Management and Leadership are two things which are different however people confuse them as the same thing. For example both are used to manage and organise people. A manager is a person who plans, controls, and co-ordinates people. Managers put into practice policies and achieve results. Leaders on the other hand, guide, communicate, motivate and inspire others. They generate ideas. Leadership is just one of the qualities a good manager may have. Managers are more impersonal and there is not much emotional involvement, whereas leaders have empathy. A manager would employ someone that the business is in need of while a leader may carry out speeches that inspire or motivate a group of people, or by recognising their abilities and achievements.
Blake and Mouton “managerial grid” (1964):
Blake and Mouton's managerial grid (1964) discusses different five managerial styles. This grid is based on two things, (concern for people) and (concern for production). The five types of mangers Blake and Mouton identified are:
· Impoverished manager
· Authoritative manager
· Social manger
· Middle of the road manager
· Team manger
The impoverished manager does just enough work to get by (the bare minimum). He is therefore not committed. If managers follow this style, there is a low chance for that particular company to succeed in the future as this will have a negative effect on the staff working under them and they will be de-motivated as they can see that their manager lacks enthusiasm. This would mean that more and more employees will start to leave or not work as hard, causing a lower level of output and therefore less profits. Consequently the impoverished manager has low concern for production and low concern for people.
The authoritative manager gets the job completed no matter what the cost. He has little interest in staff’s feeling and believes in a “do what you are told to do and that is it” approach. He has high concern for production, but low concern for people.
The social manager is the opposite of the authoritative manager, as he feels that a satisfied workforce will work harder and therefore he tries to ensure that all employees are happy. Social managers tend to have longer lasting employees, as the staff who work for them feel well treated and therefore do not really have much reason to leave. A social manager would rather avoid conflict and “be everyone’s friend”. He has little concern for production, but high concern for people.
The middle of the road manager tries to compromise with staff whilst not allowing too much loss in the quality of work. He tries to go “by the book” and follow rules and regulations whilst trying to keep all parties happy. He had medium concern for production and medium concern for people.
The team manager takes good care of production as well as his employees. Employees will be involved as much as possible so they gain a better understanding of what the company is trying to achieve. By being more involved, they are taking on more responsibility which can help satisfy Maslow’s self-esteem needs. If employees have new ideas of how to improve the business further, their ideas will be taken into consideration. Employees are encouraged to show their initiative. They are more likely to feel as part of the business as well as a part of a team. This will encourage the employees to work harder which will consequently lead to greater output and efficiency. The team manager has concern for production and high concern for people. This is obviously the best type of manager, simply because high concern for production and people will benefit both the business and its employees.
When I worked at Waitrose, I had two main managers. A Section Manager (SM) and an Assistant Section Manager (ASM). They seemed to play “good cop, bad cop” as my SM had a leadership style of middle of the road manager. He wanted me to get all the work done, but only after any issues with me had been sorted out if there were any. If the work had not been completed by the time my shift ended he would have no complaints about me leaving. My ASM however, wanted me to get all the work done, no matter what the cost was. He did not care if my shift was over or if I did not have a break, just as long as all the work was completed. If it was not completed by the time my shift was over I would not be allowed to leave exactly on time. He was most certainly an authoritative manager, and if I am being honest I did not like him very much. I found that I tried to work much harder when my SM was around just because I felt like I wanted to because he was being so nice. With my ASM I became very demotivated and did not bother with trying to work as hard as possible.
Article on Martin Luther King by “Time 100”:
An article from the “Time 100” shows the excellent leadership qualities that Martin Luther King possessed. Martin Luther King was a very well known and popular leader. He was also a very talented and motivational speaker. The article claims that Martin Luther king was a prophet who only wanted justice. He was fighting for people to be judged by their character and not their skin colour. The article praises King for committing to his non-violent protests and it is saying that he did more than just free blacks from segregation. The article claims that if it was not for King there is no way America would be able to call itself the “leader” of the “free world” as it currently does.
http://www.time.com/time/time100/leaders/profile/king.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/recent/martin_luther_king_05.shtml
http://www.famouspeople.co.uk/m/martinlutherking.html
I believe that king is one of the best and most significant leaders the world has ever seen. Having previously studied History in some depth, I know for a fact that Martin Luther King possessed all the natural attributes of a leader. At first he did not want to get involved when Rosa Parks came to him. However after deep thought he realised that America and the World desperately needed guidance and a leader in the fight against segregation. I believe he became that leader. He helped motivate, inspire and guide others. He generated ideas based on non-violent form of protest. Ghandi was his inspiration, and he was also a magnificent leader. King went to visit Ghandi in India and when he came back he said, “Since being in India, I am more convinced than ever before that the method of nonviolent resistance is the most potent weapon available to oppressed people in their struggle for justice and human dignity”. Going to India to visit Gandhi, therefore deepened his understanding of non-violent protests. I also believe that King using non-violent protests was the best way to show the world exactly what was going on, and how badly treated Blacks were. The best example of this was in Birmingham, Alabama (1963) when the non-violent protestors were set upon by fire truck hoses and police dogs, without any retaliation whatsoever. These actions changed many opinions all over the world forever. As well as using non-violent protests, King also delivered speeches all over the country to help guide and inspire others. He inspired people of all ethnic backgrounds. His most famous “I have a dream” speech was given in front of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington in 1963. President Lincoln was probably the American President who did the most for Civil Rights in History. King knew how to get across to his audience with his speeches. He not only got people’s attention, but also motivated them to do things for civil rights. This is why he was such a successful leader.
