Georgia State University Employee Benefits

Introduction

Benefits are compensations offered to employees by their employers in addition to their wages and salaries. To qualify for a benefit, the employee must have worked in a regular position for at least half of time for a permanent period of six months.

If an employee registers for a benefit while he/she is not qualified for it, he/she must refund the money to the university. The employee decides on when to begin enjoying his benefits and the level of coverage he needs (Georgia state university, para. 1).

Findings

The benefits consist of health and welfare, retirement plans, family medical bills, paid time leave, education, flexible spending accounts, Americans with disability act, cobra, and other benefits such as social security, medicare, unemployment, and workers compensation (Honey 348)

Discussion

The health and welfare involves programs such as wellness Wednesday that help the staff practice health and wellness. There are sponsorship of yoga and meditation classes, first Thursday health screening, weight watchers, GSU book club and Georgia state university on the move programs.

Others include the great American wellness check, wellness e-library, and smoking cessations (Georgia state university 2). Employees using tobacco are added extra fifty dollars to their monthly medical payment once in the tobacco sensation.

There will be monthly insurance premium deductions to cover the dental, vision, and flexible spending accounts on the payroll on a pre-tax basis. The payments will be done according to the month spend on and the effective date. The insurance company gives out medical ID cards for each family member that is unique from the other social security members.

If an employee uses his money after registering for the card while still in process is supposed to be refunded his money (Georgia state university 2).

Each employee gets pre-tax benefits. Incase of any changes to this benefit the employee is required to report within 30 days otherwise the IRS has strict rules of retaining its records effective for the entire year.

These changes include marital status, birth or adoption of a child, death of a covered depended, loss of eligibility status, loosing or gaining healthcare coverage under the Medicaid. In addition, change in location to the outside of the healthcare plans service area should be added (Georgia state university 2).

He benefits from receiving a service from a non-network provider that qualifies him as a patient under the HMO or PPO and plan compensation as payment in full.

If an employee travels abroad or outside the service area, board of regents PPO and HSA PPO offers him a blue card world wide that is processed by the university to offer service at the time the employee needs. During payments, one will receive benefit coverage (Georgia state university 3).

HMO offers compensation incases of life threatening injuries or illness offers the benefit of blue choice compensation. The employee pays his medical bills but later claims for refunding. The Kaiser Permanente HMO benefit offers 24-hour worldwide emergency coverage like illness and injury needing emergency cares.

The benefit of academic faculty is ten months contract and saving money for higher education expenses for his children and grand children or other beneficiaries.

Members enjoy tax- free accounts, withdrawals, and tax deductions on education purposes. HIPAA compliance provides the employee with privacy and security of personal information regarding his health and whereabouts. The family medical Act (FMLA), requires that qualified employees take up to twelve weeks unpaid but job protected leave each year (Georgia state university 4).

The employee must complete one year or one thousand two hundred and fifty hours. The conditions for change include birth or approval of a child and severe health circumstances of the employee, the employees child, spouse, or parent.

Other conditions are incapability of treatment attached with hospital care, hospital or housing medical care facility and any period of uncontrollable irregular absences from work, school, or other regular every day actions that also involves ongoing treatment by a health care provider.

An enduring treatment by a health care provider for a persistent or long-term health condition must be curable or so serious that if not treated, would probably effect in a period of inability and prenatal care (Georgia state university 2).

Severe health state of an employee relying on service membership benefits in the line of duty is permitted up to twenty six weeks of leave in a single twelve-month period to care for the service member. Incase of inconveniences from the employees reliance service member, notifications of awaiting call to active duty status are issued in support of an emergency action (Georgia state university 4).

Conclusion

GSU has emphasized most of their benefits on the health and well-being of their employees. Their benefits are vey organized and attractive. It is important that the employee goes through the benefits to understand the rules and regulations set for the qualifications of the benefits.

Otherwise, he/she might find refunding the expenses to the employer difficult. This benefit program is very efficient in todays working conditions and therefore should have its full impact on the employees.

Recommendation

It is important for employees to understand the benefits their employees provide for them. The benefits help the employer to create a competitive advantage in the hiring and firing of employees. Benefits are designed to motivate and reward employees.

Works Cited

Georgia state university. Human health care. Georgia City: Georgia state university. 2011. Web.

Honey, Michael. Southern labor and back civil rights: organizing Memphis workers. King of the queen city: University of Illinois Press, 1993. Print.

Importance of the Benefit Package for Employees

A benefits package is necessary for the well being of employees in an organization. Employee benefits can be defined as non-monetary rewards which employees gain apart from their salaries and wages. These benefits are meant to improve the quality of life of employees working in an organization.

Some of the benefits offered will be either mandatory or discretionary. Mandatory benefits are benefits which an employer has an obligation to provide to his employees as stipulated by the law. Discretionary benefits are those benefits an organization offers its employees out of its own volition. The benefits packages offered will fall in the two categories. They are meant to improve the welfare of all employees working in this organization.

The first category of benefits to be offered will be in form of retirement benefits. These benefits are mandatory by law because the government values social security of all working people. All employees in the firm employed on a permanent contract are required to remit monthly payments in specific retirement schemes.

Employees will have a specific amount of money deducted from their monthly earnings depending on the amount of salary each individual earns. The money will be held in a pension fund from which an employee will be able to obtain his savings upon retirement.

Health insurance is important because workers need to have adequate medical cover whenever they fall sick. Workers who have families will have four of their nuclear family members covered by the health scheme. Employees salaries will be deducted and the funds obtained will be remitted to health service providers.

