Motivation Models and Job Redesign for Employee Retention

Introduction and Motivation Model Application

In the contemporary business environment, companies are expected not only to satisfy their customers but also to satisfy their employees. For instance, FedEx has discovered a statistical correlation between employee satisfaction and customer satisfaction: a decline in employee satisfaction leads to a corresponding decline in customer satisfaction. Research across different industries confirms that employee satisfaction helps increase customer satisfaction and strengthen customer loyalty. Employees who are satisfied with their jobs and working conditions are more likely to remain loyal to their organizations, deliver high-quality service, and maintain strong productivity.

The case of LegoAssembly4You reveals that the full-time employee is not satisfied with his current job because he performs the majority of work tasks yet receives the same hourly pay as the part-time worker. This inequity has led him to contemplate quitting the company, and his motivation to complete work is diminishing. LegoAssembly4You needs to implement a motivation model quickly to prevent losing this experienced employee.

The objective of this project is to apply a motivation model to retain the company's employee and enhance job satisfaction.

This study applies a motivation model to boost worker morale and reduce employee turnover. Zhang, Fan, and Zhang (2015) argue that applying a motivation model is an effective tool for enhancing creative performance. They contend that power motivation enhances individual creativity as well as "improving the quality of leader-member exchange" (Zhang, Fan, & Zhang, 2015, p. 613). Power motivation refers to an individual's ability to gain recognition, influence others, and acquire social status.

Fernandez and Moldogaziev (2015) argue that employee empowerment is an effective strategy for improving employee motivation, which in turn improves service quality, increases customer satisfaction, and promotes innovation. They further point out that empowerment practices promote self-determination and enhance positive job satisfaction. In a business context, empowerment involves granting a person the authority to take necessary actions and make appropriate decisions without waiting for management approval (Evans, 2016). The goal of empowerment is to tap employees' intellectual and creative energy and allow them to exercise genuine leadership within their domain of competence.

LegoAssembly4You should therefore apply an empowerment model to motivate its full-time employee and reduce turnover. The company should bring decision-making closer to frontline employees to improve motivation and morale, which will in turn enhance productivity and service quality. Empowerment is a natural strategy for increasing employee involvement. If the full-time worker is given decision-making authority and held responsible for the outcomes of those decisions, he will be less likely to contemplate leaving. For example, rather than working alongside the part-time employee as a co-worker, the full-time worker should be elevated to a supervisory role with the authority to delegate tasks to the part-time worker. This empowerment strategy will give the full-time employee a meaningful leading role in the product assembly process.

Remuneration and Reward Systems

An effective strategy for motivating employees is to revise the remuneration structure. In a business environment, restructuring an organization without changing the employee reward system can be counterproductive. When management asks an employee to assume new responsibilities, the compensation must be adjusted accordingly, because organizations that implement structural changes without corresponding pay changes are unlikely to sustain those changes successfully.

The management of LegoAssembly4You should use both intrinsic and extrinsic rewards as motivational tools, since both are critical to sustaining individual effort. The company should redesign the work environment, reward systems, recognition practices, and compensation structure to enhance organizational effectiveness. The pay structure should also be tied to the acquisition of new skills and demonstrated competencies. Fernandez and Moldogaziev (2013) identify extrinsic rewards as effective tools for increasing performance, motivation, and job satisfaction — noting, for example, that monetary rewards are significantly valued. Intrinsic rewards linked to pay-for-performance have also shown marginal effectiveness in improving worker performance.

Job Design Approach

The shortcomings identified in the current work design lead this study to recommend that LegoAssembly4You redesign its work structure using a motivational work design approach. Parker (2014) argues that motivational job design theory provides evidence of its impact on job satisfaction and job performance. Furthermore, motivation theory addresses the relationship between employee expectancy and performance, influencing the types of rewards available to individual workers. The central concept of motivational work design is to allow individual workers to be responsible for job outcomes while granting them freedom, control, and authority.

The Job Characteristics Model (JCM) is one key component of the motivation model, alongside the group work model. This study recommends using the JCM rather than the group work model currently in practice. The JCM helps individuals feel responsible for their job outcomes and delivers benefits including improved job satisfaction, reduced employee turnover, greater growth satisfaction, enhanced internal work motivation, and stronger organizational commitment. Specifically, the full-time worker should be empowered to serve as a supervisor for the part-time worker, given that he has already acquired the skills and experience necessary to perform the tasks. This empowerment arrangement will also give the full-time worker appropriate decision-making authority regarding job responsibilities.

Additionally, the remuneration of the full-time worker should exceed that of the part-time worker. While the part-time worker should continue to be paid $7.75 per hour, the full-time worker should be paid $10.00 per hour, since monetary incentives are a critical method of motivating workers and boosting productivity. The company should also modernize the workstation, replacing the outdated picnic table in the garage with a contemporary work surface that reduces obstacles in the work process and allows both workers to carry out their tasks effectively and efficiently. These combined strategies will motivate the full-time worker to remain committed to the organization.

References

Evans, J. R. (2016). Quality & performance excellence: Management, organization, and strategy (8th ed.). Cengage Learning.

Fernandez, S., & Moldogaziev, T. (2015). Employee empowerment and job satisfaction in the U.S. Federal Bureaucracy: A self-determination theory perspective. American Review of Public Administration, 45(4), 375–401.

Lor, C. (2000). Potential ergonomic problems in the working environment at XYZ company. The Graduate College, University of Wisconsin–Menomonie.

NTCES. (2009). Ergonomics standards: Anthropometry and biomechanics (in Chinese). National Technical Committee of Ergonomics Standard; China Standards Publishing House.

Parker, S. K. (2014). Beyond motivation: Job and work design for development, health, ambidexterity, and more. Annual Review of Psychology, 65(1), 661–691.

Salvendy, G. (2012). Handbook of human factors and ergonomics (4th ed.). John Wiley & Sons.

Zhang, J., Fan, Y., & Zhang, X. (2015). The role of power motivation in creativity: A moderated mediation model. Social Behavior and Personality, 43(4), 613–628.