Motivacion

Rodrigo Mosqueira

Business Studies AS

Past Paper- Paper 1 (2010)

7a) Explain why is it important to have a motivated workforce.

Having a motivated workforce is very important because of the benefits the business gains from a well-motivated staff. A motivated workforce will increase commitment and productivity. It will decrease absenteeism, stress in the staff and workers disputes. It will generate low labour turnover, and make the staff capable of making suggestions for improvements and prepared to accept responsibility.

A motivated workforce would also create other benefits. First, it would put human resources into action. This means that it is through motivation that the human resources can be utilized by making full use of it (maximise/exploit fully the abilities of the employees). Also, it would improve the level of efficiency of employees: it would increase the willingness of the workers that would let them complete their tasks faster and better. Motivation would also bring friendly relationships between the staff because it is a factor that brings employees satisfaction (but not happiness). Finally, it leads to stability of workforce. The employees can remain loyal to the enterprise only when they have feel motivated with the work they are doing. This will lead to a good public image in the market which will attract competent and qualified people into applying for future jobs.

In conclusion, having a motivated workforce is very important because it brings many benefits to the general value of the company.

7b) Using motivational theory, discuss the factors that might influence the level of motivation of the workforce in a manufacturing business.

The factors affecting motivation in the workforce of a manufacturing business are mainly associated with Taylor’s theory of scientific management. He studied workers in manufacturing businesses to reach the conclusion on how were they motivated, so they increase worker performance or productivity. He concluded that the main factor that affected manufacturing workers was the pay that they were made. This was called the “Economic Man”. It means that money was the only way of motivating man.

Other important factors arerelated to Mayo’s and the human relations theories. His “Hawthorne Effect” conclusions were based on a series of experiments he conducted at a factory so it is good because it is linked to the manufacturing business. The more important factors he determined were: changes in the working conditions have little or no effect on productivity, and, motivation is increased when management consult with workers and they are allowed and encouraged to do teamwork.

The other theories, like Maslow’s “hierarchy of human needs” and Herzberg “two factor theory” would not work, as they don’t fit into the needs of

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