This benefit is mandatory because an organization with healthy employees has the ability to produce high levels of output. Sick employees will be granted sick leave to allow them to get treatment. The company will also offer maternity leave to pregnant female employees. Health benefits will improve the living conditions of employees that work in this firm.

Housing benefits will also be offered to all employees in the organization. These benefits are discretionary. The criteria to be used will influenced by the level of status an employee holds in the organisation. Employees in a specific pay grade will be offered a uniform housing allowance every month on top of what they earn. All employees will get additional monetary compensation on top of the salaries they earn monthly.

A transport allowance will be offered to interns at the organization to help them reduce their commuting expenditure. This is a discretionary allowance which will ease the burden of commuting costs on interns about to become full time employees.

Employees will be encouraged to join optional life insurance plans with various insurance providers. These plans will be easily transferable and will offer compensation depending on the length of time an employee is willing to subscribe to them. The insurance plans offered will yield annual interest depending on the amount of premiums an employee contributes.

An insurance risk cover for employees working in hazardous environments will be introduced. The company will also implement safety measures which guarantee the wellbeing of employees. Employees who get injured accidentally while performing their duties will be offered monetary compensation for injuries sustained.

This benefit will only apply to employees who get injured inside the company. They will have to provide evidence that shows the injuries they sustained were accidental. The compensation offered will be commensurate to the type and severity of the injury suffered. Employees who are found to have used intoxicating substances in the form of alcohol and drugs at the work station will not qualify for compensation.

Other benefits to be offered will depend on the individual situation of each employee. These benefits will be offered depending on the performance appraisals of each employee in the company. There will also be benefits that will be offered to employees going through difficult times to help them recover and continue with their duties at work. These benefits make the organization to be responsive to the needs of its employees.

The recruitment and staffing policy in the organization will focus on hiring competent individuals who are suitable for the organisations staffing needs. The organization will be divided into four departments all of which will coordinate closely. These departments are: finance, sales and marketing, production and human resource.

The production department is critical for the companys survival and it will have the largest number of staff. The sales and marketing department will also need several support staff that will represent the company in its target markets. The finance and human resource departments do not require large personnel teams.

The company is to be headed by a Managing Director who will oversee the operations of all departments headed by their respective managers. This position fits a person with a long term growth strategy for the firm and good leadership skills. The finance department will be under the finance manager who will be responsible for computing and analyzing financial issues in the firm.

A person with good book keeping skills combined with good financial analytical skills will be suitable for this position. Seven accountants and an IT officer working under him will be responsible for maintaining and updating the firms financial records.

The production department will be headed by a production manager. This will suit a person with effective technical knowledge on suitable equipment and production processes to be used by the organization. The production manager will be responsible for planning work shifts for staff under his department.

He will liaise with the marketing department to determine the level of output which needs to be produced to satisfy existing demand in the market. He will work with three line managers who will supervise support staff in the firm. The support staff will be operating production machines. Employees in this department will be offered a risk cover because of the hazards they are exposed to in their working environment.

The human resource department will be headed by a human resource manager. A person with a thorough understanding of labour issues and efficient human resource practices will be suitable for this position.

The human resource manager will be responsible for recruitment, staffing and preparing organizational procedures to be followed by the firms employees. He or she will work closely with other support staff including front office staff, drivers, secretaries and security officers. These employees will assist the organization to run its operations smoothly.

A marketing manager will watch over sales and marketing functions in the organization. A person that can effectively analyse existing market opportunities and their potential will be suitable for this position. He will be responsible for initiating marketing strategies and plans that help to increase the companys market share.

He will be assisted by sales executives who will be liaising with distributors to meet the set sales targets. Sales executives will also be required to conduct market research to gather important information and data which reveal more about the market.

The recruitment criteria for employees to fill these positions will be influenced by their skills, suitability and experience. All recruited candidates will have to undergo rigorous interviewing processes to determine their suitability. The finance, production and marketing departments need employees who have college education.

The interviewed employees will have to do aptitude tests to evaluate their skills, personalities and knowledge. Employees selected to work in production will undergo induction programs to make them conversant with technical procedures involved. The organization has a clear communication structure which all employees are required to follow when they are performing their duties.

Cafeteria plans will be included in the benefits policy being formulated. Employees will be able to purchase meals during lunch and tea breaks. The cafeteria program will be subsidized and employees will pay a small fee for the service which will be deducted from their gross salaries.

There will be schemes that reward employees who surpass established performance parameters. These individual incentives will be influenced by impressive performance outcomes. These employees will be given bonuses, holiday benefits and gifts to motivate them. A study leave paid for by the company will be offered to talented employees who desire to acquire more skills and knowledge in their areas of expertise.

In conclusion, these benefits will help to improve the welfare of all employees who work in the organization. All employees will be made aware of these policies to make them conversant with organizational procedures.

Employee Benefit and Service Impact on Performances and Satisfaction

Performance and Satisfaction

Job satisfaction is the attitude or the feeling of accomplishment within an employee in a quantitative and qualitative manner. Compensation holds a great significance in the lifestyle and self esteem of employees. The amount of money an employee earns will determine his/her level of their job satisfaction.

On the other hand, performance is the desire, ability, capacity and motivation that an individual has to carry out a specific task. The performance of an employee depends on the work setting, the tools provided, and information required to carry out the job at hand. The benefits that an employee enjoys can only be reflected in their performance in the form of a certain level of result-based services.

