unit 3 aos 2 (sac 1)

Question 1

how are human resource managers responsible for employees achieving business objectives?

Answer 1

when employees are successfully managed, their job satisfaction, motivation, and feeling of value to the business increases, and they are able to positively contribute to the business’ performance

Question 2

list the strategies of human resources managing employees

Answer 2

• communicating business objectives
• motivating employees
• supporting employees
• monitoring performance

Question 3

how does the human resources area of management contribute to the objective ‘make a profit’ by successfully managing employees?

Answer 3

employee’s increased job satisfaction reduces the number of employees leaving the business, which reduces the cost of recruiting and training replacement employees (making a profit)

Question 4

how does the human resources area of management contribute to the objective ‘increase market share’ by successfully managing employees?

Answer 4

employee’s increased job satisfaction improves the quality of the goods and services being manufactured / delivered, which increases customer satisfaction and therefore sales (increasing market share)

Question 5

how does the human resources area of management contribute to the objective ‘meet shareholder expectations’ by successfully managing employees?

Answer 5

employee’s increased job satisfaction motivates employees to work harder, which increases sales and profit allowing a higher dividend to be paid (meeting shareholder expectations)

Question 6

how does the human resources area of management contribute to the objective ‘fulfil a market need’ by successfully managing employees?

Answer 6

employee’s increased job satisfaction promotes employees to contribute innovative ideas, which makes the business better able to meet customer needs (fulfilling a market need)

Question 7

how does the human resources area of management contribute to the objective ‘fulfil a social need’ by successfully managing employees?

Answer 7

employee’s increased job satisfaction increases employee’s support for the business initivatives, which improves the success of initiatives that aid the community or reduce waste (fulfilling a social need)

Question 8

what is Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs?

+ list the needs in order

Answer 8

A motivation theory that suggests employees have five fundamental needs which they strive to fulfil in a set order. The lower order needs must be met before an employee is motivated to satisfy the following needs.
(physiological needs, safety and security needs, social needs, esteem needs, self actualisation)

Question 9

what are the physiological needs in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and how are they satisfied by employees and managers?

Answer 9

the basic requirements for human survival such as food, water, and shelter.
employees fulfil this need by using the wages they earn to purchase essential items.
managers can satisfy this need by paying employees a living wage.

Question 10

what are the safety and security needs in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and how are they satisfied by employees and managers?

Answer 10

the desire for protection from dangerous or threatening environments that risk physical, mental, or emotional health.
employees use their training to be safe in dangerous situations.
managers can satisfy safety needs by ensuring the business follows OH+S regulations and training employees, and security needs by providing long term employment contracts

Question 11

what are the social needs in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and how are they satisfied by employees and managers?

Answer 11

the desire for a sense of belonging and interpersonal relationships among groups.
employees fulfil this need by having relationships between themselves and other employees or managers.
managers can satisfy this need by encouraging team work, celebrating employee’s birthdays, and organising social events.

Question 12

what are the esteem needs in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and how are they satisfied by employees and managers?

Answer 12

the desire to feel important, valuable, and respected.
employees fulfil this need by achieving higher job statuses, prestigious titles or financial bonuses.
managers can satisfy this need by rewarding high performers, expanding job responsibilities, and promoting employees.

Question 13

what are the self actualisation needs in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and how are they satisfied by employees and managers?
+ what is the difference to the other needs?

Answer 13

realising one’s full potential through creativity and personal growth.
employees fulfil this need by striving to achieve personal growth and advancement in their work
managers can facilitate this need by providing challenging work, opportunities for skill and knowledge development, and allowing creativity to be expressed.

it is different to other needs as external factors are no longer motivators and employees and driven by personal interest / satisfaction.

Question 14

list the advantages of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Answer 14

• it can give managers a clear path to motivate employees
• it can help managers to determine which level is motivating employees
• employees who reach self actualisation improve business performance
• employees can work in an engaging environment allowing them to reach their full potential
• motivation can occur quickly when employees move up the hierarchy
• satsifying safety and security needs typically does not increase business expenses

Question 15

list the disadvantages of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Answer 15

• it can be difficult to measure if employees are being satisfied
• it assumes all employees are motivated in the same order
• not all employees will be motivated by the same need at once
• it assumes there are no other core needs which motivate employees
• it may be time consuming for a manager to determine the level of each employee’s needs
• it can be time consuming to implement different strategies
• satisfying physiological and esteem needs may increase business expenses

Question 16

what is Lawrence and Nohria’s Four Drive Theory?

