Managing Individual Performance
Motivation is an essential factor in managing the individual performance of employees to attain desired individual and organizational results. In this paper I will be defining the concept of motivation within the context of the workplace. I will also explain criteria utilized to evaluate and select candidates in order to form an effective work team. And finally, I will discuss additional factors and theories taken into consideration to solve problems affecting employees to obtain desired outcomes.
Motivation refers to the forces within a person that affect his or her direction, intensity, and persistence of voluntary behavior (McShane & Von Glinow, 2005). Motivated employees exert a particular level of effort (intensity), for a certain amount of time (persistence), toward a particular goal (direction) (McShane & Von Glinow). Motivation involves furnishing people with a reason to do what they are asked to do and managers need to understand and use motivation (Langemo, 1985). Individuals have different needs priorities so managers must customize the fulfilling of needs (motivation) to each individual (Langemo). Motivating each individual will result in improved morale throughout the group and achieving desirable outcomes (Langemo).
Going through the “Managing Individual Performance” simulation my first task as manager was to select four company employees to work as volunteers on a social project. The project involved helping substance abusers go through rehabilitation. Based on the understanding that what motivates an individual is linked to the person’s personality I assigned each volunteer to a particular ...