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Business Effectiveness
Introduction
Motivation is a way of bringing the best behaviour out of the employees and guide them
towards the right direction of success. The manager should motivate the employees to come
to work by given them a desire to achieve goals and make them feel energetic towards their
work. The main responsibility for a manager is to design tasks that meets the employee’s
requirements. In this way, the employees will get the willingness of doing that specific task,
as Maslow (1998:57) believed “You can have a team that performs well unless people feel
that their beliefs and values are manifest in their work”. Furthermore, they will be doing
something that will satisfy their needs and requirements and will be fully committed in doing
the tasks that they enjoy doing. During this essay, I will discuss the literatures and show my
own background knowledge relating to motivation including Two-factor motivational theory,
Theory X and Theory Y and Maslow Hierarchy of needs. I will then interpret my
understanding on motivation and analyse the management level in my chosen organisation.
Two factor motivational Theory
The two factor motivational theory are motivators and hygiene factors. Motivators are job
content factors that bring job satisfaction whereas hygiene factors are more of an
organisational context factors that bring dissatisfaction.
Motivators
Motivators could be opportunities for achievement because the nature of the work can affect
your personality and the way you carry out tasks. The work itself also needs to meet the
employee requirements because you will not want to give someone a responsibility which
they will not able to fulfil as Herzberg (2016) has said “Satisfaction can only come from
within, through the satisfaction of doing a task which provides a sense of achievement,
recognition and so on”. Some employees tend to work well under pressure whereas others
like to stay restricted in their own limit. As a manager, you should always try to push your
employees beyond their limitation by given them the chance to achieve more than their
expectation. The more opportunities they will get to prove their worth for the organisation the
more motivated they will feel towards their work, as Herzberg (2013:12) believed
“Motivation depends on whether a job is intrinsically challenging and provides
opportunities for recognition”. Employees would want to achieve specific target and build
on their daily success to earn higher recognition in the organisation.
Hygiene factors
Hygiene factors could be the relationship between the manager and his employees; it needs to
be very strong because if they do not have a good understanding between them than this will
affect employee’s performances as Herzberg (2013:12) has said, “Managers cannot require
motivation, though they can certainly destroy it by some thoughtless act”. Moreover, for
some employee money could be their main motivator especially for middle-class people with
small income as Maslow (2014) has said, “We were very much aware that people needed
to be appreciated and cared about for their contribution”. If their wages are below the
standard of rate even after producing superior level of performance than that will lead to
major dissatisfaction. The relationship with subordinates is another major hygiene factor and
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an example of this could be when an employee is finding it difficult coming to work on time.
In this scenario, a good manager will try to see the bigger picture and find out what causing
the problem; the issue could be as simple as dropping their siblings to school before coming
to work. Most managers do not try to see the bigger picture and misbehave with their
employees for coming to work late instead of solving the problem they make it even worse,
that how you lose loyal employees.
Theory X and Theory Y
There are two primary attitude towards managing employees; they are theory X and Theory
Y. You could be either Theory X or Y manager but your perspective will affect either way in
your effort of motivating your employees.
Theory X
Theory X managers have conventional perspective of control and directions, as they believe
their employees dislike responsibilities. The reason they have such assumption is that there is
an issue with management strategy, which do not get the best of their employees and totally
ignored human requirements as McGregor (2013:11) has said, “Managers who acted on
Theory X would fail to discover, let alone use, the potential of the average human
being”. The reason they have such believe is because those managers who follows Theory X
will use close supervision, time-recording system, narrowly defined jobs and precise job
descriptions, and external quality checks. This is how you misunderstand an employee and
direct them into a wrong path. Theory X managers will also believe that their employees
cannot solve difficulties and eliminate their confidence to make them avoids responsibility;
this is how you misdirect your employee’s ambitions and left a bad impression on them.
