SU_MBA5001_W3_Dennis_A

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Independence University- Salt Lake City *

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Management

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Apr 3, 2024

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1 Motivation Implementation Plan Amanda Dennis South University MBA5001: Organization Behavior and Communication Lyle Cady October 9, 2023

2 Motivation Implementation Plan A recent survey conducted at Copiah Supply, Inc. revealed an overall low motivation level among employees. The most prevalent cause of low motivation was animosity between the inside and outside sales representatives. Both felt their position worked harder to achieve company sales than the other. Outside sales representatives are paid a higher commission rate than inside sales, which has led to low motivation among the inside sales employees. Another contributing factor to low motivation among employees at Copiah Supply, Inc., is the use of personal items for company-related business. The outside sales representatives are required to use their vehicles for sales calls unless they meet and maintain a specific sales goal. The inside sales representatives will have to use their cell phones for company-related business without any reimbursement. To address the issue of low motivation among Copiah Supply, Inc., employees, management has approved organizational changes. The purpose of these changes is to increase employee motivation and create a more cohesive sales team. In addition to the sales team organizational changes, there will be a change in the roles and responsibilities of team members. Copiah Supply, Inc., will also implement a company policy in response to the dissatisfaction of using personal items for company-related business. The Benefits of Employee Motivation Motivation is the force that drives people to start, continue, or stop certain behaviors to achieve a goal. Employee motivation is when your workforce is driven to perform tasks that help your organization reach its goals. Employees can be driven by intrinsic and extrinsic motivation (Schooley, 2023). When employees are motivated, the company benefits. These benefits include an increase in employee engagement, higher productivity and performance, greater levels of

3 creativity and innovation, improved coworker relationships, better customer service, improvement of company culture, and a decrease in employee absenteeism or turnover. Applying the Motivation Theory to Improve Results Before implementing organizational or policy changes at Copiah Supply, Inc., it is important to determine what drives the employees. What are their needs, and how can Copiah Supply, Inc. meet those needs? Conducting a simple survey among the sales team, the most important driving factor was the need for higher pay. Both inside and outside sales representatives wanted to achieve success, thereby increasing their pay, to provide for their families. Based on this discovery, it was determined to apply McClelland’s Three Needs Theory to increase motivation among the sales team. McClelland’s Three Needs Theory McClelland’s Three Needs Theory suggests people are motivated by three needs, with one need being dominant. These needs are power, affiliation, and achievement. According to McClelland’s theory of motivation, the need for achievement refers to the desire to achieve, to accomplish in comparison to a predetermined goal, and to aim higher. In other words, the desire for accomplishment is a competitive behavior with a high bar of perfection (Opinaldo, 2022). Employees at Copiah Supply, Inc. want to achieve a higher level of success, therefore leading to a higher level of pay. However, due to the difference in commission between inside and outside sales representatives, the inside sales team is not as motivated as the outside sales team. In addition to the need for higher pay, employees at Copiah Supply, Inc. also wish to achieve a clear boundary between work and personal life by not using personal items for company-related business.

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4 Organizational Changes to address the issues Due to the contention between the inside and outside sales representatives, management at Copiah Supply, Inc. will be implementing an organizational change in hopes of creating a more harmonious work environment. In addition, there will be a change in the roles and responsibilities of the sales team. Changes at the organizational level will include the following:  Once a month one inside sales representative will accompany an outside sales representative. This will take place over the course of two months.  Once a month an outside sales representative will work alongside an inside sales representative. This will allow both positions to understand the time and effort that goes into making a sale. This will take place over the course of two months.  Regarding the issue of commission, there will be a new tiered commission system implemented. Both inside and outside sales representatives will earn the same rate of commission due to outside sales representatives also receiving fuel and vehicle maintenance allowance. This new tiered commission system will take effect at the start of Q4 2023.  There will also be an assigned inside sales representative to the outside sales representative. This will reduce stress and workload on any one specific inside sales representative. In the event an inside sales team member is absent, the owner and/or other inside sales team member will address all inbound requests for quotes. This transition will take effect over the course of one month.  The owner will now be responsible for accounting and purchasing roles. This change will allow the inside sales representative, who was overseeing these tasks, to focus on increasing sales. This change will take effect immediately.

5  To address the dissatisfaction over the use of personal cell phone use for company-related business, inside sales representatives, Copiah Supply Inc. will provide iPads for company use. These devices will remain at the company unless a special circumstance, such as an after-hour delivery, should occur. No personal devices will be used for company-related business. Outside sales representatives will continue to use a company cell phone to conduct all company-related business. Company-supplied iPads will be purchased immediately, and this policy will be effective once devices are received. Increase motivation of employees due to organizational changes Copiah Supply, Inc. management feels by implementing these changes, both inside and outside sales representatives will gain an understanding of their contribution to the overall sales for the company. In addition, each position will gain an understanding of the other’s position and the effort that goes into said position. This will increase appreciation among coworkers as well as create a more cohesive team. By redefining the roles and responsibilities of employees, Copiah Supply, Inc.'s management aims to reduce the stress and feeling of being overwhelmed. Employees will have a clearly defined set of responsibilities and expectations of the role will be communicated. Copiah Supply, Inc., will also implement an open-door policy should any employee wish to discuss their role and responsibilities. The management at Copiah Supply, Inc. realizes it can be difficult to find a balance between work and your personal life. This can become more difficult when personal cell phones are used for company-related business. Employees may feel the need to answer customer calls, texts, or emails after office hours. This is not the goal of Copiah Supply, Inc. With this in mind,