Impacts of Benefits and Service on Job Performance and Satisfaction

In the contemporary world, people not only look for jobs that are in line with their profession or careers but also the jobs that will provide them with benefits. Such benefits motivate employees, hence increasing their productivity and their levels of job satisfaction. In most corporate organizations, the benefits and service compensation of employees highly depends on job satisfaction.

Thus, enlightened managers receive equal levels of satisfaction from their employees due to the intrinsic and extrinsic benefits they reward them with. Furthermore, the employees of a given organization can have a sense of pride with their employer in an event where they work under a conducive working environment.

Skill based compensation is usually linked to various risks especially when employees becomes discontented with their work or when they do not have the opportunity apply their expertise at work. Therefore, positive performance is equitably rewarded through a benefit structure.

Consequently, the key aspect of employee job satisfaction comprises compensations, promotions, the level of supervision, and work conditions. It is evident that the form of rewards and benefits arrangements under which employees perform powerfully influences their level of satisfaction. Therefore, the increased satisfaction arising from benefits helps to boost the expectations of employees in terms of presentation.

As a result of job satisfaction and contentment, employees usually put in more effort to their work hence meeting the goals and objectives of the organizations that they are working for. Benefits are effective incentives that play a critical role in the attainment of job satisfaction since the employees develop additional commitments and they become more satisfied. This makes them to kindle a sequence of positive actions (Gaurav, 2012).

Benefits enable employees to initiate diverse strategies that will enable them to enhance the performance of their organizations. Notably, desirable benefits will ultimately satisfy the esteem of employees by enhancing their strength and competence making them to be critical to the organizational performance.

Employee satisfaction is as a result of how reasonably they are treated because satisfaction arises from individual perception regarding work outcomes and the relative inputs as compared to others. On the other hand, employee dissatisfaction can arise even with similar outcomes in turnover under enhanced benefits for the work environment can fail to offer flexibility and desirable basis of amusement especially when the organizational tone becomes demanding and tedious (Gaurav, 2012).

Therefore, benefits should also provide employees opportunities to grow within an organization. This can be attained through performance reviews that accommodate diverse perspectives that help in correcting pessimistic behaviors in addition to rewarding productivity. Therefore, since employee satisfaction affects the bottom-line, it is crucial to have good leadership structures that appreciate the link between organizational performance and employee fulfillment (Kuballa, 2007).

References

Gaurav, K. (2012). Drivers of Employee Satisfaction and Attrition: A Quantitative Investigation. Chicago: GRIN Verlag.

Kuballa, J. (2007). Employee Satisfaction: A Precondition for Economical Success of Service Companies. Boston: Cengage Learning.

Employees Motivation: A Managers Challenge

Introduction

The issue of motivating employees could be regarded as a strategy that calls for planning on a long-term basis. In addition, its impact ought to be felt by the entire work environment, with its implementation being accomplished continuously. For a long time now, management researchers and managers alike have held the belief that it is quite possible to attain organizational goals in the absence of an endured employees commitment. As a human psychological characteristic, motivation impacts on individuals level of commitment, seeing that it entails those factors that handle, cause, and uphold the human behavior in a certain committed direction (Carlberg, 2004).

There are quite a several motivation theories that are in existence, and their role is to try and describe what humans are, and are capable of becoming. As such, motivation theories have customarily been viewed as all about content, in the form of a certain perception of people. It is this content of a motivation theory that assists are in comprehending the dynamic world of engagement, and in which various organizations function by portraying how managers can deal with the issue of people developing. Furthermore, motivation theory content also assists managers and their employees alike to come to terms with the life of an organization.

Factors involved in the challenge of motivating employees

As can be seen, the issue of motivating staff for a manager can be as complex as there are various personalities. What a manager may deem to be a source of motivation for one group of individuals may not apply to all the employees in the organization in equal measure (Ferrell & Hirt, 2002). In the end, there tends to be a group of dissatisfied employees, despite the efforts by the management to motivate them. For this reason, the issue of employees motivation is quite an uphill; task for a manager, not least because the decision that they take on the best approach to motivate their employee could either lead to the underperformance of an organization, or its successor.

There are different forms of motivation, and a manager may not always be sure which form shall have the greatest positive impact on their employees (Bruce, 2003). For instance, motivation is not just about monetary gains or promotions. Sometimes, such small gestures as saying thank you to a junior staff member are enough to make them feel appreciated at an organization. If one were to critically analyze the success behind a business entity, it would not be quite hard to realize that a motivated workforce plays a significant role in all this, ranging from productivity, profitability, the whole process of hiring staff- all these requires a certain level of motivation from the managers.

Motivation and the reinforcement theory

In as much as there are scientific theories that talk about the motivation of individuals, they all seem to target the behavior and personalities of individuals, as well as an explanation of why people behave the way they do. Yet, when it comes to the actual practice of motivating a workforce, the solution presented may not be available in documented scientific evidence. Oftentimes, managers have had to try and decipher just exactly what it is that ticks their workforce so that they can fashion their motivation package accordingly.

In the case of an organization, employees who have previously met certain set standards and in effect earned themselves say, a pay rise or any other form of reward (financial or otherwise) would in the future be more motivated if their managers were to repeat a similar gesture. This is in keeping with the reinforcement theory, which argues that past behavior consequences tend to impact the future actions of an individual. In other words, the voluntary behavior of an individual (or what psychologists refer to as a response) towards a given event or situation (stimulus) is often viewed as leading to definite outcomes (Bower, 2004). Should such outcomes happen to be positive, then in the future, an individual shall be inclined to replicate related responses when a similar situation presents itself.

