Contents

Motivation, Wellbeing, Health and Safety

1. Introduction
2. Motivation
3. Health and Safety
4. Wellbeing of Employees
1. Introduction
People come together; form an organization, to work
towards a certain common goal.
Organizations need employees who are committed and
motivated and who want to do their jobs well.
Motivation is the process of channeling a person's inner
drives so that s/he wants to accomplish the goals of the
organization.
Motivation concern itself with the will to work.
Organizations, in order to achieve a certain goal, involve
machines, processes, technology and manpower.
Among these, the human element-manpower is the most
important one to achieve the goals of an organization.
High productivity can only be achieved if workers are
highly skilled and adequately motivated.
1. Introduction
To some extent, a high level of employee motivation is
derived from effective management practices. To develop
motivated employees, a manager must treat people as
individuals, empower workers, provide an effective reward
system, redesign jobs, and create a flexible workplace.
Empowerment occurs when individuals in an organization
are given autonomy, authority, trust, and encouragement
to accomplish a task
Safe and healthy work environment refers to both
physical work environment and its hazards for the
physical safety and health of the organisation's human
resources and to those aspects of work and organisation
which may adversely affect people's psychological, as well
as their physical, safety and health.
2. Motivation
2.1 Motivation: Definition
Motivation can be defined as inner burning passion caused
by need, wants and desire which propels an individual to
exert his physical and mental energy to achieve desired
objectives.
Motivation is the process that accounts for an individuals
intensity, direction, and persistence of effort toward
reaching a goal.
Motivation is the key to performance improvement and the
job of a manager is to get things done more efficiently and
quickly because motivated employees are more productive.
To be effective, managers need to understand what
motivates employees within the context of the roles they
perform.
2. Motivation
2.2 Characteristics and Importance of Motivation
2.2.1 Characteristics of motivation
Motivation is an Internal Feeling.
Motivation is related to Needs.
Motivation Produces Goal-Directed Behavior.
Motivation can be either Positive or Negative.
2.2.1 Importance of Motivation
High level of performance.
Low employee turnover and absenteeism.
Acceptance of organizational change.
Organizational image.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
The main theories of motivation fall into one of two
categories: needs theories and process theories.
A. Need Theories
Describe the types of needs that must be met in order to
motivate individuals. These include:
Maslows Need-Hierarchy Theory;
Herzbergs Hygiene (Two-Factor) Theory;
ERG Theory of Motivation; and
McClelland's Acquired Needs Theory.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
B. Process Theories:
Help to understand the actual ways in which we and
others can be motivated. This are theories that focus on
behavior.
Expectancy Theory-Vroom;
Equity Theory;
Reinforcement Theory; and
Goal- Setting Theory.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.1 Maslows need of Hierarchy
According to Maslow,
employees have five levels of
needs: physiological, safety,
social, ego, and self-
actualizing.
Maslow reasoned that lower
level needs had to be satisfied
before the next higher level
need would motivate
employees.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.1 Maslows need of Hierarchy
Physiological needs: biological needs necessary for basic
survival, such as food, water, sleep and sex.
Security needs: essential for a safe physical and
emotional environment.
Belongingness needs: the desire for love and affection.
Esteem needs: recognition and respect from others.
Self actualization needs: realizing ones potential for
personal growth and development.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.2 Herzbergs Hygiene (two-factor) Theory
Herzberg concluded, there are two types of needs, independent
of each other.
A. Hygiene factors
It includes salary, job security, working conditions,
organizational policies, and technical quality of supervision.
Although these factors do not motivate employees, they can
cause dissatisfaction if they are missing. Something as simple as
adding music to the office place or implementing a no-smoking
policy can make people less dissatisfied with these aspects of
their work. However, these improvements in hygiene factors do
not necessarily increase satisfaction.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.2 Herzbergs Hygiene (two-factor) Theory
B. Satisfiers/Motivators
Satisfiers or motivators include such things as responsibility,
achievement, growth opportunities, and feelings of
recognition, and are the key to job satisfaction and motivation.
For example, managers can find out what people really do in
their jobs and make improvements, thus increasing job
satisfaction and performance.
Following Herzbergs two-factor theory, managers need to
ensure that hygiene factors are adequate and then build
satisfiers into jobs.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.3 ERG Theory
Clayton Alderfer of Yale University carried out further studies on
Maslows theory of need hierarchy.
He identified three basic needs of human being against five needs of
Maslow.
E-Existence need
These are related to provision of basic material requirement of
human being and are related to Maslows Physiological and safety
needs.
R-Relatedness
Related to desire of an individual to maintain sound interpersonal
relationship. (Maslows, Social need and External component of
Esteem need i.e., status, recognition and attention.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.3 ERG Theory
G-Growth
Growth is an intrinsic desire for personal development. It is
related to intrinsic component of Esteem Need like advancement,
self respect, autonomy, achievement and self-actualization need.
Alderfer advocated three need patterns of an individual as against
five steps proposed by Maslow.
Alderfer recommends that all the needs, need not be in rigid
stepwise progression. Any need may be stronger and individual is
forced to fulfill that need.
