MOTIVATION AND EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE (A CASE STUDY OF FIRST BANK UYO, AKWA IBOM STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1. BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Motivation is a key which creates an enabling environment where optimal performance is possible and are drivers to human behavior. Motivation plays a role in the performance and other activities and as such managers should know what motivation is and how subordinates can be motivated towards enhancing performance. Motivation is the reason why people act in a particular manner. Motivation is not a simple concept; it pertains to various needs, drives, desires, wishes and other forces of all individuals tendency. Human motives are based on needs which are consciously or subconsciously sensed. Some needs are basic, while some are secondary; such needs include water, air, shelter, food, sleep, self-esteem, status, affiliation, affection, accomplishment and self- assertion (Weihrich, Cannice & Koontz, 2008). According to Maslow, individuals attain the next hierarchy of needs after the first one has been achieved. Senior managers are not much motivated extrinsically by money and other physiological needs, but are well motivated intrinsically through self-esteem and self actualization and by so doing if their ideas are well transformed into performance, they feel motivated (Muogbo, 2013). In the world today, it is generally accepted that the success of any business organization depends on the effective utilization of the effort of all employees in the organization. Managers are responsible for creating an environment that is conducive for improved performance, so as to induce the right behavior from employees in the organization. For employees to be highly motivated, the manager must make sure that working conditions is adequate and welfare package is attractive to the employees (Akanbi, 2002). However, the performance of an organization is jointly determined by the employee’s capacity and their willingness to put in their best (Feldman & Arnold, 1983; William, 2010). Willingness and ability are important, since it implies that beyond a certain level, lack of ability cannot be compensated for willingness to high motivation and conversely lack of willingness cannot be compensated for employee’s ability to high level performance. Willingness and ability are necessary components of effective performance in every organization.

1. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

When you think about it, it can be realized that, the success of any facet of business or company can be traced back to motivated employees. From productivity and profitability to recruiting and retention, hardworking and happy employees lead to harmony and organizational triumph (Ryan, 2012). Unfortunately, motivating people is far from an exact science in most businesses or organizations. Most organizations are still living in yesteryears of organizational management. Organization exists for the purpose of rendering some services. For the organization to meet its objectives, people are employed in the organization in order to help the organization meet its objectives. Thus, in order to ensure that people employed in the organization perform optimally towards the realization of organizational goals, they need to be motivated to work. Lack of proper motivation factors may result in losses which may eventually lead to low staff turnover, poor attitude towards work, low output level and low profitability. It is in the light of these that the study intends to look into the effect of motivation on the performance of the employee’s of First bank of Nigeria.

1.3 AIMS OF THE STUDY

The major purpose of this study is to examine motivation and employee performance in First Bank. Other general objectives of the study are:

1. To examine the factors which motivate employees to perform in First Bank Plc
2. To look at various techniques of motivating people to performance in First Bank Plc.
3. To ascertain the effect of motivation on employee’s productivity.
4. To identify the problems associated with the motivation of employee’s in First Bank Plc.
5. To suggest the solutions to such problems.
6. Finally, to improve people’s knowledge in this area of organizational behavior.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. What are the factors that motivate employees to perform in First Bank Plc?
2. What are the available techniques of motivating employees for higher productivity?
3. Do motivation actually steer employees productive capacity?
4. What are the problems militating against employees motivation, and
5. How can these problems of employees’ motivation be addressed in order to improve productivity in First Bank Plc?

1.5 RESEARCH HYPOTHESES

The following hypotheses will be tested in this study:

1. Ho: The quality of supervision will not motivate workers performance.

Hi: The quality of supervision will motivate workers performance.

• Ho: An employee’s perception of what obtained in his organization will not motivate him to greater performance.

Hi: An employee’s perception of what is obtained in his organization will motivate him to greater performance.

• Ho: An employee’s perception of organizational appraisal policy will motivate him to greater performance.

Hi: An employee’s perception of organizational appraisal policy will not motivate him to greater performance.

• Ho: The employee’s satisfaction with its fringe benefits will not motivate him to greater performance.

Hi: The employee’s satisfaction with its fringe benefits will motivate him to greater performance.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The findings would enable effective management of employees towards achieving organizational goals. The study will enable managers of First Bank of Nigeria to identity how Performance can be improved through effective and efficient motivation. It will also be of benefit for policy makers in various forms of business organization. It will be of immense guide to future researchers who intends to exploit and understand further concepts of motivation as a managerial tool to enhance Performance in an organization like First Bank of Nigeria.

1.7    SCOPE OF THE STUDY 

The study is based on motivation and employee performance, a case study of First Bank of Nigeria Uyo, Akwa ibom state.

1.8 LIMITATION OF STUDY

Financial constraint– Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint– The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Motivation: Internal and external factors that stimulate desire and energy in people to be continually interested and committed to a job, role or subject, or to make an effort to attain a goal.

Employee: A person that works especially at manual or industrial labour or with a particular material.

Performance: The accomplishment of a given task measured against preset known standards of accuracy, completeness, cost, and speed. In a contract, performance is deemed to be the fulfillment of an obligation, in a manner that releases the performer from all liabilities under the contract.