance in order to get the reward.
What are 2 advantages and two disadvantages to performance related pay
- Can create a positive alliance as both employees and managers needs are met
- Motivates employees if objectives are correctly set
- Can be conflicting and employees may get competitive
- Only works if employees are motivated by pay
What is carrier advancement
Career advancement is the prospect and opportunity of developing your career through being promoted or taking on new roles. This can motivate employees to perform well and acquire new skills & knowledge so they can be considered as potential candidates.
What are 2 advantages and two disadvantages to career advancement
- Very personal goal focused
- Employees may develop broader skills and knowledge base
- Selfish and can become competitive
- Can be de-motivationg if employee doesn’t get job.
What is investment in training
The business pays for training programs to develop the individual employees or group employees skills and knowledge to make them more efficient and effective in their role
What are 2 advantages and two disadvantages to investment in training
- Usually very targeted to business objectives
- Often leads to productivity
- Can be expensive
- If employee leaves business they take their investment with them
What is support
Involves manager meeting with employees and verbally instilling belief and aspiration in the employee and mentoring them to help overcome problems and seize opportunities
What are 2 advantages and two disadvantages of support
- Employee feels valued and respected
- Manager gets to be directly involved in motivation
- Time consuming
- May take time to see benefits develop
What is sanction
Refers to the punishments or failure to meet or comply with a business objective. The sanction may be in the form of a pay penalty, lost promotion opportunity or even loss of job.
What are 2 advantages and two disadvantages of sanction
- can be very powerful if employees are motivated by fear
- Can lead to focused and hopefully predictable responses
- Does not support employees to make mistakes, learn and develop
- Bilds a negative and fearful culture
What are the short term ad long term effect of performance related pay
- Immediate motivation
- May reach a plateau and reach a comfortable level where they are no longer motivated
What are the short term ad long term effect of career advancement
- Motivate until goal is achieved or give up
- produced mores self-interest rather than improving whole business
What are the short term ad long term effect of investment in training
- employee moral up
- Productivity increase
- If employees don’t leave builds skills and knowledge and capabilities in staff
What are the short term ad long term effect of Support
- Employee morale up
- May not see change immediately
- long term positive culture
- Improvement in employees
What are the short term ad long term effect of sanction
- Fast an direct motivation
- Resentment
- avoid risk taking
What are worker expectations
- to get paid
- good terms and conditions
- job security
- experience
- enjoy their work
- achieve
- feel pride in their business
What are manager expectations
- work hard
- punctual and reliable
- loyal
What is the relationship between managing employees and business objectives
Managing employees is the activities and tasks involved in getting the very best out of workers whereas business objectives is a goal or aim a business plans to achieve within a set period of time, for example increasing profit by 10% in 12 months. The relationship is, if you seeking to increase profits by 10% then managing employees correctly can achieve this. For example if employees customer service training is improved, then you would anticipate better output and better relationships between the buyer and the business, leading to greater sales. as a result more revenue leading you towards the business objective.
What are the five elements to employee management
Motivation training performance management termination wages and conditions of work