More than one need may be operative at any one time.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.4 McClellands Acquired Needs Theory
David McClellands acquired needs theory recognizes that
everyone prioritizes needs differently.
He also believes that individuals are not born with these needs,
but that they are actually learned through life experiences.
McClelland identifies three specific needs:
Need for achievement is the drive to excel;
Need for power is the desire to cause others to behave in a way
that they would not have behaved otherwise; and
Need for affiliation is the desire for friendly, close interpersonal
relationships and conflict avoidance.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories (process)
2.3.5 Vrooms Expectancy Theory
Vroom has propagated Expectancy Theory based on
employee expectancy.
Vroom believes that employee is motivated to exert high
level of efforts when he believes that efforts will lead to
good performance and therefore organizational rewards
that will satisfy achievement of personal goals.
The focus of the theory has three elements.
Efforts-Performance relationship: it is related to the
probability perceived by individual that exerting a given
amount of efforts will lead to performance (Expectancy).
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.5 Vrooms Expectancy Theory
Performance-Reward Relationship: The degree to which
the individual believes that performing a particular level
will lead to attainment of desired outcome
(Instrumentality).
Reward-personal goal relationship: The degree to which
an organizational reward will satisfy individual needs and
its attractiveness for the individual (Valence).
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories (process)
2.3.6 Adams Equity Theory
It is the work of J. Stacy Adams.
Workers compare the reward potential to the effort they
must expend.
Equity exists when workers perceive that rewards equal
efforts.
Employees just dont look at their potential rewards;
they look at the rewards of others as well.
Inequities occur when people feel that their rewards are
inferior to the rewards offered to other persons sharing
the same workloads.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.6 Adams Equity Theory
Employees who feel they are being treated inequitably
may exhibit the following behaviors:
Put less effort into their jobs;
Ask for better treatment and/or rewards;
Find ways to make their work seem better by
comparison; and
Transfer or quit their jobs.
The equity theory makes a good point: People behave
according to their perceptions. What a manager thinks is
irrelevant to an employee because the real issue is the way
an employee perceives his or her situation.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.7 Reinforcement Theory (process)
It is based on E. L. Thorndikes law of effect, simply looks
at the relationship between behavior and its consequences.
This theory focuses on modifying an employees on-the-job
behavior through the appropriate use of one of the following
four techniques:
A. Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement rewards desirable behavior.
Positive reinforcement, such as a pay raise or promotion, is
provided as a reward for positive behavior with the
intention of increasing the probability that the desired
behavior will be repeated.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.7 Reinforcement Theory
B. Avoidance
Avoidance is an attempt to show an employee what the
consequences of improper behavior will be. If an employee
does not engage in improper behavior, he or she will not
experience the consequence.
C. Extinction
Extinction is basically ignoring the behavior of a subordinate
and not providing either positive or negative reinforcement.
D. Punishment
Punishment (threats, docking pay, suspension) is an attempt
to decrease the likelihood of a behavior recurring by
applying negative consequences.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.8 Goal Setting Theory (process)
It was introduced in the late 1960s by Edwin Locke.
It proposed that intentions to work toward a goal are a
major source of work motivation.
Goals, in essence, tell employees what needs to be done
and how much effort should be expanded.
In general, the more difficult the goal, the higher the level
of performance expected.
Managers can set the goals for their employees, or
employees and managers can develop goals together.
No matter who sets the goal, however, employees do
better when they get feedback on their progress.
2. Motivation
2.3 Motivation Theories
2.3.8 Goal Setting Theory
In addition to feedback, four other factors influence the
goals-performance relationship:
The employee must be committed to the goal;
The employee must believe that he is capable of
performing the task;
Tasks involved in achieving the goal should be simple,
familiar, and independent; and
The goal-setting theory is culture bound and is popular
in North American cultures.
3. Health and Safety
3.1 General
Health and safety are the responsibility of everyone at
work.
Construction industry, in general, is comparatively less
organized and involves participation of major percentage of
unskilled labor as compared to other industrial sectors.
As a major employment generator in many parts of the
world, construction is also a sector associated with a
proportionately high number of job-related accidents and
diseases.
Despite mechanization, the industry is still largely labor-
intensive, while working environments are frequently
changing and involve many different parties.
3. Health and Safety
3.1 General
It is of particular importance to the construction industry,
where it is one of the major employers of the work force in
Ethiopia.
Statistics indicate that injuries and death due to construction
related accidents are increasing.
According to ILO estimates:
Each year there are at least 60,000 fatal accidents on construction
sites around the world.
In many industrialized countries, as many as 25% to 40% of
work-related deaths are occurred in on construction sites, even
though the sector employees only 6% to 10% of the workforce.
In some countries, it is estimated that 30% of construction
workers suffer from back pains or other muscular disorders.
3. Health and Safety
3.1 General
Accidents are generally unavoidable in construction projects
but the number and gravity of accidents can be reduced
considerably if proper safety measures are taken beforehand.
Health and safety in the context of construction industry are
the discipline of preserving the health of those who build,
operate, maintain and demolish engineering works, and
others involved in those works.
The term safety generally applies to the protection from risk
of injury and from avoidable accidents.
