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Executive summary
A range of employee satisfaction problems were identified in the company: low wages, a tense atmosphere, and disrespectful communication from supervisors. The proposed solution was based on Maslows hierarchy, engaging in conversations with the upper management regarding wage raises and promotion opportunities and retraining supervising personnel in matters of work ethics. A survey was conducted to evaluate the solutions success. A major limitation was the inability to award higher wages, which potentially influenced the employees lower-than-expected satisfaction at the most basic need level. The management ethics and working atmosphere has improved substantially. Lastly, career upward mobility was improved to a limited extent.
Introduction
Managing people effectively is a critical task in the life of any company, with employee engagement driving better performance. The human resources (HR) practice selected for this report was Maslows hierarchy of needs motivational theory since it addresses the fundamental aspect of peoples existence: having a chain of needs that shifts contextually. Human needs are hierarchical, with each level in the chain potentially trumping the other if unmet (Mcleod, 2022). According to this theory, needs act as motivators for certain behaviors hence, certain behavioral patterns may be explained by specific unmet needs. Ultimately, understanding the underlying reason behind certain behavior assists managers in selecting appropriate tactics for addressing it.
Report
Expectations By implementing Maslows theory, the managers were expected to identify the pivotal unmet needs that the employees of the company had and create a direction in which to move to address these issues. The anticipated outcome was an improvement in most of the areas where issues were identified. For instance, the researchers anticipated employees feeling safer after witnessing the companys measures to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was expected that applying the approach informed by Maslows theory would help participants articulate their concerns and create tailored solutions for the problems that were raised.
Implementation
The first step in implementing the Maslow-informed practice was collecting information on the sources of discontent and suggested areas of improvement through an anonymous online form and personal conversations. Many employees felt like they had limited opportunities for career growth, insufficient salaries, and unreliable managers. Therefore, the discussion was conducted with the upper management regarding more clear communication around the timeline and amount of future raises. Next, the issue of reliable and trustworthy management was explored. There have been multiple mentions from the employees regarding their supervisors, who were either dismissive of their requests or tended to shift the blame onto the workers. This issue was addressed by having the supervising staff undergo a mandatory retraining process on work ethics, conflict resolution, and problem-solving. Lastly, the upper management members were prompted to discuss effective ways to advertise new positions within the company and were heavily encouraged to prioritize internal hires. To evaluate the success of these efforts, a data collection tool was designed to help employees express their opinions regarding present management practices (see Addendum 1). The online questionnaire included 15 questions covering each of the stages of Maslows theory (see pic. 1). The data was then collected and analyzed for any patterns or insights to guide further actions.
Challenges
The process of managers training had to be scheduled and rescheduled several times due to the clashing plans of multiple departments. Additionally, there were department-specific concerns and clarifications that some of the managers had, which made it difficult to implement a uniform approach. Ultimately, the training had to be conducted in several iterations, with the shared core of conflict resolution and problem-solving tasks.
Results
The results of the intervention were evaluated based on the online questionnaire. 50 employees total has completed the survey, with 16 of them answering the optional Q15 (see Addendum 2). 56% of employees spent less than five years working for the company, and only 4% stayed for over 15 years. The breakdown of predominant responses to each of the agree-disagree scale questions (Q2-Q13) may be seen below (Pic 3).
In terms of general motivation assessment (Q2), most workers disagreed or remained neutral with the statement that they were effectively motivated by the management. The potential for a raise was the predominant motivating factor for 64% of workers, and the opportunity for promotion for 24% (Q14). Additionally, a stress-free and friendly environment, respectful communication, and clarity from the upper management were mentioned most as incentives for productive work (Q15). In terms of financial satisfaction, only 34% agreed that their current salary was enough to cover their basic daily needs (Q3), and 66% disagreed with the statement. Further, 48% indicated having a feeling of job security (Q4), and 60% agreed that their health and safety were prioritized in the workplace (Q5). Regarding the social environment of the workplace, respectively 76% and 60% of employees felt heard (Q6) and valued (Q9), with 74% having good relationships with their co-workers (Q7). However, only 32% had good relationships with their supervisors (Q8). Lastly, the employees felt somewhat incentivized to grow and develop, with respectively 52% and 62% remaining neutral regarding whether the companys policies help achieve the companys and personal goals (Q10, Q12). Moreover, 46% of employees felt more involved in the decision-making (Q11), but only 22% felt like they could handle their workload and strive for improvement since their basic needs were met (Q13).
Analysis
The low percentage of long-term workers may have been indicative of a high turnover rate in the company, implying that there were several problems in need of addressing. According to Mintz (2017), employees must enjoy sufficient income to provide for their basic survival needs.
Unfortunately, immediate salary increases were not possible since no additional funding was available, which corresponded with the overall moderate level of employee satisfaction and motivation. However, a direction for improvement was identified and an agreement was reached to communicate with each worker regarding future raises. Most of the employees were incentivized with sufficient salaries or promotion opportunities. It is thus recommended to prioritize the search for funding in the future since, until this issue is resolved, all other solutions may only have marginal success. The next level of needs, safety, and security entailed addressing the issues some of the employees were experiencing with the management practices of their supervisors. There is some improvement in terms of the work atmosphere, with more employees feeling heard and understood, which indicates that the work training for managers was successful. This approach allows for fostering a more comfortable and productive work environment, thereby increasing the incentive for the employees to perform better (Mintz, 2017). However, it may take a longer time to build the trust required for a truly productive environment. Lastly, a substantial number of employees were hesitant to state that they could reach their full potential and have opportunities to grow than anticipated, indicating the need to continue improving. It is recommended to present career opportunities and encourage workers to apply for the positions.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the implemented actions were successful to some extent, although there may be a more notable change in the long term. The issues that were identified were approached according to the hierarchy of needs, starting with the most fundamental level. Employees mostly did not feel like they were capable of self-actualization, likely due to the major constraint of wages. The biggest challenge with implementing an effective solution based on Maslows theory was to achieve more clarity around wages, potential raises, and promotion opportunities. While the employees pointed out low pay as one of the biggest concerns, coordinating pay raises is, at present, a long and convoluted process, which commonly relies on employees initiative. Upper management was hesitant to implement a public timeline, but the agreement was reached to have this matter communicated individually every year. Nonetheless, the salary aspect was unresolved to the extent that the researchers had hoped it would. However, substantial improvement in employee satisfaction was noted as a result of appropriate ethics training for the managers.
Bibliography
Mcleod, S. (2022). Maslows Hierarchy of Needs. Simply Psychology. Web.
Mintz, S. (2017). Maslows Hierarchy Can Serve as the Basis for Workplace Culture [Online]. Web.
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