Driving employee motivation - A focus on attendance issues: Insider action research at MontPac

• Main Author: Villamor, Mervin J.
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2014
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_masteral/4714
• Institution: De La Salle University

In this study, I aim to do an action research on employee motivation in Montgomery Pacific Outsourcing Philippines Inc. (MontPac). Manifestations of demotivated employee include tardiness and absenteeism. My observations revealed that the motivation level of most of the employees are low and this lead me to intervene as there was a direct correlation between having motivated employees to corporate performance (Nohria, Groysberg, & Eling-Lee, 2008). To determine on what can motivate these employees, I asked all of my officemates to answer an online assessment tool by Richard Stephenson. Based on the results, majority of the employees said that it is teamwork that best motivates them. The results establishes the need to bond and the most effective way to fulfill this need is to create a culture that harnesses teamwork, collaboration, openness, and friendship (Nohria et al, p. 4). Using action research case study approach anchored on the insider action research framework of Coghlan and Brannick, interventions were implemented with the help of some of my officemates in addressing the issue on employee motivation, particularly on the attendance issues. The interventions are: serve free breakfast, and post quotes and anecdotes in our bulletin board and in our daily attendance report. After the interventions were implemented, the interaction among employees improved however, the impact towards their motivation level has minimal effect as their attendance record did not improve. These interventions can still be implemented in the succeeding months and perhaps the effects will visibly reflect on the attendance reports by then. There is still a need to think of other ways, such as training and reinstating the monthly team building activities, to augment the motivation level of the employees. Lastly, it is not sufficient that we only focus on addressing a particular need at one point, rather the need to acquire, comprehend, defend, and bond should be addressed altogether to motivate the employees.