On the other hand, unpleasant outcomes result in an individual altering their behavior as a way of avoiding those kinds of consequences. For instance, in the organizational environment, employees learn to follow the instructions of their managers because this is what they were taught to do in school; obey their teachers. It could be seen as another version of the law of effect.

The reinforcement theory holds that when a person is motivated, they tend to respond to events (stimulus) in patterns of behavior that are quite consistent, for a given period (Bower, 2004). The reinforcement theory, therefore, is more of a linkage between, on the one hand, the behavior of an individual and their motivation, on the other hand. It would thus be quite an in order if a manager would at least first attempt to evaluate the past behaviors of their employees before they come up with a motivation technique.

Recommendations

For a manager to overcome the challenge that is motivating his/her employees, it is important that they first try to understand the reasons behind a lack of a motivated workforce. Are your employees needs and wants not heard? Are you not there enough for them as a manager, to lend an ear to there work-related grievances? Do you overlook their performances and achievement, no matter how trivial it may look, and fail to thank them? Do you take time to intermingle with the employees as they go about their daily work? These are some of the questions that a manager who hopes to overcome employees motivation challenges ought to be asking themselves.

In addition to this, managers should ensure that the reward system of their employees is reliant on the desired organizational behavior. All the same, the position of the employees must be known by the management before decisions could be implemented. In this case, a regular type of payment in the form of a salary could be less motivating as opposed to a payment system based on performance levels. Even then, it is important first for a manager to discuss this approach, before forcing it onto the employees, as chances of it backfiring then could be very high. In any case, some employees could think that a payment based on performance could be accompanied by too much pressure. Others may attach too much value to security, thus preferring a regular salary.

Furthermore, a manager should also show that indeed they do value the contribution made by their employees, as appreciation alone can be a great motivator. It is not enough for managers to pat employees on their backs following a job well done; sometimes asking for their input as regards the organizations plans could make employees feel very much a part of the organization and as such, appreciated, hence motivation. Besides, when managers assign employees challenges that are both new and interesting, this is not only a chance for them to learn, they also get stimulated, a perfect recipe for motivation

References

Bower, G. H. (2004). The psychology of learning and motivation. London: Academic Press.

Bruce, A. (2003). How to motivate every employee. United States: McGraw-Hill.

Carlberg, J. (2004). Motivating and leading employees. Web.

Ferrell, O. C., & Hirt, G. (2002). Motivating the workforce. Web.

Employee Training and Its Benefit to the Organization

Concrete Experience and Reflective Observation

Motivation and engagement are vital issues that I face in my work as a supervisor, and I think that this largely depends on the type of training that a company provides to its employees. Training of employees is the process that requires continuous attention from the supervisors, and in my case, I emphasize the safety practices due to the specifics of working in manufacturing. It is because it provides enhancement of skills and knowledge, which is always a necessity. In addition, with each change in the companys processes, a training session should be present to ensure that the staff is aware of the innovation. Typically, newcomers are trained after the initial orientation, during which one of the companys staff members introduces them to the typical workflow and facilities of the organization. After this, the employee training takes place, which aims to ensure that the individuals understand their work and the overall mission of the organization.

In my company, we provide training that helps improve the efficiency and productivity of work. Therefore, one can conclude by arguing that employee training is essential for any company because it affects the way people will work as well as their perception of a company. I had witnessed many cases of improved productivity after training, including when I first started as a supervisor, which taught me to pay more attention to this element of personnel management and provided implications for understanding the benefits of this method. One issue that I always face is the high standards of performance set by the company. To achieve those, I need to make sure that the personnel is motivated to participate in training programs.

Theories and Principles/Abstract Conceptualization

In manufacturing, the industry in which I work, enhancement of technical knowledge is crucial to ensure that the company does not fall behind with all the innovations introduced to the market. As a supervisor, I make sure that I monitor my subordinates and assess their skills and knowledge to add training that will help them excel. Half (2018) argues that employee training can improve the essential components of the business, such as return on investment and competitiveness. Thus, one can say that proper practices can improve the bottom line of an organization. Moreover, it can showcase to the staff that the organization is invested in its development and aims to have a skilled workforce. In my company, training is an essential element of work that takes place regularly and based on the results. One can conclude that performance improvement is the main implication of this practice.

Theory 1

The constructivism theory emphasizes the fact that staff members are interested in learning and improving their existing skills. According to Ivanova, Ryabinina, and Tyunin (2019), this model is a subject-based approach, indicating the subjective-value active perception and transformation of reality, aimed at achieving useful results for the organization (p. 245). Thus, according to this model, they actively participate in the process, offer new strategies for training and self-develop. People that develop in accordance with this theory are more motivated to perform well at their job as well.

Theory 2

While the constructivism theory describes an ideal environment for any organization in which staff members are highly motivated to enhance their skills, in a large number of cases, supervisors have to take into account other learning theories. The goal theory focuses on the intrinsic motivation of individuals and specific objectives they set for themselves in regards to their education.

Theory 3

The transformative learning theory of personal development that focuses on enhancing the knowledge of adults was introduced by Mezirow. It applies to personnel management because of this concepts implications for understanding the learning process explicitly tailored to adult individuals. In accordance with this approach, the underlying assumptions of individuals are challenged, which promotes critical thinking (Christie, Carey, Robertson, & Grainge, 2019). Thus, people can review their viewpoints and learn to be more constructive in their approaches to work. This can be applied to a variety of training programs because it enhanced the essential skill  critical thinking. Most importantly, this allows individuals to review new perspectives and improve their approaches to work.

Summary

An essential component of my work as a supervisor is enabling training for employees that includes safety measures and performance enhancement. This is crucial for the fast passed environment of a manufacturing facility. The theories presented above provide an understanding of the learning styles and differences of individual approaches to training. It can be concluded that managers have to create a practice that is suitable for adults and which accounts for different learning approaches.

Testing and Application/Active Experimentation

Reviewing the theories that relate to the training and education process helped me enhance my understanding of this personnel management component and provided several implications for implementing new practices. My experience indicates that the learning process is mainly dependent on the desire of individuals to develop. Thus, each training should be tailored to the personal specifics of a person participating, although this is not always possible with large groups of people since currently, I supervise a team of over 190 employees. However, in accordance with the first theory, I can anticipate that some individuals will be more prone to engaging in self-development and improvement. In order to facilitate this, a process outlining the practice of individual training should be created. One example is if a person aims to enhance his or her skills to apply for a better position at the company or to improve his or her efficiency. He or she can reach out to the supervisor or me directly and offer an educational program that can help achieve this goal. When considering the conceptualization theory, one can argue that this will enhance motivation and engagement with work.

In addition, I also aim to implement more vision-based training for my organization to ensure that each educational activity has a clear connection to the strategy and values of my company. This should provide better efficiency of work and enhanced performance. More specifically, I want to incorporate more training that targets quality and safety requirements since this is the primary area of concern for me in my work. Additionally, I develop process capability, defect analysis, and other standard practices for the staff. The defect analyses require critical thinking, which can be achieved using theory 3. The implementation of a training system that emphasizes this aspect can improve the overall approaches to defect detention, and I think this will help my employees pay more attention to the quality of their work.

References

Christie, M., Carey, M., Robertson, A., & Grainger, P. (2019). Putting transformative learning theory into practice. Australian Journal of Adult Learning, 55(1), 9.

Half, R. (2018). The benefits of employee training.

Ivanova, O. E., Ryabinina, E. V., & Tyunin, A. I. (2019). Pragmatic constructivism as a soft methodology of the HRM concept. International Transaction Journal of Engineering, Management, & Applied Sciences & Technologies, 10(2), 245-253.

Importance of Motivation for Employees

Motivation refers to an internally generated drive to achieve a goal or follow a particular course of action. Highly motivated employees focus their efforts on achieving specific goals. Its the managers job, therefore, to motivate employeesto get them to try to do the best job they can.

Motivated employees call in sick less frequently, are more productive, and are less likely to convey bad attitudes to customers and coworkers. They also tend to stay in their jobs longer, reducing turnover and the cost of hiring and training employees. But what motivates employees to do well? How does a manager encourage employees to show up for work each day and do a good job? Paying them helps, but many other factors influence a persons desire (or lack of it) to excel in the workplace.

Motivation theories analyze the factors that influence motivation. To a large extent, their subject is focused on the analysis of needs and their impact on a basis. These theories describe the structure of needs, their content, and how these needs are related to a persons motivation for the activity. In my company, I would apply the motivational theory of expectations, in which the motivational effect is not the needs of people themselves but a thought process in which an individual evaluates the reality of achieving a goal and receiving the desired reward.

The theory of expectations is based on the position that the presence of an operational need is not the only motivation. This theory is based on a persons expectations that efforts will give the desired results (Barba-Sánchez & Atienza-Sahuquillo, 2017). In addition, the anticipation that the results achieved will be followed by a reward and the understanding that the reward will have a specific value. The higher the value of each of the elements, the higher the motivation.

Difficulties can be solved by motivating people to perform specific tasks. Often, financial motivation will be the most effective, so the theory of expectations will be the most appropriate. A persons desire to succeed is influenced by the desire to earn more money to be able to purchase the desired goods, the desire to travel, and other opportunities that money can give. Therefore, by motivating employees to perform high-quality work with subsequent monetary remuneration, one can get excellent results. For the most straightforward definition of how effective an employee is, it is necessary to establish in advance the framework and criteria by which the work performed will be evaluated.

Reference

Barba-Sánchez, V., & Atienza-Sahuquillo, C. (2017). Entrepreneurial motivation and self-employment: evidence from expectancy theory. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 13(1), 10971115.

Employee Compensation and Benefits Package

Introduction

In this paper, a comprehensive employee compensation and benefits package will be developed. The package is for a secretary who will work in the human resource department of a company that manufactures ice cream in Brooklyn. The paper will begin with an overview of the compensation and benefits package. This will include a discussion on the additional benefits that might be considered in future to enhance motivation and performance. The possible influence of government regulation on the compensation package will also be examined. In addition, the proposed package will be compared with those provided by other ice cream companies to justify its suitability.

Overview of the Compensation and Benefits Package

The package will consist of an annual salary and several benefits. Executive secretaries in the manufacturing industry in the US earn approximately USD 40,000 annually (BLS, 2014). In this regard, the new secretary will earn USD 45,000 per year. The salary has been set above the industry level to attract the best talent. The salary will be increased annually under two situations. First, it will be increased according to the prevailing level of inflation in the country. This will help the secretary to maintain his/ her purchasing power during periods of high inflation (Dhar, 2008). Second, the salary will be increased if the secretary exceeds her performance targets. In this case, the salary increment will serve as a tool for promoting excellent performance.

