Engaging and Motivating Staff: The Key to Strategic Human Resource Management

This article discusses the importance of engaging and motivating staff in strategic human resource management. It explores motivational theories and concepts, characteristics of a positive work environment, and the role of HR in job design.

International human resource management

IHRM
“Engaging and motivating staff”
It can be said that engaging and motivating the workers is considered as the center of strategic
human resource management practices. It is necessary for the companies to emphasize on
strategic human resource management as it assists in controlling overall organizational functions
and operations in the highly competitive market area. Motivation is also considered as one of the
important factor that helps in maintaining the overall activities of the organization. It is necessary
for the higher authorities to emphasize on improving the engagement level and also motivational
level of the workers towards the particular task or activity (Armstrong & Taylor 2014).
In this paper, the discussion will be made on the motivational theories and concepts that assist to
boost the engagement of employees in the workplace. The theories that will be discussed will
emphasize on the influence of the employees in context to affective processes and behavioral
processes. In the next part, the characteristics of the positive working environment will be
elaborated in relation to the HR job design that boosts the employee’s motivational level. So, the
entire discussion will be based on the concept of motivation and engagement level of the workers
towards the organizational activities (Bratton & Gold 2017).
It has been examined that there are various motivation in the workplace is essential as it helps in
accomplishing the positive outcome. There are various motivational theories that should be
considered by the management so that it could be easy to enhance the motivational level of the
workers towards the assigned job. If effective motivational concepts or theories are not
considered then it would be difficult for the higher authority to emphasize on accomplishing set
goals and objectives in relation to the functions of the business. One of the popular motivational
theories used by majority of the companies is Maslow hierarchy of needs. This is one of the
theories that are created with the aim of fulfilling the needs of the individuals. It is believed that
if the needs of the individual are fulfilled then it can assist in attaining the positive results and
also it will help in boosting the growth of the company in relation to the different competitors
(Brewster et al. 2016).
According to Maslow, it has been said that the motivational of the people can be enhanced if the
lower needs are satisfied before processing with the higher level growth needs. Motivation is the
internal feeling and desire of the individual which induce them to give their best towards the
1

IHRM
assigned task or the activity. There are many stages that define the Maslow hierarchy of needs
theory. The initial stage is concerned with the physiology of the individual or it can be said that it
is the stage which is named by Physiological needs. By considering this stage, it is essential for
the higher authority to focus on satisfying the basic needs of the workers which relates to food,
clothing, water and basic necessities of life. These are the needs that are concerned with the
survival and maintenance of the human life. They also influence the behavior of the human and
these are the needs that are met first before the higher level needs that emerges. It can be stated
that if the physiological needs are fulfilled then it would be easy for the employees to be efficient
towards the work (Deckers 2018). So, this is one of the major motivational needs that should be
fulfilled as it helps in improving the lifestyle of the people.
In relation to Maslow hierarchy of needs, the next need is concerned with the safety needs in
which it is important for the management to offer economic security and protection from the
physical dangers to the employees. By satisfying the needs concerned with money and safety, the
people can work more. It can be seen that money is the secondary factor but job security it one of
the important factor for the employees at the time of working for the company. These are the
needs that consist of the personal security, financial security and also the security concerned with
health and wellbeing (Healy, 2016). So, it can be stated that this factor should be considered by
the management as it will boost the motivational level of the workers towards the assigned task
or the work.
The need step that relates with this theory is belongingness and love needs in which it is
important for the management to focus on maintaining the long time relations with the managers
and also with the other employees. The next aspect relates with the esteem needs that refer to the
self-respect of the individuals. This consists of such needs that indicate self-confidence and
achievement (Peters, 2015). If the self-esteem needs are fulfilled by the management then it can
help in boosting the self-confidence and also the capability of the workers towards the work. Last
stage is self-actualization needs that represent the higher needs of the human beings. In this the
emphasis is on the individual desire to grow and develop their potential. It is said that this is the
theory that helps in boosting the motivational level of the workers in relation to the task or the
work allocated by the management (Marchington et al., 2016).
2

