Of all the factors of production in any organization the
most important is the human resource factor, without which the rest other factors become void. The reason being that it is the human beings that can put those other factors into effective use. Moreso, the success of failure of any business organization is dependent on the activities of the human element. Therefore, the human resource capital must be activated, developed, trained and most importantly motivated so as to realize both individual and the corporate objectives.
For many decades now, the productivity level of the Nigerian Breweries, Plc, has been witnessing a steady increase. The rise cuts across all the sectors of the Nigeria economy with the consequent positive effects on the living standard of both the people and the economy of the nation, and too. The fortunes of the industry. This situation can be felt because all the sectors function in an interdependent manner. The increase in ones performance directly or indirectly affects the other and often times workers are commended for this. They are rewarded by the management for being patriotic and committed on their job. That employees should actually reap where they sow.
They increase in productivity level currently being experienced by the brewery calls for commendation on the part of the workforce from both the management and good spirited individual to identifying what must have been the driving force for the steady increase in the productivity level of the “Beverage giant” that promoted the researcher to go into the study of the “Impact of motivational instrument” on the productivity of the workers of the establishment.
It was observed from the survey that employees in the various section encompassing all cadre of staff are satisfied with the management and as it result of which have been putting up positive attitude that have led to the monumental increase in the overall productivity of the company, low are of labour turnover ,minimal rate of absenteeism and grievances.
In the words of Adesanya (2008:64) a problem which crops up in a situation puzzles the mind of a researcher and arouses his curiosity to wade into it and seek a solution. The existing phenomenon, ie the high productivity of Nigeria Breweries is a welcome development . Good attitude of employees towards their jobs may have stemmed form an avalanche of reasons to include, high remuneration, job security, good general working condition etc. This could get to a point where most of the workers become obsessed and enthused in the discharge of their duties to think of leaving the organization.
Organization have their minds set on the things that must be done to enhance a high level of performance in order to attain higher productivity level their work force. Meaning that a close attention must eb given to how their employees can best be motivated using motivational instruments to include, rewards, incentives, leadership, compensation, moreso, the task they perform and the environment of the organization within which they work.
The aim of which is to develop a motivational process that would ensure that individual employee delivers results in accordance with the expectation of the management of the organization. Originally, two types of motivation were identified by Herlzber F. (Mara, 2005.174) Dual factor theory and job satisfaction and motivation personnel psychology, and are well presented below. In intrinsic motivation. These are those things that can influence or induce one to act or behave in a particular manner or direction. These induces such factors are responsibility (feeling that the work is important and having control over ones own resource) autonomy (Fredom to act) scope to use and challenging work and those opportunities for advancement.
Extrinsic motivation: These are those things that one can do to motivate people to include; rewards which could take the forms of pay increase, commendation. Promotion and also punishment which also could be in the form of disciplinary action, non released of payment etc.
There are many motivation theories that were propounded by great theorist with a view to examining why people at work place behave the way they do in terms of their efforts and the direction they are being channeled. They also bring to the fore what organization can do to encourage the employees to put in their best efforts and abilities in order to enhance the attainment of the company’s objectives and as well as their individual needs. Human needs are central on their minds whether consciously and are felt or not. Some needs are primary while some others are secondary and are varied with time and space in the life of every individual.
Therefore, the management of the Nigerian Breweries have not been unmindful of this fact.
Motive is the reason for doing something and all human behaviour is aimed at satisfying certain needs at certain point in time. Behaviour is caused, and not random. It is goal oriented. As the goal is fulfilled, the need ceases and another becomes dominant, and it goes on in that order cycle.
Bereison and Steiner defined a motive as an inner state that energizes, activates or moves, directs or channels behaviour towards goals. Motivation according to Gray in Kanava, 2006:53 is the result of processes, internal or external to the individual that arouses enthusiasm and persistence to pursue a certain course of action. Adding that it can be referred to as the entire class of drives, desires, needs, wishes and other related forces which cause channel and sustain someone’s behaviour.
