Motivational Techniques In The Public Service And Their Effects On Job Performance Of Public Servant

The issue of productivity in the public service had been a growing concern to members of the public in general and senior civil servants in particular. The argument is that most public servants are not usually motivated to put extra efforts in getting committed to their job. The lack of commitment to the job has led to a serious decline in the performance of public servants. So many reasons have been attributed to this while some people believe that the rewards for efforts in terms of financial compensation to public servants have been very poor, others attribute the lack of commitment to work to issues of poor physical working environment social aspects of the work situation as well as non challenging nature of the tasks and responsibilities in the public service.

This research work attempts to find whether or not it is true that public servants are not motivated. The Nigerian customs service has been selected as the case study. The research among other things seeks to find out what factors cause the lack of motivation among public servants if truly they are not motivated.

The research design adopted is the social survey method adopting the use of questionnaire to gather data from the selected sample of the total population of study. Hypothesis are then tested and from the analysis of data results inferences are made to generalize about the behaviour and perception of the public servants in the customs services.

Introduction

1.1 Background of the Study

The primary concern of management in the public and private establishment is that of increasing workers" productivity. Productivity is one of the yardsticks for measuring the success of an organization. The provision of adequate motivational programmes has been identified as one of the most vital instruments through which the productivity of the workers can be increased.

Motivation has been defined as an internal emerging force that makes a man move towards satisfying his needs.

Maslow (1954) believed that human needs are hierarchical order starting from the basic needs to the higher order needs. Once a particular need is satisfied, it ceases to be a motivator of behaviour and another need emerges. His hierarchy of needs is classified thus: physiological, safety love esteem, self-actualization and cognitive needs.

Thomas (1923) looked at motivation as comprising of wishes, security, recognition and response from one"s fellows and experience.

Herzberg views motivation from two-dimensional theory of motivators and dissatisfiers. These two factor theories have often been called Motivation- maintenance-able theory.

The process of motivation is psychological. It is not directly observable and visible. Motivation cannot be seen, heard or felt but can only be inferred from behaviour. It is absolutely impossible for managers to measure motivation directly because it is in-observable

For instance, if workers in factor A are more productive than the workers in factory B, one might infer that those workers in factory A might have been highly motivated than those in factory B. Thus one can say that all behaviour is motivated and people have reasons for behaving in a particular manner or doing things in a particular fashion. Human behaviour is conditioned by the goals and objectives to be achieved. Such goals revolve around the desire to satisfy a particular need. An unsatisfied need is the starting point in the process of motivation.

Every worker in an organization has a goal or an objective to achieve and thus the process of motivation is complete. For example, an angry person needs food to satisfy his hunger. Such a person would only be motivated by the desire for food in order to satisfy this need. Thus, the continuous process begins with an unsatisfied need and ends with need satisfaction and with goal directed behaviour as part of the process.

In effect, the employ"s ability to satisfy those pressing needs of the worker"s gives a long way to determine how motivated a worker is which invariably affects the worker"s productivity.

The need for motivation can be viewed from different aspect in an organization which constitutes the fact that qualified manpower must be attracted and maintained, worker must be motivated to exert their time and energy in achieving and pursuing the predetermined goals of the organization and also for human resources being the most important factor of production in an ·organization maintained and developed. These reasons suggest that the creation of conducive environment is a prerequisite for achievement of organizational success.

1.2 Statement of Research Problem

It has become obvious that organization consider motivation as a tool to ensure efficiency and effectiveness of workers for increase in employee"s productivity. It has been noticed that employees are yet to be efficient in their work due to the fact that employees are not given the type of motivation they want. It is this aspect that brought about certain question like

Does it mean that workers are not given the right type of motivation?

Does motivation increase workers" productivity in an organization?

How does motivation stimulate employees to put in his best in the organization?

Does motivation of employees increase organization efficiency and effectiveness towards making profits?

1.3 Objectives of Study

The objective of this research study among other vital condition include:

To examine the role in which workers can play in influencing the productivity of workers.

To examine the role which the satisfaction physiological can play in influencing their productivity.

To study the impacts of adequate motivational programmes on workers" productivity and how it has helped the ~any in achieving its set goals and targets.

To suggest possible ways of increasing the work performance of employees.

1.4 Statement of Hypotheses

There is no positive relationship between workers t productivity and satisfaction of economic needs.

There is no positive relationship between level of motivation and workers commitment to the goals of the organization.

There is no positive relationship between satisfaction of workers social needs and productivity.

1.5 Scope and Limitation of Study

The study of motivation is very wide because almost all organizations both private and public use it is a means or tool for enhancing their employees" potentials and productivity.

