Improving Employee Engagement

Human behavior will depend on three environments which are personal, family and corporate further organizations must set a proper environment in order to improve employee engagement which crucially impact the both personal and organization growth (Brethower, 2004). In organization’s context the leaders try to establish a proper environment to involve employees in order to enhance engagement hence organization follow the famous tool which is “Maslow’s hierarchy of needs” and this includes 5 steps such as physiological needs, safety needs, belonging needs, esteem needs and self-actualization needs further this theory says in each stage there are some basics to be met before going to the next level(Aruma and Hanachor, 2017).  In current competitive context, all the organizations are trying to maximize the profit, and which is very crucial, and this is regardless of the size of the business hence organizations should take necessary steps to motivate and improve employee engagement and which will lead the organizations productivity and performance (Dobre, 2015). 

Figure 07: Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Source: (Aruma and Hanachor 2017)

Maslow’s hierarchy of need is relevant to all the organizations and first two levels (Physiological & Safety) exhibit the organizations’ culture and most of the companies are struggling to set in current context, further Maslow’s hierarchy of needs will improve employee engagement and motivation which enable organization’s productivity and performance in the faces of competitors (Jerome, 2013). In modern business environment employees can build or break the business hence companies take actions to engage employees as engaged employees are physically, cognitively and emotionally fit with organizations’ objective hence improving employee engagement is vital part of current business context (Surekha Rana and Priyanka Chopra, 2019).  

Applying theory in to organizational context

Below table critically describes the Maslow’s hierarchy in organization’s context in more practical manner (organizational Communicational Channel, 2016).

Figure 08: Hierarchy of Needs in Organizations Context

Needs	Organizations Context
Physiological	Wages, Meal Allowance, Transport, modern working environment
Safety	Face mask, Sanitizer, Thermometer machine, Access control system, Security personal, Security camera, Gym membership
Love and Belongings	Regional Events, Children’s day, Staff get to gather, R&R (Rewards and Recognition)
Esteem	Recognition of the hard work, Quarterly and Annual Bonus, Empowerments, Providing Club Membership
Self- Actualization	Training and Development, Agile Working Culture, Overseas Tour and having Chat with Chairmen

Source: (organizational Communicational Channel, 2016)

Below comprehensively describees how Maslow theory has been applied in to an organization which I work for and the organization is a leading company in telecommunication industry in Sri Lanka with 55% market share, 

Physiological Needs

In modern business context all the employees are expecting proper basic needs to perform well and the organizations which I work for is maintaining in a proper way hence employees are perform well as such organization continuously growing and maximizing the profits.

Wages- Organization benchmark the industry wages and adjust once in three years further annual increment will be applicable based on the performance and quarterly and annually bonus will be given accordingly. In current covid-19 pandemic situation most of the employees are lost their jobs as companies are downsizing the business and implemented salary cut but the organization which I work for is confirmed that won’t touch employees’ salary and I observed this decision has motivated employees well as such productivity level increased

Meal allowance- up to managers’ level all the employees are getting the meal allowance and while paying this, meal packets also provided for the staffs who reported to work during lock down situations as company decided to give unentreated connectivity to the nations hence some staffs are required to work, and this practice is to keep employees safe

Transport – is also very much required in current situation as globally announced to maintain the distance while traveling hence company decided to provide official transport and giving fuel allowance for the staffs who are using personal vehicle, this practice shows how organization protect employees from current situation

Working environment- currently having proper working environment with hygiene further company decided to have a sanitizer clinic in weekly basis to make sure to provide world class working environment to protect employees from pandemic.

