Analysis of the Case: Motivation: Resistance to Change- by 147131

Submitted To: Prof. Vijaylakshmi Singh

Submitted By: Prakriti Dutta

A Brief Introduction to Maslow’s Theory of Motivation (Hierarchy

Of Needs)

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology proposed by

Abraham Maslow in his 1943 paper "A Theory of Human Motivation"
in Psychological Review.

He developed a model in which basic, low-level needs such as

physiological requirements and safety must be satisfied before
higher level needs such as self-actualisation are pursued. In this
hierarchical model, when a need is mostly satisfied it no longer
motivates and the next higher need takes its place. Maslow’s
hierarchy of needs is shown in the following diagram:
 CASE ANALYSIS ACCORDING TO MASLOW’S
MOTIVATION THEORY:
 Minnie Reams, the office manager at the Worthless Paper Products
Corporation (WPP) is responsible for the work of approximately forty
employees, of whom 26 were data processors or clerks.

 F. Taylor Group Ltd., a team of outside consultants, conducts a

detailed system analysis in an effort to improve the efficiency and
output of her staff.

 As the consultants were about to begin with their detailed studies on

the data processors and file clerks, more and more employees started
getting absent as they were feeling scrutinized by the F. Taylor’s
assessment and lacked the motivation to come to work because they
felt nervous, tense and were tired of being viewed as a “guinea pig” in
the assessment. The absent workers complained of suffering from
physical issues and one of them was adamant about not wanting to
change just because the management wanted them to.

 The manager has two alternatives to deal with the situation, either to
fire all the absent employees or to hire some temps until the study is
completed.

 The first solution will lead to the rest of the employees in the
department feeling more stressed about the program and will also
cost the organisation a huge investment to hire new employees.
  The second one will not be effective as the study is basically being
conducted to gather information about the current all time
employees and the study findings based on temporary employees
cannot be applied on the permanent employees

 In this scenario, Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs theory will be aptly

suited to keep the employees motivated while the study goes on.

 As per the Maslow’s theory, the basic needs of the employees were
not being met and one of them reported of suffering from health
issues due to the strict observation being practised.

 Also, the esteem needs of the employees were affected as they were
kept under constant supervision which was making them feel
controlled all the time giving rise to more stress and insecurity.
 Autonomy is one of the fundamental esteem needs and an
essential component of a healthy workplace. It fills the
employees need for intrinsic motivation and they feel driven by
interest and enjoyment.

 The social needs of the employees were also significantly affected as

they were not able to work and behave the way they used to before
the assessment. They could not interact freely with each other and
express their ideas and perspectives as the study had left them feeling
like objects under the control of others rather than feeling self-
controlled.
Answer 1. Some of the strategies that can be implemented to
mitigate this problem of absenteeism and increase employees’
motivation are as follows:

i. The issues faced by the employees must be acknowledged and

their feelings about the study should be identified. This will
make the employees trust the system and make them believe that
it is catering to their feelings and suggestions. This will foster a
feeling of autonomy in them and satisfy their esteem as well as
social needs.

ii. It is the duty of the manager to educate the employees about the
purpose and benefits of the research and also about the
consequences of the research being unsuccessful. This will
make them more cooperative towards the assessment.

iii. The employees can also be provided with various perks which
will act as an incentive for them to participate in the analysis
process. This can boost their basic needs of money.

iv. Employees should me motivated so that they develop an interest

in the study findings and create their own ways to deal with
areas that need improvement. They should be assured that the
changes introduced after the study will not be the sole decision
of the management, instead employees role in the decision
making process will be considered equally important.
 This will make them believe that the assessment process is a
chance for them to realize their personal potential which will
cater to their self actualization needs.

Answer 4. Some of the techniques for implementing the suggestions

can be:
A meeting can be conducted before the initiation of the detailed
studies wherein the employees should be made aware with the
purpose, goals and the advantages of the assessment.
The issues faced by the employees due to the study can also be
discussed in the meeting and some possible solutions can be mutually
figured out by the employees and the management.
The FTG should be asked to participate in the meeting which will
help in developing a rapport between the employees and the
consultants.

Answer 5. The evidence that Maslow’s theory of motivation has been

successfully practised in an organisation which has increased the
motivation of employees is provided in the link below.

http://web.business.queensu.ca/faculty/jbarling/Articles/1977%20Barl
ing.pdf
The theory will be crucial for motivating the employees and if the
suggested strategies are successfully implemented, it will also make
the assessment program a success.