Human Resource Management: Factors of Staff Demotivation and Strategies to Improve Staff Motivation

This report discusses the factors that influence the demotivation among employees and the way to improve such issues in the workplace. It also explains the theories of motivation and strategies to improve staff motivation.

RUNNING HEAD: Human Resource Management 0
Human Resource Management
(Student Name)
1/19/2019

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Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Theories of motivation...............................................................................................................2
Factors of Staff Demotivation....................................................................................................3
Five strategies to improve Staff Motivation...............................................................................4
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................5
References..................................................................................................................................6

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Introduction
The human resources play a prominent role in the growth of the business. They mainly focus
on managing the individuals within the employer-employee relationship (Bratton and Gold,
2017). They involve in the productive use of the employees in achieving the strategic
business objectives of the company and play role in satisfying the needs of the employees in
an effective manner. In the recent scenario, the motivation of employees is a key factor in
their performance that adds up to the performance of the whole company (Bailey, et al.,
2018). It is the main reason that the human resource department performs the task of
managing the most essential assets which are the employees working in the organization. It is
the duty of the human resource department to focus on the motivational needs of the
employees (Marchington et al., 2016). But in the recent, the HR faces challenges in
motivating the employees that increase dissatisfaction among the employees (Stone and
Deadrick, 2015).
In the following report, there will be a detailed discussion of the factors that influence the
demotivation among employees and the way to improve such issues in the workplace.
Theories of motivation
There are certain theories that explain the satisfaction level of employees. Such theories are
explained in below points:
 Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory
According to such theory, the needs of employees are divided into five categories in which
the bottom of the pyramid is the physiological needs that include essential things of the
individuals such as food, shelter, clothes and so on. When the bottom line is cleared, the

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satisfaction level shifted to the next level which is the safety needs. After satisfying such need
of the employees, their level shifted to social needs and next is esteem needs that need to be
taken care of by for example boost their confidence level as well as increase their sense of
achievement. After satisfying such needs, the employees come on the top level which is self-
actualization in they are expecting for promotion or the latter’s degree of organizational
commitment. According to such theory, the amount is not the only satisfaction factors for the
employees there are also other factors that play important role in satisfying employees (Cook
and Artino, 2016).
(Source: Verywell Mind, 2018)
 Taylor- the theory of scientific management
Frederick Taylor has argued on the Maslow theory and has a view that the employees can
moly motivated by pay. They need close supervision as well as strict control so that the
employees can produce more and receive more pay. Taylor believed that the employees
should be paid according to the number of units produced by them.
 Edwin A. Locke- Goal Theory

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This theory looks at the motivation from the angle of motivating the employers. According to
this theory, the employees will get motivated when specific goals, as well as targets, are set
out for the employees. According to such theory, the people act in a specific manner when
they have even faced with specific goals (Peters, 2015).
Factors of Staff Demotivation
There are certain factors for creating dissatisfaction among the employees which are
explained in below points:
Lack of Flexibility
It has been found in the research that many employees of the staff, mainly the idealistic
cohort feels that they are not being given reasonable access to the flexible working that
creates major dissatisfaction among the employees.
Lack of Incentive
In most of the cases, the money plays a vital role in motivating the employees. Most of the
employees have clear career objectives as well as hope that there is progression for them
within their organization. If employees will work for the same things as well as for the same
amount of pay, increase demotivation among the employees at a greater level.
Lack of Trust in leadership
Trust plays a prominent role as well as the essential of a optimistic, well-functioning
employed relationship. If the staffs do not have a belief their frontrunners in the business,
then their total attitude at the effort will also turn to be destructive hat increase the
demotivation factors among the employees at greater level (Chipeta et al., 2016).

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Feeling under-valued
If a worker textures that their effort is not being appreciated or recognized they will start
lacking in their energy as well as commitments in their role. Every employee wants their
efforts being appreciated by their supervisor. The lack of such a thing increases the
dissatisfaction among the employees that is the factor of demotivating the employees.
Conflicts
Conflicts in the workplace are greatly unfavorable. The healthy debates even productive but
the conflicts among the employees or with their employers will lead to dissatisfaction among
the employees that affect the performance of the employees at a greater level. it is also a
factor that affects the motivation level of the employees effectively (Odukah, 2016).
No-Open communication
It would be a comfortable environment for the employees where they need to suffer in
silence. The lack of communication between the employees or with employers affects the
performance of the employee. Not feeling free to communicate in the workplace would cause
low morale with the employees.
Unrealistic Workload
Some of the employee’s feels overburden by large as well as impossible workloads that
become soon change into the disillusions, stressed as well as loose motivation. Similarly, if
the employees have a too light workload or not varied enough also may cause the issue of
quick loss of interest. These are also the essential factors that cause demotivation among the
employees at a greater level.

