Motivation deficiency creates catastrophic environment in an

organization: status of a university campus

Md Zafar Alam Bhuiyan

Assistant Professor, Department of Fashion Design & Technology, Shanto-Mariam University of Creative
Technology, Dhaka, Bangladesh, email: zafar.design@gmail.com

Abstract

The academic environment is different from other working environment based on different factors prevailing there. Here
in the research three categories of staffs (academic, admin and supporting) have been selected for the study to check the
motivational level existing, therefore. Mainly staffs are motivated there for good dealings working position is another factor
for the consideration of motivation. Interestingly, most of the staffs of all categories are not working there merely salary at
the first selected criteria but also others such as position, that’s social status, brand name and other related factors of the
university. Mostly motivated staffs are the supporting staffs and de-motivation works within the admin staffs. Admin staffs
are generally de-motivated for the salary and their position. However, academic staffs are de-motivated for the
misbehaviour of the authority.

Introduction

According to Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, a motive is “something a need or desire that causes a person to act”.
However, “Motivate, in turn, means “to deliver with a motive,” and therefore, motivation is defined as “the act or process
of motivating”. Subsequently, motivation is the performance or procedure of presenting an intention that origin a person
to capture some accomplishment (Shanks.N. H.). Motivation is derived from the word “motivate”, means to move, push or
make influence to proceed for fulfilling a want (Kalimullah et al, 2010).

Motivation is the subject of the present time, that is much talked by the managers how the workers can be motivated to
the works. It is the dynamic issue like staff recruitment, controlling, managing, leading and many more are of great
importance to the success of an organization. Nowadays, Employee Motivation is commonly considered a core element in
successively a winning business.

A question is raised from a great deal of attention from most managers, administrators and those involved in Human
Resources Management is how to successfully motivate employees. However, it is true that aspects like staff recruitment,
controlling, managing, leading, and many more are the great importance to the success of an organization. In modern work
management, Employee Motivation is generally considered a core element in running a successful business.

In this research, based on different literature review given below, a questionnaire was prepared and surveyed for the
afterwards analyses of data comparatively within three categories of staffs and two pictorial analysis have been done to
indicate the motivational and de-motivation levels of the staffs.

2. Literature Review
The role of motivation in an organization:

Motivated workforces are needed in our fast-changing workplaces. Motivated employees help organizations to survive.
Motivated employees are more industrious and result oriented. To be effective, managers need to understand what
motivates employees within the situation of the roles they perform. Of all the functions a manager performs; motivating
employees is questionably the most complex. This is due, to the fact that what motivates employee’s changes continuously.
For an example, research suggests that as employees' income increases, money becomes less of a motivator (Kovach, 1987).
However, as employees get older, interesting work becomes more of a motivator.

Techniques of Motivation:

In fact, we all know something about motivational techniques. We learn actions through motivation from childhood.
Because of motivation we live our whole lives. This is important because our motivation chooses our behaviour. Some types
of motivation are more successful than others. However, the perfect motivation for one only can be decided by him or her.

People are different, so it follows that their motivations have to be different. Here are some types of motivation.

2.1 Achievement:

This is the motivation of a person to reach goals. The craving for achievement is intrinsic in everybody, but not all look to
attainment as their motivation. People are motivated by a goal. In order to attain that goal, they are eager to go as far as
possible. The difficulty of the goal is determined by a person's insight.

To us, the terms "simple" and "complex" are simply relative. What one person thinks is an easy goal to accomplish, may
seem to be impossible for another person without any reason. However, if one’s motivation is an accomplishment, the
other will find that is incomplete, increasingly complex as time goes by.

2.2 Socialization:

Socialization is the main motivation for actions. This is especially obvious in the situation of peer pressure. However, some
people are willing to do anything to be treated as an equal within a group structure. The idea of being accepted among a
group of people is the effect of their motivation for doing certain things.

2.3 Incentive motivation:

This type of motivation involves rewards. People around us believe that they will receive rewards for doing something are
motivated to do everything they can to reach a certain goal. While achievement motivation is focused on the goal itself,
subsequently, incentive motivation is driven by the fact that the goal will give people benefits. Mainly incentive motivation
is used in companies through bonuses and other types of compensation for additional work to instigate the performances
of others as well. By incentives, companies’ anticipation is to raise productivity to motivate their employees to work harder.

2.4 Fear motivation:

When an incentive does not work, people often turn to fear and punishment as the next tools. Fear motivation involves
pointing out various penalties if someone does not follow a set of prescribed behaviour. This is often seen in companies as
working hand-in-hand with incentive motivation. Workers are often faced with a reward and punishment system, wherein
they are given incentives if they accomplish a certain goal, but they are given punishments when they disobey certain
policies (Bhuiyan, 2010).

2.5 Change motivation:

Sometimes, people change within their immediate environment to motivate the working people there. Change motivation
is often the cause of true progress. People just become tired of how things are and thus, think of ways to improve it.
2.6 Natural Motivations:

Naturally, sometimes, people motivate and they want to do work as they are responsible (y theory of motivation, Mc
Gregor). On the other hand, according to Maslow’s theory of motivation, a man has self-actualization need by which he
wants to help the society by his own responsibility. This type of motivation is the most common and happens most often.
It is the motivation people get when naturally motivated.

2.7 Booster motivations:

Booster Motivations is normally self-driven to overcome a task you have set yourself. Sometimes, even a small thing can
boost the motivation a man inside. In fact, it is not a matter of surprise if a small piece of inspiration or posting in the
workplace can positively drag a person to do more work.

