Morale In The Workplace Essay Research Paper

Morale In The Workplace Essay, Research Paper

Morale – OverviewMorale, often used synonymously with job satisfaction, can be simply defined as the general attitude an employee has toward his or her job. Good morale is often a reflection that job satisfaction is high – that there is little difference between the rewards provided and what an employee believes he/she should receive. Conversely, poor or low morale reflects workers’ dissatisfaction with some job related matters. Good morale, or job satisfaction, is considered a key dependent variable in an organization’s human resources effectiveness (Robbins). It ranks high on the list with productivity, absenteeism and turnover as key indicators of how effective an organization is in conducting its business. Job satisfaction has often been linked positively to productivity, although no casual relationship has been concretely established (Robbins). It is also believed to be positively and negatively affected by certain job related factors. Factors That Positively Affect MoraleMental Challenge Mentally challenging work is one factor that purportedly is conducive to job satisfaction. According to Robbins, employees tend to prefer jobs that give them opportunities to use their skill and abilities. Variety is also a key element of mentally challenging work. With too little challenge, an employee will become bored, however, too much challenge creates frustration and feelings of failure. Equitable Rewards Another purported contributor is equitable rewards. Employees tend to prefer compensation and reward structures that are fair and unambiguous. Monetary compensation needs to be viewed as fair based on the demands of the job, the individual’s skill level, and comparable salaries. Money is not always the issue; for some people, trade-offs such as location, stock options or less demanding work are more attractive than the level of their salary. This is key in recognizing that equitable rewards must be seen as fair by the employee. Job Fit But of course, job fit, which is being in the right job in which skills, temperament, strengths and weaknesses find a match with job requirements, cannot be overlooked. For happy employees certainly make for a positive work environment as well as higher levels of productivity. Effects Of Low Morale There are also some factors that are associated with low morale; not as the cause of it, but certainly as a manifestation of it. These are cited by Robbins as absenteeism, turnover, and low productivity. Other factors include poor attitudes and depression.Absenteeism Absenteeism has a consistent negative relationship with job satisfaction. Workers who are unhappy tend to seek every opportunity to stay away from the job. This is made easier by privacy laws which protect employees who use sick days as vacation or “mental health days”. By offering a flimsy excuse to their superiors, employees are able to take advantage of their company and a system put in place for their benefit. Managers’ task to keep absenteeism to a minimum while increasing productivity is therefore not always an easy one. For when negative factors exist in the workplace, absenteeism rises. These negative factors, such as eminent layoffs, dissatisfaction with compensation, personality conflicts or poor job fits, lead to low morale, poor attitudes, low productivity and sometimes depression in the workplace. According to CCH Inc. of Riverwoods, IL, an employment attitude survey company, absenteeism is on the rise. In 1994, small businesses had a 46% increase in absenteeism (from 5.4 missed days to 8 missed days). While there are acceptable applications of absenteeism, CCN, Inc. has found that more and more employees are missing work due to stress or simply because they feel they deserve the time off. Costs associated with absenteeism are estimated to be approximately $1,000 per person/per year (Sinton). When this statistic is applied to large corporations with excess of 50,000 employees, the impact of absenteeism on the bottom line is staggering. Turnover Turnover is also negatively related to morale and job satisfaction. Interestingly enough, turnover has a much higher correlation with low job satisfaction than absenteeism did (Robbins). This means that people would rather quit their job, than stay and simply use up sick leave. According to Robbins, ” an important moderator of the satisfaction-turnover relationship is the employee’s level of performance. Specifically, level of satisfaction is less important in predicting turnover for superior performers.” Superior performers are the ones who are consistently recognized by their organization and often receive rewards such as bonuses, pay increases, praise, official recognition and greater opportunities to excel within the company. Low Productivity Productivity, and the responsibility for achieving it through workers, rests with mangers. Often it is difficult for a manager to recognize the various factors that motivate employees to produce. Many managers feel that they are ineffective at influencing their staff (McClelland). There are two schools of thought about motivation. One believes an employee with an internal locus of control motivates himself/herself. This means that the person sees within himself/herself the ability to control his or her own destiny (Robbins). These are the types of people who will take control of a situation and make the best of it. Employees with an internal locus of control t