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Five strategies to improve Staff Motivation
Empowering employees
The process of empowerment occurs when the employees in a company are given authority,
trust, encouragement, as well as autonomy to undertake a chore. Such a process is intended to
increase the confidence among the employees as well as make the job employees
responsibility. In the recent, the managers are promoting the corporate entrepreneurship in
order to empower as wells change some of the bureaucratic ideas. It helps the HR to
encourage the employees to pursue the innovative idea as well as gives them the authority to
promote such ideas.
Providing Effective Reward System
The HR can motivate the employees by providing effective rewards for the performance of
the employees. Money is considered as effective motivational factors for the employees. The
rewards are divided into two parts:
Extrinsic rewards: these are the values outcomes that are given to the employees by their
higher level manager in the workplace for their performance which include pay bonuses,
promotion, awards, and vocal admiration and so on.
Intrinsic Rewards: it is self-administered. Reason of the “natural high” an individual may
also involvement when finishing a work. Such an employee senses satisfied due to the reason
that they have a emotion of capability, self-control, individual growth above her effort
(Cloutier et al., 2015).
Jobs Redesigning

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The HR can do something to enhance the condition of the workplace before the employee's
lose motivation or get bored in the company. They can apply motivational models to the work
erection for refining efficiency as well as fulfilment. The reshaping attempts may include the
following:
 Job enlargement: it is the process of increasing the variety of task a job includes that
may reduce some of the monotony as well as the boredom of employee decrease.
 Job Rotation: it is the practice in which the different tasks are allocated to dissimilar
individuals on a impermanent source that increases the exposure level of the
employee as well as they feel motivated.
Creating Flexibility
In the present, the employee value the personal time due to the needs of the family, the
traditional 9-5 working time could not graft for numerous individuals hence, the flexitime
certified the staffs to fixed as well as manage their working hours. It is an effective manner
that HR can accommodate the needs of employees.
Healthy Communication with employees
The HR manager can interact with their employees on regular basis. It would help the
employees to share their issues if they faced within the workplace as well as would also be
easy for the HR to understand the needs as well as the requirement of the employees to
motivate them in an effective manner (Kearney, 2018).
Conclusion
From the above, it can be concluded that HR plays a vital role in motivating the employees.
They would able to force the employees towards the targeted objective of the company.

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However, in the recent, HR faces some challenges in motivating the employees. There are
different motivational theories that help in understanding the needs and wants of the
employees. some of the employees face the huge issue in their workplaces such as lack of
flexibility, lack of trust, lack of communication, feeling of under-valued cause the issue if
demotivation among the employees. The HR needs to concentrate on such issues on an urgent
basis to increase the efficiencies of the company. There are certain ways through which they
can improve the motivation level among the employees such as reward them, empowerment
and so on to motivate the employees in an effective manner.

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References
Bailey, C., Mankin, D., Kelliher, C. and Garavan, T. (2018) Strategic human resource
management. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Bratton, J. and Gold, J. (2017) Human resource management: theory and practice.
Basingstoke: Palgrave.
Chipeta, E., Bradley, S., Chimwaza-Manda, W. and McAuliffe, E. (2016) Working
relationships between obstetric care staff and their managers: a critical incident
analysis. BMC health services research, 16(1), p.441.
Cloutier, O., Felusiak, L., Hill, C. and Pemberton-Jones, E.J. 92015) The Importance of
Developing Strategies for Employee Retention. Journal of Leadership, Accountability &
Ethics, 12(2).
Cook, D.A. and Artino Jr, A.R. (2016) Motivation to learn: an overview of contemporary
theories. Medical education, 50(10), pp.997-1014.
Kearney, R. (2018) Public sector performance: management, motivation, and measurement.
London: Routledge.
Marchington, M., Wilkinson, A., Donnelly, R. and Kynighou, A. (2016) Human resource
management at work. New York: Kogan Page Publishers.
Odukah, M.E. (2016) Factors Influencing Staff Motivation among Employees: A Case Study
of Equator Bottlers (Coca Cola) Kenya. Journal of Human Resource and Sustainability
Studies, 4(02), p.68.
Peters, R.S. (2015) The concept of motivation. London: Routledge.

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Stone, D.L. and Deadrick, D.L. (2015) Challenges and opportunities affecting the future of
human resource management. Human Resource Management Review, 25(2), pp.139-145.
Verywell Mind. (2018) The Five Levels of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs [Online]. Retrieved
from: https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-maslows-hierarchy-of-needs-4136760
[Accessed on 19/1/19]