STRATEGIES FOR MOTIVATING STAFF FOR IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY IN BUSINESS ORGANISATION (A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED SMALL SCALE ENTERPRISES)

STRATEGIES FOR MOTIVATING STAFF FOR IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY IN BUSINESS ORGANISATION (A CASE STUDY OF SELECTED SMALL SCALE ENTERPRISES)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

1.0 INTRODUCTION

According to Robinson (2004), all organizations are concerned with what should be done to achieve sustained high levels of performance through people. Consequently the subject of adequate motivation of workers as derived from the so many attempts made by management practitioner is to look for the best way to manage so as to accomplish an objective or mission with the least inputs of materials and human resources available. A lot of theoretical concept, principles and techniques of management have evolved in response to these challenges. In general management authors tended to view motivation as a key component of the managerial function of leading or directing. However, leading or leadership style, although an important factor in determining the attitude of employees toward assigned job responsibilities is not the only determinant, other managerial function such as planning, controlling, staffing and organizing also play a role.

In many business organizations, certain problems of inadequate motivation however do arise, these problems of inadequate motivation may be divided into two categories. Firstly, the inability of certain individuals to be motivated may stem from the fact that there is a deficiency in their personality. For such people, the desire to avoid failure may be too strong while paradoxically, the motive to produce positive results may be too weak if these is to be any spur to achievement oriented activity at all. Secondly, even when the achievement motive is relatively strong, the challenges before the individual worker may be prove to be inadequate or too difficult, which ever of these that apply to the individual worker will usually manifest themselves in different ways such as lack of enthusiasm or premature surrender.

Money only plays the role of common denominator of all things. There is a general notion that if only management can identify other things that can motivate the workforce apart from money, perhaps there will be a dramatic reduction in the demand by workers for pay rises. Less time will be spent on the annual ritual of management/workers union negotiation meetings. Employees may join a company because of its generous pay scale or lucrative benefits package, but how long they stay and how productive they are is determined by the relationship with their immediate supervisor much more than by their satisfaction with pay.

1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

Staff of many business organizations in Nigeria are not adequately motivated in terms of financial remuneration and provision of enable working environments. Also, poor motivation could lead to frustration, which can manifest itself in various ways amongst staff. Example could be low productivity and nonchalant attitudes towards work.  There is lack of enthusiasm towards work as employees are not adequately motivated. This situation could produce a general resistance to achievement-oriented activity that should naturally be overcomed by motivating the staff of the business organization. It is in view of these problems that this research study is carried out to examine the strategies for motivating staff for improved productivity in business organizations.

1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The following are the objectives of the study;

1. To find out the strategies for motivating staff for improved productivity in business organizations.
2. To examine the need for productivity in business organizations
3. To find out the role of motivation in enhancing the productivity of business organizations
4. To make known the benefits of motivating staff in business organizations

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The following research questions were formulated to achieve the objectives of the study;

1. What are the strategies for motivating staff for improved productivity in business organizations?
2. What is the need for productivity in business organizations?
3. What is the role of motivation in enhancing the productivity of business organizations?
4. What are the benefits of motivating staff in business organization?

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The following are the significance of the study;

1. It will help in identifying the strategies for motivating staff for improved productivity.
2. It will make known the need for productivity in business organizations
3. Identify the role of motivation in enhancing productivity in business organizations
4. The study will also serve as a useful reference material to other researchers seeking for information pertaining the subject

1.5 SCOPE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study covers strategies for motivating staff for improved productivity in business organization. And the study is restricted to selected small enterprises in Ikot Ekpene which are; B-Best technologies, Affangide craft enterprise and G. O Dowell enterprise.

LIMITATION(S) OF THE STUDY

In the course of carrying out the research some challenges were encountered by the researcher that stood as limitation to the study and they include; the researcher could not visit many libraries to gather relevant information due to high cost of transportation. Limited time given for the completion of the study and financial challenges due to the rising cost of textbooks, internet browsing, etc.

1.6 Definition of terms

Motivation: A feeling of enthusiasm, interest, or commitment that makes somebody want to do something, or something that causes such a feeling

Staff: People who are employed by a company or an individual employer

Productivity: The rate at which a company produces goods or services, in relation to the amount of materials and number of employees needed

Organization: Group of people identified by a shared interest or purpose, e.g. a business