Increasing employees satisfaction in the given organisation by improving their job motivation

KESHAB KC

Master's thesis

Abstract:

This diploma thesis deals with identifying factors contributing to employee satisfaction and dissatisfaction in the chosen company-SIL, and identifying motivational strategies applied by the company. The thesis focuses on exploring the relationship of employee demographics with monetary and non-monetary factors of motivation. The thesis consists of two main parts - a theoretical part and a practical part. The theoretical part takes the form of a review of current literature and is presented by discussing relevant theories explaining employee satisfaction and motivation. The thesis’s practical part covers an analysis of data collected through qualitative and quantitative data collection methods. Qualitative data concerning motivational strategies are collected from management through interviews. Quantitative data concerning employee satisfaction are collected through a questionnaire survey among the employees. The research gives an overview of strategies to use to motivate workers and the policies to accordingly apply increase organizational productivity. To further increase the level of motivation and satisfaction of its employees, the author makes recommendations based on the survey results. In the practical part of the data analysis socio-demographic sample is tabulated to reflect a clear picture of percentage of representative participation of the respondents and responses to each question is counted as percentage and represented using pie-charts. These responses percentages are analyzed and interpreted in relation to chosen organization’s management practices. The highest percentages of employees at SIL reported that superior’s support at work is the best aspect of their job followed by compensation, career advancement opportunities and work autonomy. Research depicts that SIL is focused on enhancing better organizational culture and providing better job content to its employees. Though SIL seeks to increase employee motivation by implementing non-monetary motivational approaches it is not being able to provide flexibility of work to the employees. It is lacking practices of job rotation. Advancement opportunities are put in place, but effective rewards and recognition programs are lacking. SIL is providing training and development programs to enhance work motivation but itself lacks a scientific method of training evaluation. To mitigate these problems, it is recommended that SIL should organize self- development programs for employees. Employee training and development programs should always be in place based on scientific training evaluation. Similarly, job rotation of employees should be implied which will give every staff member an opportunity to acquire all round experience and skill within the organization. Work flexibility is to be provided especially to the employees who are working as insurance sales agents and insurance sales support teams. Last but not the least, hard work of employees should be recognized and rewarded on a higher scale in the organization. It is highlighted in this research that the ultimate benefit of maintaining all these aspects of employee motivation in place goes to SIL in the form of long-term employee retention and better work performance and cost saving to the organization. The cost savings can further be invested for employee motivational programs. The hypothesis of this thesis paper is that the proper mix of motivational approaches to address the employee socio-demographic factors leads to employee job satisfaction. Hypothesis testing of this survey is processed under two phenomena using IBM-SPSS statistical program. The first phenomenon is represented with variables containing for socio- demographic factors and another with the variables containing motivation approaches. Four motivation approaches are chosen which can be distinguished into two parts - monetary factor of motivation (remuneration) and non-monetary factor of motivation (healthcare benefits, autonomy at work, su

Abstract:

perior’s support at work). Analysis of data through the hypothesis testing in terms of the above mentioned two phenomena, it is revealed that motivational approaches such as remuneration, healthcare benefit, work autonomy and superior’s work support have strong influential relationships with employee’s age, level of education followed by working years and gender in determining employee’s level of job satisfaction. The secondary data studied in this diploma thesis as part of the literature review discusses motivational theories that can be used to understand and explain employee behaviour. Based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, after the basic physiological and security needs of employees are met, they would strive to meet higher needs. As the employer SIL can satisfy the needs of the employees to have secure jobs and means for livelihood. Above and beyond that organization needs to address the esteem and belonging needs of the employees. This is being done to a certain extent through policies that recognize and reward good performance. Events and activities organized by the management also address the need of the employees to socialize and develop good relations at work with their colleagues and superiors. Herzberg’s motivational theory also suggests the same. In the light of Herzberg’s theory on motivation, good work conditions and wages are just hygiene factors. The factors that contribute to motivation are acceptance, achievement, personal growth, and advancement. SIL’s policies fare reasonably well to address these needs of employees by recognizing and rewarding good performance and offering opportunities for growth and advancement in the career. The use of rewards to motivate employees and drive desirable behaviour can be explained in terms of the expectancy theory. The rewards offered by the management are immediate, attainable, and directly tied to performance. The effect of achieving desirable performance is very visible through the reward schemes. It can be therefore concluded that the reward and recognition schemes are successful in driving desirable behaviour and performance in employees. Employees of SIL evaluated various aspects of their job which gave them satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Most employees rated superior’s support at work as the best aspect of working at SIL. This was followed by compensation, advancement opportunity, work autonomy and benefit packages. The interviews with the officer also confirmed the findings of the surveys that the management at SIL has policies in place to give its employees training and development and work recognition. Money was not a primary motivating factor for most employees, though a majority of employees stated that their wages were in par with the industry standards for the region. This finding is in line with Herzberg’s proposal that money is a hygiene factor and not a motivation factor. The interview with the officer also pointed to the low rate of attrition at SIL. However, high employee turnover would lead to wastage of money, resources and time spent on training new employees who do not stay with the company. The recommendations section discusses some policies that would help SIL to maintain employee retention. The employee training programs at SIL are average. It has some well-structured facilities dedicated just to training and development. The survey results and the interview results suggest that SIL also emphasizes the importance of training. A parallel conclusion can be drawn here to Taylorism that advocates training of workers and creating processes to achieve tasks in the best possible way. The gist of this diploma thesis is that the choice of motivational approaches in the organization impacts the employee motivation and their job satisfaction and such motivational approaches are to be implied to fit the employee demographic in the organization. The research has revealed that monetary factors of motivation are secondary elements for employee satisfaction. The increased motivation to work and job satisfaction arises from fulfillment of non-monetary factors of motivation. Addressing the issues identified in the research would help SIL drive the level of satisfaction among its employees and motivate them to perform better.

Keywords

Employee, job satisfaction, motivation, job performance, organizational culture, reward system

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 31. 3. 2021

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Ing. Richard Selby, Ph.D.

Czech University of Life Sciences Prague

Faculty of Economics and Management

Master programme / field:
Economics and Management / Economics and Management