One of the most widely celebrated theorists of motivation, Abraham Maslow in Ugwu (2009:74) in his theory of needs postulated that man has five levels of needs which can be visualized in a hierarchy starting from the lowest level needs (physiological) to the highest level needs (self actualization) with each correspondingly higher level needs becoming a motivator as the next lower level needs were reasonably satisfied. The basic needs (physiological) once they have reasonably been satisfied cease to be motivators and therefore cannot stimulate behaviour. It then leaves the stage for the next higher level needs (safety) to press for attention and it continues in that order through the rungs of the hierarch to the highest level needs.
The term motivation has variously been defined by many motivation theorists using such words to include, desire drive, urge, steer and poiter in Azuka, (2009:244) normally included are three characteristics of motivation.
One: Motivation is concerned with what directs behaviour
towards a particular goal.
Two: Motivation is concerned with what activates human
Behaviour.
Three: It is concerned with how this behaviour is sustained, such problems as the frequent, strikes, absenteeism., labour turnover, tardiness and grievance are drastically redcued when workers feel adequately motivated.
Azuka (2009:245) noticed high level of absenteeism and labour turnover, in a Canadian refinery and attributed this to lack of promotional prospects. The skilled workers who were denied this opportunity become dissatisfied with their jobs and where leaving for a better engagement else where such opportunity abound.
The importance of motivation in the life of the Nigerian Breweries in particular and organizations in general cannot be over emphasized neither the basis of which in carrying out individual, industrial, social and institutional objectives be ignored. Proper human resources management is of utmost importance in increasing productivity, efficiency and good orientation.
Employees have always viewed their jobs as a major source of their economic and social well being. Moreso, egoistic desires and those that did not attain their self set standards of success might retire to frustration. An organization can provide the context within which high levels of motivation can be achieved by providing incentives and rewards satisfying jobs and opportunities for learning and growth.
Nigeria Breweries Plc has been witnessing a tremendous
increase in productivity for over many decades now. The company is the leader in the brewed product market in Nigeria through its continued investments and ever improving operating efficiencies. It has in its product line many brands of brewed products ranging form several brands of beer to mal drinks. Looking at the industry, essential motivational factors are being effectively utilized by the management. Employees most of whom often times are allowed to operate using their own initiatives. In their bids to unfold and bloom in their own initiatives, there is the attendant consequences of higher performance, good working relations and industrial harmony.
Every individual has unique characteristics. Workers of the company are different people who have come from diverse background motivation as a psychological concept workers needs to enable the management have a good blend of them with the corporate needs for them to maintain an equitable mix, equilibrium of social interaction between them. It is imperative for them to realize that provision of motivational factors that satisfy the yearnings of workers will have a long lasting effect on the overall productivity of the company. This study is therefore under taken to address the following questions.
Does a motivational instrument have positive impact, on the productivity or workers of the Nigerian Breweries Plc or not.
Does money the only motivating factor in the company or were there other factors that could do as well if not more to gingering workers of the industry to put in more efforts in their jobs?
Why has the company been able to dominate the brewery? Industry in Nigeria?
This study examines the impact of motivational
Instruments on the levels of productivity of the employees of the Nigeria Breweries Plc, its Ama location in Enugu state. The choice of the researcher for the industry was largely influenced by not only its easy accessibility, but the strong role of lays in the Nigeria economy.
Productivity : According to Oxford Learners dictionary, it is the rate at which a worker, a company or a country produces goods and services, and the amount produced compared with how much time, work and money is needed to produce them.
As quoted by Uchendu (2006:81) It is the right use of the factors of production to produce goods and services.
To Denyer, it is the volume of the output of goods compared with labour employed or as the profit made compared with capital employed.
The term motivation, Huzynki and Buchanan Ademola (2009:174) motivation as a decision making process through which the individual chooses desired outcomes and sets in motion the behaviour most appropriate to acquiring them.
Motivational instruments are those packages other than monetary incentives alone given to a worker by his employer either as a reward or compensation in appreciation for the work done or to stimulate, encourage ginger or compel him to work harder or put more of his effort in his work to accomplish not only the organizations objective but his individual goals as well.
Other components or types of motivational instruments include, good working conditions management by objective (MBO) which holds that management should involve subordinate in setting up goals and objectives to be achieved, job enrichment and any opportunity that could allow an employee to increase his competence, growth and development among others.