Question

1. Ellen Lee, human resource manager of High Fashion Clothing Company, a manufacturer of women’s clothing and accessories, had just returned from a management development seminar on work motivation. She felt that the company could immediately make use some of the theories she learnt to enhance the workers’ productivity. She was able to convince the executive committee of the company to launch a “high pay reward scheme” – giving extra bonus to those hard working staff members. After the program had been in operation for a number of months, she was puzzled to find that the results were not as she had expected. Clothing designers who belong to a group of yuppies (優皮士) did not seem to react enthusiastically to the programs. They responded by saying that they are not worrying about money, they are working for their interests. The motivation program was basically a waste of their time. Cutters, seamsters, pressers and packagers, who belong to a group of grassroot(草根階層) frontline staff reacted positively to the motivation program. Production was increased by 20 percent. (a) Use Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory to analyze the different needs of the two groups of staff in High Fashion Clothing Company.

(b) Hence explain why Ellen’s motivation program succeeded in one group but failed in the other group.

(c) What strategies would you recommend to Ellen to ensure high levels of motivation among the group of clothing designers?

Answer 1

Answer a:

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory define the needs of an individual into five different phases viz. Physiological needs, safety needs, belongingness needs, self esteem needs and self actualisation needs.

1. Physiological needs:

These are the basic needs of individual and are the primary motivation for an individual. These needs include the need for food, clothing, air, shelter, water, sleep, etc.

2. Safety needs:

When a person fulfils his Physiological needs, he move towards the accomplishment of the safety needs where he desires safety in job, personal security, health safety, etc,

3. Belongingness needs:

After the security needs are accomplished, a person moves for the belongingness needs where he desires love and affection and the group to whom he can show his success.

4. Self esteem needs:

After accomplishing belongingness needs, a person wants respect, recognition for his work from the society, strength and freedom.

5. self actualisation needs:

After accomplishing Self esteem needs, a person now feels that he has accomplished all the things that he has desired and is at the position where he wanted to be.

High Fashion Clothing Company is having two groups viz. One group was of clothing designers who belong to a group of yuppies and to this group the motivation program for giving extra bonus to those hard working staff members is not a source of motivation and they are performing their task for their own interest and another group was of Cutters, seamsters, pressers and packagers, who belong to a group of grass root frontline staff who reacted positively to the motivation program.

The first group of clothing designers who belong to a group of yuppies were at the level of self esteem need of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory where they are doing their work for their interest and all they need is respect, strength and freedom and recognition for their work from the company.

The second group of Cutters, seamsters, pressers and packagers, who belong to a group of grass root frontline staff were at the level of security need of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. This group got motivated from the extra bonus that will be given to the hardworking staff so that the staff could save this extra bonus for the unknown circumstances thus securing their needs of money for meeting their needs in the unplanned situations.

Answer b:

Ellen program succeed in one group and failed in other because both the groups were at the different levels of Maslow’s needs hierarchy and providing both the groups with the same benefit will make one group satisfy with the program and another group will get dissatisfy from the program.

The first group of clothing designers who belong to a group of yuppies were at the level of self esteem need of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory and this group was not in the need of extra bonus for their hard work. They are just doing the work with the purpose of satisfying their interest of doing it and hence the extra bonus for the hard work will not add to the motivation of this group.

The second group of Cutters, seamsters, pressers and packagers, who belong to a group of grass root frontline staff, were at the level of security need of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. This group got motivated as they need money for securing their future unplanned need and hence the motivation program for providing the extra bonus to the hardworking employees proved to be successful among them as the program is going to satisfy their needs.

Answer c:

The first group of clothing designers who belong to a group of yuppies were at the level of self esteem need of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory where they are doing their work for their interest. The motivation program of extra bonus for the hardworking employee was a waste of time for them as it was not needed by them and was not in line with the needs that this group desired from their work.

Since this group is at the level of self esteem need of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory, they desire respect at the work, strength and freedom in their position and recognition for their work from the company.

Ellen should conduct a motivation program for this group where she should emphasise on following aspects of the work:

1. the benefits that this group will be getting by the innovation being introduced in the product and the processes in which the work is being carried out.

2. Awards given to the employees of this group for their extraordinary performances which will give them a feeling of respect for their work.

3. Providing the promotions in their positions on the basis of extraordinary work of the particular employee which would give a feeling of strength to them.

4. Including the employees of this group in decision making process so as to give them the freedom of expressing their thoughts for the growth of the business. This would motivate them and would encourage them for their work by adding a sense of organisational belongingness in them.

5. The members of this group should be continuously recognised by the company through the non monetary benefits such as publishing their work in the yearly magazine of the company or newspaper for their extraordinary work.

If Ellen follows the above strategies, she will be able to match the motivation program purpose with the need of the group of clothing designers and the group will feel motivated.