Motivation and Performance
A good understanding of the factors that motivate employees’ work efforts reveals that they are varied and complex. This is because, in the motivation and job performance model, performance is a product on the combination of a person’s motivation and ability. Effective management practices indicate that, in the practical world, the combination of motivation and ability to perform in a certain role will determine the performance of an employee. It is on this basis that this analysis will use theories of motivation to show that the employment policies and practices of “Boston Duck Tours” motivate employees.
Motivation of an employee goes beyond the monetary remuneration or benefits they receive, it is the ability of the employer to give the behavior and ability of the employee purpose of direction. This is because performance in the job arises from an employee’s skills and abilities through training and on-the-job practices. In the motivation and job performance model, these abilities in combination with motivational factors like satisfaction, expectations, goals, and needs influence motivation, to work. Therefore, this analysis does not consider Boston Duck’s strategy of awarding employees $1.1 million in bonuses, the three-month benefits, annual medical, life insurance, dental, and 401(K) the main source of motivation.
Boston Duck conductors’ motivation arises from the satisfaction of Maslow’s safety needs as all four of the original drivers are on board. The fact that the employer can offer them job security, life insurance, and 401 (1) is more motivating that the satisfaction of the physiological needs of food, water, clothing or shelter. In the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs an employer that can afford to offer employees’ safety nets like insurance and 401 (K) can motivate them by making them feel secure. In addition, the company can increase motivation and consequently the performance of employees by meeting social and association needs. This the company has through making the business motto about people, where the employee is of importance. The satisfaction of the social need makes employees feel wanted and needed, therefore, increasing their commitment to the company. In addition, the company has tried to meet the esteem and self-actualization needs of the employees. The owner allowing employees, especially the conductors to develop their character identifiable to consumers, has achieved self-esteem. Further, there is an indication in the fact that conductors like Brad Rigby can confess they cannot leave the company unless they under duress to leave. Moreover, the employees have attained self-actualization as they feel part of the business, not from the stock-ownership shares, but can comfortably assist in the startup of the business. The employees have enough motivation to feel part of the company that they pitched in to wire, paint, and lay the carpets in the offices.
Boston Duck’s makes use of colorful ducks with local proud names, to display the enthusiasm, which is an accentuation of the driver’s theatrical identity marked by spiel and costumes. The company encourages drivers or guides to embrace different identities they associate with, in an attempt to create enthusiasm. This strategy falls under Herzberg’s theory of dissatisfiers and satisfiers. The satisfiers are factors like the opportunity for achievement, recognition, take responsibility, advancement, growth, and work on engaging job. The company in allowing them to drive colorful and ingeniously named duck-boats, is fulfilling the need for an opportunity to work on an interesting job. Moreover, by allowing them to dress in character meets the employees need an opportunity to receive recognition from passersby, the company, and customers. In addition, the company accentuates the need for recognition and the need for working on an interesting job by giving employees kazoos, which they quack and passersby respond back. This is a motivation as employees get identified with the company, while the company also receives recognition from distinct identities. Moreover, the company satisfies the need for experience, advancement, and growth in the job. This because Boston Ducks insists employees must know what they are talking about to customers as they take their tours. The guides and drivers have work requirement to read and study the history of the local community. This is a motivator to the drivers or conductors since, under Hertzberg’s theory of motivation, employees have the need to experience advancement and growth. By requiring that the driver read and study, is a motivation as they gain knowledge, skills, and experience, which in turn leads to job growth as they also double up as tour guides. In addition, the added knowledge increases the self-esteem of the drivers as they are able to talk to tourists on different topics of the area. This is necessary as Hertzberg shows that employees’ motivation arises from the increment and complexity of job content. Therefore, under this theory the employee’s motivation is the result of job enrichment, not pay or supervision. This is evident in the Boston Duck company since the combination of employment policies and activities enrich the job for conductors or drivers.
Another factor that increase the motivation of conductors and guides in Boston Ducks company is the removal or limitation of supervision, tight company policies, and administration. The drivers have less supervision and are on their own in meeting duties and responsibilities. This, therefore, fulfills the premise of this analysis, that motivation of employees goes beyond the use of salaries, benefits, and compensations, but entails the combination of individual ability and motivation. This analysis finds that Boston Ducks uses individual motivation like the satisfaction of security needs, can meet the need for recognition, self-esteem, self-actualization, advancement, and growth. The company meets the social needs of employees and makes them feel part of the company as seen with the business motto. This is not only fulfilling Maslow’s social or love needs, but also falls within the Goal setting theory. In the goal setting theory, the improvement of individual and group work performance is through the setting of deadlines, objectives, quality standards. This is because the business motto of Boston Ducks as doubles up as the company’s mission, which determines the objectives and goals set. By having a motto that reads, “Ultimately, this business is about people. If they are enthusiastic, it works,” Boston ducks is creating an organizational culture where the employee is crucial. It is for this reason that the drivers interviewed in the article have a high regard, have a commitment, and speak passionately about the company. Moreover, by focusing on the study of the local history, the company assisting employees develop their skills and knowledge. These in turn assist in the growth of their expertise, and abilities in the job. Therefore, the company can motivate the drivers or conductors and guides by meeting their motivational and abilities. Proving the theory that motivation that seeks to meet the individual motivational needs and job abilities, leads to increased job performance.
