Page 1 of 11
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 10
November 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 83
The Impact of Employee Motivation on Organisational
Performance.An Empirical Study at Hayat University-Erbil/Iraq
Dr. Nadema Aljaf 1
Dean of Collage of Administration and Financial Sciences, Hayat University-Erbil/Iraq
2Zana Majed Sadq
Department of Management, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences,
Koya University, University Park, Daniel Mitterrand Boulevard, Koya - Iraq
Abstract
This paper aims to analyse the drivers
of employee motivation to high levels of
organisational performance. The literature
shows that factors such as empowerment
and recognition increase employee
motivation. If the empowerment and
recognition of employees is increased,
their motivation to work will also improve,
as well as their accomplishments and the
organisational performance. In this study,
the specific problem addressed to examine
the impact of employee motivation in
order to improve the organisational
performance in Hayat University in
Kurdistan Region/Iraq.
In this study a survey questionnaires
are distributed to a sample of teaching staff
members who were teaching in various
scientific departments in Hayat University
for Science and Technology. The data
collected from the questionnaires analysed
quantitatively using SPSS program.
The findings show that motivation plays a
significant role in affecting academic
staff’s performance and ultimately
organizational performance in Hayat
University.
Research Problem:
The limited understanding of the
factors affecting the performance of the
organization is the main reason behind
focusing on this study. Additionally, there
are only few studies carried out on this
field in Kurdistan Region/Iraq. As a result,
efforts are performed to enhance the
performance of the organization by
improving employees’ motivation.
Research Objectives:
The main objective of conducting this
study is to examine and analyze the impact
of employee motivation on organisational
performance. The sub-objectives of the
study are:
To determine the factors that can
motivate employees.
To examine the relationship
between organizational
performance and employees
motivation.
Page 2 of 11
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 10
November 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 84
To find out the challenges that
Hayat university face in its attempt
to motivate employees.
Literature Review
In today’s competitive environment,
one of the key drivers of success is
motivation of employee. The highly
motivated employees serve as a synergy
for achievement of high efficiency,
business’s goals, organisational plans,
growth and performance. The concept of
motivation refers to extrinsic together with
intrinsic factors that makes a person to
take specific actions (Adair, 2009).
Besides, motivation according to Bartol
and Martin (1998) is a powerful method
that strengthens behavior and activates the
tendency to continue. While, Rusu and
Avasilcai (2013) indicates that motives
correspond to the cause which direct
actions to occur, that impetus which leads
to action. In other words, motivation is an
internal force to achieve a certain goal and
to satisfy an unsatisfied need.
On his part, Luthan (1998) defines
motivation as, “a process that starts with a
physiological deficiency or need that
activates a behavior or a drive that is
aimed at a goal incentive”. Furthermore,
Daft (2006) defined motivation as the
forces of internal and/or external that
activate actions that continue until a
achieving a certain goal. Motivation
according to Bartol and Martin (1998) is
an influential implement that reinforces
triggers and behavior the tendency to
continue. They further indicates that
motivation is an internal force to achieve a
certain goal and to satisfy an unsatisfied
needs. In addition, it is considered to be a
method that begins through a
psychological or physiological needs that
motivates a performance set by an
objective. These activate actions of
behavior in business firms are various
needs that workers are motivated to satisfy
through various extrinsic and intrinsic
rewards they receive at work (Bateman &
Snell, 2007).
Over the years the relationship
between employees’ motivation and
organisational performance has provoked
arguments among academic researchers
and personnel management professionals.
Employee motivation is significant to the
organisation and the factors of motivation
play a vital role in increasing employee job
satisfaction, as a result leads to the
improvement of organisational
performance. Motivated employee is a
valuable benefit who produces value for
revenue growth and strengthening
organisations business. Motivation works
if the right employee with appropriate
Page 3 of 11
Journal for Studies in Management and Planning
Available at http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/index.php/JSMaP
e-ISSN: 2395-0463
Volume 01 Issue 10
November 2015
Available online: http://internationaljournalofresearch.org/ P a g e | 85
skills is made responsible for the job or
otherwise it will lead to job dissatisfaction
and the wastage of time and resources
(Armstrong, 2009).
Motivation and satisfaction are linked
to employee performance which can be
influenced negatively or positively (Micle,
2009). Furthermore, the differences
between satisfaction and motivation
should be aware by managers. Dobre
(2013) indicates that motivation is
influenced by forward looking perceptions
about the relationship between
performance and rewards. Satisfaction, on
the other hand is the results of events that
happen in past and refers to employee’s
feelings about rewards they have received.
Consequently, this difference is important
when trying to enhance the performance of
organization, because they have to focus
on all the possible means to improve
motivation (Dobre, 2013).
There are many factors that enhancing
employees’ motivation such as; Rewards,
Job security, Empowerment, Training and
Development, Feedbacks, Leadership,
Recognition, Promotional opportunities,
Objective setting appraisal, Increased
responsibilities, the loyalty of management
to workers, sympathetic understanding of
their personal problems, and many other
factors. Financial rewards have the
capacity to motivate and maintain
employees towards higher performance, as
employees might employ the financial
rewards to satisfy their needs. as a result,
financial rewards has an important impact
in setting up employees’ commitment and
diligence, being a powerful motivator for
workers.
On different level, studies found the
different factors that affect the employee
motivation. A study by Yang (2011)
concluded that personality, work
experience, good pay and personal
characteristics, and monthly income
factors affects employee motivation in
china. Hailesilasie (2009) exams the
Ethiopian public organization, Hailesilasie
concluded that motivation experience, and
role perception are the factors that affects
employee motivation.
Empowerment is as an approach to
leadership that give powers to subordinates
as a main constituent of managerial and
effectiveness of an organization.
Furthermore, workers are given the
freedom and authority to make decisions,
which encourages them to find out and use
their full potential (Bennis, 1989). Thus,
the process of empowerment focuses on
solving the problems of the organizations
by workers. In addition, empowering leads
