Week 11 - Application Assignment : LeiLani Lemle-Macias

“If we take as a given that a motivated workforce can boost company performance, then the insights to human behavior will felp companies and executives get the best out of employees by fulfilling their most fundeamental needs.” (Nohria, Groysberg, Lee, 2008)

 

This week I interviewed Sharon Grove, LADWP’s new General Manager of the Customer Service Division.

1.      Do you think that motivating employees is important? Why or why not?

Yes, people spend much of their life at work, so making it a place where positive energy is created and people are motivated affects the whole organization

2.      In which ways does your organization motivate its employees?

a.       Recognition for successful jobs

b.      Inclusion in higher level meetings for exposure

c.       One on one meetings with key department leaders to understand and have input into the direction of the organization

d.      Employee focus groups for input into improvements

e.       Sense of empowerment that their suggestions matter requires that when we do implement employee suggestions, they are told about it and thanked

f.       When customers recognize a job well done, that recognition is shared with leadership

g.      Customer service week and other external recognition theme thanks front line employees for doing their jobs well

3.      One way to motivate employees is with a reward system. Does your organization have a reward system in place? If so, what is it?

a.       Reward systems are in the above answer

b.      We also compensate employees for unused sick time to motivate them to be at work

4.      Another way to motivate employees is through the organization’s culture. How does your organization’s culture affect motivation?

a.       We have a culture of inclusivity, and of managing changes as something that is positive and rewarding, instead of having to keep doing things the same way

b.      We continue to move employees through the organization through promotion to have good knowledge transfer and good leadership training

c.       We offer a management development program for our MEA union

d.      We offer various training for all employees

e.       We send employees to conferences so they understand what is going on in other areas of the industry

5.      Job design (jobs that have important roles in the organization and are meaningful) also motivates employees. How does your organization design jobs that a meaningful and foster a sense of contribution to the organization?

We don’t focus specifically on job design because it’s more about leadership and challenge your employees to see outside any one design and look out for how to structure our roles to better serve our customers

6.      Increasing transparency, building trust, and emphasizing fairness through performance management and resource allocation processes help motivate employees. In what ways can your organization achieve this?

You can’t do any of these things without having the shadow of the leader. Unless the leader can consistently exhibit these qualities, the processes won’t stand up to what employees expect. These must be met first to then create a motivated workforce.

 Having a rewards system in place helps organizations motivate employees. Employees like to feel appreciated, empowered and that their opinions/suggestions are being acknowledged and considered. I also spoke with Helen Forbes, GM of Fairfield Marriott in Anaheim and she stated, “The best way to motivate an employee is to ask them.” I thought this statement is factual. What may motivate one person may not motivate another.

 

References

 

Nohria, N., Groysberg, B., and Lee, L. (2008) Employee Motivation: A Powerful New Model, Harvard Business Review, pp. 1-7 (full article)