In every organization, the employees are the most important and vulnerable resource. For that reason, the motivation of these employees is critical to the success and increased productivity. Motivation includes the internal and external factors that are likely to stimulate a desire and energy in an employee to remain interested as well as dedicated to a given job or to remain focused to achieve a given goal over a period (Phusavat, 2013). Motivation can take two forms as some employees are money motivated while others are motivated by recognition and rewards. The managers have the power to motivate or demoralize workers. This has been witnessed in Coca-Cola Company, which is the world leading beverage company.
Self-Motivation is another strategy that can improve the productivity of an organization. Some of the employees set their personal goals as they work towards achieving the goals of the organization. For that reason, they feel a sense of accomplishment and achievement when they finally meet their personal or professional goals. Such workers are self-motivated and do not require incentives or rewards to be motivated. Such employees improve their productivity for the personal challenge their work provides (Petri & Govern, 2013).
Leadership and culture also play an important role in productivity improvement through motivation. The managers must act as leaders to create a positive and motivating culture in the organization that encourages workers to be productive (Petri & Govern, 2013). As leaders, they should seek positive motivators to encourage highest levels of productivity. An open line of communication between the employees and their managers is one factor that creates a conducive atmosphere of respect. In Coca-Cola Company, there are open communications with the company’s associates in all parts of the world. This has encouraged and solicited innovative ideas (Hays, 2005).
The company engages in dialogue, which provides useful information and increases awareness. For instance, through such dialogues, the associates initiated the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympic Games activation. Additionally, the employees contributed towards the company’s mission, vision, as well as values. The international employee insights survey showed improvement in their productivity, which was attributed to the open communication between the employees and the management. Besides, the employees have access to a cafeteria and free drinks. They also access dry cleaning services, a credit union, and a store (Hays, 2005).
Reinforcement has also been considered in increasing the productivity of the company (Phusavat, 2013). The only way the productivity can be managed is through managing the behaviors and not the personalities of the employees. Reinforcement can be either positive or negative. If managers aim at increasing productivity, they must reward a given behavior. Conversely, Coca-Cola firm punishes or applies negative reinforcements to the employees who fail to meet the organization’s productivity goals. It helps the employees to develop a positive attitude towards their work, with the aim of being rewarded for positive behaviors and increased productivity (Petri & Govern, 2013).
Productivity can also be improved through career development. The employees need to develop their talents to contribute towards the growth of the organization. Coca-Cola has provided continuous training to the employees. This is vital for the performance management process that affects productivity (Hays, 2005). This is a learning program only for the employees who perform highly in the organization. Additionally, almost all the employees are given short-term assignments to deliver on given dates. This gives them the opportunity to work in a field, which is different from daily duties. This could be a different department or country. It has increased the employees' job satisfaction, as well as their engagement in the activities of the organization (Hays, 2005).
Despite the success of Coca-Cola Company, there has been resistance from most of the employees. This has been due to some reasons including the fear of losing a job. For any improvement in productivity, there must be changes in the process, technology, or system (Hays, 2005). Such changes may inflict fear in the employees of losing their job due to lack of the required skills. To be competitive in the present market, Coca-Cola firm has been continuously improving their products and introducing new brands. The company has experienced some resistance from the employees. The company has attributed employee resistance to poor communication strategy. The manner in which the change is communicated to the employees determines their reactions. With no explanations of what, why, how, when, as well as who to the employees, leads to resistance because they fail to understand the need for the change (Hays, 2005).
Shock, as well as fear of the unknown, may push the employees to resist any changes that may lead to increased productivity in the organization (Phusavat, 2013). Some of the employees in the company feel they would rather cling to the old processes since they are more secure than adopting a new one. The change becomes a source of fear to them.
The company can apply many motivation theories to improve its productivity. These include the Hertzberg’s two-factor theory (HTFT). This was developed by psychologist Frederick Herzberg (Petri & Govern, 2013). Two factors are identified as affecting employee motivation and job satisfaction in HTFT. These included the motivator factors. They motivate the employees to work hard and involve finding fun in the job, being recognized, and career development. These factors improve productivity in the organization. The second factor is the hygiene factors or lack of motivation among the employee. These could entail salaries, the policies in the company, and their relationship with the managers. These factors are likely to reduce productivity (Petri & Govern, 2013).
A company, such as Coca-Cola, can apply the theory by ensuring that it works on improving motivator as well as the hygiene factors. The employees must feel appreciated and supported by their managers. Furthermore, the organization must ensure a healthy working environment for the employees. It must also pay attention to the team of employees and develop a good relationship with them.
The second theory of motivation is the Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (MHN). It was developed by psychologist Abraham Maslow, who came up with a hierarchy of 5 levels of needs.
These were physiological, safety, love/belonging, self- esteem, as well as self-actualization. The theory explains that each person has a hierarchy of needs, ranging from the lower to higher ones (Maslow, 2012). As one fulfills the lower needs, the higher needs emerge and have to be filled. For an organization to achieve greater productivity, it must ensure that it supports the employees in other perspectives of their lives outside work. This could be regarding flexible working hours so that they can get ample time to spend with their families and a good salary to make them financially stable. The theory maintains that there is no way a person can fill a higher need unless the lower needs are filled (Maslow, 2012).
In conclusion, the only way an organization can improve its productivity is through motivating the employees. An organization must first communicate its expectations to the employees. Despite the type of business the organization operates, it must make its expectations known to all the employees. It gives workers a sense of direction, hence thrives or works towards achieving the objectives of the organization. The company should also hold regular staff meetings to track the performance of the employees. Additionally, the company should monitor and evaluate job performance. This can be done through annual or twice yearly on written appraisals. The firm can also create or administer a fair and consistent system of acknowledging merit. It does not mean that an employee can only be rewarded if he/she delivers. No matter the position, the company should recognize and appreciate workers. A company can only increase its productivity and be successful if it rewards initiative, performance, and dedication through bonuses (Maslow, 2012).
References
Hays, C. (2005). The real Thing: Truth and Power at the Coca-Cola Company. New York: Random House.
Maslow, A. (2012). Theory of Human Motivation. Place of publication not identified: Black Curtain Press.
Petri, H. & Govern, J. (2013). Motivation: Theory, Research, and Application. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.
Phusavat, K. (2013). Productivity Management in an Organization: Measurement and Analysis. Bangkok Celje Lublin: To Know Press.