The benefits will include the following. First, the secretary will be entitled to a health insurance package that covers vision and dental care, as well as, inpatient and outpatient medical services. The immediate family members of the secretary will also be covered by the health insurance. Consequently, the secretary and his/ her family members will have access to quality medical services, which in turn will boost her productivity (Millmore, 2007). Second, the company will offer a defined benefit pension plan that will provide regular income to the secretary after retiring. The income will depend on the secretarys salary and years of service. The secretary is likely to be committed to the company and work for it for a long time if she expects to receive a steady income after retiring. Thus, the pension plan will help the company to retain the secretary. Finally, the secretary will be entitled to a paid sick leave. This will improve the secretarys wellbeing and performance by ensuring that she has adequate time and financial resources to seek treatment.

Exempt vs. Nonexempt

The secretary will be an exempt employee. This perspective is based on the fact that her compensation package and responsibilities meet the requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). In particular, the secretary will be paid a monthly salary rather than hourly wages. Moreover, the proposed annual salary exceeds the USD 23,660, which a salaried employee has to earn in order to be exempt (Goldman & Corrada, 2011). The FLSA requires exempt employees to engage in white-collar jobs. The secretary meets this requirement because she will be responsible for professional and administrative duties.

As an exempt employee, the secretary will not be entitled to overtime pay (Goldman & Corrada, 2011). However, she might occasionally be required to work for more than 40 hours per week to enable the HR department to achieve its objectives. In this regard, the company will make special arrangements to compensate the secretary for the extra hours. This benefit will be provided to ensure satisfaction and fairness in the company. Generally, the secretary is likely to be satisfied with her job if her pay reflects the extra effort and time that she devotes to her work.

Other Benefits

The company will consider the following additional benefits to enhance the secretarys performance and motivation. First, the company will consider providing paid holiday/ vacation time after the first twelve months. This benefit will entitle the secretary to an annual leave of 10 working days. The secretary will be entitled to her full salary during the holiday. The paid vacation is justified by the fact that it will enable the secretary to find time to attend to her personal issues. It will also enable her to recuperate by resting and engaging in leisure activities. The resulting reduction in work-related stress will improve the secretarys performance and motivation (Dhar, 2008).

Second, the company will provide an annual bonus pay. The amount of the bonus will depend on the extent to which the secretary achieves her performance targets. For instance, she will be paid 70% of a predetermined amount of money if she achieves 70% of her annual performance targets. Thus, the secretary will be motivated to improve her performance in order to increase her income (Millmore, 2007). Finally, the secretary will benefit from employee assistance programs such as professional counseling services to help her and her household members to cope with life challenges.

Government Regulations

Government regulations will influence the compensation package in the following ways. At the federal level, the FLSA is one of the major laws that will influence the package. For instance, if the government increases the minimum wage for exempt employees, the company will have to raise the secretarys salary to avoid breaching the regulation. The Equal Pay Act will also influence the package. In this case, the company will have to align the compensation package to those of employees whose jobs require skills, effort, and responsibilities that are similar to those of the secretary (Goldman & Corrada, 2011). This will help the company to avoid lawsuits that are likely to result from pay discrimination.

At the state level, the company has to ensure that the secretarys salary is above the minimum wage rate in New York. In addition, employers in New York are required to provide all the supplementary benefits that they promise their employees (Goldman & Corrada, 2011). Therefore, the company will not be able to change the compensation package in a manner that will leave the secretary in a worse-off situation. For instance, the company will not be able to eliminate the paid sick leave since New Yorks Earned Sick Time Act made the benefit compulsory in 2014.

Packages Provided by Similar Companies

At Carlton Ice Cream, secretaries are paid a fixed annual salary. In addition, the secretaries are entitled to health insurance. However, the insurance does not cover vision and dental care. The company also provides paid sick leave to its secretaries. In addition, the company has a defined contribution pension plan (Carlton Ice Cream, 2014). This benefit provides a payout to the secretaries after they retire from the company.

Steves Ice Cream also pays its secretaries an annual salary. Moreover, the company provides paid sick leave and unpaid annual vacation time. The companys secretaries are also entitled to health insurance and bonus pay that depends on the level of their performance (Steves Ice Cream, 2014). Steves Ice Cream provides a defined benefit pension plan to enable its secretaries to maintain financial stability after retiring.

Clearly, the compensation packages provided by the two companies are less generous. For instance, the companies do not provide paid vacation time and their health insurance packages do not cover vision and dental care. In this respect, the proposed compensation package should be implemented because it will enable the company to attract and retain the best secretary in the industry.

HR Strategy

The companys HR strategy focuses on creating a work environment that is characterized by high job satisfaction, motivation, and performance among employees. The proposed compensation package is aligned to this strategy in two ways. First, it ensures job satisfaction and motivation by providing above industry average salary and benefits. This perspective is supported by the fact that employees are often motivated to work for the company that provides the best pay in the labor market. Second, the package links compensation to performance. In this regard, the company will achieve the desired level of performance as the secretary increases her effort in order to earn a high bonus.

Conclusion

The compensation package provides an annual salary and various benefits, which include a comprehensive health insurance package and paid sick leave. Moreover, the package provides a defined benefit pension plan. Other benefits that can be considered in future include paid holiday, employee assistance programs, and bonus pay. The package should be adopted because it will enable the company to improve its competitiveness by attracting the best secretary in the market. Moreover, the company should take into account the government regulations that might affect the package during its implementation.

References

BLS. (2014). Payments and benefits

Carlton Ice Cream. (2014). About us. Web.

Dhar, R. (2008). Strategic human resource management. London, England: Oxford University Press.

Goldman, A., & Corrada, R. (2011). Labor Law in the USA. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Millmore, M. (2007). Strategic human resource management. New York, NY: Prentice Hall.

