Police Officer Morale, Motivation, and Administration Gap

Introduction and Problem Statement

Organizations endeavor to have more productive personnel, who are deemed the most significant resources and a determining factor for success. Low levels of productivity can be linked to poor employee morale and motivation. The accomplishment and efficacy of any organization relies, to a large extent, on how well personnel maintain morale (Shaban, Al-Zubi, & Alqotaish, 2017; Osabiya, 2015). According to Stephen (2014), several theories of management suggest that motivated personnel and those with high morale tend to be more inspired and productive, and it is prudent for any management to utilize this perspective in order to augment employee output and increase morale.

Most people assume that police work is dissatisfying and stressful owing to the hazard and risk involved in everyday duty. Without a doubt, there is some peril involved in policing, but a great deal of the lack of morale and dissatisfaction experienced by police officers stems from organizational frustration and lack of connection between low-level officers policing the streets and police administrators (Boag-Munroe et al., 2017). Lack of consideration for the actual needs of police officers is a significant part of the problem, aggravated by both organizational and environmental issues. In the policing workplace, one of the key problems is the feeling that administration has lost touch with low-level supervision and beat officers. This is a key issue because it leads to low productivity (Swartout et al., 2015). One of the issues linked to this is the lack of proper understanding regarding the material needs of beat officers (Bitner, 2013).

The problem this research study addresses is how administration can bridge the existing gap between itself and beat officers, and how comprehending the needs of beat officers can sustain high levels of morale and motivation. The current study aims to examine the effect of the lack of supervision and detachment between administration and low-level supervisors and beat officers, and how this leads to low morale and motivation. Low morale and motivation, in turn, results in low productivity, which may give rise to absenteeism and poor patrol coverage, adversely affecting society through increased levels of crime. A questionnaire will be designed to achieve the purpose of this research study and distributed to selected beat officers working in different police precincts. Data collected will be analyzed through SPSS using descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression analysis.

Purpose Statement and Conceptual Framework

The purpose of this research is to investigate and explore the different perspectives of beat officers with respect to the lost connection between them and administration, what can be done to bridge this gap, and how administration can comprehend the actual needs of beat officers in order to maintain high morale.

Morale is defined as a mixture of an employee's attitudes toward the organization, work, and immediate supervisor. It is a mindset or readiness to work that influences the objectives of both the individual and the organization as a whole. Ultimately, the morale and motivation of personnel affects output levels, costs, enthusiasm, collaboration, initiative, and overall success. According to Carpenter et al. (2011), the significant factors that impact morale include the attitudes of administrators and managers toward subordinates, working conditions, remuneration, and safety policies. Other factors include effective leadership and the prudent distribution of authority and responsibility within the organization, as well as the organizational structure that determines the ease of workflow.

The conceptual framework of this research study is based on the Two-Factor Theory. Also referred to as the motivation-hygiene theory, this framework was developed by Frederick Herzberg and provides comprehensive views regarding work morale and motivation. Herzberg classified different factors as either satisfiers or dissatisfiers, also characterized as motivation factors and hygiene factors, respectively.

Hygiene factors are the conditions within the job setting that are indispensable for the existence of morale and motivation at the workplace. They do not produce positive satisfaction over the long term; however, if these factors are absent from the work setting, they result in dissatisfaction and lack of morale. The key hygiene factors include: compensation, which ought to be suitable, reasonable, and competitive relative to others in similar roles; physical working conditions, which ought to be safe and well-maintained; interpersonal relations, meaning that the relationship between personnel and supervisors ought to be appropriate and respectful; job security, whereby the organization is expected to provide stable employment; and organizational and administrative policies, which ought to be flexible, objective, and clear for all personnel (Herzberg et al., 1959).

In contrast, hygiene factors alone cannot be deemed motivators or satisfiers. Motivational factors, also referred to as satisfiers, give rise to constructive levels of satisfaction that are intrinsic to the work itself. Notably, motivational factors generate morale and motivation for better performance and increased output. These factors are embedded in the nature of the work, and personnel consider them inherently rewarding. The satisfiers represent psychological needs regarded as an additional benefit. There are several motivational factors that impact morale and motivation (Herzberg et al., 2011). One key factor is recognition and a sense of accomplishment: personnel ought to be acknowledged and praised for their achievements by supervisors and feel that their work carries genuine value. In addition, personnel ought to be held accountable for their work, with supervisors granting them ownership by diminishing excessive control while maintaining accountability. Moreover, the job itself ought to be meaningful, interesting, and challenging for personnel to perform well and sustain morale (Herzberg et al., 1959).

Research Questions and Method

The research questions of the study are:

1. What are the factors leading to the gap between administration and low-level supervision?

2. What are the needs of beat officers in the workplace?

3. What can administration do to satisfy the needs of beat officers and increase morale and motivation?

This research study will employ the deductive research approach, which involves beginning with an investigation of prevailing theories, formulating hypotheses and research questions, and collecting primary data to test those hypotheses. Given this approach, the fitting research method is quantitative analysis. According to Briggs et al. (2012), this research method provides data that can be expressed and analyzed numerically. One of the advantages of this method is that the researcher is able to obtain descriptive data, making it possible to gain insight and a representation of the data sample and, by extension, the broader population. In addition, the approach is time-efficient owing to the ability to conduct research surveys. Furthermore, the researcher is able to remain objective with respect to research outcomes and to comprehensively analyze the existing correlation between variables.

Conclusion, Limitations, and Expected Contributions

There is a significant need to facilitate personnel morale, satisfaction, and productivity amongst the police force. They serve a key function within society, and it is therefore imperative to take their needs into consideration. The purpose of this research study is to investigate and explore the different perspectives of beat officers with respect to the lost connection between them and administration, what can be done to bridge this gap, and how administration can comprehend the actual needs of beat officers in order to maintain high morale. The study will base its analysis on the conceptual framework of Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory to determine the different factors that will improve the morale of beat officers and the actions that police administrators can undertake.

One of the key limitations of the study is the lack of extensive resources for data collection. Quantitative research necessitates a large sample size; however, owing to resource constraints, this study will not be able to conduct a fully comprehensive investigation. Another limitation is that the use of closed-ended questions within the structured questionnaire means that outcomes attained may not always represent the full range of actual experiences. Participants will also have restricted response options. Additionally, quantitative research can be challenging, costly, and time-consuming. Due to both time and financial constraints, the research study will be limited to a small number of police precincts and the beat officers performing policing duties within them.

This research study is expected to make significant contributions to different stakeholders, including police supervisors and police administration. The policing industry will arguably be the biggest beneficiary. The industry continues to struggle with the detachment between top-level administration and low-level personnel. More importantly, it is expected that this research study will contribute to a better understanding among police administrators regarding the satisfiers and dissatisfiers of beat officer needs, and the actions they can undertake to improve the level of motivation and morale throughout the police force.

References

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Boag-Munroe, F., Donnelly, J., van Mechelen, D., & Elliott-Davies, M. (2017). Police officers' promotion prospects and intention to leave the police. Policing: A Journal of Policy and Practice, 11(2), 132–145.

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Carpenter, M. A., Bauer, T., Erdogan, B., & Short, J. (2010). Principles of management. Flatworld Knowledge.

Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. B. (1959). The motivation to work. New York: John Wiley.

Herzberg, F., Mausner, B., & Snyderman, B. B. (2011). The motivation to work (Vol. 1). Transaction Publishers.

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Swartout, S., Boykin, S., & Dixon, M. (2015). Low morale in organizations: A symptom of deadly management diseases? International Journal of Organizational Innovation (Online), 8(1), 17.