Introduction
The issue of employee motivation has become a common practice in many organizations. However, there has been an unending debate on whether motivation has a notable impact on employees and the organization. This makes this research focus on the problem of whether motivating employees results in any impact on organizational behavior. The purpose of this research will be to identify various impacts of motivation on employees’ behavior.
The research will further identify the various sources of employee motivation and their impact on both the organization and employee performance. The research will be useful to various organizations that seek to improve their methods of employee motivation. Organizations will also adopt the research findings and analysis in forecasting the effect of their methods of employee motivation. Organizations will, therefore, be able to choose the right methods of motivation depending on their impacts. The findings of the research will also be useful for organizations to appreciate the need for employee motivation.
The research methodology adopted by this research involves the identification and selection of three service provider organizations and two manufacturing organizations in the state of California in America. The study adopts a descriptive survey design since this design is able to narrow down to individuals and objects in their whole.
The target population includes employees, supervisors, and managers from the five selected organizations. The study’s sample used is restricted to five major companies in California. The stratified random sampling procedure is adopted in selecting 250 employees, 50 supervisors, and 25 managers. This number is a good representative sample of the whole. The instrument of data collection that is adopted by this research is the questionnaire. The research uses both closed-ended and open-ended questions. This research analyzes the impact of employee motivation on employee behavior based on the findings from the selected organizations.
Literature Review
Employee motivation continues to gain prominence among employees and organizations’ managers across the world. According to Lekiqi (2012, p.57), the increase in competition among organizations that depend on the same pool of employees, customers, and raw materials has necessitated the motivation of employees. Every organization wants to have the best performing employees in the market. Organizations also want to reduce the rate of employee turnover. Manzoor (2012, p.2) affirms that employee motivation affects both the internal and external environment of the organization.
There are various methods of motivating employees, although many people have claimed that money is the highest source of employee motivation. Researchers have found that money is not the only source of employee motivation. According to Sokro (2012, p.106), money is an integral part of employee motivation. However, its availability does not guarantee the employer of a motivated employee. Employees are motivated by various sources of incentives. For example, some employees are motivated by job involvement. Employees want to be part of the decisions that their organizations make. Employees do not want to be overlooked in the decision-making and decision implementation processes in their organizations. The management should communicate every course of action to them.
This will raise their spirit. Employees want to be part of the decision that their organizations make. Muhammad (2012, p.84) observes that employees are motivated by a good working environment. This group of employees will be motivated by having good colleagues, good supervisors, good managers, and good clients. Other employees are motivated by promotions and prestige of their positions. According to Lekiqi (2012, p.57), employees are motivated by the fact that they hold a leadership position in the company.
They will also be inspired by the nature of the jobs that they do. According to Sokro (2012, p.106), employees will be inspired by the ability of their organizations to train them, to organize for workshops, and to facilitate the advancement of skills. Provision of pension schemes, medical health care, and welfare services by the organization that employees work for can also be a great source of motivation.
According to Manzoor (2012, p.6), some employees are motivated by the realization that their work makes a considerable impact on the success of the organization. Such employees feel valued by their organizations while others feel indebted to the organization. The ranking of organizations that employees work for among similar companies in the industry may also make employees stick to it. For example, employees want to work for large multinational companies that are rated among the best performers, with the highest revenue base, with the highest customer base, with the best employee remuneration.
There are various impacts on employee motivation. Motivated employees cannot compare with employees who do not find any inspiration in their work or place of work. Muhammad (2012, p.84) observes that one of the impacts of employee motivation is the increase in production. Motivated employees work hard and dedicate themselves to their duties and hence the rise of their productivity. Motivated employees also have high expectations for their job. Therefore, they work to perfect it. Increased efforts are likely to result in increased production.
According to Sokro (2012, p.106), motivated employees are also careful and alert, hence reducing the amount of scrap, errors, and waste. With less waste and errors, the amount of products and services also raises. Motivated employees are also keen on the quality of their products. These employees want the best of their efforts. Hence, they reduce errors and perfect their skills. With increased employee motivation, the quality of goods and services that they produce is increased. Motivated employees are also able to compete well in the market.
