ABC Technologies has a number of design centers globally, all having hardware and software engineering teams. This created duplication of work and unnecessary bureaucracy and power struggle that hindered the progress of the company. Due to excessive engineering overheads, employees at R&D centers are under paid. The continued uncertainty of product development and tug of war therein created lack of motivation and acquired depression among employees of the design centers.
A recent project of product development at San Jose design center demanded my immediate intervention. The project is overdue and NZ design center put forward an argument before CEO that project should be revoked and moved to NZ since the later is most capable.
Having to work with all design centers, I found the situation is quite challenging since the situation demands an overhaul process for the motivation of employees at San Jose design center who is responsible for the delivery of this important project. It is a fact that success of any facet of a given business can almost always be traced back to motivated employees. From productivity and profitability to recruiting and retention, hardworking and happy employees lead to triumph. I realized this truth long back at Nortel but lack the ability to work on it. This time, it is an opportunity of the lifetime.
Unfortunately, motivating people is not an exact science rather I consider it is an art. Robert Vecchio (2006, p.72) describes motivation is a complex phenomenon. In fact, motivation is as distinctive as the individual employees. Factors that motivate employees differ widely while one may consider money as motivation factor other may appreciate personal recognition for a job well done.
But we can surely zero down employee motivation to one basic ideal and that is finding out what employee wants. This is considered the analysis of dominant needs. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs divide those needs into three specific class: Physiological needs, Safety needs and Social needs.
I have used a technique which Robert Vecchio (2006a, p.83) describes as social learning. Facing with restriction in budget, social learning that best approach I could apply in this situation.
Leigh Buchanan (2001) proposed a related technique namely “managing one-to-one” in article at Inc.com. He argues that collecting information about individuals and transforming it into tailored offerings is the stuff of one-to-one marketing. Now companies are taking that concept and focusing it on their own employees.
My approach to the situation was similar to what Inc magazine stated, however, it differs from the notion of micromanagement and social chatting. Due to the complexity of the situation, I have several sittings with the group of engineers to brief them on situation and instruct them on how to set personal standard for performance.
The social learning techniques for this circumstance are as follows:
1. Analysis of situation: The embedded linux operating system is considered future of product development. ABC Technologies considers it a way forward. NZ design center which consider itself as the leader in delivering embedded linux for ABC technologies bided for the project aggressively. The explanation on the this notion that since linux is future and the project under development could set the ground for further such developments and eventually pave the way for the group thrive, was received well by the engineers.
2. The challenge and rewards: Discussion on the challenges ahead and despite all the odds, how we could together thrive as another perspective that seems to help the group to reconsider the way they are performing.
3. Managing-one-to-one: This was an effective tool. As employees become familiar with my ideas, vision, strategies and their contribution to it, and the fact that they could vent out some of the negative feelings, majority of engineers accepted me as the savior of the situation. This was the key to successful implementation of social learning principle. Robert vecchio (2006b, p.83) stated the implementation of the principle of social learning to motivate employees depends on the acceptance of the instructor and his/her direction by the workers.
4. Goal settings: It was now clear to me that I have been accepted by the worker so goal settings were the next to follow. This could be considered for the situation as the non-monetary reward part of the application of MBO. The quantitative goal setting motivated everyone.
5. Capability and performance improvement: The goal settings further enforced by emphasizing on qualitative aspects of employee’s effort. Encouragement on the capabilities and positive comments on how to improve performance, helped employees realize my intention to make them succeed and thrive. Therefore, such consideration by employees worked well as the created peer pressure on others who were lacking behind.
6. Team work: This magic word was also a key to success. I have emphasized on this all along asserting myself a part of the team. Such notions of team concept had lasting effect on employees and improve the performance.
7. Dynamic reconfiguration of team: Another great principle of work I have used which can be termed as “Dynamic reconfiguration”. In it, I have shifted responsibilities dynamically for a given employee from less important area and more important area by demand of work. This created opportunity for low performer to do well while best performer find the opportunity to prove their leadership effectively.
8. Cultural Consideration: San Jose Design center includes engineering team from several cultural backgrounds such as Indian, Chinese, Vietnamese, and European and so on. During my discussion, I have to emphasize on each person considering their cultural background and words were carefully chosen accordingly. I have also kept a careful eye on the team work and formation of team, dynamic resource allocation considering cultural and personality aspects of individually and deciding what works best for each. This determination was made as the outcome of item 3.
9. Challenge of Silicon Valley: The highly competitive environment and mindset of Silicon Valley was although difficult to cope with for these circumstances as I have no monetary reward to offer. The concentration was on the other aspect of Silicon Valley culture and that is to do with creativity and risk taking. I have explained them to prove again that their value adds of being at the valley which company considers as expensive proposition.
Although the project is still under development, the social learning principle that I have applied herein truly resulted considerable and noticeable impact on the project. Employees started putting in more hours efficiently. The notion of team work now seems to prevail throughout the design center since peer pressure seems to be working in that regard.
Reference
Vecchio, R 2006: Organizational Behavior, core concepts. 6th edition. Thomson South-Western, USA. [cited 5th August, 2007].
Leigh Buchanan, 2001. Managing One-to-One. Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation, 5(11). Available from http://www.inc.com/magazine/20011001/23479.html [cited 5th August, 2007].
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