Instituting a drug-free workplace along with mandatory drug
testing for new hires can be costly for the business, however drug use and
abuse can also be costly as well due to absenteeism, accidents, downtime,
turnover, theft, morale, and loss productivity.
According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence,
Inc. “Drug Abuse has an estimated cost
of $81 billion annually” and implementing a drug-free workplace can help cut
down on that cost. Absenteeism is
considered one of the major problems associated with drug abuse at the
workplace because it has a direct effect on productivity and “it also
compromises employee safety because workers who lack familiarity with
procedures and work environments and who substitute for absent employees, put themselves
at greater risk for accidents than workers who are not absent (Goodman &
Garber, 1988)” as quoted in (McFarlin, 2001).
Accidents are more likely to occur when employees’ abuse drugs because of
the effects that drugs have on the human brain individuals that are under the
influence will have difficulties concentrating on their job that can result in
mistakes that can be detrimental. Drug
abuse can “kill and/or damage brain cells” ("Drugs change your
brain," 2003) making it very difficult for an individuals to function
normally at the workplace which could directly impact productivity because they
are having difficulties understanding the functions of the job which can result
in increased downtime because individuals will try their best to avoid actually
doing the work. The turnover rate
increases because many people that abuse drugs have a difficult time maintaining
employment because they are more focused on their addiction so if employers
require mandatory drug testing that it is possible to cut down on the turnover
rate along with absenteeism and productivity.
Theft is a major problem in all organizations for many different
reasons, however it can be more of a problem with drug abusers because they may
not have the funds to feed their addiction so they will steal from their
employer. The morale of the company
“refers to employees’ shared attitudes toward identification with the elements
of their job, working conditions, fellow workers, supervisors, and general
management” (Crossley, 2007) and if drug abuse is present in the workplace it
could bring down the morale of the company due to conflict that could arise
amongst employees. The morale of the company is extremely important because it
provides employees with a source of encouragement, therefore instituting
mandatory drug-testing can help boost the morale by showing the employees that
the company is concerned about their well-being.
Monday, May 25, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
Past and Current Trends
Drug abuse is “ the harmful or risky use of legal or illegal drugs
or the use of legal drugs in a manner or amount inconsistent with medical
advice” (Bedi & Duff, 2008) and has
become an increasing problem in the United States over the past few decades due
to the development of so many different illicit drugs. This paper will identify past and current
trends of the use and abuse of substances in the United States as well as
discuss when the use of illicit drugs may be considered culturally appropriate
and analyze health and social problems in the United States that occur due to
drug abuse and addiction.
Past and Current Trends
The use of illicit drugs such as opium, marijuana and cocaine have
been around since the beginning of time and were mostly used for religious and
medical purposes and there was no knowledge of the effects these drugs would
have on the mind and/or body therefore individuals during the earlier times
were unaware that the use of these drugs would become habit-forming. Morphine is “the active ingredient in opium”
(Levinthal, 2012 p.10) and is used as a pain reliever as it was in earlier
times, however it has the potential to be addictive like many other drugs. Cocaine is “extracted from coca leaves and
was used as a stimulant and antidepressant” (Levinthal, 2012 p.10) in earlier
times, however at some point in time it began being used for recreational
purposed and soon became illegal. Many
drugs that were developed in earlier times for medical and religious purposes
eventually became known as bad because they became illegal and most people made
efforts to not have any association with such drugs like cocaine, heroin and
marijuana because of the negative perception.
As time went on there was still a negative perception of many
drugs especially once congress created the National Institute on Drug Abuse
(NIDA) in 1974 which “is the federal focal point for research on drug abuse and
addiction” (Costello & Vleck, 2009) and provided a way to keep track of drug
use in the United States so that research could be done to try and decrease
drug problems to prevent national epidemics.
With the National Institute on Drug Abuse being created it allowed
statistics to be developed based on what types of drugs are commonly used and
by whom. According to the National
Institute of Drug Abuse “Marijuana is the most widely used illicit substance in
this country. In 2003, 14.6 million
people were current users of marijuana” (Costello & Vleck, 2009). The use of marijuana has become accepted in
society unlike other drugs because many people believe that it is created from
a natural plant that will not cause any harm to the human mind and/or body,
which is not true because all illicit drugs have some type of negative effect
on the human mind and body.
When Illicit Drugs May Be
Considered Culturally Appropriate
Many illicit drugs were accidentally discovered because doctors
were looking for different methods to treat their patients, therefore illicit
drugs were considered appropriate for medical purposes in earlier times. Once practice in which illicit drugs are
considered culturally appropriate is shamanism which is “the philosophy and
practice of healing in which diagnosis or treatment is based on trance-like states,
on the part of either the healer or the patient induced by hallucinogenic
drugs” (Levinthal, 2012 p. 9). Cocaine
comes from “the coca plant and is indigenous to the Andes region of South
America, and has been used by indigenous cultures in that area for thousands of
years for the benefit of increased endurance and medical purposes” (Johnson,
2011). Glaucoma is considered to be the second leading cause of blindness in
the United States and research has discovered that marijuana helps “eases the
pressure behind the eye, which causes blindness in glaucoma sufferers” (Weale,
1994) therefore debates have been issued in many states on legalizing marijuana
for medical purposes.