Motivation makes employees more spirited in fighting for a certain course. Since employees want their products to be the best in the market for them to earn extra motivation, they perfect their competitive ability. According to Lekiqi (2012, p.57), competition among employees that are motivated is also high, hence increasing in quantity and quality of production. Motivated employees find a renewal of their energy and efforts. Since motivation has a purgative effect, employees feel that they are rewarded by various sources.
Hence, they need to work in a better manner to maintain their current positions or to raise it to another level. The motivation of employees also reduces the rate of turnover. Well-motivated employees are less likely to move to other organizations. The source of motivation becomes the glue that binds the organization with dynamic employees. According to Manzoor (2012, p.4), expectations of better pay, promotion, reward, and recognition make employees own the organization processes. Employee motivation also results in building up a good corporate image.
Organizations that motivate their employees to gain a better reputation among their competitors. Prospective employees also prefer organizations with good motivation programs. Such a reputation makes organizations attract better talents relative to others. Better talents result in increased creativity and innovation. Employee motivation also results in a good relationship between the company and its customers. According to Sokro (2012, p.106), motivated employees are able to relate well with clients. These employees are also able to esteem clients. Hence, client retention is also high. Well-motivated employees are less sociologically disturbed.
The emotional stability of employees is an important factor in determining their ability to work efficiently and effectively. Muhammad (2012, p.84) shows how motivation results in the stabilization of employees’ emotions. Hence, they become more productive. Another impact of employee motivation is good communication within and without the organization. Employees have a close attachment to their organization. Trust is enhanced through communication. Trust enhances communication within the organization.
Employees are able to communicate openly with their colleagues and their supervisors. In the same way, communication between employees and management also becomes more open. Open communication results in less industrial action. Employees are able to solve conflicts amongst themselves. It is, therefore, true that motivation results in the reduction of conflicts among themselves. Employees become more open to their managers and supervisors. They are able to vent out their emotions before the buildup stage. Conflicts are also solved in their early stages before they develop to extreme stages. Motivated employees embrace dialogue in solving conflicts. Hence, they yield better results. It is through dialogue that the administrators are able to note the unfulfilled needs among employees.
Observation and Analysis of Primary Data
Data Presentation
Table 1.0 Preference for different methods of employee motivation
Data Analysis
The research found various methods that organizations in America have adopted in motivating their employees, supervisors, and managers. From graph 1.0, it is clear that the most adopted method of motivation is better remuneration. Graph 1.0 indicates that 90% of general employees, 80% of supervisors, and 88% of managers will prefer better remuneration as a motivation strategy. We can deduce that remuneration is a major source of motivation in many organizations. The other most important method of motivation that influences organizational behavior is the job title or reputation.
Graph 1.0 and Table 1.0 show that 80% of general employees representing 200 of the 250 employees’ sample, 80% supervisors representing 40 of the 50 supervisors’ sample, and 92% of the managers representing 23 of the 25 managers’ sample responded that job reputation influences organizational behavior. We can, therefore, deduce that employees, supervisors, and managers prefer job titles with a good reputation. Prestigious positions are therefore a way of motivating employees. Another method of employee motivation that has been adopted by organizations in America in a bid to change organizational behavior is a reward or recognition.
Graph 1.0 indicates that 220 general employees representing 88% of the 250 general employees preferred rewards and recognition as motivational tactics. Another 84% of the supervisors and 92% of the managers responded that reward and recognition affected organizational behavior. The research deduces that rewarding and recognizing various stakeholders influence organizational behavior. Another important method of motivation for the change in organizational behavior is training and development.
Table 1.0 and graph 1.0 indicate that training and development were highly appreciated by various stakeholders. The table indicates that 70% of the general employees, 64% of the supervisors, and 60% of the managers responded that training and development were a great source of motivation. They resulted in a change in organizational behavior. Another motivation that had a high impact on organizational behavior was the nature of supervisors. According to graph 1.0, it is clear that good supervisors are a source of motivation.
The graph indicates that good supervisors motivated 72% of the general employees. Another 70% of the supervisors also responded that good supervisors motivate them. In addition, 60% of the managers responded that they were motivated by having good supervisors. Therefore, the research deduces that good supervisors are likely to influence employee behavior. Another method of motivation adopted by organizations in California was the provision of medical and pension schemes.
