The document discusses a project investigating staff engagement, satisfaction, and motivation at an Australian insurance company. It provides context on the company, which was family owned but taken over and underwent management changes. The methodology involved qualitative interviews to explore these factors and their effect on performance. Findings showed engagement increased through improved communication and recognition programs. Motivation benefited from improved teamwork and goal setting. Satisfaction levels rose regarding remuneration but fell for work hours. Performance was most influenced by organizational structure. Recommendations focus on strengthening teams, developing skills, managing expectations, and maintaining work-life balance.

1. Organisational Behaviour

2. Purpose of The Project
• Investigate issues of staff engagement,
satisfaction and motivation in an
organisation or organisational unit
• Analysis survey data, outcome and find the
correlations between workplace engagement,
satisfaction and motivation and the effect on
performance without any quantitative
analysis

3. Investigated Organization
Australian Vintage
Insurance Company

4. Context the Company is within
• A family owned Australian Vintage Insurance company before being
taken over by a top 20 ASX company
• Renowned as an industry expert in commercial and heavy motor
insurance
• Head Office located in Sydney
• Workforce located in many capital cities of Australia
• After 3 years of poor results and huge loses, managerial change
occurred implementing a new strategy and path forward for the
company.
– Main focus on the more densely populated NSW & Qld operations
– Regional Manager instrumental in the new direction
– She has been with Australian Vintage Insurance for approximately 15
months
– Currently on track to achieve a small net profit for the first time after 3
years of bad losses

5. Methodology of Data Collection and Analysis
Qualitative Interview Method:
•Structured (predetermined)questions*
Our Objective:
•explore tangible and measurable outcome as well as experiences of employee engagement,
satisfaction and motivation practice from individual participants
Surveys were conducted face to face with diverse members of the company
Our survey focused on 3 key areas and the perceived effect they have on
performance:
•Engagement
•Motivation
•Satisfaction
*Gill, P. et al. 2008, Methods of data collection in qualitative Research Interview and focus groups 5

6. OB Theories &Our Findings
Engagement Motivation Satisfaction PerformanceDoes

7. ENGAGEMENT
“…work engagement is a positive,
fulfilling, work-related state of mind
that is characterized by vigor,
dedication, and absorption”
(Schaufeli, Salanova, González-
Romá & Bakker, 2002)

8. Measures of Engagement
In the survey form we used following parameters to
assess qualitative responses of Engagement:
• Level of employees believe that they have clear understand the
company’s goals
• Level of workplace relationship and satification
• Level of reward and recognition of employee’s contribution
• Level of autonomy
• Level of team work atmosphere within the division

9. Engagement Strategies Used by the Company
• Enhancing communication between management
teams and staff
– C level directors’ morning tea section
– Regional director regular (inter states) face to face meeting
• Reward and recognition program
– Rewards - broken down to teams, divisions rather than simply based
on over all company’s revenue
• Adequate performance review and ability
assessment
– Proper requirement process
– Focus on utilizing employees’ strengths development
– Implement 9 Box grid talent assessment methodology
(http://www.greatleadershipbydan.com/2012/01/performance-and-potential-
matrix-9-box.html)

10. Positive Outcomes of Engagement
As literature research indicated: employee
engagement corresponds with positive and proactive
behaviours in organization (Weigl et al., 2010).
• Ultimate outcome of employee engagement is “the
extent to which people enjoy and believe in what they
do, and feel valued for doing it” (Buchanan, et al. 2010,
p. 285).
• Those fundamental changes, introduced by new
regional director, from employee engagement
perspective, have brought tangible uplift in business
performance.
• We actually can feel enthusiasm and commitment from
participates during the interview process.

11. Finding: Engagement in Practical
We used the listed characteristics of engagement that
described by text book (Buchanan & Huczynski, 2010, Organizational
Behaviour) to study the survey outcome:
• The Important of job fit: a large percentage of participates told us that they feel
happier, more productive after job reliance that introduced by new management.
• Open communication: The new management team provided much clear
communication regarding the current situation and company business
objective/goals between senior management team and staff
• Management adaptability: The current Management teams open to new idea
and willing to adopt best practice has positively impacted employee’s enthusiasm
towards their daily work
• Positive disposition: most of participates demonstrated their willingness to help
others and enjoy team work
• Achievement orientation: the new management team has provided SMART
objectives to staffs and has encouraged the need to succeed and to excel
11

12. MOTIVATION
• Employers and Managers not only see the
motivation of staff as an integral part of
workplace performance, but also as a major
issue they face in staff management. If a staff
member is unmotivated then they are likely to
produce low levels of output and quality in their
work. In comparison a motivated staff member
is likely to have a high level of quality and
output (Amabile 1993; Steers 2004).