Theory Y
Theory Y managers are absolutely the opposite of Theory X, as they believe their employees
enjoy their work. Mangers who follow Theory Y apply imagination towards their employees
work by bringing creativity to organisational issues; create conditions in which people accept
responsibility as McGregor (2013:11) has said, “The central principle of Theory Y is that
the managers, and the organisation, will benefit if they enable employees to use their
talents.” Furthermore, they are confidence that their employees want to contribute and will
give them a chance to prove their self. This gives an indication that they respect every
individual and want them to achieve their goals as McGregor (2015) has said, “They should
be less prescriptive and directive and create the conditions that integrate individual and
organisational goals.” Theory Y managers will believe that their employees will able to
solve problems and overcome any challenges.
Abraham Maslow- a hierarchy of needs
He started his career as a clinical psychologist. His aim was to form a hierarchy of human
needs that he has divided into five different levels. He has conceptualised that employees will
labour best if their needs have been satisfied. I will discuss five different levels of Maslow
hierarchy below.
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Physiological needs
Physiological needs are characteristics the manager require doing to make his employees feel
satisfied to survive at work. In this very basic level of Maslow hierarchy, the food and drink
are the main physiological needs. They are the most essential things people needs for living,
if these being separated from their life then their lives will be in endangered as Maslow
(2013:7) has said, “If all the needs in the hierarchy are unsatisfied then the physiological
needs will dominate”. A good manager will require ensuring that his employees being paid
sufficient salary from work to fulfil these basic needs of life. Another very important
physiological need of people’s life is sleep and air. A good manager will ensure that his
employees are getting sufficient breaks and provides them with adequate time to rest and
recover.
Safety needs
Safety needs are attributes the employees would want from the organisation for their own
security. The main safety needs are safe working condition and medical insurance. These are
the most important things the employees will need for their security because it is very
essential that they are been kept away from harmful things as Maslow (2006) has said, “They
can satisfy it by seeking a stable, regular job with secure working conditions and access
to insurance for ill-health and retirement”. Therefore, a good manager will provide safe
working environment, secure working equipment, access to medical insurance, if anything
does happen then they will still have the maximum security in place.
Social needs
Social needs are elements the employee would want from his colleagues. These social needs
could be the need for friends. A good manager will try to bring everyone together and build a
friendly working environment. The best way to do this by organising more group related
assignment which will encourage each individual to be part of a group as Maslow (2013:8)
has said “They welcome change that bring them closer to people they know and like”.
Moreover, this is how people will interact with each other more often, share their concerns,
and joy as well as showing aspirations and overcoming each other fears. The things a
manager need to avoid is changing work patterns and location of his employees because this
can weaker working relationship between employees.
Esteem needs
Esteem needs are characteristics manager requires to fulfil to give his employees the respect
and recognition they deserve from their colleagues. A good manager will allow his
employees the opportunity to take parts in difficult and challenging tasks to prove their worth
for the organisation, if they are successful in that then they will be given the reputation and
recognition they deserve for their contributions to the organisation and rewards them with
individual bonuses and employee of the month award. This is how a manager will make his
employees recognise each other status as each individual will have an identity; they will get
more respect as Maslow (2007) believed “People are motivated to satisfy needs that are
important to them at that point in their life”. As a whole, esteem needs allows each
individual to express their personality and gets the best out of them.
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Self-Actualisation
Self-actualisation are elements that employees want from themselves to fulfil their own
potential. In this level of Maslow hierarchy, the truth and wisdom are the main self-
actualisation needs. They are the most essential things because every employees would want
to feel satisfied with their position in the organisation. It is the manager responsibility to
encourage his employees to visualise themselves so they will know what they good at doing
as Maslow (2013:8) has said “People seeking self-actualisation look for personal
relevance in their work, doing things that matter deeply to them, or which help them
discover new talents”. Besides, it is very important to realise your true selves and express
the talents and gifts you have.
HSBC
The case study I have chosen is “HSBC”. It stands for Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking
Corporation; it is one of the biggest global bank organisation. Their first ever branch opens in
United Kingdom on 1851 in Birmingham. Their main headquarters is at 8 Canada Square in
Canary Wharf, London. Their current CEO is Alan Keir. Some of their subsidiaries includes
M&S Bank, HSBC Trinkaus, First Direct etc...
