Human Resources Organizational Behavior Relevant

Human Resources Organizational Behavior Relevant Problem In the case The Pay-For Performance Program among Denver Teachers hits a Roadblock, Robbins & Judge, (2007), the relevant problem is the dissention between the school district and the union about wage increases. The Denver Public schools had implemented a pay-for-performance plan three years prior. When the plan was first put into place it was thought to be a model for this type of plan around the country, but not so much anymore.

The breakdown appears to come from an idealistic disagreement between the school district and the teachers union. The district is proposing big increased in incentive pay, with the caveat that the largest increases going to early and midcareer teachers and those willing to take risks working in poor schools or taking jobs that few others want. The union agrees with the idea of large bonuses but also wants to see an across the board pay increase for all teachers.

The biggest thing that the union opposes in the changes that would hold down wages of veteran teachers in order to make money available for bonuses for novice teachers. In the end the school board has to come up with a motivational pay incentive plan that will be agreeable to both the school board and the teachers union. Options or Alternatives One alternative that could be used would be to institute a base pay for everyone based on the tenure and then implement bonuses based on the following criteria.

Bonuses could be given for those teachers who achieve good evaluations and/or further their education. This would be something that the teachers could do on personal level. The motivation for them would simple be that of personally increasing their own salaries. In addition to these bonuses, teachers would be eligible to receive increases based upon their affect on the students that they teach. This could be done in one of two ways. Another alternative would be to go with something like what is already proposed.

Currently teachers are eligible for raises for good evaluations and continuing their own education. Teachers get bonuses for guiding students to high schools on the Colorado achievement tests. They also get bonuses for meeting student accomplishment goals that have nothing to do with test scores. In this scenario teacher bonuses are tacked onto the base salary and are cumulative (Robbins & Judge, 2007). Decision Recommendations In this case it is vital to come up with a solution that is equitable for both sides.

Adams' Equity Theory calls for a fair equilibrium to be agreed to between an employee's inputs like hard work, skill level, tolerance and enthusiasm and an employee's outputs like salary, benefits, and intangibles such as recognition. According to the theory, finding this fair equilibrium serves to make sure a strong and productive association is attained with the worker, with the overall consequence being satisfied, motivated workers. This theory recognizes that understated and variable factors affect a workers assessment and perception of their association with their work and their employer.

The theory is founded on the belief that workers become de-motivated, both in relation to their job and their employer, if they feel as though their inputs are greater than the outputs. Workers can be expected to react to this is different ways, including de-motivation generally to the extent the worker perceives the difference between the inputs and the outputs exist, abridged effort, becoming disgruntled, or, in more tremendous cases, perhaps even unsettling (Adams' Equity Theory, 2011).

In the case of the teachers the best solution would be to set a base salary for everyone and then pay bonuses based upon the equity theory. The amount of the bonus would be tied to the amount of input from the teachers. The more input from the teachers the more output from the school district in the form of a bonus. In order to continue to make the plan as equitable as possible it would be necessary for the bonuses not be cumulative.

The base salary for everyone should remain the same from year to year. Implementation Tactics It is important when implementing a plan based on equity theory that one considers the Adams' Equity Theory factors when striving to improve an employee's job satisfaction and motivation level and what can be done to encourage higher levels of each. To do this, one should consider the balance or imbalance that presently exists between the employee's inputs and outputs.

Inputs characteristically include: effort, loyalty, hard work, commitment, skill, ability, adaptability, flexibility, tolerance, determination, enthusiasm, trust in superiors, support of colleagues and personal sacrifice. Outputs normally include: financial rewards such as salary, benefits and perks, and intangibles that typically include: recognition, reputation, responsibility, sense of achievement, praise, stimulus, sense of advancement and job security (Adams' Equity Theory, 2011). When implementing a solution to the school districts dilemma it would be necessary to reward the teachers for their amount of inputs. This would include effort, hard work and commitment.

Those teachers that put forth the most effort in the area of inputs would be rewarded the most in outputs such as increased salary and benefits. This would be the best plan to have a pay for performance plan. Those that perform well will get rewarded the most. Assessment Criteria for Success or Failure In these days of budget cuts, classroom congestion, and obligatory high risk testing, teacher motivation is more and more difficult to maintain.

A lot of teachers criticize the lack of power they have over their classroom preparation due to federally, state, or district commanded programs. Not only is their classroom time strictly proscribed, it is also frequently very intricate, with students being pulled out or sent in for enhancement or aptitude grouped mini classes. Unfortunately, the lack of successful teacher motivation is a major factor in knowledgeable teachers looking for work elsewhere (Cory, 2011).

Because of the fact that all of these de-motivation factors are present in the classroom on a daily basis, the last straw that drives teachers away is unbalance in the compensation system of the district. Teachers.