Organizations include many different types of people and personalities that in turn create a need for different types of motivational strategies. In our organization we have three types of employees that we work with: salespeople, production workers, and administrative staff. We will be discussing which motivational theories affect each group and why it impacts each group differently.
Production Staff
The production staff in our organization seems to be motivated best using "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs" theory. This theory states that a person has five levels of needs in order for a person to be motivated (Shermerhorn, 2005). The five levels are physiological, safety, social, esteem and self-actualization. Although some people have argued that this theory lacks merit on the basis that people don't necessarily follow a step by step method of motivation, the basic principle is sound. Maslow stated that people must have his/her lower level needs met before moving on to the next level. Although all employees are different, the needs discussed in this principle are definitely applicable within our organization.
The first level on the lower-order needs is physiological. The production workers within our organization are not highly paid employees. These employees are unskilled laborers that have very limited schooling. Most of the workers need this job just to provide the basic needs for their families. We are a manufacturing company that needs to remain competitive in the market in order to keep jobs. This job provides for the first level of need according to Maslow's theory.
The second level of need is safety. The employees need to feel they are safe in the workplace both physically and ...