The management status in HSBC is truly outstanding as they follows the theory Y principles.
They always have the intention to get the best out of their employees and to do this they have
created a fair and enjoyable working environment as they said, “Joining HSBC will give you
the chance to work in a collegiate, supportive and inclusive environment in which we
seek to develop and promote people based on merit”. Besides, they have overcome the
hygiene factors as their managers are very precise when deciding each individual role for the
employees as they believe you would not want a situation where your employees has been
drag into something which they do not enjoy doing or has been force into working with
people who they do not get on well. HSBC has made sure they will not face such situation, as
their formula to manage employees is “We will provide you with tailored training and
support to help you identify and follow your chosen career path”. HSBC has succeeded
in building loyal employees around their organisation who is raising the success of their
business.
Their manager has a strong sense of the potential in their employees. The reason behind
“HSBC” being the biggest United Kingdom Company is that they use the motivator factors
very effectively. They take great pride in providing superior care and assistance towards their
employees by given them flexible working hours as they said, “We support our staff to
adopt flexible and alternative ways of working where possible, including working from
home and different hours”. Moreover, you do not see such business environment in most
other companies. As a whole, HSBC is a prime example of how a manager should use
motivational theories to achieve the highest standard of management status in this country.
Conclusion
Overall, Motivation is a major characteristic of every organisation. HSBC has taken all the
motivational theories very seriously; it is the best feature of their company. Their managers
has made use of all the motivational theories very effectively by getting the best of effort
from their employees towards the work; consequently, their manger has avoid hygiene factors
by providing motivators to their employees by given them aspirational rewards such as status
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or money. This is the kind of influence their manager has on their employees, which has
direct their employees towards success and rewards. The management system in HSBC is
getting high praise from all their employees because they understand each individual have
many different roles to carry in life such as father, mother, brother etc... Their manager has
overcome this hygiene factor by giving them the flexibility of coming to work without any
pressure; this is how they make their employees feel mentally healthy. For me HSBC has to
be the most professional bank organisation in the world in terms of motivational theories.
Their manager covers every aspect of motivational theories to better management standard in
the organisation. Personally, if I were to work for an organisation I will choose HSBC as my
prime choice because I can trust them on getting the best out of me and encourage me to
achieve my goals and desire for success.
References
“Abraham H. Maslow (1998), Maslow on Management”
“Scott Bambrick, Julie Stepney (2013), Introduction to Business Foundation Year”
“Frederick Herzberg. (2016) Frederick Herzberg motivational theory. Alan
Chapman/Businessballs [Online] [Assessed on 12th January 16]
http://www.businessballs.com/herzberg.htm”
“Abraham H. Maslow. (2014) Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Saul McLeod [Online]
[Assessed on 12th January 16] http://www.simplypsychology.org/maslow.html”
“Douglas McGregor. (2008) Theories X and Y. Idea [Online] [Assessed on 12th January 16]
http://www.economist.com/node/12370445”
“Douglas McGregor. (2015) Motivation - McGregor (Theory X & Theory Y). Tutor2u [Online]
[Assessed on 12th January 16] http://www.tutor2u.net/business/reference/motivation-
mcgregor-theory-x-theory-y”
“Abraham H. Maslow. (2006) Abraham Maslow. C. George Boeree [Online] [Assessed on
12th January 16] http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/maslow.html”
“Abraham H. Maslow. (2007) Maslow's hierarchy of needs. Educational Psychology
Interactive. Huitt, W [Online] [Assessed on 12th January 16]
http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/regsys/maslow.html”
“HSBC. (2015) Why HSBC?. [Online] [Assessed on 10th December 15]
http://www.hsbc.com/careers/whyhsbc?WT.ac=HGHQ_Careers_WhyHSBC_Benefits_RC_
WhyHSBC1.2_On”
“HSBC. (2015) Benefits. [Online] [Assessed on 10th December 15]
http://www.hsbc.com/careers/whyhsbc/benefits?WT.ac=HGHQ_Careers_WhyHSBC_Benefi
t1.1_On”
