IMPACT OF MOTIVATIONAL STRATEGIES ON ORGANISATIONAL PRODUCTIVITY IN UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC

Abstract

Motivation is a very crucial in work behaviour because it has a direct correlation with good work performance. One of the principal aims of every work organisation is to constantly attain a high level of productivity that will climax in tenacious business expansion, speedy growth of the capital base and great profit. As a matter of fact, the most vital impact of employee motivation is that of increased productivity or performance. How organisation manages employees’ performance and rewards them are also imperative, and not just in terms of salary but other incentives not necessarily financial. Motivational strategies or tools are those incentives, methods, techniques and activities put in place to galvanise workers to put in their best for maximum productivity to be achieved. Both theories used in this study; goal-setting theory and expectancy theory were germaine to this study and every work organisation that aspires to grow, expand and make profit by employing the services of workers. Expectations, desires hopes and interests of workers must be met through robust motivational strategies put in place by the management to galvanise employees for effective performance and this can come when goals set are met by workers as it will serve as a catalyst for organisational productivity. The study was carried out in Unilever, Nigeria plc. Ikeja, Lagos. This organisation was used because it is one of the biggest manufacturing companies in Nigeria with publicly owned shares. The sample size determined for the study was 200 which was 22.2% of the total population of 900. The research also adopted the multi-stage sampling technique to carry out the study. A descriptive research design was used. The data collecting instrument that was used was structured questionnaire developed by the researcher. The research was analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS). The result showed that out of the 186 respondents, there were 112 male representing 60.2% and 74 female representing 39.8%. The analysis indicated that the financial rewards administered by the organisation to the employees were not all that bad as 25.8% claimed it was very good, 23.7% said it was average while 50.5% said it was good. On the note of the terms and conditions of employment 66.6% claimed that they were very good, 21.50% believed they were good, 8.6% claimed they were average while 3.22% believed they were not applicable. On the basis of the training programmes, 92.5% of the respondents agreed that provisions were made by their organisation for training programmes, while 7.5% of the respondents did not agree with this notion. The respondents rated the management style to be 83.9% participatory, 2.2% considered it to be autocratic, while 14.0% disagreed completely. It was discovered that there was a significant relationship between rate of financial reward and output of organisation, positive link between good times and conditions of employment and workflow, connection between organisational training programme and work planning/ knowledge of employees and the association between management style and employees’ performance. In summary, the result showed that the motivational strategies; financial rewards, good terms conditions of employment, good training programmes and participatory management style had a positive impact on the organisations productivity. Each employer must be made to understand that for high productivity in the organisation to be established employees must be motivated through good reward system. It is through high productivity that work organisations can record high sales volume and expand. Motivational tools must be taken as priority task by all employers of labour, government being the model for others to follow. Workers participation in management must also be established and respected by employers of labour. This is a way of making workers to have sense of belonging in their work organisation.