Running Head- ORGANIZATIONAL MOTIVATION AND LEADERSHIP 1

Transcription

1 Running Head- ORGANIZATIONAL MOTIVATION AND LEADERSHIP 1 Organizational Motivation and Leadership Kelly Knight University of Phoenix Psychology 570 June 22, 2011 Dr. De Sousa, Facilitator

2 ORGANIZATIONAL MOTIVATION AND LEADERSHIP 2 Organizations are negatively affected by common workplace situations such as employee apathy, conflict, and absenteeism. In this treatise, the author will examine the detrimental effects of absenteeism within an organization with which he is familiar. An explanation of how motivational theories might be applied to the specific situation within the organization will be provided, along with an analysis of the role of organizational leadership with respect to the situation. An evaluation of the role of power and influence with respect to absenteeism will also be provided. This study focuses on an organization which specializes in individualized client services in the financial education sector and which is personally known of by the author as he is employed by this organization. Client-facing employees in the organization are assigned up to 300 clients to whom they provide direct services by phone, fax, and in person. The specific services offered are based on the amount of time the client has been with the organization. For example, a new client will be placed in the New Client Management system for up to six-weeks with the necessary documentation for services is gathered, reviewed, and certified. Once this process is complete, the client will be placed in a Continuing Client Management system until such time as the client completes the full spectrum of services available, or withdraws from the program. The third service offered concerns the collection of fees for services, and is provided by the same employee as the New Client and Continuing Client services. That an employee is absent from work because of illness or vacation is a normal occurrence in any workplace. Employers typically provide a certain number of days per year for vacation, often based on tenure, and will provide a certain number of days for sick time based on various other criteria. Employees in the subject organization are encouraged to use the full measure of their vacation time each year; sick-leave is to be used as occasion requires.

3 ORGANIZATIONAL MOTIVATION AND LEADERSHIP 3 Vacations at the subject organization are to be scheduled no less than two-weeks prior to the requested vacation start date, and are subject to business needs and approval by the employee s immediate supervisor. Sick-leave notification typically occurs the same day as notification, which is required to take place no less than 30-minutes prior to the employee s normal scheduled start time for that day. Detrimental effects of absenteeism In service related industries, absenteeism become problematic in that the staffing level determined by the employer is typically sufficient to meet the needs of the client base, but no larger. In the subject organization, the author has personal knowledge of the staffing of the financial services department and the fact that it is limited to two individuals responsible for the services rendered to an estimated 700 clients. The number of active clients is about 500, each staff member thus being responsible for 250 clients. When either of the staff members are absent, therefore, the workload on the remaining staff member is doubled, or the absent staff member s client base goes unattended for the period of time the staff member is absent (Knight, 2011). Although this is relatively insignificant over one or two days, when absent for longer periods of time, such as vacations lasting one or more weeks, the level of service to the client drops, having a detrimental effect on the client experience, and on the organization s ability to provide exceptional service. Largely, the subject organization can make provisions for those clients in the most need to insure service continues uninterrupted when foreknowledge of the staff s absence is provided. However, when the staff member experiences an unplanned absence, such as for illness, the detrimental effects are escalated. In addition to the absence of client services based on the absence of the employee, when there is support staff to assist in the employee s absence, it may often be an employee with lesser

4 ORGANIZATIONAL MOTIVATION AND LEADERSHIP 4 qualifications and skills, and thus what help is rendered will be less satisfactory to the client (Jex & Britt, 2008). Motivational theories To understand how to overcome absenteeism and its detrimental effects, one must first understand the cause of absenteeism. The literature seems to be weak and vague on the causes of absenteeism (and thus the motivational theories directly related to absenteeism), but Jex and Britt (2008) suggest at least three areas of concern: job satisfaction, the employee s subjective view of the expectations of management regarding absenteeism, and the attitude employees have regarding missing work in particular situations. The second is overcome by clearly identifying and making known management s expectation on a frequent and regular basis. The third becomes a matter of personal work ethic, something that only the employee can provide. Ayers and Malouff (2007) suggest that the first, job satisfaction, may be overcome by improving life satisfaction, that is, setting aside job satisfaction, and focusing on helping employees find satisfaction in life in general. The concept is that of providing employees with problem-solving skills through training that teach employees how to overcome obstacles, set, and reach goals in their personal lives. By so doing, employees will find greater satisfaction in life in general, and that satisfaction will translate to greater job satisfaction. In the subject organization, one methodology that has been implemented is the use of a Quarterly Performance Plan in which employees are engaged in the process of reviewing past performance and developing plans to improve in self-directed goals in three areas: general, client experience, and competencies. Each client-facing employee is to select a predetermined area of growth based on personal and management observations of the previous three month period of time, create a success statement, and then create a SMART goal to achieve the success outlined.

