Introduction
Organizations are in a constant state of change, especially in contemporary society where competition is high. Apart from the need to change because of competition, there are other motivations that make an organization want to restructure itself. This is for example the need to attract qualified employees, the need to produce quality goods, and the need to conform to the prevailing conditions in the market or the environment within which the organization is operating. There are several methods that the organization can use to change, and the method that the organization selects depends on the nature and needs of that particular organization.
One of the techniques that the organization can use to adapt to change is by using the employees. This means that the organization will use internal resources to change. The organization can do this by motivating the employees using various motivational methods. The motivation methods that the organization has been using in the past can also be changed in the process of restructuring the organization.
This paper is going to look at various motivational methods that a manager can use on their employees in the process of changing their organization. The aim is to change the motivation methods that have been used by the organization in the past. The researcher, who is a health care manager, will also look at how these changes can affect the health organization that they are working for.
Motivation Methods
There are three wide categories into which motivation methods fall, and the manager can select a particular method from any of the category. Given the fact that each employee is unique, it is important to note that there is hardly a universal motivation method that the manager can use on all the employees (Sinclair, 2011). This being the case, it is up to the manager to find out which particular method works best on a given employee. The following are the basic categories of motivation methods that will be discussed in this paper:
The Whip Technique
According to Sinclair (2011), this is one of the earliest known methods of motivation. The scholar is of the view that the biblical pharaoh used this kind of motivation on the Israelites (Sinclair, 2011). The Israelites were motivated through torture and servitude; they were made to perform hard labor, and they were literally whipped at times.
This form of motivation is tantamount to servitude, and it can be considered as one of the negative motivation methods around. It involves punishing the individual, threatening them and depriving them if they fail to meet the set objectives (Sinclair, 2011: Carpenter, 2011).
This form of strategy has been used in organization for various reasons. A whip in a contemporary organization may involve deducting a certain amount of money from the employee’s salary if they fail to report to work in a given day (Lombardi, Schermerhorn & Kramer, 2007). For example, if an employee fails to report to work for two days in a month, amount of money equivalent to two days’ wages is deducted from their salary at the end of the month. If an employee is late to work for several hours, amount of money that is equivalent to wages that would have been earned in those hours is deducted from their earnings.
There are other punitive methods that are used in organizations to motivate employees in an organization. The employee may be denied benefits such as company transportation, accommodation or health benefits. The manager makes sure that they deny the employee something that they value. For example, if it is noted that an employee values money, and is motivated by the same, the manager will “whip” them by denying them money. It will not be productive to punish an employee who values money by denying them status such as company transportation.
The assumption in the whip method is that the employee will do what is required by the manager to avoid the whip or to avoid the costs that comes with being non-conformist (Lombardi et al, 2007). The employee will be motivated to perform in accordance with the provisions of the organization.
There are some repercussions that accompany this method which accrue to the organization. For example, Carpenter (2011) and Sinclair (2011) are of the view that the whip method may give rise to rebellion among the workers. Sinclair (2011) notes that this is why dictatorships-which use the whip method to motivate the citizens- do not last for long, as they tend to be overthrown. The same applies to the organization, and a dictatorial regime that adapts the whip method to motivate employees is likely to be overthrown at the slightest provocation. This is the kind of organization that is plagued by strikes and employees’ sit-ins and demonstrations.
The manager can adopt this form of motivation on the health care organization they are heading. This can be done through the use of a register, where employees sign in and out, to record those who did not report to work or those who reports to work late. Deductions can be made on their salary, and this will motivate them to report to work when required. The manager may also punish the employees by demoting those who fail to perform.
This method may bring positive results to the health organization in the short time. The employees will be productive, and they will comply for fear of the punishments. However, this effect is not likely to last for long (Lombardi et al, 2007). The employees will be resentful towards the manager, and the relationship between the employees and the management structure will be strained.
The Carrot Method
This method motivates the employees by promising to give them rewards if they attain set targets (Sinclair, 2011). The rewards promised are tailored to fit those things that a particular employee holds dear. For example, an employee may be given a bonus if they meet set targets in sales’ volumes. Another may be offered tickets to travel for holidays if they meet the sales’ targets. The former is for those who are motivated by money, while the latter is for those who are motivated by adventure and travelling (Lombardi, 2007).
The manager can use this form of motivation in the organization they are managing. For example, the doctors may be rewarded for working extra hours by getting bonuses at the end of the month. They can also be rewarded by receiving gifts such as promotions and such other material goods like cars.
The carrot method portends several implications to the organization. For example, it may have the positive result of boosting morale among the employees as they feel appreciated. As such, they will become more productive. However, it might have negative results, especially if the targets set are so high for the employee. By failing to meet the targets on several occasions, the employee may be demoralized. All of these changes may occur to this health organization if the researcher adopts this method in the organization.
The Inner Drive
In this form of motivation method, the manager motivates the employee by tapping into their internal personalities (Sinclair, 2011). It starts by having the manager identify the employee’s passion, both in life and in the work place. The manager will then help the employee pursue and attain those passions. For example, the manager may realize that the employee has a passion to explore new things, and the manager in this case will put the employee in a position where they are able to explore. For example, they may be put in the research and development department.
This motivation method taps on the inner drive of the individual. The manager can adopt this in the health care organization. For example, they may help the doctors in their research. The doctors will be motivated by the fact that they are been helped to pursue what they are interested in, and they will become more productive, enjoying their work (Lombardi, 2007).
Conclusion
This paper identified several motivation methods that can be used by the manager in handling their employees. This was the whip method, the carrot method and the inner drive method. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods were identified, as well as the impact that they will have on the health care organization if the manager adopts the methods.
References
Carpenter, T. (2011). Three secret motivational methods of Thomas Edison. Web.
Lombardi, D. J., Schermerhorn, J. R., & Kramer, B. (2007). Health care management. New York: John Wiley & Sons Inc.
Sinclair, P. G. (2011). Which motivational method is best? The whip, the carrot of the internal method. Web.