Conclusion:
Being a good leader is important as leaders affect everyone around them through what they say and how they act. Leaders have been and will always be role models. As a leader it is important to do the right things in order to help people. The truly great leaders are not in leadership for personal gain. There have been very good leaders in the past who have used their power to create chaos all over the world. A perfect example of this would be Adolf Hitler. He was a fantastic leader. Economically he helped make Germany a power again after World War one and the Treaty of Versailles. He inspired and motivated others around him. However he used his power to do bad things and hurt people. He wanted everyone to feel like he did (by hating Jews). He caused World War Two. Even though he was a role model, he was a bad one and this is why it is important for people to distinguish between a good leader and a bad, but not necessarily poor leader. Even if a leader is a good leader he should only be listened to if he is doing good things. As well as inspiring others, a leader must be confident and Martin Luther King certainly showed this by never backing down, regardless of the number of death threats he received, and the bombing of his house with his wife and children inside it. The key to becoming an effective leader is not to focus on making other people follow you, but on making yourself the kind of person they want to follow. If there isn't good leadership in a business, the business itself will suffer because employees could feel de-motivated which may lead them to quitting the job and consequently production output would suffer. They lead in order to serve other people. Overall, the better the leadership is in a business, the more successful it will be in the future.
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Organisational Culture
The visible aspects of culture in Marks and Spencer are that as soon as you enter the shop, you hear soft, calm music playing in the background. This creates a cosy atmosphere in which people enjoy shopping in. Near the entrance there is a slogan saying 'Quality worth every penny'. This shows that M&S believe their products to be of the highest quality, and customers fell that these products are worth the price. Employees are easily visible as they wear black uniform with green M&S logo. This is useful for customers so that if they need help they can easily find a member of staff. The uniform also shows that M&S employees are all working together as part of one big team, representing the organisation. The layout of M&S enables customers to more easily familiarise themselves with where everything is in the shop. For example, in the food section, the floor is black, and in the clothing section the floor is a creamy white. Also in the food section there is a poster showing Fairtrade which means M&S actively support and promote this. M&S sells Fairtrade products which mean that they are not just about making a big profit. They want to support and enable the producers to get a better deal on their products. Hidden aspects of culture are all the things that take place away from the customers’ eyes to ensure that the business runs smoothly. Teamworking and training are examples of hidden aspects of culture within the organisation. When a customer walks into M&S they seem employees working individually, however they are actually all working as part of a team trying to get the same amount of work done. Training is another good example of one of the hidden aspects of M&S. Customers do not see the employees getting trained, and this is essential in order to ensure that staff have the necessary skills in order to provide a quality service and get the work done as efficiently as possible.
Types of Culture:
Charles Handy (1993) claimed that there are 4 types of culture within an organisation.
· Power Culture
· Role Culture
· Task Culture
· Person Culture
Power culture is when one person has control over everything that goes on within the organisation. There are central powerful figure, very few rules and systems in, fast decisions, and personal communications. An example of this would be Sir Alan Sugar’s organisation, where he is the central powerful figure, and he does not relinquish and control. He makes all of the decisions, like employees’ wages, how much time employees are allowed for their holidays, who gets employed, who is made redundant and what products are sold.
Role culture is based on structure, with more rules to abide by and bureaucracy. Work is decided via rules and regulations. Power is a based on level in a hierarchy, i.e. your job position. For example a manager would have more power than a supervisor. People work to a job description. This means that not just one person has control over the whole business, but a number of people who have important job positions will also have important decisions to make depending on their job role. Examples of organisations which use role culture are supermarkets like Waitrose or M&S. Each member of staff in Waitrose will have a specific job role such as shelf filler or till operator and this role will be given by a person higher up in the hierarchy, e.g. a manager and so delegates the work downwards. Accounting firms also use rule culture.
Task culture is all about teamworking, when people come together to form a team in order to work on a project. This means that people in the teams will have different skills to use in the project. No one has greater position over anyone in this type of culture as people will have different skills to use together in order to get the project completed. The task is key, rather than the individual or rules. Individuals have more freedom and flexibility, where they can get their tasks completed without being told what to do constantly. While doing the tasks, personal power can be released by each person so that the outcome of the project will be even better. London 2012 Olympics adapt task culture as a lot of people are working together in order to get the project completed. After the task is over, they will probably never work together again.
Person culture is the individual person is the focus of the business, and has the authority to make all decisions regarding specific tasks and or activities. The person will be using their own expertise to complete he task. There is no hierarchy, and the organisation only exists to serve the interests of those within it. Examples include barristers, architects, doctors and surgeons. A doctor is his own boss and completes the work at his own pace, without being told what to do. He would have complete control and there would be nobody above him to make decisions or influence him. Even though a doctor may work for a hospital, they don't have a manager or a boss who will be telling him what to do throughout his shift. The doctor will be his own boss. The doctor is the central focus because without him there will be nobody to help treat and cure ill or injured patients.
Problems of trying to classify culture into one of the four different cultures described by Handy (1993):
The main problem of trying to classify culture into one of the four types is that some businesses might have different aspects of different cultures inside the business. For example in Marks and Spencer, the marketing department may have role culture, whereas the finance department may have power culture. This means that if a business has several different cultures in one organisation, it would be very difficult to suggest that the entire organisation has a specific culture. This applies mainly to large businesses that have lots of different departments and operate in different markets. For M&S, it would be the food and clothing markets. Also, some organisations may have a culture that is completely different to each of the four types of culture described by handy. For example, a business may not have one person making all the decisions (power culture), it may not operate in a hierarchical structure (role culture), it may not have a specifically created team in order to complete a certain project (task culture), and no individual would have the authority to make specific decisions (person culture). If an organisation was like this, it would not be possible to group it into one of Handy’s 4 types of organisational culture.