3. Factors for Lack of Motivation in the Workplace:

Drop-In staff motivation can become contagious if the cause is not identified and addressed. Management needs to be
conscious of employee motivation, and that means being able to identify the factors that cause a lack of motivation in the
workplace. Become familiar with the factors that can degrade staff motivation and design plans to combat these
productivity killers.

3.1: Rumors

The important thing to remember about rumours is that they are not always wrong. Some rumours have a basis in fact, but
that does not make them good for employee morale. An employee that hears a rumour that she may be laid off experiences
an instant drop in motivation. To deal with the problem of rumours in the workplace, it is important for management to
share important information with the staff in a timely manner. This helps employees to feel confident that management
will address rumours and encourages staff members to wait on information from the company before acting on a rumour.

3.2: Inadequate Job Skills

Employees are motivated to succeed at jobs for which they feel prepared and properly trained. Before moving an employee
into a position of greater responsibility or before allowing any changes to an employee's job duties, be certain that employee
has had the training needed to get started. Putting an employee in a position where she feels she has inadequate job skills
will erode the employee's confidence and stifle any motivation to succeed.

3.3: Goal Flaws

Employees are not motivated by the notion that their hard work will make company owners and executives rich, the more
internalized a company's goals sound, the less motivated employees are to fulfil those goals. The company needs to focus
on the customer and give employees a chance to feel as though it has done something substantial to help the customer.
For example, develop a referral program that encourages customers that have recently purchased products to recommend
other people that your sales professionals can call on. The company and sales staff benefit from the increase in business,
but the sales staff also gets to see the appreciation of past clients in the form of potential new business.

3.4: Overwork

Employees that are overworked are likely to lose motivation regardless of how much overtime pay they are receiving. If you
know a period is coming where extra hours will need to be worked, develop a schedule in advance and give your employees
ample warning so they can make preparations in their personal life. Make sure the staff schedule still allows employees to
spend time with their families and get away from the stress of working too much.

4. A Case Study: To make the justification of employee motivation in a private university in Bangladesh a questionnaire
survey was conducted amongst the faculty members, staffs of administration and supporting staffs where following charts
are showing the motivation and de-motivation levels of the total staffs. Twelve persons have selected for each group of the
profession. Here, justifications have there been made through the facts of the literature review have collected and described
above.

Generally, employees are motivated to the work for good salary and benefits, timely promotion, inspiration, good behaviour
of the supervisors, good working conditions, practice authorization that is empowerment etc., whereas, employees are the
de-motivated absence of those criteria in the workplace.

Motivation Chart

Others

Brand Name

Good Behavior

Position

Salary

0 2 4 6 8 10 12

Supporting Satffs Admin Staffs Faculty Members

Chart 01: Motivation levels of the staffs

4.1. Analysis of Motivation Level: In the data analysis, it is clear that in an academic environment; most of the staffs of all
level (3 out of 12 persons for each group) do not work for only the salary. Interestingly only 25 per cent of them consider
salary is the factor of their motivation to the University. Faculty members enjoy their position most. Out of 12 faculty
members, 8 consider their position as faculty members is absolutely right and they work for this, whereas 4 and 3 from
admin and supporting staffs respectively enjoy their job position. Out of 12, 11 from each admin and supporting staffs group
expect good behaviour from others. Surprisingly, only 3 faculty members consider it is a point for their motivation. Mainly
admin staffs (8 out of 12) think about the brand name of the university as their selection of career where 50% of faculty
members and supporting staffs consider the brand name. 25% and 33% supporting staffs and admin staffs respectively have
other points (they didn’t disclose that) for their motivation but the faculty members have nothing secret to motivate them
excepting the points have described above.
 Demotivation Chart

Job Threat

Working Environment

Brand Name

Overwork

Misbehavior

Position

Salary

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Supporting Staffs Admin Staffs Facuty Members

Chart 02: De-motivation levels of the staffs

4.2. Analysis of De-motivation Chart: Most of the respondents are de-motivated for their salary nonetheless; they said that
they do not work for the salary but also for a peaceful environment, brand name, their position (say, Lecturer, Professor,
Public Relation office, etc). Mainly admin staffs are dissatisfied for their salary structure. On the other hand, 67 % admin
staffs are also de-motivated for their position (They feel shy to introduce themselves as the designations). About 62% of
faculty members are embarrassed for the misbehaviour of their authority. Only 25% from admin and supporting staffs are
unhappy for misbehavior.25% of faculty members and admin staffs think that they have overwork. Most interestingly,
supporting staffs enjoy their work. None from the three categories of the people feels shame to express others that they
are working in a private university. Mainly, admin staffs (50%) do not enjoy working environment whereas about 42% of
faculty members have the same consent. Surprisingly, supporting staffs enjoy the working environment relatively than
others. Only 12.5% of faculty members are de-motivated for their job threat whereas, no other staffs have this type of
disappointing thinking.

5. Conclusion: Practically, the academic environment of that campus of the university is devastating. It is claiming from
most of the staffs that there are not many good dealings however, this is mainly expected from a university. But in this case,
the performance of the admin staffs is very poor and it was happening relentlessly since few years’ backs which increased
and spread the thresholds to other categories of staffs gradually. As a result, academic environment disrupted once the
reputed institution. Students’ admission is decreasing day by day and the situation will go further worsen if the prescribed
motivational activities are not ensured.

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