Assignment:Culture and Motivation at Southwest
What is the organizational culture of Southwest Airlines like? How does it affect the way the employees behave?
What are some potential sources of intrinsic motivation for Southwest employees?
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RESPONSES
Anthony Hernandez Vazquez
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Southwest has a very fun outlook on their work plan. Employees are loving and relaxed people who like to have fun. Over the past few weeks after overlooking Southwest Airlines, I see how they have turned their airlines into something very adventurous with how they celebrate their holidays and how the employees are always cheerful and seem to create small activities for their customers to enjoy. I believe the Southwest employees get motivation from seeing the joy and laughter they bring their customers with their silly songs or ways they celebrate holidays, like having the attendants dress up as leprechauns for St. Patrick's day. One way I also feel the employees get motivation is by the way they are self managed, these employees can make decisions are most topics without having to go to the higher ups, this gives the employees more entitlement to feel like they very valued in the company.
Deborah Lorenz
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1. What is the organizational culture of Southwest like?
Southwest has a shared set of beliefs, expectations, values and norms that influence how members relate to one another and cooperate to achieve the company goals . Their employees strive to reach excellence in their service. They also show creativity in trying to improve the customer experience as they did when they dressed as leprechauns and created a jingle that was sung by one stewardesses before takeoff. Another employee created a rap to announce that boarding was about to begin. Employees know that at Southwest they can think outside the box to improve on customer service and make the customers' experience better.
2. How does it affect the way employees behave?
By allowing employees to use their creativity to improve the customer experience it also allows the employees to enjoy the work they do and perform with a smile on their face.
3. What are some potential sources of intrinsic motivation for Southwest employees?
Intrinisic motivation as defined by our textbook is "behavior performed for its own sake." (Jones, George pg.382) Employees get a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment from providing excellent customer service and helping Southwest achieve their goals. Being able to see customers smile as they get off a flight and knowing that what the employee did put the smile there gives the employee a sense of satisfaction that just a paycheck can't give. Knowing that giving your all for the company that you work for and it helps that company become one of the most successful in its industry can also give the employees the knowledge that they are important and what they do is important.