IHRM
It can be said that Maslow hierarchy of needs theory influences the employee’s affective
processes and behavioral processes. In relation to affective processes such as motivation, job
satisfaction and commitment of the employees can be boosted as by considering this theory the
emphasis is given on the different factors such as basic needs are fulfilled which leads to
enhancement in the job satisfaction, job security is offered to the employees which helps in
boosting the commitment level of the workers towards the work and also trust and relations are
maintained with the higher authority which leads to higher level of motivational towards the
assigned job (Pfeffer & Veiga 1999). The next is behavioral processes which relates to effort and
reduction in turnover and absenteeism. It can be seen that if the basic needs and job security is
offered then it motivate the workers to put more efforts towards accomplishing the
organizational objectives and also it helps in minimizing the absenteeism ratio (Miner, 2015).
This theory is one of the best theories that should be considered by the management as it helps in
enhancing the motivational level of the workers towards the specified work.
The next motivational theory is concerned with Herzberg’s two factor theory which is also
known as motivation hygiene theory. It can be seen that in this theory, there are two factors
related to motivation such as motivating factors and hygiene factors. It is essential for the
management to focus on these factors as it can lead to higher motivation level among employees.
The hygiene factor relates with the factors such as salary, working environment and also security
(Mone & London 2014). If these factors are considered by the management then it can lead to
high job satisfaction and also motivation will depend on the needs of the people which will lead
to the personal growth of the employees. These factors also influence the affective processes
related to job satisfaction and commitment. It can be stated that if the salary offered to the
employees is according to the qualification or capability that it will result in high level of
motivation among the workers (Lo, Lin & Hsu 2016).
In relation to Herzberg theory, the next factor is hygiene factor that relates with the deficiency
needs. This factor emphasizes on the elements such as policy of the company, supervision,
interpersonal relations and also the working conditions. It can be stated that this factor also have
the influence on the affective processes and behavioral processes. If the management considers
this factor and maintains the environment of the company then it leads to high job satisfaction
and commitment of the workers towards the allocated work. Also, the behavioral processes
3

IHRM
minimize the absentees and also turnover rate, if salary offered by the management is according
to the expectation of the workers. In relation to this it can be said that this is also the effective
theory that can influence the affective processes and behavioral processes and also boost the
motivational level among the workers. By considering this theory, it would be easy for the
management to enhance the dedication and engagement level of the workers towards the
assigned work (Herzberg 2017).
There are various characteristics concerned with the positive work environment. One of the
characteristic is transparent and open communication. If in the workplace, there is open and
transparent flow of communication then it would be easy for the employees to share their feeling
with the management and also it will help in offering value to the other subordinates in the
workplace (Ryan and Deci 2017). If there is proper communication hierarchy, then the work
becomes meaningful for the workers and also it smoothen the overall functioning of the
activities. Positive working environment is only created when management and employees share
philosophy and mission with each other. Proper flow of communication helps in creating
positivity in the workplace which also leads to the overall success in the highly competitive
market area (Lepper & Greene 2015).
The other factor which is one of the characteristic of positive work environment is work life
balance. If the management offers work life balance to the employees in the workplace then it
will improve the job satisfaction and also the commitment level towards the work. Positivity can
also be generated among the workers if there is work life balance offered to the employees as it
leads to the high level of achievement in relation to the overall goals and objectives of the
company. Hence, it can be stated that work life balance provided to the employees leads to the
positive working environment and also helps in accomplishing the set goals and targets of the
organization (Anitha 2014).
Recognition for the hard work is also the factor that can be concerned with the positive work
environment. In the workplace, it is important for the higher authority to emphasize on rewarding
the employees so that they can be encouraged towards the work. This can also be stated as the
positive reinforcement that leads to high motivation level among the workers. To recognize the
employees for their hard work is also the major job characteristic in relation to the positive work
environment (Kehoe & Wright 2013).
4

IHRM
In relation to motivating the employees, the HR design jobs also motivate the workers. It is the
responsibility of the HR to design the jobs in a proper manner so that workers can be motivated
towards the assigned job. It is important for the HR to assign the job according to the
qualification and experience. If the employees are not comfortable with the particular job then it
is important to change the job. It can be said that the employees will be able to give their best if
the assigned task is according to their interest. Skill is also one of the elements that motivate the
employees. The workers will be motivated more if they are considering the different skills in
relation to positions rather than repeating (Kearney 2018).
It is important for the HR to assign the job to the employees in which they have the chance to use
the diverse skills that can help in creating interest and also it will help in boosting the motivation
level towards the assigned work. Also, it can be analyzed that level of freedom and ability to
schedule the activities is also one of the major aspect that should be considered by the employees
so that it could be easy to boost the motivational level towards the work. If motivation level of
the workers can be reduced if they do not enjoy freedom in relation to the assigned job or work
(Green Jr et al. 2017). So, at the time of designing the job it is important for the HR to focus on
giving freedom to the employees towards the allocated work so that they can give their best in
relation to the overall activities of the organization. It will also help in attaining the goals that are
given by the higher authority in context to the overall functioning operations of the organization.
According to the Hackman and Oldham’s (1976), there are various job characteristics or it can be
said that the model relates with the job characteristics. It is stated that job characteristics model is
based on the belief that the Task itself is one of the essential key that leads to high motivation
among the employees. This model states that one of the job characteristics is related to the nature
of work. It has been said that a boring and monotonous job reduces the motivational level of the
workers but the challenging work boost the motivation towards the allocated work. This
characteristic relates with the psychological states in which it is concerned with the job
satisfaction. The employees will be more satisfied if they are offered challenging job on the
continuous basis. Variety, autonomy and decision authority are also the factors that can be added
in relation to challenging job. Job enrichment and job rotation can also be considered as the
challenge that can take place for the employees at the time of performing the particular activity
(Hussein 2018).
5

