Concrete Experience and Reflective Observation
The main issue faced in my industry is the motivation of employees, especially the newcomers. Laws and policies that regulate this problem in the US are connected to the incentives of empowerment of the staff and recruitment (“Employee motivation law and legal definition,” n.d.). The primary motivation applied by all companies is arguably monetary. However, my experience and theories of human resource management suggest that this is relevant only to a certain extent.
Additionally, one should be aware that issues such as employees often overlook accountability for work. My supervisory experience provides me with many examples of working with people who have low levels of motivation and display little commitment to their work for various reasons. My understanding of the issue suggests that an approach that targets the motivation system within a company is necessary to improve work outcomes. Moreover, the system should target factors such as compensation or benefits since many individuals aim to work in a pleasant environment that aligns with their values and vision.
The primary learning situation in my company is the focus on developing an appropriate culture and a cohesive strategy of benefits that encourage engagement. Thus, performance management is the crucial element of work, and specific KPIs help measure the productivity of individuals. One can argue that the collective rules, policies, and procedures related to personnel management can be classified as follows: recruitment, orientation and training, and performance appraisal.
Theories and Principles/Abstract Conceptualization
The general rules that apply to employee engagement and motivation involve emphasis on appropriate leadership within an organization. Supervisors and c-level executives should have a clear vision for a company that is communicated and explained to the employees. In this way, it is possible to empower employees and thus ensure that they are more committed to their work. In this regard, I should mention that my goal is always to talk to my employees and ensure that I understand what motivates them to work better.
Theory 1
Adam’s Equity theory incorporates all the elements of employee engagement and motivation that affect work outcomes. Thus, this concept is the primary principle that personnel managers can use in their work. According to this theory, the main issue outlined in this section, motivation, is affected by many factors (“Adam’s equity theory,” n.d.). Thus, it is a mistake to only focus on compensating or benefits as the primary strategy for resolving personnel-related issues. Instead, the perception of the work and the company is the critical element here. The balance between the inputs of an individual and the outputs of the company that are reflected in the efforts one takes towards his or her tasks and compensation for those should be the primary focus (Ryan, 2016). Companies should tailor their policies and practices to improve their image and ensure that their staff has a reasonable opinion regarding their employer.
Theory 2
Theory X and theory Y describe the general approaches to understanding motivation. In accordance with the X approach, by default, employees do not have intrinsic motivation to carry out tasks (Saldanha, 2018). Theory Y, however, argues that individuals possess the necessary levels of self-motivation that help them work, develop their skills and knowledge, and excel. Arguably, these two strategies outline the main approaches to structuring personnel management practices.
Theory 3
A theory that applies to personnel management issues and policies or rules that can help overcome those is job satisfaction. First introduced in 2008 by Torrington et al., this concept connects the performance of individuals to their perception of the tasks and overall environment of an organization (Shamila Singh, 2017). This methodology is sophisticated because it links elements such as job design, culture, and recognition for achievements, responsibility, and challenges that one can face.
Summary
Overall, personnel management practices are complicated and incorporate elements of choosing, training, motivating, and evaluating employees. The theories described above outline the various features, such as inputs and outputs, morale, and satisfaction with one’s work. Additionally, the X and Y concept reflects the two distinct strategies of viewing people’s intrinsic motivation. Understanding these can help one structure the processes within a company adequately.
Testing and Application/Active Experimentation
Regarding theory 1, my experience shows that the company’s input and its view from the employees’ perspective are essential for work motivation and performance. This corresponds to the principles of job satisfaction, described as theory two because essentially, these inputs predetermine the outputs of work. For instance, when I began my work as a supervisor, my department was falling behind others in performance. However, by introducing proper training and by evaluating each employee’s work, and linking it to the desired outcomes, I was able to increase the input of my company into the development of personnel. However, I did see cases of low self-motivation that required strategies described in the X theory.
References
Employee motivation law and legal definition. (n.d.). Web.
Ryan, J. (2016). Old knowledge for new impacts: Equity theory and workforce nationalization. Journal of Business Research, 69(5), 1587-1592. Web.
Saldanha, A. G. (2018). Study of the impact of team morale on construction project performance. Web.
Shamila Singh, S. F. (2017). An investigation into job satisfaction and turnover intentions amongst engineers in Gauteng. Innovative Journal of Business and Management, 5(6), 121-133. Web.