Running Head: MOTIVATION AND MEANING 1

Motivation and Meaning: What Makes People Want to Work?

Alejandra Almanza

South Texas College

Management Theory I- ORGL 4341

Ms. Nancy M. Gonzalez

March 3, 2017
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Abstract

According to Annie McKee motivation is the result a of complex set of psychological

influences and external forces or conditions that causes a person to behave in certain way while

maintaining a certain level of effort and persistence(2014, p.64). For example, when a company

wants to reach a goal in a certain amount of time the company may offer a reward to the

employees if they complete the goal on or before the scheduled time. I believe that motivation in

companies is one of the most important things that they should promote because when the

employees are motivated they are willing to work harder and the company can grow more. On

the other hand, when employees do not have any motivation they do not put enough effort to

their jobs, this may cause the company to fail. However, this is very complex process tough

because not every employee is motivated in the same way or by the same goal.
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Problem:

In the past and present, one issue that big and small companies have is poor motivation

worldwide. The biggest change is that before most people were simply motivated by money. As

time went on and changes in business and personal agendas changed, so did the motivation for

workers. Today we have people who are motivated by feeling they are appreciated or a part of

something bigger than them. Part of being a successful manager or business is to find out what

exactly motivates your employees. This is easier said than done because there are so many

people in a company. That is why the manager must be able to know the strengths and

weaknesses of his employees. This includes what is the driving motivation for each one of them.

The problem arises when managers have workers who are not motivated in what they do. This

will reflect in their work as they either do just enough to get by or do subpar work. In both of

these instances it will affect the company in a negative way. Workers that are not motivated will

lead for the company to fail or be stagnant.

Purpose of the Research:

The purpose of this investigation is to find out what really motivates employees and also

how motivated employees affect the company. Since they are the backbone of every successful

company, it is essential that they stay motivated. In figuring out what exactly motivates the

employee the company can conduct surveys and interviews. This will give them an insight to

each of their employees motivational purposes. Since the managers job is to lead the employee

to the goal, he/she must know how to get the best work from their employees. This is where

knowing what motivates them will pay big dividends.

Research Questions:

1. What motivates employees?

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2. How does it affect the company when the employees are motivated?

3. Does the manager play a major role in the motivation of the employees?

4. What kind of reward should the company give?

Literature Review:

For many years the business industry has been having issues with employees that are not

motivated to do their job. Much of the researches that has been done has proven that when the

employees are not motivated their work suffers. The motivation of the employee is very

important because this can define the companys success or failure. I strongly believe that the

manager plays a very important role in how the employee stays motivated in his/her entire

carrier. The mangers should be involved in how to reward the employee and what it takes to keep

them all motivated. When employees are happy and motivated they tend to put their best effort

into getting the job done as best they can. This will show in their work and work ethic.

During 19 and 20th century things were very different. It did not take much to motivate

employees in those times. According to Taylors theory most people back then just wanted to

make money, and so to motivate them the employer simply had to give them money and hours.

The main motivation for almost everyone was to make as much money as possible. For example,

Taylor believed that each worker should be paid for the work that they accomplished. So if a

worker reached the goal for the day or week, then pay them what they deserved and vice versa.

However as times changed so did the people and society which has happened a number of times

throughout history (Magloff Lisa, 2017). In todays business many managers have asked

themselves what motivates the employees. Are they motivated by money, or personal

satisfaction? Maybe they just want to feel appreciated. According to Michael S. Broder, some

people are principally motivated by the simple belief that their job is secure and the reassurance
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that their work wont become too hard or overwhelming. For example, sometimes it is not about

the money, but instead it is about how the manager takes the time to listen to the employees

opinion in making decisions or on the employees needs. For other employees it is about their

social status, how people see them. There are many different ways to reward or make the

employee feel valued by the company.

In conclusion I believe that is very important to listen to the employees needs and to keep

the employees motivated for the success of the company. When employees are motivated and

confident in themselves they will tend to do great work. The success of the company falls on the

employees who are doing most of the work. The manager is only as good as his team, which

he/she needs to motivate and lead to get the job done.

Project Plan and Methodology:

According to McKee, self-awareness is very important when you want to motivate

others. The manager has a great influence on his employees, this can be either good or bad

(2014, p.66). My plan to motivate employees is to have a meeting every morning to encourage

them. In this meeting we will discuss the any problems that they may have and also hear any

suggestions from all employees. We will then as a group decide what actions should be taken. I

would ask all employees to put any suggestions about any issues that they have in a box before

the end of the day. This way we will discuss it in the morning meeting. By doing this the

employees will feel they are a big part of the company. I would create a board on which I would

display the name and picture of the employee of the month. They will also receive a small

reward, such as a gift certificate so they can take their family to eat. At the end of the year we

will also have yearly awards for many different things, such as the best employee, the most

improved, most reliable, things like this. The criteria to receive these awards will be based on the

work that they have done throughout the entire year. The employee raises and promotions will
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also be based on their work and not just seniority; this will help everyone feel that if they do

good work they can move up in the company. Also, I would make a progressive chart to see the

progress quarterly to maintain the employees inform. This will also motivate them to see that

they are getting near the goal that was set for them and the company. I think it is the managers

role to implement this type of system. The manager plays a very important role in this process of

making the employees feel like they are appreciated and acknowledging their achievements.

Timeline:

Quarterly Sales chart

Year 2015 2016 2017

1st quarter Current sales Current sales Current sales

Projected sales Projected sales Projected sales

2nd quarter Current sales Current sales Current sales

Projected sales Projected sales Projected sales

3rd quarter Current sales Current sales Current sales

Projected sales Projected sales Projected sales

Final Current sales Current sales Current sales

quarter Projected sales Projected sales Projected sales

Difference + + +

in profit Or Or Or

- - -
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Research Study Conclusion:

In conclusion the research that we conduct and the information that we collect will tell us

how we can better help our employees. This may be a simple appreciation for their work or a

bonus at the end of the year. The purpose of showing them the progress the company is making

is to make them feel like part of the company and not just an employee number. When an

employee feels that they are appreciated and are actually taken into account when decisions are

made, they will work hard for the company. Seeing that they can move up within the company

will also motivate them to do the best work that they can. This is why it is very important to

know what motivates all employees. We must remember that they are the ones who will either

get us to our goal or fail in the process.

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References

Broder Michael S. (2017) Motivation in the Workplace for Optimal Results Is Not a One

Size Fits All Implementation. Huffington Post, Retrieved from

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-s-broder-phd/employee-motivation-productivity-

_b_2615208.html

Magloff Lisa (2017) Herzberg & Taylor's Theories of Motivation. Small business Retrieved from

http://smallbusiness.chron.com/herzberg-taylors-theories-motivation-704.html

McKee, A. (2014). Motivation and Meaning what makes people want to work? In S. Wall (Ed.),

Management: a focus on leaders (pp. 64-93). Boston: Pearson Education, Inc.