Reasons for why I think Waitrose has a strong culture:
Waitrose is an organisation which demonstrates strong culture. They type of culture it demonstrates is very clearly role culture. I know this is true because I worked there for 2 years. Waitrose treat all their members of staff as a partner of the business, which makes the employees feel more important within the business. I felt like I owned part of the business whilst working there and technically I did as all the profits are shared between the partners. Waitrose believe that all members of staff should be valued as they are looking after the customers who are bringing profit to the business. This is why there is so much focus on customer service within the organisation. The organisation ensures that all partners remain happy by making sure that all the partners’ benefits from the profit and other rewards and benefits that the business offers to them. Before making any important decisions, all partners will get a chance to give their opinions and have their voice (“partnervoice”) heard by the business. Everyone is part of a team at Waitrose, and if one team member is slacking, the rest of the team will have to work even harder to pick up the slack. This therefore helps motivate each and every employee to work even harder, as you do not want to make your friends have to work harder the next day by not completing your set task.
Visual aspects of culture in Waitrose is that they provide the customers with quality customer service and treat them all fairly. Customers may even come back without a receipt and say they bought a product from Waitrose which was not of acceptable quality and Waitrose would then give the customer the product plus money back! Waitrose raise their retail standards by launching new products and services as well as trying out new ideas with the customers. They promote certain products at certain times of they year. For example, juice will go on promotion during the summer. The building itself is very pleasant because the minute you walk in, customers get a friendly vibe from the employees, which will in turn attract the customers more. The service is friendly as well as helpful. When I was working there I always tried my best to constantly smile and give off a happy vibe towards customers, and I also managed to make friends with a lot of the regulars there.
http://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/Display.aspx?&MasterId=f7a66235-2266-45d0-92dd-5b61e878eb31&NavigationId=595
Conclusion:
Overall, culture is quite important to a business, as it can help portray their image to customers and give organisations a reputation to stand by. I do not believe that business set out to try and fit into one of the four specific cultures outlined by Handy, however some just naturally do. There will also be some organisations that fit into more than just one of Handy’s four categories. These are more likely to be larger organisations and businesses.
Types of Culture:
Charles Handy (1993) claimed that there are 4 types of culture within an organisation.
· Power Culture
· Role Culture
· Task Culture
· Person Culture
Power culture is when one person has control over everything that goes on within the organisation. There are central powerful figure, very few rules and systems in, fast decisions, and personal communications. An example of this would be Sir Alan Sugar’s organisation, where he is the central powerful figure, and he does not relinquish and control. He makes all of the decisions, like employees’ wages, how much time employees are allowed for their holidays, who gets employed, who is made redundant and what products are sold.
Role culture is based on structure, with more rules to abide by and bureaucracy. Work is decided via rules and regulations. Power is a based on level in a hierarchy, i.e. your job position. For example a manager would have more power than a supervisor. People work to a job description. This means that not just one person has control over the whole business, but a number of people who have important job positions will also have important decisions to make depending on their job role. Examples of organisations which use role culture are supermarkets like Waitrose or M&S. Each member of staff in Waitrose will have a specific job role such as shelf filler or till operator and this role will be given by a person higher up in the hierarchy, e.g. a manager and so delegates the work downwards. Accounting firms also use rule culture.
Task culture is all about teamworking, when people come together to form a team in order to work on a project. This means that people in the teams will have different skills to use in the project. No one has greater position over anyone in this type of culture as people will have different skills to use together in order to get the project completed. The task is key, rather than the individual or rules. Individuals have more freedom and flexibility, where they can get their tasks completed without being told what to do constantly. While doing the tasks, personal power can be released by each person so that the outcome of the project will be even better. London 2012 Olympics adapt task culture as a lot of people are working together in order to get the project completed. After the task is over, they will probably never work together again.
Person culture is the individual person is the focus of the business, and has the authority to make all decisions regarding specific tasks and or activities. The person will be using their own expertise to complete he task. There is no hierarchy, and the organisation only exists to serve the interests of those within it. Examples include barristers, architects, doctors and surgeons. A doctor is his own boss and completes the work at his own pace, without being told what to do. He would have complete control and there would be nobody above him to make decisions or influence him. Even though a doctor may work for a hospital, they don't have a manager or a boss who will be telling him what to do throughout his shift. The doctor will be his own boss. The doctor is the central focus because without him there will be nobody to help treat and cure ill or injured patients.
Problems of trying to classify culture into one of the four different cultures described by Handy (1993):
The main problem of trying to classify culture into one of the four types is that some businesses might have different aspects of different cultures inside the business. For example in Marks and Spencer, the marketing department may have role culture, whereas the finance department may have power culture. This means that if a business has several different cultures in one organisation, it would be very difficult to suggest that the entire organisation has a specific culture. This applies mainly to large businesses that have lots of different departments and operate in different markets. For M&S, it would be the food and clothing markets. Also, some organisations may have a culture that is completely different to each of the four types of culture described by handy. For example, a business may not have one person making all the decisions (power culture), it may not operate in a hierarchical structure (role culture), it may not have a specifically created team in order to complete a certain project (task culture), and no individual would have the authority to make specific decisions (person culture). If an organisation was like this, it would not be possible to group it into one of Handy’s 4 types of organisational culture.
Reasons for why I think Waitrose has a strong culture:
Waitrose is an organisation which demonstrates strong culture. They type of culture it demonstrates is very clearly role culture. I know this is true because I worked there for 2 years. Waitrose treat all their members of staff as a partner of the business, which makes the employees feel more important within the business. I felt like I owned part of the business whilst working there and technically I did as all the profits are shared between the partners. Waitrose believe that all members of staff should be valued as they are looking after the customers who are bringing profit to the business. This is why there is so much focus on customer service within the organisation. The organisation ensures that all partners remain happy by making sure that all the partners’ benefits from the profit and other rewards and benefits that the business offers to them. Before making any important decisions, all partners will get a chance to give their opinions and have their voice (“partnervoice”) heard by the business. Everyone is part of a team at Waitrose, and if one team member is slacking, the rest of the team will have to work even harder to pick up the slack. This therefore helps motivate each and every employee to work even harder, as you do not want to make your friends have to work harder the next day by not completing your set task.
