Organizations device divergent strategies to spot critical factors that would motivate its employees in delivering the best results in delegated activities. However, numerous cases exist of factors that jeopardize optimal production of employees in the form of motivational aspects (issues that show lack of motivation). Logically, a good and responsive employee is intrinsically motivated and does not wait for external pressures to push him/her to the limits of professional clearances. One particular issue is sub-standard performance in responsibilities. For instance, a recruiter mandated with the responsibility of acquiring fresh employees for a particular process in the American Red Cross Organization. If an employee is competent and qualified but not passionate enough to display optimum productivity, his or her performance is termed as sub-standard and well below his potential but within his delegation. Managers know the potentials of each and every individual that works for a company or corporation. When the managerial team realizes that a particular individual at any level in the Public organizational hierarchy is not performing not necessarily as expected, but with respect to his/her pre-evaluated potential (Gibson, Ivancevich, Donnelly, & Konopaske, 2009). A number of concepts can be used in evaluating the possible outcomes of such a managerial downfall or characteristic.
The various leadership theories that describe the recruiter at a managerial position not only attach him to specific responsibilities but also certain interpersonal characteristics. Besides the normal reasons that one would give on general terms as to why it is a problem at the managerial level in most organizations, the motivational aspect which is described by unique and critical factors like job satisfaction, job stress, turnover, and organizational commitment are to a large extent, a contributing factor. The reasons that can be tabled to have considerable responsibility in this particular problem can be classified into intrinsic and extrinsic factors.
Intrinsic factors can be said to be those aspects of the employment position that are retrieved directly from the delegated responsibilities of a particular employee. On the other hand, extrinsic are those that are connected to these responsibilities. The recruiter in the example above could perform his duties to the verge of his potential if only there were a balance of motivational factors from both intrinsic and extrinsic fronts. It is no doubt a common managerial problem even in other public organizations that not only have employees in the same position, but experience the same managerial problem from different organizational fronts (Earn, 1982). The recruiter’s case can also be described as plain implementation of tasks without further aims. The American Red Cross Organization expects the recruiter to add more fields of evaluation and be more creative in his choice of personnel. If the recruiter fails to do this, he can be described to operate within his lines of the job description. Every public organization wishes and expects their employees to move steps ahead through curiosity and research to learn new things and break the monotony in sticking to their lines of delegation (Rainey, 2009).
This problem is caused by various factors ranging from the employee’s perspective of the job he does, the fraction of mental activity that the job involves and employment or working terms/environment. Intrinsic aspects like his perspective of his position would automatically paralyze his urge to know and do more, well past his clearance. Additionally, different employment positions require divergent fractions of the mental composition of a human being. Any interference whatsoever (not necessarily related to the particular job) will affect how the employee performs his duties. Moreover, extrinsic factors like the amount of money the American Red Cross Organization pays him can either motivate or not motivate him in performing his duties (Fair & Silvestri, 1992). Additionally, his position in the organizational hierarchy will make him either feel valued and strive to get noticed by the stakeholders of the American Red Cross Organization. These bundled up with the general working environment will determine the effort he uses in serving the American Red Cross Organization.
In the context of competitiveness and objectives for a public organization like American Red Cross Organization, such managerial problems would be catastrophic. Employees who feel devaluated often exhibit such characteristics that harm the organization. As a matter of fact, virtually all organizations try as much as to be flexible enough to tackle challenges and emerging trends in their line of service. For instance, the American Red Cross Organization would find it harder to respond to emerging trends in the fields of accidents if the employees they get from the recruiter are only evaluated on the basis of past fundamental job descriptions. Moreover, a number of theorists have formulated hypotheses to explain the aspects of change that would transform a capable employee to sub-standard levels.
These theories revolve around aspects of potential politics and organizational culture. For instance, the inflexible policies and regulations embedded in the public sector can limit the rewards that a supervisor can use (or thinks they can use) in order to improve Employee Motivation. In this context, the main worry for public organizations is that they have little to do in correcting such a situation. Some of the factors that drive personal motivation are to a large extent dependent on the personal characteristics of which the organizations cannot see through. As a matter of fact, these characteristics can be categorized under employee motivation and extensive research carried out but unless the research touches deep into the personal prospects of the organization’s employees, it will not be able to establish a remedy. Most theories provide job dissatisfaction and salaries as the principle reasons for such behavior. However, this is not the case because, the recruiter with the American Red Cross Organization was interested in keeping his job and was at the same time comfortable with the pay he got.
In conclusion, the number of aspects that can be attached to employee motivational issues can only be determined unless the proper inter-relationships are established. Public Organizations have common managerial problems. However, the application of the same approaches to provide a remedy or break through from the problem would not work unless they arise from common external problems/concerns that are not specific to a particular employee. As a matter of fact, addressing such concerns using a motivational approach would provide a solution for the problem only temporarily. The principles of employee evaluation, when it comes to personal motivation, are directly attached to the emotional make up of the individual. As a matter of fact, it requires acute psychological knowledge of the employee’s background. Generally, an organization has to re-evaluate aspects of working environments and employment terms that directly motivate its employees to eliminate cases of sub-standard performance.
References
Earn, B. (1982). Intrinsic motivation as a function of extrinsic financial rewards and subjects' locus of control. Journal of Personality. , 360-373.
Fair, E., & Silvestri, L. (1992). Effects of rewards, competition and outcome on intrinsic motivation. Journal of Instructional Psychology , 3-9.
Gibson, J., Ivancevich, J., Donnelly, J., & Konopaske, R. (2009). Organizations: Behavior, Structure, and Processes. Boston: McGraw-Hill.
Rainey, H. (2009). Understanding and Managing Public Organizations. San Fransisco: Jossey Bass Publishers.