The term health refers to the well-being from the immediate
and long-term effects of exposure to unhealthy working
condition.
3. Health and Safety
3.1 General
Health and safety are not only confined to construction
works on-site.
Engineers, architects and surveyors are exposed to
hazards during the investigatory stage of a project and
while carrying out inspection tasks during the construction
phase and on completed works.
Designers, in particular, carry both a moral responsibility
and a duty of care for the safety of construction works,
maintenance staff, demolition workers and the general
public.
3. Health and Safety
3.2 Problem of Safety and Health
Construction industry accidents in Ethiopia have not been well
recorded. Nevertheless, it is reported that many people lost their
lives on construction sites and many more seriously injured.
Not only are construction workers who suffer injuries and death
but also people and children who are not employed in the
industry.
Besides human tragedies, accidents could substantial economic
cost to the industry due to the fact it could also cause:
Damage to plant and equipment;
Damage to work already completed;
Loss of productive work time while debris is cleared and
damaged work rebuilt;
Increased insurance premiums; and
Loss of confidence and reputation.
3. Health and Safety
3.4 Safety and Health Practices
3.4.1 International Practices
Considering the importance of health and safety of
construction workers in the industry, different countries
have designed their own norms, which fit their specific
objectives.
The International Labor Organization (ILO) provides
specific guidelines on health and safety in construction
activities.
3. Health and Safety
3.4 Safety and Health Practices
3.4.1 International Practices
The general objectives of health and safety norms/codes in
any country construction industry can be summarized as:
To provide guidelines in the appropriate design, selection,
installation and safe operation of equipment, and process
related to civil engineering work.
To provide guidance in establishing administrative, legal
and educational frameworks within which preventive and
remedial measures can be implemented
To promote consultation and cooperation between
concerned government authority, employer's organization
and worker's organization in the improvement of safety
and health in the construction industry.
3. Health and Safety
3.4 Safety and Health Practices
3.4.2 Domestic/Local Practices
In the case of Ethiopia, the Ministry of Labor and Social
Affairs is authorized by law for the full responsibility of
consulting, monitoring and other works related to occupational
health and safety topics.
Even though it is difficult to obtain accurate statistics since
many accidents go undetected and unreported, the number of
construction accidents occurring in Ethiopia, is increasing from
time to time.
In constructions under-taken in Ethiopia, the construction
contract agreement (i.e.) General Conditions of Contract (clause
21 - 25) and FIDIC (clause 19 - 25) states the responsibilities of
the involved parties. These are like provisions of insurance,
insurance
taking other safety measures,
measures etc.
3. Health and Safety
3.5 Causes and Prevention of Accidents
3.5.1 Causes of Accidents
Human Factors:
Error,
Day dreaming,
Intoxication, and
Carelessness.
Environmental factors:
Tools,
Physical plant, and
General work environment.
3. Health and Safety
3.5 Causes and Prevention of Accidents
3.5.2 Prevention of Accidents
A. Education
Create safety awareness by creating highly visible signs that
proclaim safety slogans
Placing accident prevention articles in organization news
letters
B. Skills training
Incorporate accident prevention measures into the learning
process.
C. Engineering
Preventing accidents through both job and equipment design.
This may include factors that eliminate fatigue, boredom and
daydreaming.
3. Health and Safety
3.5 Causes and Prevention of Accidents
3.5.2 Prevention of Accidents
D. Protection
Provide protective equipment (Personal Protective
Devices) where necessary.
It also includes performing preventive maintenance on
machineries etc.
E. Regulation Enforcement
The best safety rules and regulations will be ineffective if
they are not enforced.
If they are not enforced, the employer will be liable for any
injuries that occur.
3. Health and Safety
3.5 Causes of Construction Site Accidents
The key to control safety and health is to predict the hazards and
thus be in a position to eliminate them.
The main causes of accident could be basically categorized
based on type into:
Falls,
Stepping on or striking against objects,
Lifting and carrying-over exertion,
Machinery,
Electricity,
Transport, and
Fires and explosions.
Causes of accident at construction sites are broadly classified
as:
Processes related; and
Root causes.
3. Health and Safety
3.5 Causes of Construction Site Accidents
Some of the processes prone to accidents are:
Excavation,
Scaffolding/Working at Height,
Shaft work,
False work,
Erection of Structural Framework,
Tunneling,
Use of Cranes,
Transportation and Mobile Plants,
Sewer Works,
Demolition, and
Road works in hilly terrain.
3. Health and Safety
3.5 Causes of Construction Site Accidents
4. Wellbeing of Employees
It involves maintaining a safe and healthy working
environment.
The following points must be given attention to keep the
wellbeing of employees.
A. Sick Buildings
Office environments that contain harmful airborne
chemicals, asbestos, or indoor pollution.
B. Smoke-free environment
Not permitting smoking in company/work place
premises.
Limiting where smoking in companys premises can
occur.
4. Wellbeing of Employees
C. Wellness Programs
Enables to keep employees healthy by the following
activities:
Smoking cessation;
Weight control;
Stress control;
Physical fitness;
Nutrition education; and
Violence protection.
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