+ list the needs

Answer 16

a motivation theory that suggests employees strive to fulfil four fundamental needs that can be used to understand employee motivation.
(the drive to acquire, the drive to bond, the drive to learn, and the drive to defend)

Question 17

what is the drive to acquire in Lawrence and Nohria’s Four Drive Theory?
why are employees motivated / how do managers satisfy this need?

Answer 17

the desire to achieve rewards and high status
employees are motivated to receive both financial and non financial rewards.
managers can fulfil this drive by rewarding employees that contribute to achieving business objectives.
(e.g. raise in wage, bonuses for reaching performance goals, prestigious job titles, increased responsibility)

Question 18

what is the drive to bond in Lawrence and Nohria’s Four Drive Theory?
why are employees motivated / how do managers satisfy this need?

Answer 18

the desire to participate in social interactions and feel a sense of belonging.
employees are motivated to engage in social activities with others to develop positive relationships/
managers can fulfil this drive by developing an inclusive environment and encouraging teamwork in work related and personal interactions.
(e.g. having team bonding activities like sports days, allocating projects to teams not individuals, holding social events)

Question 19

what is the drive to learn in Lawrence and Nohria’s Four Drive Theory?
why are employees motivated / how do managers satisfy this need?

Answer 19

the desire to gain knowledge, skills and experience.
employees are motivated to improve their capabilities at work through training and taking on new tasks.
managers can fulfil this drive by implementing programs that educate and upskill employees and ensuring jobs are regularly rotated
(e.g. conducting training courses, pairing junior and senior employees, allowing employees to take on different tasks)

Question 20

what is the drive to defend in Lawrence and Nohria’s Four Drive Theory?
why are employees motivated / how do managers satisfy this need?

Answer 20

the desire to protect personal security as well as the values of a business.
employees are motivated to protect themselves from harm by ensuring they receive fair treatment and job security, then protect the business from harm from competitors and negative publicity.
managers can fulfil this drive by treating employees fairly, aiming to increase levels of trust and aligning business visions with employees values.
(e.g. having a clear vision employee can agree with, developing policies using employees input, and developing trust by supporting employees)

Question 21

what are the advantages of Lawrence and Nohria’s Four Drive Theory?

Answer 21

• it can provide managers with a simple framework to motivate employees
• managers can motivate employees by fulfilling all drives simultaneously
• managers can target specific drives of individual employees
• fulfilling the drive to bond can improve teamwork and corporate culture
• satisfying drives increases employee performance and therefore profits

Question 22

what are the disadvantages of Lawrence and Nohria’s Four Drive Theory?

Answer 22

• it may be difficult for managers to manage all drives simultaneously
• employees may lose satisfaction if one or more drives are left unmet
• it focuses on gaining individual rewards which can cause employees to compete
• employees may not value all drives equally
• it can be time consuming for managers to determine the suitable drives for individual employees
• the drive to acquire and the drive to learn may increase business expenses

Question 23

what is Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory?

+ list the five key principles

Answer 23

a motivation theory that states employees strive to achieve well defined objectives, and that managers can use these goals to fulfil five key principles to motivate employees.
(key principles are clarity, commitment, challenge, task complexity, and feedback)

Question 24

describe the clarity principle of Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory?

Answer 24

• goals should be specific and easy to measure

- employees should be able to clearly understand what is expected of them

Question 25

describe the commitment principle of Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory

Answer 25

• employees should be involved in setting their goals

- goals should incorporate the personal interests of employees

Question 26

describe the challenge principle of Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory?

Answer 26

• goals should be difficult enough to encourage employees to improve in order to achieve it

Question 27

describe the task complexity principle of Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory?

Answer 27

• goals should not overwhelm employees and should be achievable
• employees should receive adequate training and time to achieve their goals

Question 28

describe the feedback principle of Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory?

