Wheelworks Case Study
Question 1:Individuals have different needs that if satisfied, will lead to a motivation in the workplace. In this theory, Maslow also mentioned that needs come in order if to be satisfied; and if one need is substantially satisfied, the next need becomes dominant.In the theory, the first factor that needs to be satisfied is the physiological needs.
This pertains mostly to the bodily needs of the person. If a person can fulfill this need, he moves up to safety, where he needs to shield himself from physical and emotional harm. According to Maslow, having satisfied both needs, the person yearns for higher-order needs which includes social, esteem and self-actualization (Robbins, 2002). The theory holds much relevance to workplaces nowadays. Employees are motivated to work when they feel that their current jobs support their personal needs.
For the case of Wheelworks, the company mostly substantiates the higher-order needs of the employees. As an organization of cycling enthusiasts, it has manifested a social support to members that share the same sentiments. Likewise, aside from their common passion, it also acknowledges the means in which an individual inside the company can achieve and attain self-fulfillment. They advocate developing the potentials of its employees in the long run.Question 2:Similar to Maslow’s theory of needs, Frederick Herzberg proposed an organizational behavior theory that believes that an employees’ relation to work and his own attitude can lead to his success or failure (Newstrom and Davis, 2002).
Job satisfaction in the workplace relies on two major factors, the hygiene factor, which includes pay and job security; and the motivational factors which relates to opportunities and achievement.At Wheelworks, they value customers and staff alike. Aside from maintaining a good relationship with their clients, they also make sure that their staffs are working harmoniously with a common cause. They also advocate good physical working conditions, wherein life should always be balanced with work. The supervisors also never fail to neglect to coach and motivate their employees as well.
In the case, it can be inferred in the case that the top management does not give commissions to sales officers. However, they believe that without the commission, the sales person can be trained to market the product correctly, not only pursuing how much he can benefit from selling the product. This gives the employees responsibility towards the product and if done well they will achieve recognition for their efforts. Wheelworks also open opportunities for the employees to learn further about the product.Question 3:Job involvement is an important aspect of life in the workplace. It is defined was the way how employees associate themselves with the company and achieving common goals for the benefit of the organization.
(Lodhal and Kejner, 1965). Before an employee can aspire for higher goals and power in the organization it is important that he is one with what the organization believes in.Being a cycling enthusiast at Wheelworks helps its employees contribute significantly to the goals of the organization. Their knowledge on their product and experience helps them connect to their customers thus showing ownership in their own way. As customers develop their enthusiasm to the product and cycling, in general, it rewards employees seeing other people share their passion.However, it is a necessary, but not a sufficient idea to induce motivation among employees in their jobs.
It must be noted that employees will have many factors affecting to their willingness to deliver a quality work and having a passion for cycling, in specific to Wheelworks’ case, is just one of the conditioning to motivation. Besides their passion, there are other ways that let them stay on their job, like pay and opportunities that can be opened to them.Question 4:Financial rewards in an organization do not necessarily come in monetary terms but also on benefits that can reap monetary savings or rewards in the future (Hill, 2009). Most of companies nowadays do not only peg the financial benefits of the employees in salaries but also giving them various benefits. Reviewing from the case of Wheelworks, they took this strategy to compensate their employees. Aside from paying the highest possible wage, they give benefits like traditional vacation and sick pay.
They also pay attention to health, in accordance to their organization identity, encouraging employees to ride on bikes. However, they do not give commission to encourage employees to market the product itself and not on monetary benefits.Another benefit which was not fully emphasized on the case was giving employees training opportunities on the business. This is not monetary, however, it can train the employees to be better salesmen and the company would be better off in their profits. It would also be best for Wheelworks to expand benefits towards health, and if possible, education that could be trickled down to the families of their staff. Money alone cannot reward their efforts, but also on how company benefits reaches out to the families of the employees.
Question 5:The rationale behind Wheelworks’ strategies of not compensating their staff with commissions is that they believe that it will affect the marketing strategies of salesmen in their products. On the top management’s end, they concluded that will the presence of commissions, people would tend to market for the money and not for the product and service itself. If it is lucrative enough, salesmen would not market correctly at all since their focus is on the compensation that they will be receiving.As a consultant, Wheelworks have a point on their stand on not giving commissions. However, it is necessary that they device an alternative compensation scheme that can motivate the employees.
One compensation is scheme is giving a bonus, not on the per piece sale, however, with the feedbacks that customers give to the salesmen. Excellent feedbacks from customers can be rewarded monetarily or other forms of compensation. With this, the employees will be motivated not only to sell products, but to take care as well of their customers with an excellent feedback awaiting them in the end.
