To summarize, organizational culture is a unique set of beliefs, conventions, opinions, and values that are ingrained in or that can be used to describe a certain group of people within a given enterprise or institution (Zheng et al 763). The definition, delegation, performance, and even completion of activities are strongly influenced by culture. The report will therefore concentrate on the degree to which Virgin Group's organizational culture has been shaped by employee motivation. The paper's analysis of the organizational culture at Virgin Group will use Herzberg theory to assess the various aspects of organizational culture.
Summary of the Virgin Group
One of the biggest and most prosperous in the twenty-first century has been the Virgin Group UK based industries in the 21st century with fortune in the global market. The firm was founded in 1970 by Richard Branson (Grant 2005). With time, Virgin group has become successful in the international market by making worthwhile investment globally in different products and services. Currently, Virgin group has over 200 strategic business units in more than 50 countries with products and services ranging from initial mail services, financial and mobile phones among many other services presently being offered (Virgin 2018). Statistics indicate that the company has offered employment opportunities to more than 50000 employees internationally (Feloni 2015). In 2015 the company recorded a net profit of 17 billion in sales making it one the performing companies on the London stock exchange (Feloni 2015). The success of the Virgin group has been strongly being accredited to its founder’s philosophy of creating a conducive organizational culture which makes customers and employees happy.
Theoretical Framework
Herzberg's Two Factor Motivation Theory
Herzberg assumed that at the workplace, there several elements which basically influence worker morale. Herzberg's theory of motivation classified motivation factor at workplace into two broad categories. First, there are the Hygiene components and secondly, the Motivational factors. Each of the categories is briefly discussed below.
Hygiene Factors
Hygiene factors are responsible for promoting satisfaction at the workplace, primarily, for the existence of motivation in any given company. Conversely, they may be unproductive in the long term in steering employee motivation as the effects are strongly felt in the interim. Nevertheless, the non-existence of these factors at the workplace can result in high levels of staff dissatisfaction. Fundamentally, the provision availability of hygiene factors at a workplace is meant to appease them by preventing them from becoming dissatisfied are exclusively extrinsic to a given work (Herzberg 433).
Hygiene components conforming to Herzberg's theory can also be regarded as dissatisfiers or maintenance factors since they are needed to overcome dissatisfaction among workers (Herzberg 437). Chiefly, hygiene factors are a true reflection of employee needs as it symbolizes the distinct physiological needs which people want and expect to be fulfilled by their employers.
The first factor relates to employee compensation. Staff pay structure has been regarded as the aspect which contributes most to employee motivation as advocated by Herzberg's theory. According to Herzberg, staff compensation ought to be well harmonized and fully be implemented. The company should ensure that employee salaries are fair, reasonable, and competitive and should be a true reflection of the current market value (Herzberg 433).
The second factors include business policies as well as administrative policies. Policies governing interaction with the company management as well as their workmates should be realistic in nature by assuring that they are fair and clear to all. They must provide a work-life balance by ensuring that employees are subjected to a flexible working hours’ schedule. Work policies should precisely define dress code, and it should contain provisions for staff members breaks, staff vacations among many other factors (Herzberg 435). Third, there are fringe gains. Herzberg's motivation theory advocates that for an employee to be motivated in the short term, the management should ensure that the workers are offered with different forms of fringe benefits. The advantages include medical plans, family member benefits, employee development program, etc (Feloni 2015). Fourthly, the other set of hygienic factors include the company physical working conditions. Besides, the work environment should contain equipment and tools which are well-maintained besides being up to date (Herzberg 434). Fifth, the theory recommends the definition of status in the company. Interpersonal relations are also vital for encouraging motivation and cohesiveness of workforces and this should be well monitored to avoid conflict or any form of employee humiliation (Herzberg 434).
Motivational Factors
Based on Herzberg, the presence of hygiene factors at the workplace cannot be considered as motivators as they do not contribute to positive satisfaction (Herzberg 436). Of chief importance to take into account is that Herzberg recommends that psychological features are accountable for motivating teams in long-term and therefore termed as satisfiers. Staffs are likely to find motivational elements inherently rewarding (Virgin 2018).
Motivators symbolize or connote the psychological needs which are perceived as being additional benefits to them. The main motivational factors include employee recognition by the management for the accomplishment made, existence of a sense of achievement among personnel, availability of growth or promotional opportunities such as training, coaching, and mentorship, the degree to which employees are accountable and responsible for their actions which imply great levels of autonomy at the workplace, and lastly the meaningful of the work which means that the management should ensure that the job is challenging, interesting, and satisfying. Based on the Herzberg’s theory, job satisfaction can be achieved through task enrichment, post-enlargement, and work rotation (Feloni 2015).