5 ORGANIZATIONAL MOTIVATION AND LEADERSHIP 5 The experience of the author has been that in many instances, the competencies selected effect not only work life, but life generally, thus supporting the previous statement regarding life satisfaction and its effect on job satisfaction. Employees in the subject organization have shown a lower rate of absenteeism as they have been directly involved in creating their own future, in and out of the organization (K. Knight, personal communication, June 2011). Role of organizational leadership Organizations implement policies with regard to workplace hours and approved and unapproved absences, including vacation and sick leave. To this extent, the role of organizational leadership is to define and communication the expectations of when employees should be at work, when they may be excused, and when unexcused, the consequences. Organizational leadership must also take a role in providing a workplace environment, and the processes by which employees are empowered to be at work. Luthans and Kreitner (1985) describe strategies that can be implemented to administer reinforcement known as schedules of reinforcement. Although this list is not all inclusive, reinforcement strategies consist of punishment, shaping, extinction, and feedback. For the purposes of this paper, we will review the concepts of punishment and feedback. First, as it relates to absenteeism, a leader will want to provide specific expectations of when the employee is to be at work, and what the vacation and sick leave policy is. With respect to the subject organization, the author had experience with a new employee with respect to the absence policies then in effect. It was clearly explained to the new employee what the expectations were, and her agreement was obtained. Over a period of 90 days, the new employee had a significant number of absences and it was necessary for the author to provide feedback, verbally and written, regarding the need to be at work. After a number of

6 ORGANIZATIONAL MOTIVATION AND LEADERSHIP 6 occurrences, it became necessary to begin the punishment process, which eventually lead to her dismissal. Evaluation of the role of power and influence Smith (Doctrine and Covenants 121:42-43) upheld that no influence or power should be maintained over others except by kindness, persuasion, gentleness, and long-suffering. This concept is supported by modern research and literature. Jex and Britt (2008, pp ) conclude that the most important [insight] is that if leaders want their subordinates to do things willingly, in the long run they are much better off asking them to do it rather than simply relying on their position or using more coercive techniques. They go on to suggest that the behavioral changes made will be more long-lasting through the process of asking rather than coercion. Conclusion Absenteeism is a normal course of business when considered as vacation time or sick leave. While most organizations have defined policies with respect to each, unapproved absenteeism, which is that taken outside the policies, can have a negative effect on the organization. The author has examined some of the detrimental effects of absenteeism on a specific subject organization with which he is employed. How motivational theories might be applied to reduce absenteeism and an analysis of the role of leadership in reducing absenteeism has been discussed. Finally, the author discussed power and influence in the workplace, and what older and newer literature agrees on, that is, that asking is better than coercion in obtaining employee buy-in and cooperation.

7 ORGANIZATIONAL MOTIVATION AND LEADERSHIP 7 References: Ayres, J., & Malouff, J. M. (2007). Problem-solving training to help workers increase positive affect, job satisfaction, and life satisfaction. European Journal of Work & Organizational Psychology, 16(3), doi: / Jex, S., and Britt, T., (2008), Organizational Psychology: A Scientist-Practitioner Approach, 2 nd Ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken, NJ Jex, S., and Britt, T., (2008, pp ), Organizational Psychology: A Scientist-Practitioner Approach, 2 nd Ed., John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken, NJ Luthans, F., & Kreitner, R. (1985). Organizational behavior modification and beyond: An operant and social learning approach (2nd ed.). Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman.