Case Study Analysis (Milestone Four):
Engstrom Auto Mirror Plant: Motivating in Good Times and Bad
Tiffani Brown
Southern New Hampshire University
Abstract
In Milestone Four, I have explained personal workplace organizational issues,
analyzed root causes from a human behavior perspective and validated this analysis with
supportive research evidence. And lastly, I have examined the impact of poorly aligned
and administrated human behavior theories and concepts.
I worked an on-campus job all four years at Seton Hall University while I
was getting my Bachelor's degree. I remember halfway through my first year working
there, the department was under new management, and they decided we should have
student employees of the month. At first when they announced it, we didn't take it very
seriously and laughed it off. That is, until they informed us of the prize. Whoever won
employee of the month would receive a $25 Dunkin Donuts gift card and a $25 bookstore
gift card.
Now that may not sound like much, but as freshmen in college making minimum
wage and never having enough caffeine or school t-shirts, this was a dream. Everyone
immediately put their game faces on. "People are motivated to take action when
perceived needs or desires are at stake. Internal and external factors influence drivers of
motivation, but in the workplace, ensuring that employees are motivated is critical to
organizational success" (Newstrom, 2015).
For the entire month everyone was on top of their duties and responsibilities. We
went above and beyond our job requirements, and were overly polite to our manager. We
probably all deserved to be the employees of the month, but only one person could win.
And they did. For the rest of us, as we watched him receive the gift cards and a picture of
him on the bulletin board in the office put up, we felt pretty defeated. The steak dangling
in front of us was ripped away, and we no longer wanted to work hard after not being
rewarded for our hard efforts too.
You must be careful when giving motivation to your employees without thinking
about the after affects. This employee of the month incentive turned out to be a double-
edged sword, because it burned everyone out and made us feel like our efforts went