IHRM
Hackman and Oldham’s has given five characteristic that should be considered as it helps in
predicting the job satisfaction. One of the characteristic is concerned with the skill variety in
which the focus is given on the different skills and talent required to perform a particular job.
The next characteristic is concerned with the task identity in which the emphasis is given on
clearly defining the beginning, middle and end to the given task. If the task is clear then it will
help in creating more opportunities for the workers to enjoy the positive feelings in relation to
achievement. The next characteristic is concerned with the task significance in which the
emphasis is on the meaningfulness of the task. It is important to assign the task that has some
meaning as it helps in boosting the motivation level of the workers towards the assigned work.
Autonomy is also the characteristic that emphasizes on the freedom given to the employees to
perform the particular task. It is important for the management to offer freedom to the workers so
that they can give their best and also it will help in boosting the job satisfaction (Jackson &
Schuler 1995).
If freedom is given to the employees then it creates a positive physiological of the workers that
lead to high level of motivation towards the specified work. So, it can be said that this can lead
to high level of motivation if the freedom is given to the employees. The last characteristic
relates to the job feedback which is given by the management. It is important for the higher
authority to give positive feedback so that intrinsic motivation can be enhanced. If feedback is
offered to the employees then it will also help in maintaining the high quality of work that will
lead to higher performance (Jiang et al. 2012). Therefore, to motivate the employees the
characteristic should be considered so that employees can give their best towards the assigned
work.
It has been examined that there is a possible relation between Maslow hierarchy of needs
components and job characteristics in relation to boosting the motivation and engagement level
of the workers in the company. One of the best examples that can be taken is of Tesco. It has
been analyzed that Tesco considers Maslow hierarchy of needs theory to motivate the employees
towards the assigned work.
6

IHRM
(Source: Tesco 2019).
It can be seen that company considers basic and physical needs in which focus is give on place of
work and also on the regular monthly pay. Tesco focuses on the giving regular pay that helps to
boost the motivational level of the workers towards the employees. It can be said that component
of this model relates with the skill identity. If employees are motivated then it would be easy to
boost the skills and also it will assist the management in considering the skill capability of the
employees in relation to the allocated work (Zhao et al. 2016). The next stage is security needs
in which company offers pension scheme to the employees so it create positivity in the mind of
the employees towards the allocated work. In relation to this the job characteristics can be
concerned with skill variety that will be enhanced of the employees if job security if given by the
management (Tesco 2019). In social needs, Tesco focuses on boosting the team work which is
related with the job characteristics autonomy. If there is team work then employees will also
enjoy freedom at the time of completing the assigned work by the management (Stoyanov
2017). Therefore, it can be said that it is related with other.
Tesco also focuses on the stage self-esteem in which respect is given to the workers. It has been
examined that on this stage the higher authority give respect to the employees which boost their
satisfaction level of the workers. The respect given by the management is also related with the
job characteristics such as feedback. If the positive feedback is give then it helps in giving
respect to the higher authority (Wlodkowski & Ginsberg 2017). The last factor is concerned with
self-actualization needs in which the company considers development plans that help to boost
motivation. It is also related to the job characteristics such as task significance in which the
7

IHRM
development plans helps to focus on considering the significance of task. So, it can be stated that
Maslow hierarchy of needs theory is related to job characteristics that helps in motivating and
engaging the workers (Velmurugan & Sankar 2017).
It can be concluded that motivation is the important aspect that can help in boosting the
productivity of the employees towards the work. There are different factors that lead to positive
work environment such as proper flow of communication and work life balance. It is important
to consider these aspects so that it could be easy to boost the motivational level among the
employees. The theories of motivation such as Maslow hierarchy of needs and Herzberg theory
should be considered by the management so that employee’s engagement and motivation level
can be enhanced towards the assigned task.
8