Graph 1.0 indicates that 32% of the general employees responded that they were motivated by pension and medical schemes. 30% of the 50 supervisors said that they were also motivated by medical and pension schemes. In addition, 20% of the managers also responded that they were motivated by the provision of medical and pension schemes by their organizations. We can, therefore, deduce that medical schemes and pension also affect a considerable number of stakeholders in organizations.
Although the numbers were below average, the provision of medical and pension will affect organizational behavior. Finally, table 1.0 and graph 1.0 show that the provision of a good working environment is a source of motivation. The graph indicates that a good working environment motivated 50% of employees from the five organizations while another 50% of the supervisors were also motivated by the provision of a good working environment. In the same way, a good working environment inspired 60% of the managers. We can, therefore, deduce that a first-rate working setting is a source of motivation that influences organizational behavior.
Table 2.0 Importance of motivation to individual organizations
Different organizations attach different importance levels to motivation and its impact. In the same way, different categories of employees also rate motivation differently. Table 2.0 and graph 2.0 indicate that there was a variation in the importance of motivation across the five organizations that were sampled. The research found out that the importance of motivation varies in individual organizations. For example, in organization V, 90% of its employees’ associated motivation with organizational behavior while 40% of its supervisors’ associated motivation with a change in organizational behavior in addition to another 80% of the managers who associated motivation with organizational behavior. We can, therefore, deduce that there was high acceptance of the impact of motivation on organizational behavior in organization V. Graph 2.0 also indicates that 80% of employees in organization W associated motivation with organizational behavior. 30% of the supervisors’ associated motivation with various impacts on organizational behavior along with another 80% of the managers who associated motivation with changes in organizational behavior. From table 2.0 in organization X, 86% of the employees believed that motivation influences organizational behavior. 20% of their supervisor believed that there was an impact on organizational behavior because of stakeholders’ motivation. 100% of managers in this organization were for the idea that motivation changes organizational behavior.
We can, therefore, deduce that since all the managers in this organization believe in motivation for a change in organizational behavior, it is factual that motivation influences organizational behavior. From graph 2.0, we can also see that 90% of employees of company Y believed that motivation influences organizational behavior. 50% of supervisors also believed the same while 60% of the managers believed that motivation alters organizational behavior. In addition, the table also shows that 84% of the general employees in organization Z are for the idea that motivation alters organizational behavior. 40% of the supervisors believed that motivation would alter organizational conduct while 80% of the managers believed that motivation of employees would change the organizational behavior. It is therefore right to deduce that all organizations in California believe that motivational programs would influence organizational behavior. Organizations that want to witness organizational changes should, therefore, embark on motivating their stakeholders.
Table 3.0 Impact of employee motivation on organizational behavior
Analysis of table 3.0 and graph 3.0 shows that there are various impacts of employee motivation on organizational behavior. All the major stakeholders of organizations including the general employees, supervisors, and the management were reported to have been affected by the impact of motivation. Table 3.0 indicates that the greatest impact of motivation on organizational behavior is an increase in productivity. The graph indicated that among all the organizations that were sampled, all of them had an increase in productivity because of motivation.
For example, 240 of the general employees out of the total sample of 250 representing 96% of all employees indicated that motivation increased the productivity of organizations. In the same way, 88% of the supervisors representing 44 out of 50 supervisors believed that motivation resulted in increased productivity. Similarly, 22 out of 25 managers that were sampled from the five organizations representing 88% of the managers also responded that motivation had a direct impact on productivity. The research, therefore, deduces that motivating various organizational stakeholders is likely to result in an increase in employee and organizational productivity.
Motivated employees, supervisors, and managers are more enthusiastic. They enhance the productivity of their organizations. Muhammad (2012, p.84) observes that motivation is both intrinsic and extrinsic since it makes stakeholders result-oriented in their work. Motivated employees also compete for better results. In most cases, rewarding and recognition are done as the basis of performance. When employees learn that there will be a good source of motivation, they work hard to be the best during appraisals.
Graph 3.0 also indicates that another significant impact of motivation on organizational behavior is an improvement of organizational image or reputation. Image is everything; it is the heartbeat of an organization. Graph 3.0 shows that 240 general employees representing 96% of all the 250 general employees that were sampled believed that the image of an organization highly depends on its motivation.