Answer 28

• managers should provide regular support to employees and adjust goals as needed
• managers shouls constantly monitor the progress of employees to keep them on track, clarify misunderstandings and encourage them

Question 29

outline the steps that a manager should follow when fulfilling the five principles of Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory

Answer 29

1. employees discuss their personal goals with managers, the manager aligns employee’s goals with business objectives
2. manager and employee set clear achievable goals together that should be challenging and complex
3. manager regularly checks employee’s progress and provides support
4. manager celebrates and rewards employees for achieving goals
5. manager and employee set a new more difficult goal together

Question 30

list and explain the kinds of goals a manager can set for employees in Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory

Answer 30

• sales goals (an employee may have a sales target to meet)
• knowledge and skill goals (an employee may have a goal to learn a new skill)
• deadline goals (an employee may have a date they need to complete a task by)
• productivity goals (an employee may have a production quota to meet)

Question 31

list the advantages of Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory

Answer 31

• goals can align employee’s efforts with achieving business objectives to improve business performance
• setting goals with employees can improve their relationship and trust with management
• employees can gain a clear understanding of management expectations through straightforward goals and feedback
• employees may be more motivated to complete tasks if work goals align with their personal interests
• after a goal is set, it’s success can be measured quickly
• when employee goals align with business objectives they can contribute to completing goals like increasing sales

Question 32

list the disadvantages of Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory

Answer 32

• it may be difficult for a manager to align an employee’s personal goals with business objectives
• too many goals at once can be stressful and may demotivate employees
• setting goals and providing feedback to each employee can be time consuming for management

Question 33

what are the similarities and differences between Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Lawrence and Nohria’s Four Drive Theory?

Answer 33

similarities:

• both are concerned with the physical, social, and emotional needs of employees
• both suggest different employees value different motivators

differences:
- Maslow’s hierarchy must be met in sequential order while the four drive theory suggests any drive may be relevant to employees in no particular order
- Maslow’s hierarchy states
that employees are motivated to fulfil only one need at a time whereas the four drive theory states that employees behaviour can be driven by all needs at once

Question 34

what are the similarities and differences between Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs and Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory?

Answer 34

similarities:

• both recognise that personal gain is a factor that can motivate employees (esteem is satisfied by providing higher job status’ to employees and goals that fulfil the commitment principle consider employee’s personal objectives)
• both recognise that feedback from management is important (esteem can be satisfied by recognising employee efforts, goals which fulfil the feedback principle requires management to acknowledge the efforts of employees)

differences:

• Maslow’s hierarchy focuses on fulfilling one need at a time while the goal setting theory requires all principles to be incorporated for a goal to be motivating
• Maslow’s hierarchy of needs can be applied by a manager alone whereas the goal setting theory requires employee input

Question 35

what are the similarities and differences between Lawrence and Nohria’s Four Drive Theory and Locke and Latham’s Goal Setting Theory?

Answer 35

similarities:

• both recognise that employees are motivated to achieve success (the drive to acquire a higher position, or setting the goal of being promoted)
• both suggest that multiple factors motivate an employee at any given time (all drives may be active while set business goals should incorporate multiple principles)

differences:

• the goal setting theory involves employee input whereas the four drive theory is applied by a manager alone
• the goal setting theory requires a manager to individually address each employee whereas this is not necessary when in the four drive theory

Question 36

what are the different motivation strategies a manager can use to motivate employees?

Answer 36

• performance related pay
• career advancement
• investment in training
• support
• sanction

Question 37

what is performance related pay as a motivation strategy?

why are employees motivated / how do managers utilise it?

Answer 37

a financial strategy that aims to encourage employees to perform a particular task or reach a specified goal.
employees are motivated as it links their performance to increased remuneration, they feel they can personally gain from putting in effort.
managers can use it by developing a rewards system that clearly links to meeting business objectives, rewarding performance with a pay rise, a bonus, or commission on sale

Question 38

what are the advantages and disadvantages of performance related pay as a motivation strategy?

Answer 38

advantages:

• remuneration being directly linked to meeting business objectives
• it can be used to motivate many employees at once
• employees can personally gain from meeting set goals

disadvantages:

• it can increase the expense of wages
• employees may take harmful shortcuts to reach their reward
• may not work if rewards are unequal between employees

Question 39

what is career advancement as a motivation strategy?

why are employees motivated / how do managers utilise it?

Answer 39

a non financial strategy that can increase an employees performance through promotions or challenging roles.
employees are motivated as it provides progression to higher positions when they want more responsibility / authority.
managers can use it by ensuring that employees are aware of available higher positions, and promoting from within the business so employees are working towards career progression.

Question 40

what are the advantages and disadvantages of career advancement as a motivation strategy?