Health and Social Problems
due to drug abuse
Illicit drugs have the ability to change an individual’s
consciousness, mood, senses, and/or thought processes which can ultimately
result in drug abuse “from the complex physiological and psychological
interactions of the substance” (Schlaefer, 2008). According to the National Institute on Drug
Abuse “researchers have found a connection between the abuse of tobacco,
cocaine, MDMA (ecstasy, amphetamines, and steroids and the development of
cardiovascular diseases” (Costello & Vleck, 2009). HIV/ Aids is another health problem
associated with drug abuse when individual are using needles to inject drugs
because often they are sharing contaminated needles.
There are several social problems associated with drug abuse such
as isolation because many drug abusers tend to separate themselves from
everyone. Violence is also another
social problem according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse “at least half
of the individuals arrested for major crimes including homicide, theft, and
assault were under the influence of illicit drugs around the time of their
arrest” (Costello & Vleck, 2009).
Along with violence, sexual abuse, child abuse and driving under the
influence are social problems associated with drug abuse that can be
detrimental to the health and well-being of individuals.
Conclusion
Drug use has been present since the beginning of time although
many of the discoveries were accidental because doctors were trying to develop
treatments for their patients or individuals were curious about certain plants
as they “observed the unusual behavior of animals that fed on those plants”
(Levinthal, 2012 p.9). As time has went
on the discovery of many drugs prompted classification on drugs due to research
where it was determined that many drugs are illicit when improperly used which
is a form of drug abuse that is an contributing factor of many health and
social problems.
Monday, February 16, 2015
Workplace Motivation
The driven force that is responsible for why an individual may
perform certain activities is known as motivation which is “generally defined
as the processes that account for an individual’s intensity, direction, and
persistence of effort toward attaining a goal” (Ran, 2009). Individual’s get up and go to work every day
for many reasons, however financial gain is the main reason for most people,
which is extrinsic motivation. Money is
a form of extrinsic motivation for many people to hold certain jobs; however when
it comes to the workplace, motivation is extremely important because many
organizations rely on high levels of productivity from their employees to
increase revenue. This paper will
examine how various motivational strategies affect productivity in the HVAC
sales industry by explaining organizational efforts to improve performance,
employees’ resistance to increasing productivity and the management’s
philosophy of motivation and its practices.
In addition to that this paper will analyze the implications of applying
any two motivational theories not currently in practice at this place of
business and identify how these theories would affect management and employees.
Workplace motivational
theories
While working in the HVAC sales industry I worked with many
different people with different personality types that would suggest a need for
different types of motivational strategies.
The company that I worked for had a relatively small staff that included
inside salespeople, outside salespeople, warehouse workers, and office
personnel. With different expectations being set for each department, it would
be beneficial for management to apply different motivational strategies to
increase not only productivity by the level of morale within the company.
Inside salespeople have the most important job at the company in
my opinion because they generate the revenue because they are responsible for
handling all transactions that involve the customers in person and over the
phone, which can be very stressful if other problems arise in other departments
such as the warehouse which is responsible for shipping and receiving
merchandise. There are no motivational
strategies currently in place for employees; however I believe that the goal
setting theory would be applicable for inside and outside sales personnel. In order for the company to be successful and
maintain their staff they have to bring in a certain amount of revenue and if
the goal setting theory of motivation was in place, which is a “theory of
motivation that states that specific and challenging goals are claimed to lead
to higher performance” ("Goal-setting theory," 2003), management
would give sales personnel “a clear sense of purpose and direction that provide
something for which to strive and ultimately attain” ("Goal-setting
theory," 2003).
The warehouse employees are responsible for shipping and receiving
merchandise as well as making sure items are put in the correct location within
the warehouse. If an error occurs within
the warehouse it will have an adverse effect on sales. I can see the goal setting theory being
applicable for warehouse personnel, however I think the achievement motivation
is more suitable because it is “the need for success or attainment of
excellence” (Sisk, 2009) in which making sure that customers receive the
correct orders in a timely fashion increases productivity.
Office personnel responsibilities include maintaining customers’
accounts to ensure that addresses, telephone numbers and contact information is
accurate and up to date as well as bills are being paid. In addition to maintaining customer accounts
they are also responsible for making sure that the merchandise that we receive
is paid for. The responsibilities of the
office personnel can be very stressful at times especially if it can cause a
problem within the sales department which is why I believe that the stress and
coping motivational theory is applicable. How office personnel handle certain
situations that involve customers is known as coping which “refers to the
thoughts and behaviors that people use to deal with stressful situations”
(Tennen, 2007).
