Assessment
Length: 500
Task
Assignment 1A focuses on understanding, improving employees' motivation through application of motivational theories to a case study. The case study is available in the subject's Interact2 site in Resources, Assignment 1A folder. This assignment is divided into two parts. The first part you are required to submit a report outline, and in the second part, a full report. The two parts of this assignment are connected and are focusing on the same task. In other words, part A: Report outline will help you as a group to organise your thoughts and ideas around the relationship between OB theories from topic 2 to topic 5 and motivational issues presented in the case study. Hence, you should read the whole task before attempting part A or part B of this assignment.
Both, assignment 1A and 1B, are based on group work, and hence, you are required to form a group of minimum three and maximum four members in week two of the session. Group members need to self-enrol in a group by using Interact2 tool: Groups. Additional instructions on doing this will be provided in week 1 of the session.
Your task in this assignment is to develop an outline of a report focusing on the following tasks:
• Discuss and apply the concept of job satisfaction to the scenario.
• Apply Vroom's expectancy theory OR Adam's equity theory to gain further understanding of the Millennial employee's motivation.
• Apply McClelland's acquired needs OR Herzberg's two factor theory to gain further understanding of the Millennial employee's motivation.
• Analyse the psychological contract between the organisation and the Millennial employee.
• Identify three recommendations that can be applied to improve the motivation of the Millennial employee in this scenario (use any extrinsic and intrinsic motivators of your choice)
The structure of the outline, and its sections need to be relevant for the analysis of employee motivation in the scenario. A suggested structure is presented below. Next, the outline needs to discuss and apply the following OB concepts and models in identifying motivational issues at ‘The Office':
Section 1: Background information on Millennials and job satisfaction (Topic 2)
Section 2: Millennial employee's motivation: What and how (Topic 3)
• Content theory of motivation (Herzberg's two-factor theory OR McClelland's acquired needs theory)
• Process theory of motivation (Vroom's expectancy theory OR Adam's expectancy theory of motivation)
Section 3: Psychological contract (Topic 1)
Section 4: Recommendations (Topics 4 and 5)
• Extrinsic motivators of your choice (e.g., managing pay, pp.143-147) and/or Intrinsic motivators of your choice (e.g., job characteristics model pp.171-6; goal-setting theory pp.179-183, etc.)
The outline should be presented as a set of dot-points, rather than paragraphs, identifying and justifying Millennial employee's motivation issues encountered in the scenario. These motivational issues need to be identified based on the application of the above identified OB concepts and models. Next, the report outline needs to include key arguments from the literature on employee motivation, and brief definitions of key concepts. Hence the outline needs to be based on four references.
The quality of the outline will depend on the group discussions, sharing of information, ideas, and views on the Millennial's employee motivation. These need to be evident in logical thinking and conceptual design presented in the outline. Lastly, the outline needs to have a balance between theory (introducing OB concepts and models) and practical application of OB concepts in identifying the employee's motivational issues.
Focus of the outline should be on the identification of the employee's motivational issues based on application of OB theories, models and concepts.
Submit the report outline as a blog using the Interact tool: Blog. Additional instructions on how to use this tool will be provided in week 2 of the session.
Presentation
Report outline can be presented as a combination of sentences, bullet points, and tables. The focus of this report outline is on the body of the report, and thus, introduction, executive summary and conclusion should not be part of this report outline.
Assignment 1: Instructions
You will find reflections from an HR manager and an employee on Millennials' motivation and engagement in the workplace below. Use these reflections as a starting point for your Assignment 1. Notice the different views and assumptions in the two diaries. These can cause issues in the relationship between Millennials and their employers.
Assume that both the HR manager and the employee belong to the same organisation. Your focus in this assignment should be on exploring employees' motivation, or to be specific motivation of Millennial employees. Write a report assuming that managers of this organisation are your target audience with a purpose to increase their understanding on what motivates Millennials, and what they need to do differently in the organisation to attract, motivate, and retain Millennials.
As indicated in the Subject Outline, your report should address the following:
• Discuss and apply the concept of job satisfaction to Millennial employees
• Apply Vroom's expectancy theory OR Adam's equity theory to gain further understanding of the Millennial employee's motivation.
• Apply McClelland's acquired needs OR Herzberg's two factor theory to gain further understanding of the Millennial employee's motivation.
• Analyse the psychological contract between the organisation and the Millennial employees
• Identify three recommendations that managers can use and apply to improve the motivation of Millennial employees (use any extrinsic and intrinsic motivators of your choice)
Employees' Reflections
HR professional's diary
A current theme for organisations, including my own is how we engage and motivate Millennials as the new generation, in place of baby boomers who seek to retire. Reflecting on generational difference, it is intimated that Millennials may be motivated by interesting work rather than money as previous generations. However, in my own organisation, simply providing more interesting work is not necessarily warranted nor achievable. Therefore, consideration has been given to engaging and motivating Millennials through the implementation of flexible work arrangements, use of modern technology and social media, lifestyle incentives and more.
Consideration is also given to the use of performance reviews as a motivational tool. Setting specific, measurable and achievable tasks can provide a platform to enhance both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. Providing opportunities to act in and be paid for higher duties, assists increased social stature and possibly securing a promotion. Maintaining and/or improving motivation in these ways helps achieve performance goals and aids retention of staff.
While there is hierarchical backing and a need to provide opportunities for employees to increase motivation in my workplace, attempts to implement processes are often flawed by a lack of underpinning knowledge, training, high workloads and/or simply failing to use the available processes.
Because of this, employees believe there is lack of equity and or justice within the organisation and employees often lose interest in the workplace. They appear demotivated and their intrinsic and extrinsic motivators no longer seem achievable, why put in the effort for little or no reward. This reduction of effort often leads to performance concerns, fulfilling a managers' sometimes misguided belief that they have a "poor performer" rather than untapped motivation.
Millennial employee's diary
Recently I have questioned whether there was a conscious effort made by management towards understanding my motivation in the workplace. If management took the time to understand what motivates their employees, they would become aware that my need for achievement is high as I value personal responsibility and being rewarded for challenging tasks. At the same time I am motivated altruistically towards working in environments that foster relationships that enable me to make a difference within an ethical culture. My psychological contract and therefore my moral motivation diminished as management did not understand what motivated me. Furthermore, witnessing situations whereby management condoned unethical behaviours and made myself and others feel demoralised had the effect of reducing higher level needs such as confidence and a sense of value that culminated in a further loss of motivation. Furthermore, extrinsic motivators such as pay did not transcend my views or dilute the moral viewpoint as there were no intrinsic motivators. I have now left the organisation and am looking for a new job to fulfil my motivational needs.