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Homework answers / question archive / 1) Research employee motivation and contemporary companies by choosing a company known to be a “great place to work” as the focus of your written assignment
1) Research employee motivation and contemporary companies by choosing a company known to be a “great place to work” as the focus of your written assignment. If you are not certain which companies meet this criteria, you can start at one of these Web sites: www.glassdoor.com or www.bestplacestowork.org. Forbes Magazine and Indeed.com also gather data on employee satisfaction.
2. Once you have selected the company, summarize the key components or characteristics of your selected company’s employee motivation strategy or practice.
3. Compare the strategy or practice used by the company to one of the theories presented in the module readings (i.e. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, ERG, Herzberg’s Two-Factor, Theory X and Theory Y Theory, Theory Z, Equity Theory, etc.). Be specific when you make this comparison, and be aware of the fact that you may see elements of more than one theory being put into practice.
4. After you have studied how your chosen company keeps its employees motivated and creates a great place to work, summarize which theory would most motivate you and why.
Answer:
Undoubtedly Google is considered as one of the best places to work because the benefits and services that it provides to their employees is unmatchable. Almost every other employee desires to work in a company like Google. As per a recent survey, more than 2000000 candidates apply for a job every year in Google, which is a huge number by any standards.
If one looks at Google Inc. employee motivation strategies, it is quite evident that there is a similarity to the Herzberg two factor theory concept. According to the 2 Factor Theory of Frederick Herzberg, people are influenced by two factors, namely hygiene factors and motivation factors. The hygiene factors are needed in order to ensure that the employee does not become dissatisfied. Moreover, hygiene factor also includes working condition, quality of supervision, job, company policies as well as administration. The motivation factors are required to motivate an employee to perform better and the typical motivation factors include achievement, interest in job, growth as well as task responsibilty.
Therefore Google Inc's motivation strategy inspired by Two factor theory, ensures that their employees enjoy the working environment during their working time. Google Inc. through these motivation strategies may bring some advantages to their company and have made the employees more efficient and creative as Google Inc creates a fantastic working environment for their employees. This is important because Google Inc is a high technology company and the staff needs a relaxing environment to create new ideas. Further, it also prevents the staff from resigning. Other benefit includes preventing the loss of Google Inc.’s knowledge because Google Inc often spends a lot of time and money on the employee in expectation of future returns, but if employee gets dissatisfied and demotivated and leaves, he takes with him his valuable knowledge about the company and his work and the investment is not realized.
Next motivational theory which is quite evident in Google Inc's motivation strategies is Theory Y by Douglas McGregor. The Theory Y is defined as an idea which shows the positive view of the worker and assumes that employees may be ambitious and self-motivated and exercise self-control. It also implies the optimistic theory that the employees are generally very creative and view their work as fulfilling. Google Inc's motivation strategy includes that they offer a creative and participative atmosphere to stimulate their employees to be productive in achieving the organizational goals. This motivation strategy which is inspired by Theory Y, is necessary because their tasks tend to more flexible and innovative. Besides, the company always needs new concepts and ideas to support it's current situation on the world and also work hard to keep the new technology going. For instance, this Theory Y effect is seen in their leadership style and there is less supervision of their employees. This motivation strategy makes it easy for the employee to get their new ideas. The employees can play hard and relax at their workplace and they can get their new ideas even when they are enjoy the game or relaxing. According to a Google manager, "Idea does not come always when you sit at your desk”. Also this strategy enables the staff to make a good decisions. This is because there is less supervision on them and employees are not under any pressure, hence they can do their best and also solve the problems they face by themselves.
Out of the above two motivation theories which show their effect in the motivational strategies of Google Inc, the one theory which is most motivating is Herzberg’s motivation-hygiene theory or 2 factor theory. This theory properly addresses employee motivation and recognizes two sources of job satisfaction. The motivating factors play a crucial role in job satisfaction as they are based on an individual's need for personal growth, such as achievement, recognition, work itself, responsibility, and advancement. On the other side, hygiene factors, which represent deficiency needs, define the job context and correctly indicate that could make individuals unhappy with their jobs, such as company policy and administration, supervision, salary, interpersonal relationships, and employee working conditions.
The conclusions which Herzberg has drawn are extraordinarily influential, and they have still formed the bedrock of good motivational practice even around half a century later.