Factors Affecting the Performance of Employees Research Paper

Factors Affecting the Performance of Employees - Research Paper Example The human resource policies and strategies of an organization are the key determinants of employees’ performance (Armstrong, 2006). For example, in my previous employment, there were various incentives such as Christmas bonuses to employees, which aimed at motivating employees. Despite the human resource policies and strategies, the interrelationships of various departments of the organization, inter-organizational relations, and demographic factors have an impact on employees’ performance. According to Armstrong (2006), human resources are valuable assets for an organization. Understanding the issues, which influence worker performance, may be key to enhancing employee’s productivity and morale. Organizations formulate strategies for providing an excellent work environment in order to attract and retain the best employees. These strategies should address those factors that affect the performance of workers. These factors may be within or outside the company, inc luding those factors emanating from the employee’s personal lives. The paper will discuss the following factors as determinants of employees’ performance. These factors include ability, knowledge and skills, feedback, environment, standards, and motivation.  Ã‚  Motivation is the key to an effective organization to sustain the stability of the work in a strong way and help the survival of the organization. Motivation is discovering a requirement inside the workers and assisting to attain it. Motivation enables employees to widen their skills to meet the organizational objectives. Motivation drives human beings to achieve their objectives and company objectives through each challenge and limitation they experience in their workplace. The need of accomplishment leads in a desire to put extra effort to have something done better and the desire for success. There are three internal forces that influence an individual’s behavior; direction, intensity, and persisten ce. In terms of direction, motivation is directed by objectives while in terms of intensity, it is the amount of effort allotted. In terms of persistence, it is the time and effort applied. The following are the five main approaches of motivation; Maslow’s need hierarchy theory, Adams’ equity theory, Vroom’s expectancy theory, Herzberg’s two-factor theory, and Skinner’s reinforcement theory (Herzberg, 1987). Maslow points out that there are five levels of employee needs; safety, physiological, ego, social, and self-actualizing. Maslow observed that employees are motivated when their low-level needs are satisfied first before the next high-level needs. Herzberg’s study classified motivation into two factors; hygiene and motivators. Intrinsic or motivator factors, such as recognition and achievement lead to job satisfaction. Extrinsic or hygiene factors, such as level of remuneration and degree of job security generate job dissatisfaction. Vro om’s approach is based on the idea that worker effort will result in performance, which will result in rewards. The rewards can be either negative or positive. The more positive the prize the more probable the worker will be extremely motivated (Armstrong, 2006). On the contrary, the more negative the prize, the less probable the worker will be motivated.  Ã‚