Visual aspects of culture in Waitrose is that they provide the customers with quality customer service and treat them all fairly. Customers may even come back without a receipt and say they bought a product from Waitrose which was not of acceptable quality and Waitrose would then give the customer the product plus money back! Waitrose raise their retail standards by launching new products and services as well as trying out new ideas with the customers. They promote certain products at certain times of they year. For example, juice will go on promotion during the summer. The building itself is very pleasant because the minute you walk in, customers get a friendly vibe from the employees, which will in turn attract the customers more. The service is friendly as well as helpful. When I was working there I always tried my best to constantly smile and give off a happy vibe towards customers, and I also managed to make friends with a lot of the regulars there.
http://www.johnlewispartnership.co.uk/Display.aspx?&MasterId=f7a66235-2266-45d0-92dd-5b61e878eb31&NavigationId=595
Conclusion:
Overall, culture is quite important to a business, as it can help portray their image to customers and give organisations a reputation to stand by. I do not believe that business set out to try and fit into one of the four specific cultures outlined by Handy, however some just naturally do. There will also be some organisations that fit into more than just one of Handy’s four categories. These are more likely to be larger organisations and businesses.
Improving Staff Performance
There are several theories that relate to motivation, and these are categorised as either “Content theories” or “Process theories”. Content Theories tend to focus on what motivates an individual, whereas process theories focus on how these things motivates an individual. Three Examples of content theories are:
· Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
· Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory
· Aldefer’s ERG Theory
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is split up into 5 stages of motivational needs and is shown in a pyramid. On the bottom level of the pyramid are the Physiological needs which relate to the basic needs of an individual, such as food, water, shelter and clothing. On the second tier of the pyramid are the Safety needs. These relate to the security of the individual, such as job security, security of family, personal health. On the third tier of the pyramid are the Social needs. These needs relate to family, friends and a feeling of belonging for the individual. The fourth level of the hierarchy are the Self-esteem needs. These needs relate to the individual feeling a sense of achievement, recognition, status in society and confidence. The fifth and final level in Maslow’s hierarchy are the Self-actualisation needs. These needs relate to creativity, and the fulfilment of inner potential.
Herzberg’s two factor theory is split up into Hygiene factors and motivators. Hygiene factors are factors that have value to a person and ensure the person is not dissatisfied, such as salary, supervision and work conditions e.g. a clean environment. The motivators are the factors which actually motivate the individual, such as recognition, responsibility, advancement and growth.
Aldefer’s ERG (Existence-Relatedness-Growth) Theory is similar to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, with a few tweaks. Existence refers to our physiological/basic and safety needs, like food and shelter. Relatedness refers to our social and external esteem needs, such as feeling welcome in the workplace. Growth refers to self-actualization and internal esteem needs such as personal fulfilment for example by getting promoted. Like Maslow’s model, Aldefer’s theory is in a hierarchy. Existence needs have propriety over relatedness needs, which have priority over growth needs.
Differences between Aldefer’s and Maslow’s model are that there are less levels in Aldefer’s hierarchy. Aldefer’s theory also shows that more than one need can motivate at the same time, and allows the order of needs to be different for different people. Aldefer also acknowledges that if a higher order need is unfulfilled, a person may move back to a lower level need that appears easier to satisfy. This is known as the frustration-regression principle. The ERG theory is more flexible and can therefore account for a wider range of observed behaviours. For example it can explain the “starving artist” who may place growth needs above relatedness needs.
(erg theory, http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/motivation/erg/
Three examples of process theories are:
· Expectancy Theory
· Equity theory
· Goal Setting Theory
The expectancy theory of motivation was suggested by Victor Vroom. Unlike Maslow and Herzberg, Vroom does not concentrate on needs, but rather focuses on the outcomes. Whereas Maslow and Herzberg look at the relationship between internal needs and the resulting effort used to try and fulfil them, Vroom separates effort, performance, and outcomes.
Vroom believed that individual behaviour is influenced by personal and environmental factors. Individuals make choices/ and decisions about their behaviour and act rationally in the process, trying to maximise pleasure and minimise pain. He also believed that individuals have different needs and drives. What works for one individual may not work for another individual.
(expectancy theory, http://www.arrod.co.uk/archive/concept_vroom.php
Expectancy is the belief that increased effort will lead to increased output. This can be affected by factors such as time and resources available. Individuals have different expectations and levels of confidence about what they are capable of producing. This can be affected by factors such as time and resources available. Instrumentality is the belief that if an individual performs well then a valued outcome will be received. This involves trust, in that the individual believes he/she will receive a reward if he/she works hard. Valence is the importance that the individual places upon the expected outcome. For example, if an individual is mainly motivated by money, he/she might not value offers of additional time off and therefore may not work hard.
http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_vroom_expectancy_theory.html
John Stacey Adams, a workplace and behavioural psychologist, put forward his Equity Theory on job motivation in 1963. Equity theory focuses on fairness. People expect certain outcomes/rewards in exchange for contribution/effort. Equity theory involves comparisons with the market, organisation, social elements (such as fellow employees) and historical elements such as previous jobs. Motivation is affected by perception of how an individual feels, as they may well compare their own position with a fellow employee and then either get motivated or demotivated. If for example, an individual sees his/her friend working hard and this resulting in the gaining of rewards from the manager, this may then motivate the individual to work harder so that this individual also individual receives these rewards. However if the individual feels/perceives that he/she is working just as hard as a fellow employee, yet the manger is rewarding the fellow employee more than the individual, then individual may feel unfairly treated and therefore become demotivated.