The study shall be limited in scope to Nigeria Customs Services. It will cover various departments such as Finance, Administration and Technical Services department e.tc. The study is also limited among other things which nature of the academic calendar will not allow for an in depth analysis of the study.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings of this study will elicit the effect of motivation on the production of the employees of Nigeria Customs Services. It will offer the best method to motivate employees at a particular point in time. It will also serve as a useful tool in Nigeria Customs Services for further decision-making process on promotion related issues. Knowledge of organization motivations shall be enhanced along with the improvement of the employee"s performance and production for smooth discharge of their duties.

1.7 Definition of Terms

Motivation:

This can be defined as the energizing force an all those inner striving conditions described as wishes, desires, drives, e. t, c. That induce compel and maintain behaviour.

Productivity:

This is an increase inefficiency and the rate at which goods are produced in an organization towards the achievement of the set goals.

Role:

This is the part an individual worker plays in the accomplishment of the goals of an organization,

Employee Morale:

This is the attitude or feeling of an individual worker towards his job colleagues and supervisors in the organization.

Welfare Services:

These are wide range of services such as Conducive Work Environment, Medical Care, Housing Facilities, transport Services e.t.c. To boost the worker"s morale so as to increase their productivity.

Management:

These are workers who occupy managerial position in an organization.

Strategies:

Skill of managing all affairs.

Discussion of Findings Recommendations and Conclusion

5.1. Discussion of Findings

Objective 1: To determine the effect of employee well-being on the level of effectiveness of the civil servants.
The findings of this study are based on statistical data analyses and hypothesis testing. The descriptive analysis of data collected revealed that the above stated employee well-being is a significant predictor of effectiveness. Therefore, the alternate hypothesis which states that employee well-being has a significant effect on the level of effectiveness of the civil servant is accepted and the null hypothesis rejected.

These findings corroborate the findings of Lin (2013) in the research titled assessment of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation on employee productivity. Findings from the study revealed that intrinsic factors like employee well-being and organizational policy have a significant effect on civil servants effectiveness which is also a measure of productivity. This was further validated by Jibowo (2007) establishing that intrinsic motivation is a significant predictor of employee effectiveness and plays a major role in improving civil servant performance and productivity levels in an organization. He further stated that managers should ensure that employee"s well-being is taken seriously and that civil servants are extrinsically well rewarded to remain intrinsically committed to their jobs.
Objective 2: To determine the effect of employee relationship with managers on the level of efficiency of the civil servants.

The findings from the study revealed that employee relationship with managers is a significant predictor of civil servant efficiency as a measure of productivity. As such the alternate hypothesis which states that employee relationship with managers has a significant effect on the level of efficiency of the civil servants was accepted while the null was rejected. Findings also showed that it had a minimal effect on the level of efficiency of the civil servant as such was not rated as highly as expected. This could be due to the fact that other factors could also affect the efficiency of civil servants which may not be intrinsic in nature. These factors could be extrinsic such as compensation, training and career development etc. also it could be due to other intrinsic factors like organizational policies which may not have been included in this study.

These findings agree with Centres and Bugental (2007) in their study of the relationship between motivational factors and civil servants performance using the two factor theory where effectiveness and efficiency were used as measures of performance. It was discovered that there was a significant relationship between both intrinsic and extrinsic factors and civil servant efficiency levels. Taylor (1992) further supported in his statement that extrinsic factors tend to be rated more highly than intrinsic factors especially for those at lower levels of the organization. He further stated that employees who enjoy friendly relationships with their co-civil servants both within and outside the workplace tend to be very efficient at their jobs than those who don"t.

Objective 3: To examine the effect of compensation on the level of effectiveness of the civil servants. The findings from the study reveals that compensation is a significant predictor of civil servant effectiveness. As such the alternate hypothesis which states that compensation has a significant effect on the level of effectiveness of the civil servant was accepted while the null was rejected. Findings also showed that compensation was rated highly by the respondents and is believed to have a great effect on the level of effectiveness of the civil servants. This could be due to the fact that extrinsic factors especially monetary rewards tend to appeal more to civil servants especially in developing nations where the standard of living is poor and basic amenities are lacking is seen as a way of fulfilling other needs which intrinsic factors may not provide.

These findings correspond with the findings of Taylor & Vest (1992) in his research, which investigated the influence of monetary incentives and its removal on civil servants performance and productivity; it was observed that subjects in the experimental group who received monetary incentives performed better than those who did not. Also (Assam, 2002) further pointed out in his study that extrinsic factors like adequate compensation tend to positively influence the level of a civil servant"s effectiveness much more than intrinsic factors.