Justification for theoretical model
Herzberg theory was selected because the theory encompasses all the core aspects of organizational culture. It covers the main parts of the organization in regard to how an organization’s beliefs, views, and assumptions which are critical in defining a cohesive organization culture through the employee promotion.
Analysis of Virgin Group motivation and its organization culture
Organization cultures at Virgin Group
The main types of cultures at Virgin Group include task culture where groups and teamwork are highly regarded by the firm. Additionally, we have entrepreneur culture where employees are highly encouraged to be competitive through innovation and career advancement.
Summary of organization culture: motivation practice analysis
The growth of Virgin Group organization culture has persistently allowed for the advent of a strong and profound culture. Consequently, this can be seen through the manner in which employees and management team interacts with the firm, the nature of shared belief and common assumptions (Virgin 2018). The section will briefly analyze an overview of the organizational culture at Virgin Group and how it creates organization cohesiveness through enhancing communication, innovation, risk-taking, motivation, workgroup cohesiveness and employee development by applying Herzberg theory.
Effective communication: According to Herzberg motivation theory, one of the key instruments which can be used to enhance a healthy organization culture within an organization is through having adequate channels of communication in place which ensures that employees and the management are accessible to needed information in a timely manner. Not only does strong communication culture easily information below but ensures that conflicts and employee interaction are enhanced through the various platform which is significant in building a strong teamwork (Nazarali 2015). Subsequently, Virgin Group has established a strong external and internal communication channels which are used to ensure that all people are well informed regarding the various issues facing employees and the management. Frequent communication is a routine at the company between employees and management (Feloni 2015). Through it, consultation is widely made which helps in solving pertinent issues affecting workflow. Strategic places have been established where employees are able to access strategic information such as advertisements, internal memos among many other forms of communication affecting them. Each of the department or subsidiary has operated through an integrated communication platform which ensures equal and timely sharing of the information in the organization (Nazarali 2015).
Work-life balance: The first component forming the theory and which has been applied by the management at Virgin Group is work-life balance motivation. Virgin Group Company believes that the only way by which they can achieve maximum output and performance from its employees is only when they are given freedom to work and freedom to attend to their family issues. Work-life balance is a motivation technique which has been used by many different companies to foster employee performance. Workers are highly valued by the firm and thus they are given adequate time to have a balance between their personal and work life. For instance, employee operates on a scheduled which entail job shifts (Feloni 2015).
Secondly, employees are allowed to break and attend to family affairs during breaks. Nursing mothers are highly encouraged to break and nurse their babies frequently before resuming to the work (Nazarali 2015). Additionally, pregnant women are given ample maternity leave to help them take care of their babies before being recalled back to the business. Subsequently, the provision a work-life balance employment terms have made many of the workers at the company to be proud of it with many wishing not to leave the firm. Employment life policy gives them an opportunity to not only spends their entire time at the company working and prioritizing company matters but also ensures that their personal concerns are running smoothly (Nazarali 2015).
Physical Work Environment: By applying Herzberg's hygiene factors to work conditions, Virgin Group Company has enhanced the physical work environment. The working conditions have been well designed to ensure that employees feel free and receive the needed support from colleagues or top management (Nazarali 2015). For example, to inspire staffs, the company has adopted commuter amenities by offering the workers with online car parking; free parking. Furthermore, staff member lounges are set in every determent at strategic positions where an employee can easily interact with other friends. At the lounge, staffs can read magazines, watch television, play tennis among many other games that are meant to motivate them. Similarly, onsite fitness centers have been built on the premise for personnel who wish to have physical excises after work (Nazarali 2015).
Financial Benefits and Compensation: Virgin Group Total Rewards consist of different pay package to different employment position within the company ranks. First, it comprises of an employee basic pay. The package consists of the gross pay that each staff is subject to. Additionally, workers are also paid related benefits to their job type and other fringe benefits which are linked to an individual commitment and productivity. Secondly, there are the benefits which each staff is entitled to. For instance, benefits from health plans, stock purchase option, savings, retirement benefits and physical assistance (Feloni 2015).
Additionally, staffs are compensated for participating in surveys. Employees are paid annually for taking place in outside salary surveys an action that ensures that workforces are totally dedicated to the firm’s business. Besides, salaries are frequent reviews after every 12 months to ensure that all staffs are earning the market price for their services. At Virgin Group Company, workers are introduced to a profit sharing plan with the company whereby they are given a certain minimum number of shares in the company (Lowe 2017). Profit sharing technique has been used to ensure that staffs remain loyal to the firm as they are the owners of the business. Long-term planning schemes for those employees who are likely to retire have also been developed. Staffs are offered with life insurance, disability cover and a phased-in retirement job which ensures that the retired employees continue to work for the company (Lowe 2017).