Organizational efforts to
improve performance
The success of the company relies completely on employee
productivity, specifically in sales and if there are problems in the warehouse
or with office personnel with customers’ orders or accounts it will have an
adverse effect on sales, therefore it is very important for management to
implement plans and strategies to improve performance which can be done in
several steps. The first step is
effective communication in which management communicate their expectations and
stress the importance of personal accountability to their employees. Employees should never have to assume what is
expected of them it should be communicated to them so there are no
misunderstandings. Employee evaluations
is another way to improve performance because it allows management to communicate
with employees their strengths and weaknesses within their job
performance. In addition to employee
evaluations, employee recognition, such as employee of the month or similar
acknowledgments, promotions and bonuses is also a way to improve performance
because many people thrive off of being noticed for their hard work.
Employees’ resistance to
increase productivity
It is very important to develop organizational efforts to improve
performance because when employees performance improve it can result in
productivity increasing; however if there are changes that have to occur within
the organization many employees may show some resistance because they may not
fully understand the advantages of the changes being made, how the changes will
affect them and they may also be concerned about achieving the responsibilities
set forth due to the changes that are occurring. The goal-setting theory is the best way to
offset employee resistance to increase productivity because employers need to
effectively communicate with employees the goals of the company and what is
expected from everyone.
Management’s philosophy of
motivation and is practices
Management philosophy is the basis for a positive work environment
and effects manager’s methods to motivation.
The interaction between managers and employees affects their behavior
which ultimately affects productivity.
When managers promote positivity within the workplace, employees are
more than likely to be more productive.
While working in HVAC sales the environment was very hostile and the
manager was very negative; however the salaries were very commensurable
compared to other companies and it was not contingent on whether or not sales
were made, therefore employees were not motivated to increase productivity because
there were no incentives to do so.
Implications of applying
motivational theories
Motivational theories at the workplace provide explanations on
what motivates individuals to perform certain ways and when applied in specific
settings it helps employers understand the commitment level of their employees
to the goals of the company which in turn can guide them to developing and
implementing motivational strategies to increase productivity. If motivational theories are not in place at
the start of business there could be some implications once employees become
accustomed to operations being ran a certain way. Applying the goal-setting theory in an
organization in which goals were never clear could cause high levels of stress
on employees because they may feel like they may not be able to satisfy the
expectations of the goal. The
implications of applying the achievement motivation theory could be the result
of a hostile work environment due to the manager not promoting positivity
through communication with employees, therefore making the desire to attain
excellence difficult.
How Theories affect
management and employees
The goal-setting theory affects management and employees in
several different ways. When management
applies the goal-setting theory they are communicating the goals of the company
with employees which rely on high levels of productivity. If there is not a good working relationship
between management and the employees, effectively communicating the goals could
be a challenge for management and if the goals are not clear the employees may
not have a full understanding of the expectations.
Conclusion
Motivational theories applied at the workplace can have a direct
effect on the level of productivity within an organization. Working in HVAC sales allowed me the
opportunity to understand the importance of applying motivational theories at
the workplace because they provide assistance with developing organizational
efforts to improve performance; however it is a possibility that employees may
show some resistance to increase productivity when the communication is not
clear between management and employees.
Managers that have a positive viewpoint on motivation and practice
effective communication within the organization have a better chance at increasing
productivity and boosting the morale of the environment. There are a several
implications in applying the goal-setting theory and the achievement motivation
theory within an organization that have no motivational theories in position,
such as in HVAC sales, which can have an adverse effect on management and
employees if effective communication is not present.
Monday, February 9, 2015
Motivation Concepts Analysis
Motivation
Concepts Analysis
Motivation is the force that is mostly responsible for human behavior;
it is “the intention of achieving a goal, leading to goal-directed behavior”
("Motivation," 2013). The need
to survive in this world prompts motivation in the workforce because individuals
have needs that only can be met financially.
Many theories on motivation have been developed in the field of
psychology to provide explanations on different levels of motivation. This paper will examine one theory and
describe how this theory would and would not be applicable if applied to two or
more workplace situations based on my own personal experience. This paper will also assess the need to
develop and create new theoretical models of motivation in today’s changing
work environment in the instance when the theory was not applicable to your
experience. This paper will also explain
the ramifications of failing to meet or create new theoretical models of
motivation and describe how theoretical models of motivation can affect
personal satisfaction and productivity.
Cognitive Dissonance Theory
The study of motivation can be contributed to many philosophers in
the early times that include three grand theories known as will, instinct and
drive which have led to a better understanding of human motivation; however I
have elected to examine Cognitive Dissonance theory which is a mini theory that
will explain some of motivated behavior.