Steves Ice Cream. (2014). Our story. Web.

Employee Empowerment and Its Benefits for Business

By definition, employee empowerment is the manner an organization provides its employees with a certain degree of control and autonomy over their tasks. Companies can achieve this in several ways, and employee empowerment includes helping subordinates create and manage new tactics and systems (Thompson et al., 2020). Further, Thompson et al. (2020) show that business leaders can empower their workers by allowing them to have their voice in process improvement and running different sections with less oversight from higher management levels. Regardless of their employment level, all workers need to establish mutual trust, have clear guidelines and expectations, and feel comfortable when taking risks. When companies operate under such circumstances, they realize the significance of providing their employees with the training, tools, and authority they need to excel in their job (David, 2017). One significant principle for leaders to effectively empower their subordinates is by providing them with ways to make critical decisions while assisting them to ensure they make the right decisions (David, 2017). When leaders successfully empower their employees, organizations encounter better quality and heightened productivity while establishing work-life balance.

Delegating authority is the decision-making responsibility and labor division that leaders allow individual employees to report to them. It is an organizational process where managers divide their work among their subordinates (David, 2017). The difference between authority delegation and empowering employees is that when adopted, delegation allows the leader to remain at the center of leadership (David, 2017). However, in the case of empowerment, leaders distribute their roles among their employees, making them authority over what they do (Thompson et al., 2020). Further, authority delegation enables the manager to allocate duties and activities to individual employees while specifying what they need to do and how to do their tasks.

On the contrary, empowering subordinates means managers give their workers the authority to make decisions, which makes them feel accountable for their duties. Lastly, delegating authority brings into context the notion that it fosters the production of followers while empowerment fosters the development of leaders (Thompson et al., 2020). That happens because leaders who delegate their duties maintain the power to tell their workers how to approach their activities, while those who empower themselves divide their authority or power among their employees. Moreover, empowerment is centered on value and power-sharing, unlike delegation.

Empowering employees is critical for effective strategy execution and management. When leaders give authority or power to their subordinates, they enable them the opportunity to perform better during a strategys development and execution phases (David, 2017). Further, Thompson et al. (2020) argue that employees are the ones who execute strategies and make them successful. When they feel empowered, workers increase their performance inspiration and implementation. Additionally, they gain self-determination and self-confidence and become willing to make every initiative to positively impact their participation in the decision-making process (David, 2017). Each of these attributes and behavior is essential when it impacts strategic implementation within an organization.

Organizational members who feel they have the right to impact their businesss decisions believe in their ability to perform certain activities. Therefore, they are likelier to engage and persist in task performance (David, 2017). When such members have high self-efficacy or competence and believe in their abilities to perform their activities successfully, they positively impact new strategy execution in their tasks. That happens since an employees self-efficacy degree is directly related to better work performance.

References

David F. R. (2017). Strategic management: concepts and cases: a competitive advantage approach (Sixteenth edition Global). Pearson Education Limited.

Thompson A. A., Peteraf M. A. Gamble J. & Strickland A. J. (2020). Crafting and executing strategy in the quest for competitive advantage. Concepts (22nd edition. International student). McGraw-Hill Education.

The Impact of Motivation on Employees

Introduction

According to Chris Mittelstaedt, employee empowerment and collaborative teamwork are important elements to be considered when starting a company. His entrepreneurial path follows the need for change in his career life or business. His past professional background was instrumental when he began his company since he wished to treat his workers in a way he would have wanted to be managed. He motivates the workforce by encouraging fairness, acknowledging their varied capabilities, and involving them in various business procedures.

Promoting a sense of belonging is also instrumental in fostering employee motivation. Being considerate of his suppliers is crucial in providing good business relations. He abides by the companys principles by ensuring that every employee contributes to its overall success and strives to ensure the workers complement each other. He encourages them to chase their dreams and take advantage of the available opportunities. He seeks to enhance a healthy corporate culture that underscores respect for various stakeholders.

Main body

Every individual has specific inspirations for working at a particular organization. Some work because they love what they do, others for professional and personal fulfillment, while others do so to accomplish their objectives and get the satisfaction of being involved in something greater than themselves. These demands consistently impact ones morale, motivation, and life quality. According to Deressa and Zeru (2019), team members want more than money from their employers and, therefore, associating the significance of employee benefits and compensation rates with the reason that triggers people to work at a particular company is wrong. Some of the factors that stimulate employees motivation, performance, and productivity include meaningful work, employee recognition, and autonomy. Other aspects include opportunities for career development and growth and a sense of belongingness  being involved in various company activities such as meetings and decision-making procedures.

Providing ones workforce with fresh fruits has been associated with significant benefits within the workplace. This practice has been linked with improved employee engagement, increased productivity, and high retention rates because workers are likely to feel motivated if it is vivid that their employer is concerned about their well-being. A UK-based study revealed that 87 percent of the skilled personnel preferred being hired by a firm that supports their overall health (Why fruit is a better snack, n.d.). A successful organization requires effective, energized, and happy workers. Showing workers that the firm cares about their health is a primary aspect interlinked with improving their morale. Busy workplaces do not give members adequate time for healthy eating; this, in turn, causes them to depend on fast-food and junk from the vending machine. Fruit baskets offer the workforce a healthy boost of minerals and vitamins deemed nutritious to improve their energy levels, focus, and mood while feeling appreciated and valued at the same time.

