Motivation and Performance Management: Organizational Behavior

Organizational Behavior

How New Practices at Sodexho Align with the Essentials of Performance Management

Performance management, in basic terms, has got to do with an organization's involvement of employees with an aim of enabling them to achieve objectives and, hence, further enhance performance at both the individual and organizational level. Quite a number of changes have taken place at Sodexho since the entry of Ms. Rohini Anand, the Senior Vice President and Global Chief Diversity Officer at Sodexho. To what extent do these changes and new practices align with the essentials of performance management?

To begin with, Sodexho has been able to not only define, but also clarify performance expectations. This, as will be indicated below, has been more so the case when it comes to identifying the exact performance expectations of various groups or categories of employees. As Ms. Anand points out, interviewers at Sodexho are trained on cultural competent recruiting. It is only via sound understanding of the cultural orientation of individuals that those charged with recruitment and selection can be able to hire competent individuals -- primarily by understanding, in Ms. Anand's words, "the different values that people bring to the table." Cultural competency is also key when it comes to the offering of promotions at Sodexho.

Feedback and coaching, as Sims (2002) points out, remains one of the key essentials of performance management. In the author's own words, "in order to improve performance, employees need information (feedback) about their performance, along with guidance in reaching the next level of result" (Sims, 2002, p. 81). According to Ms. Anand, Sodexho does promote the need to offer individuals feedback relating to their performance. For instance, she points out that minority employees at Sodexho are not mystified about why their promotion is not forthcoming. Instead, they are given feedback and told exactly what it is that they need to do.

Sodexho has also been facilitative of actual performance by not only providing adequate organizational resources, but also via the removal of organizational barriers and obstacles that inhibit performance. A certain percentage of the bonus payments of the company's top executives is pegged on their track record when it comes to the recruitment of a diverse workforce.

How Sodexho is Using Social Networking to its Advantage

Sodexho encourages various groups of minority employees to work together, regardless of their cultural background, sexual orientation, or even race. In these networking groups, as Inskeep points out, employees share experiences and single out their individual weak points. This is critical as it is in identifying their individual weak points that employees can strategize on how to eliminate such weaknesses and improve their performance. In the end, the organization benefits by having a more efficient and motivated workforce.

Section 2

Dr. Peter Drucker's Statement: "You cannot motivate employees, employees must motivate themselves."

Meaning of the Statement in Regard to Motivation Theory

When it comes to employee motivation, the best results are achieved not by promising incentives or cracking the whip, but by taking deliberate steps to stimulate self-motivation on the part of employees. Self-motivation promotes not only self-confidence, but also composure and collectedness in employees as they seek to perform their various duties.

Some of the Methods that Could be Used to Promote Self-Motivation in the Workplace

Self-motivation in the workplace could be promoted in a number of ways. These include:

1. Roping-in Employees in Decision Making

Allowing employees to be part of the decision-making process promotes their commitment to organizational goals and enhances their self-esteem. Given that motivation is largely about will, as opposed to the application of specific techniques (i.e. offering of incentives), involving employees makes them feel as part and parcel of the organization -- thereby inspiring and stimulating their drive and enthusiasm.