Analysis of Organizational Behavior at Woolworths: Motivation Theories

This report delves into the organizational behavior of Woolworths, a major Australian retail company, examining how it motivates its employees to enhance performance and boost revenue. The study applies Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Herzberg's Two-Factor Theory to analyze the company's motivational strategies. It explores the physiological, safety, belongingness, esteem, and self-actualization needs, as well as hygiene factors and motivators within the Woolworths context. The report emphasizes the importance of constant motivation, fair compensation, safe working environments, good communication, recognition, and opportunities for growth to foster a positive work environment and improve employee output. The conclusion highlights the effective implementation of these motivational structures by Woolworths' HR and management, resulting in positive outcomes and improved employee engagement. The report also includes a discussion on how Woolworths can use these theories to improve its management practices and enhance its market position.

Running Head: ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOUR ON WOOLWORTHS
Organizational Behavior on Woolworths
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR ON WOOLWORTHS
Motivation is very important for the employees as their esteem and confidence is boosted
to a great level. The constant encouragement and motivation to the employees can lead to
positive productive outcome for the company. Woolworth is one of the biggest retail companies
that is serving the Australian customers; the company was founded in the year 1924. The
company has developed a huge and strong client base. It is a grocery store and it caters to all the
requirements of the customers, the company tries to implement all possible products that will
help the customers in finding all the requirements under one roof. The company has successfully
been able to serve its customers and retain the existing client base as well as increase it with
gradual days. Woolworths and Coles has been capturing80% of the market. The purpose of the
study is to highlight the organizational behavior of Woolworths. The motivational theories of
Maslow and Herzberg will be stated in the content of the study to make the company help in
motivating their employees for better performance and more revenue generation for the
company.

2ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR ON WOOLWORTHS
Motivation is extremely crucial for the employees for any organization; it is the
responsibility of the HR and the authority of the company to provide constant motivation and
assistance to the employees especially to the ones who are prone to suffer from anxiety and
depression (Lăzăroiu, 2015). The employees who are associated with Woolworths must given
constant motivation for making them perform for better results.
In Maslow’s Theory of Motivation, it is stated about the human psychology, which
mainly comprises of needs of human. Maslow further categorizes the needs in a hierarchy, which
mainly depends on the urgency of attaining it by the humans. The needs that Maslow stated in
his theory are the basic needs that will help the individuals to maintain a proper standard of
living. The needs are as follows love and belongingness, physiological, esteem, safety and self-
actualization needs (Maslow, 2013).
Physiological needs are the needs that mainly comprises of the needs that arises
biologically in a human. These are the necessities of the human for their survival. For instances:
clothing, sleep, sex. Woolworths must provide sufficient salary to the workers so that they can
maintain a good livelihood. The employees must pay their employees rightfully and the salary
that they deserve, and labour exploitation should not be practiced this can lead the company
towards the downfall of the image of the company (Jerome, 2013).
Safety Needs are the needs that states that every individual requires shield from the
external elements. These needs are not only demanded for an individual but also for its family
and loved ones. For instances: safety, security. Woolworths must seek that the employees
associated with the company are in a safe and secured environment it is the sole responsibility of
the HR and the authority of the company to supervise that the employees are working in a safe
environment (Taormina & Gao, 2013).

3ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR ON WOOLWORTHS
Belongingness and Love are the needs that mainly states the needs in human for social
acceptance and this mainly arises after the completion or attainment of the safety and
physiological needs. These needs mainly comprises of the social relationship that a human need
in order to survive in the society. For instances: friendship, love and affection, trust and
acceptance. Woolworths must focus in building good communication with the employees this
will help the company to identify the loopholes that exists in the performance of the employees.
This will help in enhancing the performance of the employees and the authorities and the HR
must identify the issues in the performance of the employees and motive them rather than
scrutinizing them. This will build a trust, faith and loyalty amongst the employees towards the
company (Taormina & Gao, 2013).
Esteem Needs are the needs, which are classified in two categories such as the urge for
status and respect in the society. The other one is honor for oneself that will make an individual
feel dignified in the society. For instances: achievement, independence. Maslow also states that
this need is mainly desired by most of the population as every individual demands respect from
the society. Employees working for Woolworths tend to develop a feeling of pride as the
company is counted amongst the top retail companies. The company must also see that the
employees are being given appreciation and acknowledgement for the duties that they perform.
The employees must be given respect and not scrutinize for their performance or the background
they come from. (Ganta, 2014).
Self-actualization needs are the needs, which states that the realization every individual
receives about his potential and capabilities the growth or development one can bring in itself in
terms of behavior and social acceptance. This need also helps the individual to gain experience
about the society as well as the hurdles one has to face to reach its goals. Woolworth must make

4ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR ON WOOLWORTHS
the employees realize about the existing the hurdles that they have to face in order to achieve the
goals of the company. The employees must also adapt to the adverse situations and prepare
themselves for overcoming them. The authorities and the HR of the company must help the
employees in developing their skills (D'Souza & Gurin, 2016).
Figure 1.1: Maslow’s Motivational Pyramid
(Source: Created by the author)
In Herzberg theory of motivation or the two- factor theory, Herzberg focused on the two
factors of motivation motivators and hygiene factors(Herzberg, 2017). The theory states that the
company must maintain and implement these strategies for the better performance of the
employees, which will also help in making the company increase its annual turnover.
Motivators are the ones that motivates the employees in building their confidence and
helps in growing their skills for performing their duties. The authority and the HR of the
Self
-
actu
aliz
atio
n
Esteem Needs
Belongingness and love Needs
Security Needs
Psysiological Needs

5ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR ON WOOLWORTHS
company must take the initiative to understand the loopholes of the employees and implement
proper motivation in them for better performance (Alshmemri, Shahwan-Akl & Maude, 2017).
The authority must identify the gaps that are existing in motivating the employees and hence,
those should be mended. These include achievements that the employees should be given for
their performance and this helps in motivating them. Responsibility must be assigned to
employees based on their potentials; this will also make them feel valued by the company.
Recognition must be given to all the employees for the efforts they put in making the company
achieve its goals. Growth of the employees can be observed after analyzing the skills of the
employees. The work itself that is assigned to the employees must be very interesting and
motivating for them to perform. Advancement should be given to the employees, which are
promotions, incentives for their performance this will also help the other employees feel
motivated. Hence, Woolworths must ensure that all the factors are being rightfully practiced and
implemented in the management of the system.
Hygiene factors are the ones that is surrounding the work environment of the employees;
it is the responsibility of the HR and the authority to ensure that the working environment of the
company is safe and secured. There are certain factors that comprises in this aspects of company
policies firstly, it must be stringent to maintain the decorum of the company and lenient at the
same time so that employees do not experience harsh behavior from the supervisors or the
company. Woolworth must also formulate their policies accordingly. Salary of the employees
must be structured rightfully and the employees must be paid according to their designation,
Woolworth must also have a proper salary structure for the company. Supervision must be
stringent for ensuring that the protocols are being maintained properly. Woolworths must also
have proper supervision on their employees. Security of the employees is the responsibility of the

6ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR ON WOOLWORTHS
company and Woolworths must maintain a secured and safe environment for the employees.
Work condition should be proper and systematic in order to generate positive productivity for the
company. Woolworths must also maintain the proper working conditions for the employees.
The study can be finally concluded that the company Woolworths must
implement these motivational structures in order to have a proper and better management. The
motivational theories have been elaborative discussed, which has been aligned with the two
chosen theories. These theories will help the company in good revenue generation. It is finally
been derived that the authorities and the HR of Woolworths are very active in motivating their
employees and the models they have adopted to motivate the workers is helping them in bringing
positive outcome.

7ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR ON WOOLWORTHS
References
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