(equity theory, http://www.businessballs.com/adamsequitytheory.htm
Dr Edwin Locke was the man who came up with the goal setting theory of motivation. He formed this theory when he reached the conclusion that clear goals and subsequent feedback could motivate employees greatly. Goal theory is about setting yourself goals and working to the best of your ability in order to be able to achieve them. If someone is set a goal then they are more likely to be able to achieve it than someone who hasn't because they know exactly what they are working towards. The goals that are set must follow SMART criteria. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Consuming. More difficult goals lead to higher performance than easier goals, provided that they are accepted by the individual that is working towards them. SMART goals lead to higher performance than general “do your best” goals.
Feedback is crucial, but also commitment from the individual is vital.
(goal setting theory, http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_87.htm
(goal setting theory, http://ezinearticles.com/?Five-Basics-of-the-Goal-Setting-Theory&id=2469149
The ways in which Marks and Spencer and the John Lewis Partnership motivate their staff:
Marks and Spencer (M&S) developed their benefit package to help attract, motivate and retain the best people in the retail industry. M&S offer the following to help keep their staff motivated:
· Subsidised healthcare.
· Performance related pay rewards.
· Competitive rates of pay (where basic pay is reviewed every year against other retailers in order to remain competitive).
· Employee discount (20%) and family will also receive a discount card. There is no limit to amount of goods that can be bought on the discount card.
· Pension.
· Bonuses.
· Discounts and offers on a wide range of holidays, health club memberships and leisure attractions.
http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/mscareers/rewards_benefits
The John Lewis Partnership (Waitrose and John Lewis) have a massive range of benefits. I know this having previously worked at Waitrose for 2 years and compared with Marks and Spencer, the John Lewis Partnership offers much much more in the way of rewards and benefits. In order to attract, motivate and retain employees, they offer the following benefits:
· Annual bonus. Every year, a proportion of the business’s profits is distributed to Partners as a percentage of their previous year’s earnings. In my first year the bonus was 20% and having only worked there for 2 months I earned nearly £200 pounds as I had done a lot of overtime and had earned nearly £1000 in that time. Imagine what my bonuses would have been if I had continued at that rate for the whole year, or if I was a full time member of staff! Last year however, the bonus was only 12%, meaning I earned considerably less in bonuses.
· Discounts. After three months’ service, all Partners are entitled to a 12% discount on most purchases from John Lewis and Waitrose. In John Lewis this discount rises to 25% after one years’ service.
· Paid holiday. Employees get 22 days of paid holiday a year, rising to 25 days after 3 years of service. There are further long-service increases for most Partners after ten or fifteen years. Management Partners, including graduate trainees, receive five weeks’ holiday from the outset.
· Pension scheme.
· Life assurance.
· Subsidised dining room in most branches.
· Health services.
· Special help in time of need. In urgent cases, partners are offered a grant or a loan.
· Extended leave. Partners who work for 25 years can enjoy a paid sabbatical of up to 6 months.
· Education subsidies. Generous financial support is given to Partners who wish to acquire a new leisure skill or continue their education, e.g. through the Open University or evening classes.
· Health services.
· Ticket subsidies. Ticket subsidies of 50% of the cost of a visit to the theatre, opera or concert hall are available up to a maximum of £60 per year. Partners may also take advantage of corporate membership to bodies such as English Heritage, the Science Museum and the Royal Society of Arts. When I went to Reading Festival 2008, I was able to hand in proof that I went, and I received £60 in cash back.
· Societies.
· Sports Clubs.
· Voluntary benefits and discounted deals. There is a range of benefits available to Partners such as discounted private healthcare and a car purchase scheme, along with a number of one-off deals with hotels, amusement parks etc.
· Holiday and Leisure facilities. The business owns a number of residential clubs which offer subsidised holiday accommodation for Partners with at least three years’ service. These include:
- Ambleside Park in the Lake District.
- Brownsea Castle in Poole Harbour, Dorset.
- The Bala Lake Hotel and Activity Base, Snowdonia National park.
Something which is not mentioned on the John Lewis website is that as Waitrose are the proud sponsors of Reading Football Club, partners are able to receive free or discounted tickets to go and see them (depending on how much the manager likes you)! Another fact which is not mentioned is that partners get paid according to how well they perform (performance related pay), and they receive Annual Reviewals of Pay (ARP’s) to see exactly how well they are performing, and what they can do to improve in order to get their pay grading up.
http://www.jlpjobs.com/experiencedHire/experiencedHire/benefits.htm
The motivation model which the John Lewis Partnership uses:
The John Lewis Partnership (2009) relates more to Maslow's theory because it offers its partners peace of mind about their job. It satisfies physiological needs, as partners receive a wage and uniform ensuring they have clothes and food. It satisfies safety needs, as partners feel secure in their job and there are many strict (and some which I personally see as silly) health and safety regulations in place to ensure that partners remain safe whilst working. Social needs are fulfilled as there are plenty of people to talk to and you are working as part of a team on your section (e.g. none of you can leave until all of the work has been completed). Also what I found pleasant about Waitrose, was that the majority of employees there were also part time and students like myself. It fulfils self-esteem needs, as the managers there give you a large degree of responsibility and recognise when you have done something well. Finally the self-actualization needs are partly fulfilled as when an employee works hard they will receive praise and there are always opportunities for moving up the ladder at Waitrose. There is plenty of training given frequently, which provides opportunities for growth. I was trained on how to provide perfect customer service for example. To completely fulfil these needs, it is up to the individual to work hard and feel this way if he/she reaches the top.
Conclusion:
To conclude, it is obvious that both Marks and Spencer and the John Lewis Partnership have similar methods of motivating their staff. This is probably because they are both retail supermarkets. John Lewis do however offer considerably more than M&S. They clearly both follow motivational theories and constantly have a large employee base showing that their methods of motivating staff are certainly effective.
· Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
· Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory
· Aldefer’s ERG Theory
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs is split up into 5 stages of motivational needs and is shown in a pyramid. On the bottom level of the pyramid are the Physiological needs which relate to the basic needs of an individual, such as food, water, shelter and clothing. On the second tier of the pyramid are the Safety needs. These relate to the security of the individual, such as job security, security of family, personal health. On the third tier of the pyramid are the Social needs. These needs relate to family, friends and a feeling of belonging for the individual. The fourth level of the hierarchy are the Self-esteem needs. These needs relate to the individual feeling a sense of achievement, recognition, status in society and confidence. The fifth and final level in Maslow’s hierarchy are the Self-actualisation needs. These needs relate to creativity, and the fulfilment of inner potential.
Herzberg’s two factor theory is split up into Hygiene factors and motivators. Hygiene factors are factors that have value to a person and ensure the person is not dissatisfied, such as salary, supervision and work conditions e.g. a clean environment. The motivators are the factors which actually motivate the individual, such as recognition, responsibility, advancement and growth.
Aldefer’s ERG (Existence-Relatedness-Growth) Theory is similar to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, with a few tweaks. Existence refers to our physiological/basic and safety needs, like food and shelter. Relatedness refers to our social and external esteem needs, such as feeling welcome in the workplace. Growth refers to self-actualization and internal esteem needs such as personal fulfilment for example by getting promoted. Like Maslow’s model, Aldefer’s theory is in a hierarchy. Existence needs have propriety over relatedness needs, which have priority over growth needs.
Differences between Aldefer’s and Maslow’s model are that there are less levels in Aldefer’s hierarchy. Aldefer’s theory also shows that more than one need can motivate at the same time, and allows the order of needs to be different for different people. Aldefer also acknowledges that if a higher order need is unfulfilled, a person may move back to a lower level need that appears easier to satisfy. This is known as the frustration-regression principle. The ERG theory is more flexible and can therefore account for a wider range of observed behaviours. For example it can explain the “starving artist” who may place growth needs above relatedness needs.
(erg theory, http://www.netmba.com/mgmt/ob/motivation/erg/
Three examples of process theories are:
· Expectancy Theory
· Equity theory
· Goal Setting Theory
The expectancy theory of motivation was suggested by Victor Vroom. Unlike Maslow and Herzberg, Vroom does not concentrate on needs, but rather focuses on the outcomes. Whereas Maslow and Herzberg look at the relationship between internal needs and the resulting effort used to try and fulfil them, Vroom separates effort, performance, and outcomes.
Vroom believed that individual behaviour is influenced by personal and environmental factors. Individuals make choices/ and decisions about their behaviour and act rationally in the process, trying to maximise pleasure and minimise pain. He also believed that individuals have different needs and drives. What works for one individual may not work for another individual.
(expectancy theory, http://www.arrod.co.uk/archive/concept_vroom.php
Expectancy is the belief that increased effort will lead to increased output. This can be affected by factors such as time and resources available. Individuals have different expectations and levels of confidence about what they are capable of producing. This can be affected by factors such as time and resources available. Instrumentality is the belief that if an individual performs well then a valued outcome will be received. This involves trust, in that the individual believes he/she will receive a reward if he/she works hard. Valence is the importance that the individual places upon the expected outcome. For example, if an individual is mainly motivated by money, he/she might not value offers of additional time off and therefore may not work hard.
http://www.valuebasedmanagement.net/methods_vroom_expectancy_theory.html
John Stacey Adams, a workplace and behavioural psychologist, put forward his Equity Theory on job motivation in 1963. Equity theory focuses on fairness. People expect certain outcomes/rewards in exchange for contribution/effort. Equity theory involves comparisons with the market, organisation, social elements (such as fellow employees) and historical elements such as previous jobs. Motivation is affected by perception of how an individual feels, as they may well compare their own position with a fellow employee and then either get motivated or demotivated. If for example, an individual sees his/her friend working hard and this resulting in the gaining of rewards from the manager, this may then motivate the individual to work harder so that this individual also individual receives these rewards. However if the individual feels/perceives that he/she is working just as hard as a fellow employee, yet the manger is rewarding the fellow employee more than the individual, then individual may feel unfairly treated and therefore become demotivated.
(equity theory, http://www.businessballs.com/adamsequitytheory.htm
Dr Edwin Locke was the man who came up with the goal setting theory of motivation. He formed this theory when he reached the conclusion that clear goals and subsequent feedback could motivate employees greatly. Goal theory is about setting yourself goals and working to the best of your ability in order to be able to achieve them. If someone is set a goal then they are more likely to be able to achieve it than someone who hasn't because they know exactly what they are working towards. The goals that are set must follow SMART criteria. SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time Consuming. More difficult goals lead to higher performance than easier goals, provided that they are accepted by the individual that is working towards them. SMART goals lead to higher performance than general “do your best” goals.
Feedback is crucial, but also commitment from the individual is vital.
(goal setting theory, http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_87.htm
(goal setting theory, http://ezinearticles.com/?Five-Basics-of-the-Goal-Setting-Theory&id=2469149
The ways in which Marks and Spencer and the John Lewis Partnership motivate their staff:
Marks and Spencer (M&S) developed their benefit package to help attract, motivate and retain the best people in the retail industry. M&S offer the following to help keep their staff motivated:
· Subsidised healthcare.
· Performance related pay rewards.
· Competitive rates of pay (where basic pay is reviewed every year against other retailers in order to remain competitive).
· Employee discount (20%) and family will also receive a discount card. There is no limit to amount of goods that can be bought on the discount card.
· Pension.
· Bonuses.
· Discounts and offers on a wide range of holidays, health club memberships and leisure attractions.
http://corporate.marksandspencer.com/mscareers/rewards_benefits
The John Lewis Partnership (Waitrose and John Lewis) have a massive range of benefits. I know this having previously worked at Waitrose for 2 years and compared with Marks and Spencer, the John Lewis Partnership offers much much more in the way of rewards and benefits. In order to attract, motivate and retain employees, they offer the following benefits:
· Annual bonus. Every year, a proportion of the business’s profits is distributed to Partners as a percentage of their previous year’s earnings. In my first year the bonus was 20% and having only worked there for 2 months I earned nearly £200 pounds as I had done a lot of overtime and had earned nearly £1000 in that time. Imagine what my bonuses would have been if I had continued at that rate for the whole year, or if I was a full time member of staff! Last year however, the bonus was only 12%, meaning I earned considerably less in bonuses.