IHRM
References
Anitha, J 2014, ‘Determinants of employee engagement and their impact on employee
performance’, International journal of productivity and performance management, vol.63, no.3,
pp.308.
Armstrong, M & Taylor, S 2014, ‘Armstrong's handbook of human resource management
practice’, Kogan Page Publishers.
Bratton, J & Gold, J 2017, ‘Human resource management: theory and practice’, Palgrave.
Brewster, C, Houldsworth, E, Sparrow, P & Vernon, G 2016, ‘International human resource
management’, Kogan Page Publishers.
Deckers, L 2018, ‘Motivation: Biological, psychological, and environmental’, Routledge.
Green Jr, PI, Finkel, EJ, Fitzsimons, GM & Gino, F 2017, ‘The energizing nature of work
engagement: Toward a new need-based theory of work motivation’, Research in Organizational
Behavior, vol.37, pp.1-18.
Healy, K 2016, ‘A Theory of Human Motivation by Abraham H. Maslow (1942)’, The British
Journal of Psychiatry, vol. 208, no.4, pp.313-313.
Herzberg, F 2017, Motivation to work, Routledge.
Hussein, A 2018, ‘Test of Hackman and Oldham's Job Characteristics Model at General Media
Sector’, International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences,vol. 8, no.
1, pp.352-371.
Jackson, S & Schuler, R 1995, Understanding Human Resource Management in the context of
organisations and their environments, Annual Review of Psychology, vol. 46, pp. 237-264.
9

IHRM
Jiang, K, Lepak, DP, Hu, J & Baer, JC 2012, ‘How does human resource management influence
organizational outcomes? A meta-analytic investigation of mediating mechanisms, ‘Academy of
management Journal, vol. 55, no. 6, pp.1264-1294.
Kearney, R 2018, ‘Public sector performance: management, motivation, and measurement’,
Routledge.
Kehoe, RR & Wright, PM 2013, ‘The impact of high-performance human resource practices on
employees’ attitudes and behaviors, Journal of management, vol. 39, no. 2, pp.366-391.
Lepper, MR & Greene, D ed 2015, ‘The hidden costs of reward: New perspectives on the
psychology of human motivation’, Psychology Press.
Lo, LYS, Lin, SW & Hsu, LY 2016, ‘Motivation for online impulse buying: A two-factor theory
perspective’, International Journal of Information Management, vol. 36, no. 5, pp.759-772.
Marchington, M, Wilkinson, A, Donnelly, R & Kynighou, A 2016, ‘Human resource
management at work’, Kogan Page Publishers.
Miner, JB 2015, ‘Organizational behavior 1: Essential theories of motivation and leadership’,
Routledge.
Mone, EM & London, M 2014, ‘Employee engagement through effective performance
management: A practical guide for managers’, Routledge.
Peters, RS 2015, ‘The concept of motivation’, Routledge.
Pfeffer, J & Veiga, F 1999, Putting people first for organisational success, Academy of
Renko, M., Kroeck, K.G. and Bullough, A., 2012. Expectancy theory and nascent
entrepreneurship. Small Business Economics, 39(3), pp.667-684.
Ryan, RM and Deci, EL 2017, ‘Self-determination theory: Basic psychological needs in
motivation, development, and wellness’, Guilford Publications.
10

IHRM
Steers, RM & Sánchez‐Runde, CJ 2017, ‘Culture, motivation, and work behavior’, The Blackwell
Handbook of Cross
‐Cultural Management, pp.190-216.
Stoyanov, S 2017, ‘A theory of human motivation’, Macat Library.
Tesco 2019, Motivational theory at practice Tesco, viewed 5 June 2019
<https://is.muni.cz/el/1451/podzim2013/np2330/tesco_15_full.pdf>
Velmurugan, TA & Sankar, JG 2017, ‘A Comparative Study on Motivation Theory with
Maslow’s Hierarchy theory and Two-factor theory in Organization’, Indo-Iranian J Sci
Res, vol.1, no. 1, pp.204-8.
Wlodkowski, RJ & Ginsberg, MB 2017, ‘Enhancing adult motivation to learn: A comprehensive
guide for teaching all adults’, John Wiley & Sons.
Zhao, XR, Ghiselli, R, Law, R & Ma, J 2016, ‘Motivating frontline employees: Role of job
characteristics in work and life satisfaction’, Journal of Hospitality and Tourism
Management, vol. 27, pp.27-38.
11