Other motivational techniques the company could employ include opportunities for professional growth and development, employee benefits and perks, and employee recognition and feedback. Workers who invest in their education have a renewed perspective and focus on their work duties to actively elevate a firms bottom line. An organization can foster a learning climate through workplace promotions, scheduled on-the-job training programs, support for further education, and inter-disciplinary projects (Deressa & Zeru, 2019). Workers perks and benefits play a crucial role in increasing motivation, improving team members overall health, and incentivizing individuals to maintain their positions in the organization and become more invested. Employee encouragement, recognition, and opportunities for improvement have been associated with increased productivity. The lack of these aspects causes increased turnover rates and low motivation rates.

Conclusion

Although the sources of motivation differ from one person to another, the underlying reason as to why people work at their respective organizations is similar  the company offers something they need. Employers should, therefore, assess the individual needs of their employees and implement policies and procedures that aim to address these demands. Workers motivation plays a crucial role in promoting job engagement, performance, and overall productivity.

References

Deressa, T. A., & Zeru, G. (2019). Work motivation and its effects on organizational performance: The case of nurses in Hawassa public and private hospitals: Mixed method study approach. BMC Research Notes, 12, 213. Web.

Why fruit is a better snack choice for your office (n.d.). Americas Breakroom. 2020, Web.

Georgia State University Employee Benefits

Introduction

Benefits are compensations offered to employees by their employers in addition to their wages and salaries. To qualify for a benefit, the employee must have worked in a regular position for at least half of time for a permanent period of six months.

If an employee registers for a benefit while he/she is not qualified for it, he/she must refund the money to the university. The employee decides on when to begin enjoying his benefits and the level of coverage he needs (Georgia state university, para. 1).

Findings

The benefits consist of health and welfare, retirement plans, family medical bills, paid time leave, education, flexible spending accounts, Americans with disability act, cobra, and other benefits such as social security, medicare, unemployment, and workers compensation (Honey 348)

Discussion

The health and welfare involves programs such as wellness Wednesday that help the staff practice health and wellness. There are sponsorship of yoga and meditation classes, first Thursday health screening, weight watchers, GSU book club and Georgia state university on the move programs.

Others include the great American wellness check, wellness e-library, and smoking cessations (Georgia state university 2). Employees using tobacco are added extra fifty dollars to their monthly medical payment once in the tobacco sensation.

There will be monthly insurance premium deductions to cover the dental, vision, and flexible spending accounts on the payroll on a pre-tax basis. The payments will be done according to the month spend on and the effective date. The insurance company gives out medical ID cards for each family member that is unique from the other social security members.

If an employee uses his money after registering for the card while still in process is supposed to be refunded his money (Georgia state university 2).

Each employee gets pre-tax benefits. Incase of any changes to this benefit the employee is required to report within 30 days otherwise the IRS has strict rules of retaining its records effective for the entire year.

These changes include marital status, birth or adoption of a child, death of a covered depended, loss of eligibility status, loosing or gaining healthcare coverage under the Medicaid. In addition, change in location to the outside of the healthcare plans service area should be added (Georgia state university 2).

He benefits from receiving a service from a non-network provider that qualifies him as a patient under the HMO or PPO and plan compensation as payment in full.

If an employee travels abroad or outside the service area, board of regents PPO and HSA PPO offers him a blue card world wide that is processed by the university to offer service at the time the employee needs. During payments, one will receive benefit coverage (Georgia state university 3).

HMO offers compensation incases of life threatening injuries or illness offers the benefit of blue choice compensation. The employee pays his medical bills but later claims for refunding. The Kaiser Permanente HMO benefit offers 24-hour worldwide emergency coverage like illness and injury needing emergency cares.

The benefit of academic faculty is ten months contract and saving money for higher education expenses for his children and grand children or other beneficiaries.

Members enjoy tax- free accounts, withdrawals, and tax deductions on education purposes. HIPAA compliance provides the employee with privacy and security of personal information regarding his health and whereabouts. The family medical Act (FMLA), requires that qualified employees take up to twelve weeks unpaid but job protected leave each year (Georgia state university 4).

The employee must complete one year or one thousand two hundred and fifty hours. The conditions for change include birth or approval of a child and severe health circumstances of the employee, the employee’s child, spouse, or parent.

Other conditions are incapability of treatment attached with hospital care, hospital or housing medical care facility and any period of uncontrollable irregular absences from work, school, or other regular every day actions that also involves ongoing treatment by a health care provider.

An enduring treatment by a health care provider for a persistent or long-term health condition must be curable or so serious that if not treated, would probably effect in a period of inability and prenatal care (Georgia state university 2).

Severe health state of an employee relying on service membership benefits in the line of duty is permitted up to twenty six weeks of leave in a single twelve-month period to care for the service member. Incase of inconveniences from the employee’s reliance service member, notifications of awaiting call to active duty status are issued in support of an emergency action (Georgia state university 4).

Conclusion

GSU has emphasized most of their benefits on the health and well-being of their employees. Their benefits are vey organized and attractive. It is important that the employee goes through the benefits to understand the rules and regulations set for the qualifications of the benefits.

Otherwise, he/she might find refunding the expenses to the employer difficult. This benefit program is very efficient in today’s working conditions and therefore should have its full impact on the employees.

Recommendation

It is important for employees to understand the benefits their employees provide for them. The benefits help the employer to create a competitive advantage in the hiring and firing of employees. Benefits are designed to motivate and reward employees.

Works Cited

Georgia state university. Human health care. Georgia City: Georgia state university. 2011. Web.

Honey, Michael. Southern labor and back civil rights: organizing Memphis workers. King of the queen city: University of Illinois Press, 1993. Print.