13. Summary of findings relating to motivation theory
• Teamwork within AVI, was non
existent. Through the Strategic
change management is
implementing strategies to try and
change this and improve the
outcomes achieved.
• Communication, and the lack of it
was the biggest problem identified
with the lack of teamwork within
the company, this has improved
but still requires more work.
• According to Jiang (2010), work
within teams is becoming more
common and managers are
implementing strategies to
monitor and motivate staff. One
strategy which is clearly
emphasised to all managers is
MBWR.

14. Summary of findings relating to motivation theory
• The Reward & Recognition
problems have overhauled and
brought into line to work with the
strategic goals of the company.
• Staff reviews and assessments
through scorecards are now used
and clearly outline the
expectations of each staff member
and are now focused on tasks
which they work together in their
teams better. Staff training
programs are much better as they
try to achieve the overall goal of
better staff who can progress
within the company through
internal promotions. (intrinsic
rewards

15. Satisfaction
Affective Satisfaction
Theory
• “focuses on whether the job
evokes a good mood and
positive feelings and
affectively-oriented
measures of job satisfaction”
(Moorman, R.H. 1993)*
Cognitive Satisfaction
Theory
• “is satisfaction based on a
more logical and rational
evaluation of the job
conditions”
(Moorman, R.H. 1993)*
* The influence of cognitive and affective based job satisfaction measures on the relationship between satisfaction and
organizational citizenship behaviour

16. Summary of findings
relating to Satisfaction theory
Affective Satisfaction
Vintage Insurance Employees
expressed the following
feelings about their jobs overall
Satisfaction
(Emotional
Resonance)
Openness and Honesty
Integrity
Valued
Appreciated
Inspired
Challenged
Excited
Cooperative
Dissatisfaction
(Emotional
Dissonance)
Stress
Work/Life Balance
Time for Family
Cognitive Satisfaction
Vintage Insurance Employees
expressed satisfaction and
dissatisfaction with particular facets
Satisfaction
Remuneration
Super
Communication
Company Structure
Work Environment
Dissatisfaction
Working hours
Approachability of
Some Management
Stress

17. Performance
• “To perform is to take a complex series of
actions that integrate skills and knowledge
to produce a valuable result” (Don Elger,
Theory of Performance, 2000)

18. Assessment of the performance
The questionnaire with 14 questions used to assess and
to understand the measures that the company has
deployed to leverage employees performance.
Investigated factors were:
• Leadership Style, Organization Culture, Organization
Structure and evaluation impact on job performance
• The simultaneous effect of these factors on perceived
job performance
• Organizational factors that could affect the
performance of personnel
• Organisational processes or routines that could be
improved

19. Summary of Findings
o Management has adopted correct behavioural approach when managing employees
o Leaders adequately recognize employees’ behavioural patterns and traits
 The findings empirically support the arguments of David A Waldman & William D Spongler (1989),
Vrom, Yetton and Jago model (1988), Mullians (1989), Lewin, Lippit and White (1977). They explained
the importance of leadership style in improving company. Since the investigative company has the
new management emplaced the performance has dramatically improved.
o Employers and managers understand what the employees expect to get or benefit from the job situation
 The findings are consistent with the arguments of Mullian (1989), A. H. Locher and K.S. Teel (1988),
Robet Kreitner (1995). The study findings are different to those ideas of Robision (2000) though. He
has concluded that traits such as loyalty and initiative may be prised by managers but there is no
evidence to support that certain traits will be adequate synonyms for performance in a large cross
section of jobs.
o Personnel needs and values are recognised by the company and fulfilled
 The findings empirically confirm the theoretical arguments given by Stephen James Heskett (1998)
and John E Sheridan (1992). The findings suggest that large scale industries attempt to develop an
organisation culture within their organisation in order to enhance the performance with accordance
to industry character.
o Personnel is adequately educated and prepared for any given tasks, even cross-functionally
o Employees are compensated adequately for the stress and challenges that they experience
o Regular personal and professional performance reviews and competency appraisals are emplaced

20. Conclusion/ Recommendations on
Performance
Organisation structure was found as the strongest
predictor of sufficient performance
The implication of the findings is that, if insurance
industries need to enhance their profitability,
Organization Structure, Organization Culture,
Leadership Style and Performance Evaluation are
critical to be considered and various strategies can
be applied to enhance them.
Strategies should focus on improving the present
level of variables
Proper organisation structure provides a clear picture
to employees and it affects their performance.

21. Our Recommendation
Based on analysis survey data and published report, we believe
the organization is progressing well in their transformation. Our
recommendation for the company to move to next stage are:
• Focus on short/medium tangible deliverables
• Improve team coherence
– Strengthen relationships, negotiate and enact new behaviours, resolve
conflicts
• Develop staff competence
• Managing the Psychological contract
– Monitor for “pinches” & take action when they occur
– Provide timely and unambiguous feedback
– Keep the promises
• Ensure management and staff can retain Work-Life Balance
Anthony Fee (2013), Organisational Behaviour in Practice Seminar#3