Objective 4: To examine the effect of training and career development on the level of efficiency of the civil servants.
The findings from the study revealed that training and career development is a significant predictor of civil servant efficiency. As such the alternate hypothesis which states that training and career development has a significant effect on the level of efficiency of the civil servant was accepted while the null was rejected. Findings also showed that only "training and career development" was deemed statistically significant. This could be due to the fact that although extrinsic factors especially monetary rewards tend to appeal more to civil servants, training and career development provides them with opportunity for growth through skill acquisition. Also the lack of required tools, skills and resources necessary to carry out their work efficiently in an organization may also affect the level of efficiency of the civil servant. Furthermore, lack of adequate job schedule may also be responsible for inefficiency in most organizations.

Similarly, Lake (2000) in his study which is of importance to this research investigated the correlation between motivation and job performance using employee effectiveness, efficiency , commitment and innovation levels as a measure of performance. The study concluded that most civil servants in developed nations placed more importance on intrinsic factors than those in less developed nations who opted for extrinsic factors citing the need to satisfy other needs as a major criteria for their choice. He further stated that the need for career growth through training and development was deemed a major criterion for improved level of efficiency of civil servants citing the acquisition of necessary skills as a determining factor.

5.2 Conclusions

Employees are and should be considered the most vital above other factors of production, the most valuable resource available to an organization. This is because they are an integral part of the organization as such it is very important for organizations, in pursuit of a competitive edge, to ensure that the satisfaction of their employees is made a top priority. This is to ensure that employees display positive attitude to work through improved performance and productivity levels. Also it is important to note that a lack of adequate motivation results in low productivity and vice versa.

Furthermore the advent of Globalization has resulted in the ability of different organizations to source for employees across several countries and the previously existing barriers have been reduced, this has resulted in higher competition for personnel with the right skills and experience. As such it is important for employers and their managers who value their civil servant to recognize those factors that affect employee performance and productivity levels on the job or in the workplace and ensure they are fulfilled accordingly. (Brown & Yashioka, 2003; and Sinha & Sinha, 2012). The concept of motivation may be complex particularly in the workplace and may pose a serious challenge to managers as it is relative to individuals. This is because people differ in what they need and want as such what may be seen as a source of motivation to an individual may not seem so to another. As such managers tend to find it extremely difficult in coping with such a dilemma in trying to figure out how to keep members of the workforce motivated. Although, several factors may affect civil servant productivity levels in an organization such as organizational culture, leadership style, organizational strategy and structure etc. The aspect of Motivation however plays a major role in improving civil servant productivity levels and therefore should not be underestimated. This study concludes that employee motivation be it intrinsic or extrinsic in nature has a significant effect and is a predictor of productivity levels in an organization. It also concludes that both intrinsic and extrinsic factors of motivation appeal to employees and a right mix of both is essential in bringing out best performances from a workforce. These findings validate the Herzberg two factor theory, Maslow"s hierarchy of needs theory and Vroom"s expectancy Theory. From the findings of the study one can deduce that most civil servants perceive extrinsic motivation as generally having a larger influence on the psychological aspects of employee productivity. We also found that intrinsic motivation is of importance to employee productivity, albeit to a lesser extent psychologically but rather as a part of the total package that is offered to the employee by an organization.

5.3 Recommendations

The following recommendations are made based on the findings of the study;

Managers must ensure employees are adequately motivated. Employee well-being should be given due consideration and health and well-being programs should be organized to cater for the needs and welfare of employees.

Management should encourage interpersonal relations amongst co-civil servants and their managers to promote a sense of belonging and unity amongst civil servant. Also managers should ensure employees are involved in decision making processes and given a chance to air their views.

Also management must ensure they create a work environment that is conducive for civil servants with adequate working conditions as well as providing the right tools and resources to ensure civil servant effectiveness in discharging their respective duties.

Furthermore proper scheduling of job activities is key to achieving efficiency in the workplace. Adequate compensation packages in form of monetary or non-monetary rewards are essential in order to ensure that employees stay productive. Management should ensure that rewards and benefits are fairly, justly and competitively allocated to employees.

Management must also strive to ensure that all employees engage in training programs to acquire new skills and also have equal opportunity to utilize their skills and competencies. Management should make sure that career development opportunities are clearly communicated to employees.

An established career path and an adequate development plan should be put in place for employees, development programs should be linked to each employees career needs and not just the organization"s needs. Employees should be selected for sponsored training programs fairly and justly.

Organizations should ensure that performance management provides adequate information about strength and weaknesses of employees in form of feedback from employee evaluations.

Employees who offer the same level of inputs with respect to skills, efforts, qualifications, experience, should be entitled to equitable outcomes in terms of pay, promotion, job security, and opportunity for advancement. Additional inputs and outstanding performance should entitle an employee to additional rewards.

Finally, this study recommends that management should make policies that aids in ensuring that employees are adequately extrinsically motivated to remain intrinsically motivated on the job. This will in turn enhance or boost employee morale resulting in a competitive edge through higher commitment levels, employee engagement, lower turnover and improved performance and productivity levels.

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