· Discounts. After three months’ service, all Partners are entitled to a 12% discount on most purchases from John Lewis and Waitrose. In John Lewis this discount rises to 25% after one years’ service.
· Paid holiday. Employees get 22 days of paid holiday a year, rising to 25 days after 3 years of service. There are further long-service increases for most Partners after ten or fifteen years. Management Partners, including graduate trainees, receive five weeks’ holiday from the outset.
· Pension scheme.
· Life assurance.
· Subsidised dining room in most branches.
· Health services.
· Special help in time of need. In urgent cases, partners are offered a grant or a loan.
· Extended leave. Partners who work for 25 years can enjoy a paid sabbatical of up to 6 months.
· Education subsidies. Generous financial support is given to Partners who wish to acquire a new leisure skill or continue their education, e.g. through the Open University or evening classes.
· Health services.
· Ticket subsidies. Ticket subsidies of 50% of the cost of a visit to the theatre, opera or concert hall are available up to a maximum of £60 per year. Partners may also take advantage of corporate membership to bodies such as English Heritage, the Science Museum and the Royal Society of Arts. When I went to Reading Festival 2008, I was able to hand in proof that I went, and I received £60 in cash back.
· Societies.
· Sports Clubs.
· Voluntary benefits and discounted deals. There is a range of benefits available to Partners such as discounted private healthcare and a car purchase scheme, along with a number of one-off deals with hotels, amusement parks etc.
· Holiday and Leisure facilities. The business owns a number of residential clubs which offer subsidised holiday accommodation for Partners with at least three years’ service. These include:
- Ambleside Park in the Lake District.
- Brownsea Castle in Poole Harbour, Dorset.
- The Bala Lake Hotel and Activity Base, Snowdonia National park.
Something which is not mentioned on the John Lewis website is that as Waitrose are the proud sponsors of Reading Football Club, partners are able to receive free or discounted tickets to go and see them (depending on how much the manager likes you)! Another fact which is not mentioned is that partners get paid according to how well they perform (performance related pay), and they receive Annual Reviewals of Pay (ARP’s) to see exactly how well they are performing, and what they can do to improve in order to get their pay grading up.
http://www.jlpjobs.com/experiencedHire/experiencedHire/benefits.htm
The motivation model which the John Lewis Partnership uses:
The John Lewis Partnership (2009) relates more to Maslow's theory because it offers its partners peace of mind about their job. It satisfies physiological needs, as partners receive a wage and uniform ensuring they have clothes and food. It satisfies safety needs, as partners feel secure in their job and there are many strict (and some which I personally see as silly) health and safety regulations in place to ensure that partners remain safe whilst working. Social needs are fulfilled as there are plenty of people to talk to and you are working as part of a team on your section (e.g. none of you can leave until all of the work has been completed). Also what I found pleasant about Waitrose, was that the majority of employees there were also part time and students like myself. It fulfils self-esteem needs, as the managers there give you a large degree of responsibility and recognise when you have done something well. Finally the self-actualization needs are partly fulfilled as when an employee works hard they will receive praise and there are always opportunities for moving up the ladder at Waitrose. There is plenty of training given frequently, which provides opportunities for growth. I was trained on how to provide perfect customer service for example. To completely fulfil these needs, it is up to the individual to work hard and feel this way if he/she reaches the top.
Conclusion:
To conclude, it is obvious that both Marks and Spencer and the John Lewis Partnership have similar methods of motivating their staff. This is probably because they are both retail supermarkets. John Lewis do however offer considerably more than M&S. They clearly both follow motivational theories and constantly have a large employee base showing that their methods of motivating staff are certainly effective.
Monday, 30 November 2009
The Motivation Theory which I feel is most relevant to me is Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management, that people are mainly motivated by pay. His theory states that workers generally do not enjoy work and have to be closely supervised. He proposed that in order to solve this problem, managers should break down the work into a series of little jobs and workers should be given the appropriate training and equipment to be able to complete the tasks as efficiently as possible. He claimed that workers should be paid by the amount of units they produce (performance related pay). I work as at Waitrose and employees at Waitrose get paid based on their performance. This encourages Waitrose workers to work hard and maximise productivity. When I was told how much I could be earning compared to what I was earning at Waitrose, it motivated me to work harder and faster resulting in my pay going up.
(tutor2u, http://tutor2u.net/business/gcse/people_motivation_theories.htm
Motivation for starting university:
My main motivation for starting uni was simply the fact that I have always wanted to be an accountant, and the best way to do this is to obtain a degree. I have always enjoyed numbers, and so far I am thoroughly enjoying my Accounting and Finance course (and hopefully doing well)! I am here because I want to obtain a degree, meet new people and also have fun. My uncle is also an accountant and he is extremely well off, owning 3 houses and having extremely flexible hours. In the next few years the main things that are going to motivate me to do well, are my parents and getting a decent job at the end of uni. I also have experience of not doing very well as I royally messed up my first year in sixth form and had to redo some of the exams. The memory of looking at that grade sheet at the end of the year and realising that I may as well have taken a gap year because it felt that I had wasted the whole year, will motivate me to push myself and continue working hard in order to achieve my degree and hopefully a successful (highly-paid) job. My motivation is relating to Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management because it is mainly money that is motivating me. If I was a millionaire and money was no object for me I certainly would not be motivated to attend lectures, focus on my work and obtain the best degree possible, as I would much rather be going out spending that money elsewhere. I know that by working hard now, I will be able to reap the rewards later on in life with a well paid job, and in that job if I continue to work hard, I will be able to climb the accountancy ladder resulting in me earning even more money (performance related pay).