In the same way, 84% of all supervisors believed that motivation had a direct impact on the reputation of a firm. In addition, 76% of the managers from organizations V, W, X, Y, and Z also believed in motivation for the improvement of the organization’s reputation. Building the image of an organization may be an uphill task if people in that firm are not motivated. A workforce that is not motivated can quickly ruin the reputation of a firm. By having a higher rate of 96% of the general employees who deliver services and/or make products by citing motivation as a determinant of the image of an organization, it is clear that motivation is important during image management.
Graph 3.0 and Table 3.0 also indicate that motivation has a direct impact on the rate of turnover in an organization. The willingness and desire of employees to move from one organization to another one depends on how motivated they are in a firm. From graph 3.0, it is clear that 92% of the general employees believed that turnover depends on the level of motivation in an organization. A lower 70% of the supervisors in the five organizations believed that turnover is affected by motivation. Similarly, 80% of the managers from various organizations in California believed that motivation influences turnover.
The implication is that there is a close relationship between turnover and motivation. Manzoor (2012, p.4) asserts that motivated employees will rarely look for other jobs or other organizations to work for. Employee satisfaction is raised through better motivation schemes. Hence, the rate of turnover in such organizations is low. On the other hand, a low rate of motivation may quickly raise the rate of turnover. From table 3.0 and graph 3.0, we can also observe that customer relations also depend on motivation.
The graph indicates that 95.5% of the 250 general employees responded that the wellness of customer relations in a particular firm depends on how motivated the people are in a firm. Another 70% of the employees holding supervisory offices affirmed that client relations in their firms depended on the level of motivation. This was further affirmed by 72% of the sampled managers from organizations V, W, X, Y, and Z. The implication of these research findings is that motivation does not only affect the internal environment of a firm but also its external environment.
Good customer relations are important in attracting new clients and/or maintaining the current customer base. The general employees of an organization are in direct contact with their clients. It is, therefore, true when 239 of the 250 sample general employees from five firms affirm that customer relations will be affected by their level of motivation. Manzoor (2012, p.4) asserts that motivated supervisors and managers will also handle clients in a better way, hence increasing the performance and reputation of their organizations.
Graph 3.0 also indicates that motivation influences the innovation and creativity of people in an organization. From the graph, 84% of general employees, 64% of supervisors, and 72% of the managers also believed that motivation has a direct impact on the creativity of the workforce. Motivated employees are esteemed to try new ideas in a bid to compete and increase their performance.
Table 3.0 and graph 3.0 also show that motivation affects the level of conflicts in a firm. From the graph, 84% general employees, 64% of supervisors, and 48% of managers believe that motivation reduces conflicts. A motivated workforce rarely wants to have fights with shareholders and the employer. Conflicts are amicably solved via dialogue. The workforce invests its energy in competition and productivity. Cases of unrest and industrial actions are minimized through empowering employees by way of motivation.
Conclusion
The research aimed at finding the impact of motivation on organizational behavior. It concludes that motivation has a direct impact on organizational behavior. Motivation in an organization may take various forms such as rewards and recognition, training and development, better remuneration, good supervision, good working environment, and medical and pension schemes among others. The research further found that organizations believe that motivation will improve the performance and culture of its workforce. Further interpretation of the findings reveals various impacts of motivation on organizational behavior. For example, the organization becomes very productive while its reputation is also improved. The element of customer relations is also raised, with conflicts being reduced while employees become more innovative and competitive. The turnover rate reduces. It is therefore important for organizations to embark on motivation to boost their performance.
Reference List
Lekiqi, B. (2012). Employer and Workplace — Their Impact On Human Resource Motivation For Work. Agricultural Management / Lucrari Stiintifice Seria I, Management Agricol, 14(2), 57-62.
Manzoor, Q. (2012). Impact of Employees Motivation on Organizational Effectiveness. Business Management & Strategy (BMS), 3(1), 1-12.
Muhammad, K. (2012). The Impact of Training and Motivation on Performance of Employees. IBA Business Review, 7(2), 84-95.
Sokro, E. (2012). Analysis Of The Relationship That Exists Between Organizational Culture, Motivation And Performance. Problems of Management in the 21st Century, 3(1), 106-119.