6 Copiah Supply, Inc. will implement a policy of no personal cell phones for company-related business. Copiah Supply will supply the inside sales team with iPads that will remain at the office. Outside sales representatives will continue to be issued a company cell phone for all business-related activity. This policy change will benefit both the company and the employees. With a satisfactory work-life balance, employers can reap a range of benefits. Productivity is higher, absenteeism is lower, and physical and mental health improves with a higher commitment and motivation to work. Personal relationships can also benefit from achieving this balance (Thomas, 2021). Conflicts No change is without conflict. Expected conflict, or pushback, on the upcoming changes, include lack of adherence to company-issued device policy, unwillingness to participate in cross- position training, and unwillingness to accept new roles and responsibilities. The management team at Copiah Supply, Inc. understands it can be difficult to keep up with multiple devices, and sometimes it is easier to use one device for everything. However, due to the need to foster an environment where there are boundaries between work and life, Copiah Supply will provide company devices for the sales team. This will not only aid in creating that work-life balance but will address any security concerns that may arise from using a personal device for company- related business. Stepping outside our comfort zone can be daunting. With the current roles and responsibilities of the sales team, the job description is defined as the inside sales team creating customer quotes based on information from the outside sales team, emails, phone calls, or texts. The inside sales team has to conduct research to find the best pricing while the outside sales team is tasked with generating more sales through existing or potential customers. Both positions feel

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7 they work harder than the other. Inside sales may not feel comfortable interacting with customers face-to-face, whereas outside sales may feel anxious inside an office for a day. However, the goal is not to make either position feel uncomfortable but to give each position an understanding of the other’s role and how they interact with each other. It can be difficult to let something go, especially when there are multiple hats worn within a company. For employees at Copiah Supply that have more than one role, it can be difficult to relinquish those hats. For years, there have been employees at Copiah Supply that had multiple roles, such as sales team members, accounting, purchasing, and inventory management. However, the new policy will remove multiple roles from the employee thereby allowing each team member to focus on their newly defined role. Change Management Plan Change does not happen overnight. Copiah Supply, Inc. will utilize the four principles of change management to ensure success. Change management is a structured approach that ensures changes are implemented thoroughly and smoothly – and have the desired impact (MindTools, n.d.) These changes are as follows.  Understand Change - Why is the change needed? Copiah Supply, Inc. understands a change is needed to increase employee motivation.  Plan Change - Who will be involved in the change process? Do employees and the company benefit from the change? For the upcoming changes to be beneficial to both employees and the company, both parties will have to be involved in the change. Contributing factors have been identified and addressed. Proposed changes have been created. Upon successful completion of the plan, the company is likely to see an increase in sales and employees will experience an increase in motivation.

8  Implementation Change - How is Copiah Supply going to make these changes happen? The first step in this phase is to ensure employees understand the need for change and their role in the upcoming changes. The next step is to identify the measurable criteria and report on the success or setbacks. Lastly, one of the most important steps in this phase is to ensure all employees feel supported in the change.  Communicate Change - Communication can be a make-or-break component of change management. The change that you want to implement has to be clear and relevant, so people understand what you want them to do and why they need to do it (Mind Tools, n.d.). Copiah Supply management will schedule an initial meeting to review the proposal and gather feedback from the employees. After the initial meeting, there will be a bi-weekly meeting via in- person or Zoom to discuss progress, and setbacks, and receive any feedback. After all changes have been implemented, there will be a monthly meeting to discuss overall satisfaction or review changes that are needed. As always, there will be an open-door policy for employees to discuss the changes and provide feedback. Conclusion Copiah Supply, Inc. is aware employees are plagued with low motivation at work. The company has conducted surveys to determine the cause of low motivation and has created organizational changes to rectify the situation. It is the goal of the company to increase employee motivation, so employees and the company can both benefit.

9 References Mind Tools Content Team. (n.d.). The four principles of change management . Mind Tools. Retrieved October 5, 2023, from https://www.mindtools.com/ahpnreq/the-four- principles-of-change-management Opinaldo, N. (2022, June 10). An introduction to McClelland's Theory with examples . Gitmind. Retrieved October 4, 2023, from https://gitmind.com/mcclellands-theory.html Schooley, S. (2023, September 8). Benefits of highly motivated employees . Business. Retrieved October 4, 2023, from https://www.business.com/articles/the-benefits-of-highly- motivated-employees/ Thomas, L. (2021, October 8). Importance of work-life balance . News-Medical. Retrieved October 4, 2023, from https://www.news-medical.net/health/Importance-of-a-Work-Life- Balance.aspx#:~:text=The%20benefits,benefit%20from%20achieving%20this %20balance.

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