Time when I was Demotivated:
A time when I was very demotivated was during my first year in sixth form. I had received GCSE results that I was very pleased with and the newly given freedom I received upon entering sixth form, you could say went straight to my head. I spent more time having fun and messing around with my mates than working, and I did not realise the step up that was needed from GCSE to A Level. The main reason I felt like this was ignorance and the fact that I felt that I had been spending all my life working and now I had to put in another two whole years of hard work. At the end of the year when I looked upon that grade sheet and saw that I had just wasted a whole year, I felt like the most foolish person in the world. I had to retake the whole year. I promised myself that I would never slack again, and since then I have kept to my work, completing all work to the best of my ability and handing them in before the set deadlines. As well an my motivation increasing after my first year in sixth form, I also noticed my grades going up, which in turn motivates me to work even harder and achieve even better grades.
Relating to Theories learned in lecture:
In relation to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, I was working towards self-esteem needs. I wanted to gain recognition and status by doing well after failing so miserably. If I had worked hard during my first year I would not have had to retake, and watch some of my friends finish school before me. A reason for why I want to become an accountant is because an accountant is a well respected job. I want to work toward gaining a degree so that I can be proud to tell my family I have one. I am working towards gaining their recognition (self-esteem needs), but also status in society and personal fulfilment and achievement (self-actualisation needs). With regards to Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory, I was dissatisfied with my results, and after attaining much better results the following year, I was motivated to continue working as hard as I was and in fact to try even harder because I was proud to show off my results due to the recognition I gained from them. Gaining a better grade than I was predicted was a major sense of achievement for me. With relation to Aldefer’s ERG Theory, growth needs would have been relevant to me as I wanted to grow and achieve even better grades the first time round following my successful retakes.
Conclusion:
I believe that motivation is key to every individual in all aspects of work and life. If you work hard you have a better chance of achieving what you want and becoming successful in life. I have learned from my past mistakes that it is better to try to get things done to the best of your ability the first time round, as if you have to retake, you just end up putting in more effort in because it takes longer, costs more, and makes you feel bad. To become successful in this degree course I understand that I must remain motivated and continue working to the best of my ability, whilst handing in all work before the deadline.
(tutor2u, http://tutor2u.net/business/gcse/people_motivation_theories.htm
Motivation for starting university:
My main motivation for starting uni was simply the fact that I have always wanted to be an accountant, and the best way to do this is to obtain a degree. I have always enjoyed numbers, and so far I am thoroughly enjoying my Accounting and Finance course (and hopefully doing well)! I am here because I want to obtain a degree, meet new people and also have fun. My uncle is also an accountant and he is extremely well off, owning 3 houses and having extremely flexible hours. In the next few years the main things that are going to motivate me to do well, are my parents and getting a decent job at the end of uni. I also have experience of not doing very well as I royally messed up my first year in sixth form and had to redo some of the exams. The memory of looking at that grade sheet at the end of the year and realising that I may as well have taken a gap year because it felt that I had wasted the whole year, will motivate me to push myself and continue working hard in order to achieve my degree and hopefully a successful (highly-paid) job. My motivation is relating to Taylor’s Theory of Scientific Management because it is mainly money that is motivating me. If I was a millionaire and money was no object for me I certainly would not be motivated to attend lectures, focus on my work and obtain the best degree possible, as I would much rather be going out spending that money elsewhere. I know that by working hard now, I will be able to reap the rewards later on in life with a well paid job, and in that job if I continue to work hard, I will be able to climb the accountancy ladder resulting in me earning even more money (performance related pay).
Time when I was Demotivated:
A time when I was very demotivated was during my first year in sixth form. I had received GCSE results that I was very pleased with and the newly given freedom I received upon entering sixth form, you could say went straight to my head. I spent more time having fun and messing around with my mates than working, and I did not realise the step up that was needed from GCSE to A Level. The main reason I felt like this was ignorance and the fact that I felt that I had been spending all my life working and now I had to put in another two whole years of hard work. At the end of the year when I looked upon that grade sheet and saw that I had just wasted a whole year, I felt like the most foolish person in the world. I had to retake the whole year. I promised myself that I would never slack again, and since then I have kept to my work, completing all work to the best of my ability and handing them in before the set deadlines. As well an my motivation increasing after my first year in sixth form, I also noticed my grades going up, which in turn motivates me to work even harder and achieve even better grades.
Relating to Theories learned in lecture:
In relation to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, I was working towards self-esteem needs. I wanted to gain recognition and status by doing well after failing so miserably. If I had worked hard during my first year I would not have had to retake, and watch some of my friends finish school before me. A reason for why I want to become an accountant is because an accountant is a well respected job. I want to work toward gaining a degree so that I can be proud to tell my family I have one. I am working towards gaining their recognition (self-esteem needs), but also status in society and personal fulfilment and achievement (self-actualisation needs). With regards to Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory, I was dissatisfied with my results, and after attaining much better results the following year, I was motivated to continue working as hard as I was and in fact to try even harder because I was proud to show off my results due to the recognition I gained from them. Gaining a better grade than I was predicted was a major sense of achievement for me. With relation to Aldefer’s ERG Theory, growth needs would have been relevant to me as I wanted to grow and achieve even better grades the first time round following my successful retakes.
Conclusion:
I believe that motivation is key to every individual in all aspects of work and life. If you work hard you have a better chance of achieving what you want and becoming successful in life. I have learned from my past mistakes that it is better to try to get things done to the best of your ability the first time round, as if you have to retake, you just end up putting in more effort in because it takes longer, costs more, and makes you feel bad. To become successful in this degree course I understand that I must remain motivated and continue working to the best of my ability, whilst handing in all work before the deadline.
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