Safety Needs

In current pandemic situation most of the employees are working from home hence implemented proper cyber security system to safe organization’s data which is very crucial for the company further providing face mask, sanitizer and checking employee temperature when entering in to the outlet and also 24 hours security personal and CCTV availability to ensure employee safety, since the company is responsible for the customers hence when customers are entering in to the outlet security person check the customer’s temperature, providing sanitizer and ensure customers are wearing face mask to have a safe business environment further company gives gym membership for the staffs to make sure all the employees are physically healthy to engage and perform and also have medical insurance scheme to maintain better life

Love and Belongings

To appreciate and reward organization has two big event such as” Award ceremony and customer service conventions”, apart from these two events children day also will be celebrated annually, children’s day is to connect employees’ child which exhibit that the organization is responsible for the family members too, further outlet and divisional level activates also happening to ensure employees are connected with each other’s, in current pandemic situation also organization planned some activities through digital platform to make sure employees are connected while work from home and this activities enable and improved employee engagements

Esteem Needs  

Based on the organization’s and individual performance, quarterly and annually bonus will be paid, individual performance directly linked with organizations end objective, organization enable club member ship based on the employees willingness ex- “Toastmaster and Lean six sigma” and internally there are lots of clubs are available such as sports and IQ, this club membership also enable employees to have a outside contacts when employees participate games in locally and internationally further these practices are enable employees to associate with other corporate entities which improve employee engagement in work 

Self- Actualization

Organization has a training center which certified by city and guilds and providing vas range of trainings which links with job role and personal developments further based on the supervisors recommendations the company provides training from leading lectures and employees can do the higher studies from outside and can reimburse course and exam fees which enable innovations and creativity which link with organization’s tag line which is “the future today.” Company select outstanding employees and provide air tickets to go to overseas with company Chairman and CEO which make employees more prestige and proud and this practice enable others to produce more which required by the organization as such organization maximize the profit and gain the competitive advantage over the competitors.

Conclusion

Maslow’s hierarchy can be applied to any organizations to ensure the organization has addressed the employees requirements further this can be used as a tool to improve employee engagement and  which mostly required in current business environment, the company which I work for is perfectly using the Maslow’s theory and practicing as such organization’s brand becomes number one in Sri Lanka (Brand Finance, 2019). 

List of References

 Aruma, E. and Melvins Enwuvesi Hanachor (2017) ABRAHAM MASLOW’S HIERARCHY OF NEEDS AND ASSESSMENT OF NEEDS IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT. International Journal of Development and Economic Sustainability [Online]. available at < http://www.eajournals.org/wp-content/uploads/Abraham-Maslow%E2%80%99s-Hierarchy-of-Needs-and-Assessment-of-Needs-in-Community-Development.pdf. >. [Accessed on 7^th June 2020].

Brand Finance (2019) the annual report on Sri Lanka’s most valuable and strongest brands [online]. available at < https://brandfinance.com/images/upload/report_may_10_bf_approved_final.pdf.>. [Accessed on 14^th June 2020].

Dale M. Brethower (2004) Understanding Behavior of OrganizationsTo Improve Behavior in Organizations [Online]. available at < https://www.researchgate.net/publication/26452657_Understanding_Behavior_of_Organizations_To_Improve_Behavior_in_Organizations. >. [Accessed on 7^th June 2020].

Jerome, N. (2013) Application of the Maslow’s hierarchy of need theory; impacts and implications on organizational culture, human resource and employee’s performance, 2(3), pp. 39-45 [Online]. available at <https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/b0bc/c8ca45193eaf700350a8ac2ddfc09a093be8.pdf.>. [Accessed on 13^th June 2020].

organizational Communicational Channel (2016) Maslow’s hierarchy of needs in the work place. [Video]. available at: < https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nASV5I_WG3k.>. [Accessed on 13^th June 2020].

 Ovidiu, I. Dobre (2013) Employee motivation and organizational performance. Review of Applied Socio- Economic Research, 5(1), pp.53 [Online]. available at < file:///C:/Users/perumal_02622/Downloads/R5_5_DobreOvidiuIliuta_p53_60%20(2).pdf. >. [Accessed on 7^th June 2020].

Surekha, R., Priyanka, C. (2019) Developing and Sustaining Employee Engagement. Management Techniques for Employee Engagement in Contemporary Organizations, pp.142-164 [Online]. available at <https://www.researchgate.net/publication/330457038_Developing_and_Sustaining_Employee_Engagement.>. [Accessed on 13^th June 2020].