Organizational Motivation
A lack of motivation in the work-place can cause serious problems for an organization. Many problems such as poor performance and undesirable behavior from employees can be linked to a lack of motivation. One problem common in many organizations is absenteeism which is often a result of a lack of motivation. There are numerous theories that can be used to explain the cause of such motivational problems. People are all motivated by different things, which can make it almost impossible for one-size fits all motivational programs to succeed. However, an understanding of motivational theories can assist organizations in developing and implementing a motivational plan to elicit change in the undesirable behaviors.
My organization is plagued with excessive absenteeism which can be contributed to a lack of motivation. The organization offers a generous amount of vacation or personal time each year to all employees, as well as ample sick days that can be taken as needed. A problem has arisen within the organization because numerous employees take advantage of these benefits. The organization is structured with a team environment where each employee is designated a particular work load each day. When an employee is absent for the day the other members of their team divide the employee’s work load and add it to their own. This type of structure can be rewarding and build a strong sense of teamwork and group effort. Problems occur when employees schedule days off or call in sick when there are several other members of the team out on the same day. Some employees will also routinely miss days that are particularly busy when the normal workload is doubled. This makes it very difficult for the other members of the team to cover the absent employee’s work for the day. The issue of excessive absenteeism stems from a problem with motivation.