Work Flexibility: At Virgin Group Company, workers enjoy a wide lactated of flexibility in regard to what they have to do. Employees are given the opportunity and the mandate to identify those projects which they wish to work and accomplish them easily. Similarly, the company management also encourages its teams to fully participate in the accomplishing the firm’s core objectives. Workers have the option of approaching a given task using their own creative ways as long as productivity is achieved and efficiency realized. For instance, if an employee has encountered a give situation, he or she can express emotions toward it by simply scrawling or witting of the whiteboards (Lowe 2017).
Flexibility is also enhanced in terms of work reporting time as they can report to the job at any time based on their schedule and the type of work to perform. Dressing code is a personal choice as some workers may come to job dressed in pajamas. Generally, a relaxed and creative work environment that is fully flexible and convenience psychologically inspires Virgin Group employees’ (Virgin 2018).
Job retention: The sustainability of employee in an organization had a direct bearing on how a worker is likely to perform. Employees at Virgin Group Company are well retained and their future at the firm is certain. For instance, the longest-serving employee at the company has worked for more than 20 years. Consequently, the company has developed a long-lasting relationship with its employees. Through their life-saving retirement plan, the company has ensured some of those employees who are productive are still being utilized to execute special responsibilities assigned to them by the management (Lowe 2017).
Increased Employee Training and Development: Training and development program at Virgin Group Company has well been planned and executed. The entire process has been broken down into specific units which serve dissect purpose. First, the company has implemented careers training for all employees. Staffs are specifically trained in the actual task they perform with the aim of enhancing their proficiency and productivity. Essentially, the programs are done through in-house planning services. On the job training is also conducted on the different workstation to enhance employee performance. Virgin Group Company has also adopted In-house training initiatives which are meant to enhance workers’ skills. Various apprenticeship programs are being offered to employees (Lowe 2017).
Career advancement embracement: To enhance employees’ career advancement Virgin Group has a social program that ensures that all employees who desire to have their career enhanced are fully supported. For example, staffs are encouraged to take advantage of career advancement scheme to realize third career aspiration. Consequently, the company has stood firm to help and subsidies fee for those workers who wish to attain education certification from different institutions or colleges. Additionally, the firm has developed an education scholarship program which ensures that staffs who wish to advance their studies easily (Lowe 2017).
Aggressive use of staff promotions: At Virgin Group, individuals have been fully recognized for their exemplary work. Lead engineers and other project leaders who ensure that creativity and innovation are top at the company have frequently been subjected to pay hike and many other fringes benefits which are meant to win their loyalty and motivate them. Promotions have also been used to recognize employees who exceeded performance target. For instance, if a Virgin Group sales employee has surpassed the set target continually for one year, he or she is automatically given an offer for a higher position in the company (Lowe 2017). Promotion is key when it comes to motivation. Frequently, the reason for high burnout rates and employment stress which has been central debated for many international executives has been attributed to low employment esteem which renders individuals as being not fully recognized by the management (Lowe 2017).
Worker autonomy and participation: Similarly, autonomy has been promoted at Virgin Group where employees have a wide range of responsibly in making contributions to the success of the company (Nazarali 2015). Staffs are highly encouraged to take part in policy formulation and job procedures which govern their working conditions. The authority at the company has given full leadership training to employees to ensure they are ready for any leadership position. Before decisions are made in the firm, people are widely consulted and third input likely to be considered (Nazarali 2015). Participation in key issues affecting the company gas promoted employee management relationship by adopting their sentiments on how company issues should be managed. Democracy in Virgin Group Company is highly cherished and fully encouraged. For instance, the management has a friendly policy where workers are unrestricted to use various channels of combination to address their issues (Nazarali 2015).
Conclusion and Recommendations
The success of the Virgin culture is embedded in its strong resilience in promoting motivation through its organizational culture. The aim of the report was to evaluate ways through which the firm promotes staff motivation through its unique culture. In doing so, the paper established that the company has fully embedded motivation in its organizational culture through competitive remuneration, bonuses, participation, and employee autonomy among many other strategies which were evaluated in line with the study focus. After analyzing virgin’s group culture in regard to motivation, it is recommended that the company should ensure that its strategies meant to inspire employees are focused on long-term achievement, rather focusing on hygienic factors which can only trigger tactful organization culture in short-term and later fails to adapt to changing needs in the environment. Lastly, the culture should foster innovation for competiveness in the marketplace.
Works Cited
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