Low Employee Morale, Cultural and Communication Differences, Essay

Low employee morale, cultural and communication differences, technological equipment challenges as well as lack of team cohesion are some of the worst situation to ever affect an organization. These situations can critically impair the normal operations of an organization (Mawoli & Babandako,2011).In this paper, we present an elaborate investigation of these issues as well as how to tackle them within the context of a global hi-tech organization (a multinational) with offices in various cities across the globe.

Low employee morale/lack of motivation

Motivation is noted by Harder (2008) to be the inner drive that compels an individual to perform or act.There are several sets of factors that influences employee motivation. Several scholars do however agree that the concept of motivation is mainly a psychological process that arouses a sense of direction, arousal, intensity as well as persistence of individual behavior (Pinder,1998). Employee motivation is a process that leads to good employee behavior. This process cannot be observed or measured. As a consequence, several researchers on employee motivation have identified the factors that that can be used in measuring the construct. Herzberg (1966) identified the factors that affect employee behavior. The factors that act as the determinant of employee motivation as well as staff contentment must be identified and acted upon. The work of Jaafar, Ramayah and Zainal (2006) noted that hygiene factors can be used in minimizing the level of employee dissatisfaction. As noted by Nelson and Quick (2003), motivation factors are very critical for employee performance to be optimal.

Employee performance

Employee performance is a behavior that is exhibited by employees as noted by Campbell et al. (1990).

The concept of job performance as a behavior can be regarded as a major factor in the evaluation of organizational effectiveness (Onukwube, Iyabga and Fajana, 2010).Employee motivation is noted to be one of the most important factors in the improvement of both employee as well as organization performance. By means of an elaborate employee motivation program, a give organization can encourage its employees through the enhancement of their professional skills as well as by improving their morale. The use of incentives, cash prizes as well as perks are very good employee motivators. Performance appraisal is another critical element or important method of improving employee morale.An increase in the level of employee performance is important in the improvement of employee performance as well as the achievement of higher productivity levels.

The work of Maslow (1943) known as Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is important since it states that employee motivation helps them in satisfying their basic needs. His work depicts human needs as a pyramid having five levels. At the lowest level of the pyramid or hierarchy is the person's most basic and mist powerful needs that can greatly influence the person's behavior. The lowest level includes psychological needs that aim at satisfying the basic human needs like food, air, water, shelter as well as sleep. If any of the above mentioned needs are not met or satisfied, then the employee's morale and focus at work is greatly impaired. The next is Safety needs and this includes personal security and safety, financial security, health as well-being, property ownership as well as protection from all sorts of exercise of authority.

The social needs include needs for love, family as well as friendship. Employees must be able to feel a sense of belonging.The Company must therefore come up with an elaborate strategy aimed at satisfying all these needs in order to lower as well as prevent stress, anxiety as well as insecurity among its employees and in turn lead to improved level of employee productivity.

Employee self- esteem as well as morale is part of need that are derived from the level of recognition that they get. This feeling ultimately results in status, acceptance as well as prestige.

Satisfied employees terms of needs are the ones who have a feeling of adequacy, competence as well as confidence. Should the employee's esteem needs not be met then they would lack confidence and therefore perform poorly.

Ther are also employee growth needs that must be met. They need the growth needs in order for them to experience self-actualization and growth. The concept of self- actualization is needed for employees to achieve their full potential. When employees want to achieve their aspirations, they usually try to attain the highest possible level of their….....