Practical Application of Motivational Theories to Pan-Africa Life Insurance

Practical application of motivational theories to Pan-Africa life insurance

The human resource is the most important resource in an organization. Human beings are also very complex beings and therefore make it very difficult to please them in the same way. They are also motivated in different ways. A motivator to one employee may not be a motivator to the other.

Pan-Africa life insurance has put into practice the various motivation theories to motivate its employees. Below are some of the motivation theories that the organization practices.

Theory X and Theory Y

Theory Y states that the essential task of management is to organize organizational conditions and methods of operating so that so that people can achieve their own goals best by directing their own efforts toward organizational objectives. Pan-Africa has a culture of hard work. All the management has to do is give directions and guidelines on things that need to be done and the employees do the implementation. On theory X, employees are indolent and resistant to change. Last year, Pan-Africa had a lot of pressure from its parent company Sanlam in South-Africa to change its systems as a result some employees left including the C.E.O. Despite the fact that there are guidelines and policies to be followed by employees there are still cases of malpractice by employees in the organization.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

Psychological needs

These include physical or basic needs. Pan-Africa has a ranking of 75% in payment to employees. Their employees are paid well. However, according to Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, once a motivation need is satisfied it ceases to be a motivator hence the need of other motivators. Employees are entitled to flexible working hours in that an employee can choose to report to work at 7:00 a.m. and leave at3.30 p.m., others report at 8:00 a.m. and leave at 4:30 p.m. while others report at 9:30 a.m. and leave at 6:00 p.m. this allows them to report to work at a time that is most suitable to them and can also plan their daily activities.

Social needs

Pan-Africa has an open working environment and not limited to bureaucracy. Any employee regardless of their working positions can walk into a senior employee’s to discuss anything as long as it is relevant. After a fortnight employees meet on Friday evenings for dinner where junior and senior members of staff can interact without boundaries.

Employees make contributions of Shs.500 per month then the company multiplies it by four and takes the employees on team building trips semi-annually.

Safety needs

The company offers to employees with a free medical cover. Employee surveys are held quarter-annually where employees are asked of their welfare and their challenges at work. This gives them room to express their dissatisfactions and also gives them an opportunity to give their opinions on how to make Pan-Africa a better working place.

The company has a staff harassment act that is meant to protect employees from harassment by their seniors at work.

Esteem needs

Employees desire to grow in terms of getting promotions however, in Pan-Africa the senior employees hold on to their positions too long unless they die, retire or leave the company employees do not get chances for promotions hence they may have to leave the company for greener pastures to satisfy their esteem needs.