Answer 40

advantages:

• promoting employees helps a business retain high performing employees
• employees feel valued when promoted
• promoting from within the business is cheaper

disadvantages:

• limited senior positions preventing career advancement being used by all employees
• employees being promoted beyond their capabilities
• an increase in promoted employee’s wages increases expenses

Question 41

what is investment in training as a motivation strategy?

why are employees motivated / how do managers utilise it?

Answer 41

a non financial strategy that equips employees with the expertise needed to perform at higher levels.
employees are motivated as they have opportunities to learn and develop their skills and abilities.
managers can use it by providing employees with mentoring, training programs, and paying for employees to be professionally trained.

Question 42

what are the advantages and disadvantages of investment in training as a motivation strategy?

Answer 42

advantages:

• employees undertaking tasks more productively
• employees feel valued because the business wants to advance their skills
• employees experience increased job satisfaction

disadvantages:

• employee absences when completing training
• training employees is time consuming and may delay task completion
• training programs may increase business expenses

Question 43

what is support as a motivation strategy?

why are employees motivated / how do managers utilise it?

Answer 43

a non financial strategy that aims to ensure that managers provide employees with the necessary resources to perform at a higher level.
employees are motivated because they feel valued, understood, and considered.
managers can use it by regularly checking on employee’s health and wellbeing, praising good performance, and recognising achievements using rewards

Question 44

what are the advantages and disadvantages of support as a motivation strategy?

Answer 44

advantages:

• employees that feel valued are less likely to leave
• employees feel valued by managers that support wellbeing
• very few additional expenses

disadvantages:

• it relies on the manager having good interpersonal skills
• can be time consuming
• may not motivate employees quickly

Question 45

what is sanction as a motivation strategy?

why are employees motivated / how do managers utilise it?

Answer 45

a non financial strategy that discourages employees from performing against a business’ expectations.
employees are motivated because they fear punishment from management.
managers can use it by verbally warning employees, providing written warnings, removing privileges like holiday leave, reducing the hours or casual and part time employees, dismissing poor performing staff

Question 46

what are the advantages and disadvantages of sanction as a motivation strategy?

Answer 46

advantages:

• pressuring employees to act in accordance
• motivating employees immediately
• does not involve costs

disadvantages:

• creating a negative corporate culture
• tasks are completed out of fear
• employees are likely to leave
• decreased trust between employees and managers

Question 47

when should short term employee motivation be used?

Answer 47

in situations where managers aim to quickly motivate employees

Question 48

how do different motivation strategies have a positive effect on short term motivation?

Answer 48

performance related pay:
- employees can be motivated to improve performance to immediately receive financial rewards

career advancement:
- employees can be motivated to quickly take on more responsibilities in the workplace

investment in training:
- employees can be quickly motivated by an opportunity to upskill

sanction:
- employees may be quickly motivated to avoid penalties and punishments due to fear

Question 49

how do different motivation strategies have a negative effect on short term motivation?

Answer 49

performance related pay:
- employees may be demotivated if they constantly compete with others to achieve financial rewards

investment in training:
- employees may be demotivated by the inconvenience of training programs

sanction:

• employees may be unmotivated due to overwhelming fear of penalties / punishment, leading to a reduction in productivity
• some employees may resign when faced with penalties / punishment

Question 50

when should long term employee motivation be used?

Answer 50

when employees need a high level of job satisfaction that can be sustained.
motivation strategies that improve corporate culture and provide opportunities for employees to improve should be used.

Question 51

how do different motivation strategies have a positive effect on long term motivation?

Answer 51

career advancement:
- employees may be motivated by ongoing opportunities to be promoted

investment in training:

• employees may be motivated on an ongoing basis as they feel they are provided opportunities to develop knowledge and skill
• they are better skilled to complete tasks
• employees may feel consistently motivated by a positive working environment that promotes learning

support:

• employees may be motivated on an ongoing basis as they feel management will help them when they face an issue
• employees are more likely to stay at the business as they feel valued

Question 52

how do different motivation strategies have a negative effect on long term motivation?

Answer 52

performance related pay:
- employees may be demotivated if the reward does not continuously increase as it may not seem valuable

investment in training:
- employees may be demotivated by the consitsent interruptions caused by training programs

sanction:

• employees can becomes desensitised to penalties / punishment and will not be motivated by their use
• employees may be demotivated due to a negative working environment
• some employees may resign when faced with penalties / punishment