Abstract
Employees require motivation at workplace. Motivation is a crucial factor of consideration that management teams are supposed to execute when managing employees. From this research study, the best motivation strategies have been identified and discussed in regards to two different types of employees working in the same organization. One of the employees is sharp minded, holds advanced degree certificate, has minimal work experience and also young. The second employee is an older, tenured individual with an exceptional track record on successful projects.
Age groups and variability of motivators
According to Inceoglu, Segers and Bartram (2012), employees in old age are highly likely to exhibit higher variability in regards to health and personal resources (whether actual or perceived). This implies that the old tenured employee may likely be motivated by the quantity of resources at hand as well as the current health condition. Since the old employee has an excellent track record on performing exceptionally well in projects, he indeed deserves to be rewarded in terms of viable healthcare benefits. Even though the organization might already be having a well established healthcare plan for its employees, it is highly recommended for the lead management to secure additional healthcare plan for the old employee (Harbour, 2009).
For example, an insurance healthcare coverage for the old experienced employee that takes the form of an investment portfolio can be availed. Additionally, the aspect of occupational safety and health should be a key consideration for the old tenured employee. Such an employee should be deployed in a department where he perceives to be completely safe and secure for him to work. A mindset of contentment in regards to occupational health and safety should be enhanced.
Secondly, the organization should put in place a viable pension plan for the old tenured employee in addition to improving his level of remuneration. At old age, an employee is mostly interested in resource accumulation. This can be realized mainly through a decent retirement package and attractive salary and/or wages. In a nutshell, job security and pleasant working conditions are key motivators for the old and tenured employee.
Monitoring and follow-up
One of the monitoring procedures for the above motivation factors is to put in place an effective work plan that elaborates how the old tenured employees should be motivated throughout the working duration in the company. It is also vital to evaluate the progress of how the old employee is performing at workplace even after the various motivation packages have been implemented. The productivity of the old employee should be monitored against the set objectives within given timelines. When a negative response is observed, it is necessary to change the motivation strategy or summon the employee whenever deemed necessary.
Barriers
When the old tenured employee is compelled to go through extreme pressure at work, he may end up giving up being productive. The old generation is hardly resilient when it comes to additional pressing duties at work. They prefer working under adequate deadline on given tasks (Inceoglu, Segers & Bartram, 2012). When they are awarded very short deadlines to accomplish specific assignments, they are likely to end up into a state of confusion due to pressure build-up and apprehension. It is also imperative to mention that the old employee is rather slow when performing various duties. His speed of performing tasks cannot be compared to the rate of working of a young employee. Therefore, the above elements of motivation can be derailed when the old employee is subjected to relatively short deadlines.
The second type of barrier is the employee himself. Old employees are known to be quite shrewd and principled. They have strong personal values that can hardly be dissuaded or subjected to alterations. When personal values are not flexible, it can be extremely cumbersome to exercise any element of motivation.
Intrinsic/extrinsic motivators and age
The presence of a vibrant social working environment is a powerful motivating aspect for the young graduate employee. Young employees usually prefer a more interactive and social working environment where they can meet new faces, share learning experiences and dispense additional physical energy through team building encounters. Hence, the morale of the young employee can be boosted by putting in place interactive and workgroup teams that work on tasks which are interesting. For example, the management can encourage quite a number of external activities that promote group work and intense interaction.
Another strategic move that the management can put in place in order to motivate the young employee is instituting new tasks that are more stimulating and apparently attractive. In other words, tasks that require critical thinking and also interesting to undertake are known to significantly motivate employees who are still young in terms of age. This is mainly attributed to the fact that the mind of the young graduate is still young and active and therefore needs to be fully engaged. This should go along with high chances of being promoted and receiving good pay. Since the young graduate is not experienced but looks promising altogether, chances of promotion can indeed boost the morale.
When such an employee is promoted, a sense of belonging and dignity is created. When an employee feels that he/she is respected, dignified or valued at the place of work, there is a tendency of working exceptionally smart in order to win additional recognition and respect. Although this appears to be a reasonable motivating factor, it is more appealing to young employees than older ones. The old tenured employee cannot be seriously interested in the extrinsic values of motivation. In most cases, the old generation is mainly fascinated by intrinsic factors of motivation or those that create an inner sense of satisfaction (Sultan, 2012).
Monitoring and follow-up
The performance of the young graduate employee should be the main factor to be monitored against the motivation strategies put in place. It is also vital to assess the productivity of the young employee bearing in mind that he is not experienced at the company. Since the young employee is sharp-minded, a follow-up procedure should be made when he is assigned new tasks or promoted to a senior position. Additionally, the impact of good pay and group interactions should be assessed against workplace performance of the young employee.
Barriers
The main impediment towards implementing the various motivation packages discussed above is the uncertainty to predict the optimal performance of the young employee especially when new tasks are assigned to him. There are quite a number of positions within an organization that may prove to be sensitive. When a young and minimally experienced employee is promoted to a higher position or given a completely new task, the element of uncertainty definitely grips the management team. It may then lead to fear towards assigning sensitive tasks or positions to new employees. This type of fear may pose a serious impediment towards motivating young employees who are eager to develop their careers.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it is evident that age is a vital factor to put into account before choosing the best way of motivating employees. For example, an old tenured employee would prefer an improved state of health and safety at workplace. On the other hand, a young employee can be best motivated through promotions and improved remuneration and allowances.
References
Harbour, J. (2009). Integrated performance management: A conceptual, system-based model. Performance Improvement, 48(7), 10-14.
Inceoglu, I., Segers, J., & Bartram, D. (2012). Age-related differences in work motivation. Journal Of Occupational & Organizational Psychology, 85(2), 300- 329.
Sultan, S. (2012). Examining the Job Characteristics: A Matter of Employees’ Work Motivation and Job Satisfaction. Journal Of Behavioural Sciences, 22(2), 13-25.