I chose Cognitive Dissonance
theory because I personally believe that cognitive dissonance affects the
manner in which an individual passes judgment and makes important decisions
that concern morals and beliefs which ultimately takes place in the workforce.
The Cognitive Dissonance was developed by Leon Festinger in 1957
based on his beliefs that “if an uncomfortable feeling or stress is cause by simultaneously
holing two contradictory ideas (cognitions), then people will strive to reduce
the discomfort (dissonance) by modifying an existing belief or by rejecting one
of the two conflicting ideas” (Grigg, 2008).
Cognitive Dissonance and workplace
experiences
I worked in hvac sales for well over 10 years and it was a very
hostile unorganized work environment in which I experienced cognitive
dissonance regularly that ultimately increased my stress level which affected
my job performance on so many occasions.
As a sales representative I personally felt that professionalism was
very important especially when it came to customer service; however I was the
youngest and only female in sales which made it very hard to uphold my beliefs
on professionalism and courtesy when I was constantly being yelled at and disrespected
by fellow workers who didn’t believe that I knew enough to handle the job
because I was a female and customers that would rather have a male sales
representative. There were customers
that would frequent the store that no one wanted to help so most of the guys
would act like they were busy and didn’t see the customer in the store or they
would take their break upon arrival of that customer. The store manager was well aware of what was
being done but never addressed the issue with those that avoided certain
customers which kind of made it seem like that form of behavior was acceptable
and I found myself doing the same thing but I felt that it was wrong which is
why I believe the cognitive dissonance theory is applicable to this situation. The
feelings that I encountered while avoiding certain customers that were
considered problems motivated me to change my behavior and stick to my morals
and beliefs with being professional and courteous to all customers which in
turn increased my productivity because it made customers want me to help them
every time they visited the store.
Currently I am a school bus driver and I personally believe that
cognitive dissonance theory is applicable to many situations in this position because
as a school bus driver I am held to very high expectations. Providing transportation for school-aged
children is a very important task in which safety should always be considered
first and because I am a parent whose children also ride the school bus I can
really appreciate the importance in all of the rules and regulations that are
put in place to ensure the safety of the children. Many of the school bus drivers do not obey
the speed limit which has contributed to accidents. I am not one of those drivers because I am
not in a rush to get anywhere especially when the road conditions are not so
good; however there have been instances when other drivers showed aggression
towards me on the road because I was not driving above the speed limit. I believe that cognitive dissonance theory is
applicable to this situation because of the uncomfortable feelings I was
feeling it motivated to yield to those drivers and allow them to pass me and
continue to drive at the speed limit focusing on the safety of my students
first.
As a sales representative everyone was salary and there was no commission;
however we did receive year-end bonuses based on the sales report that came out
at the end of the year. The salaries
were pretty good so there was no incentive for anyone to want to put forth more
effort to increase sales because whether equipment was sold or not everyone
still received their salary. The cognitive
theory is not applicable to this situation because morals are not really in
question, therefore this experience can be used to develop and create new
theoretical models of motivation in today’s changing work environment.
The need to develop and
create new theoretical models
Human behavior and motivation is always changing that is what
makes the field of psychology very important because it provides explanations
of the changes as the times change. Changes
in the economy plays a major role in motivation in the workplace which is why there
is a need to develop and create new theoretical models to reflect those
changes. In the instance in which the
cognitive dissonance theory is not applicable when it involves motivating
employees to increase their sales without receiving any additional incentives
outside of their salary another theoretical model would have to be developed to
gain understanding on what could motivate these employees.
Ramifications of creating
new theoretical models of motivation
Creating new theoretical models of motivation can be very
challenging especially when it comes to the workplace because motivation is
based on individual needs and not everyone share the same needs outside of the
basics. Intrinsic and extrinsic
motivation varies depending on the individual, for example an increase in
salary can motivate some employees to increase productivity while satisfied
customers can motivate other employees to increase productivity because of the
internal feelings received from seeing a customer satisfied.
Personal satisfaction and
productivity
Theoretical models of motivation can affect personal satisfaction
and productivity because they provide a better understanding on “individual
actions and what determines them” (Graves, 2007). When an employer understands motivation and
behavior they can provide their employees with things that could give them
personal satisfaction and with that productivity can increase.
Conclusion
Motivation affects human behavior in many ways and many theories
have been developed dating back to ancient greek times to provide an
explanation on those factors. I chose the
cognitive dissonance theory to explain motivation based on morals, values, and
beliefs in certain situations at the workplace because I have always been the
type of person that wants to do what is right to avoid those uncomfortable
feelings that I learned is known as cognitive dissonance. Applying the cognitive dissonance theory
suggests that those uncomfortable feelings will motivate an individual to
change their behavior so those feelings can go away which is something that I
have experienced in many situations at the workplace.
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