Catatan Pemikiran Melalui Kefahaman

Bagaimana kerja guru mampu memotivasikan guru untuk terus bekerja? Jika berdasarkan soalan ringkas ini, maknanya kandungan kerja guru yang direka bentuk perlu menarik minat dan sentiasa memberi cabaran serta rangsangan untuk guru terus bekerja. Persoalannya bagaimana? Mampukah kandungan kerja atau kerja itu sendiri mampu memberi motivasi dan kepuasan sedangkan guru merupakan mahkluk sosial yang mempunyai jiwa dan rasa untuk berfikir soal-soal berkaitan keadilan, soal rasa teraniaya, soal-soal permainan politik halus dalam organisasi sekolah? Mungkin di sinilah memerlukan apa yang dipanggil sebagai penyederhana (moderator) dalam melihat bagaimana kandungan kerja guru mampu menjana kerajinan dan mengurangkan beza antara apa yang diingini dengan realiti sebenar yang berlaku. 

Kandungan kerja guru memerlukan penggunaan kemahiran yang pelbagai, daripada keupayaan membaca, menulis dan memikirkan apa yang dibaca serta mengerakkan minda bagi tujuan aplikasi setiap apa yang dibaca bagi diterjemaahkan kepada murid untuk difahami oleh mereka. Perkembangan pendidikan abad ke-21 menuntut guru menguasai kemahiran ICT dalam proses pengajaran dan pengurusan kerja-kerja guru. Keupayaan "soft skill" makin menjadi satu tuntutan dalam mewujudkan hubungan interpersonal dengan murid dan para waris. Kemahiran ini juga dituntut dalam mengendalikan mesyuarat-mesyuarat sesama guru, guru-murid dan guru-waris. Kemahiran dalam memberi interprestasi yang tepat bagi setiap pekeliling ikhtisas dan isu-isu berkaitan perundangan pendidikan menjadi penting kerana lompang perbezaan pengetahuan antara para waris dengan guru semakin mengecil. Kemahiran membuat keputusan tepat dan pantas perlu dikuasai oleh setiap guru yang dilantik sebagai pengurus sekolah termasuk kemahiran dalam pengendalian aktiviti kokurikulum murid yang kebanyakannya bersifat teknikal tepat. Kemahiran dalam mengawal emosi juga dituntut agar guru tidak melakukan tindakan luar biasa daripada batasan biasa dalam menangani karenah murid yang semakin rencam. Kesimpulannya, kepelbagaian kemahiran merupakan darjah penggunaan keseluruhan bakat atau kemahiran bagi melaksanakan sesuatu tugasan atau kerja.  Persoalannya, apakah kita guru merasai satu pengalaman yang bermakna dan berharga apabila semua kemahiran yang kita ada digunakan dalam menyelesaikan tugasan yang diamanahkan? Satu soalan yang abstrak untuk ditukar kepada objektif. Pengalaman bermakna tadi sukar diukur dengan tepat kerana proses tersebut berlaku dalam diri setiap guru.

Bagaimana pula jika seorang guru melakukan kerja dari awal hingga akhir dan kemudiannya dapat merasai atau melihat secara nyata kesan kerja yang dilakukannya. Katakan guru mengajar Sejarah tingkatan 1KB, kemudiannya mengikut murid mengajar Sejarah pada 2KB dan diteruskannya lagi pada 3KB akhirnya dia dapat melihat keputusan Sejarah PMR bagi 3KB. Adakah senario ini mampu membina pengalaman berharga buat guru berkenaan.

Tugas guru sememangnya penting, yang boleh memberi kesan besar kepada hidup atau kerja seseorang sama ada dalam organisasi atau luar lingkungan organisasi. Kejayaan murid dalam peperiksaan dengan cemerlang biasanya akan memberi kesan positif untuk kehidupan murid berkenaan, sekolah sebagai organisasi akan dapat meraih nama atau imej positif pada pandangan masyarakat. Justeru, adakah kepentingan tugas guru boleh dilihat sebagai pengalaman bermakna dan berharga sebagai "mediate" dalam menjana motivasi dan kepuasan kerja sebagai guru?

Bagaimana dengan autonomi sebagai darjah kebebasan dalam menggunakan kebijaksanaan untuk menyelesaikan tugasan yang ditanggung? Katakan seorang guru diberi kebebasan untuk menjadualkan kerja dan menentukan peraturan yang akan digunakan dalam kerja yang bakal dilakukan, sekiranya berlaku sesuatu yang negatif dalam hasil kerjanya, adakah dia akan merasai pengalaman bertanggungjawab dan  akauntabiliti dalam hasil kerja yang dilakukan tadi? 

Bagaimana pula dengan maklum balas kerja sebagai darjah keberkesanan dalam melaksanakan sesuatu kerja sama ada guru telah melakukannya dengan baik atau sebaliknya. Jika maklumat positif diperolehi tentang cara, kaedah atau kerajinan guru melakukan tugasnya. Adakah ia mampu memberi pengetahuan dan kefahaman kepada guru bagaimana melakukan tugas dengan berkesan dan baik?

Vroom expectancy motivation theory

Vroom expectancy motivation theory

Whereas Maslow and Herzberg look at the relationship between internal needs and the resulting effort expended to fulfil them, Vroom's expectancy theory separates effort (which arises from motivation), performance, and outcomes.

Vroom's expectancy theory assumes that behavior results from conscious choices among alternatives whose purpose it is to maximize pleasure and to minimize pain. Vroom realized that an employee's performance is based on individual factors such as personality, skills, knowledge, experience and abilities. He stated that effort, performance and motivation are linked in a person's motivation. He uses the variables Expectancy, Instrumentality and Valence to account for this.

Expectancy is the belief that increased effort will lead to increased performance i.e. if I work harder then this will be better. This is affected by such things as:

1. Having the right resources available (e.g. raw materials, time)
2. Having the right skills to do the job
3. Having the necessary support to get the job done (e.g. supervisor support, or correct information on the job)

Instrumentality is the belief that if you perform well that a valued outcome will be received. The degree to which a first level outcome will lead to the second level outcome. i.e. if I do a good job, there is something in it for me. This is affected by such things as:

1. Clear understanding of the relationship between performance and outcomes – e.g. the rules of the reward 'game'
2. Trust in the people who will take the decisions on who gets what outcome
3. Transparency of the process that decides who gets what outcome

Valence is the importance that the individual places upon the expected outcome. For the valence to be positive, the person must prefer attaining the outcome to not attaining it. For example, if someone is mainly motivated by money, he or she might not value offers of additional time off.

The three elements are important behind choosing one element over another because they are clearly defined: effort-performance expectancy (E>P expectancy) and performance-outcome expectancy (P>O expectancy).

E>P expectancy: our assessment of the probability that our efforts will lead to the required performance level.

P>O expectancy: our assessment of the probability that our successful performance will lead to certain outcomes.

Crucially, Vroom's expectancy theory works on perceptions – so even if an employer thinks they have provided everything appropriate for motivation, and even if this works with most people in that organisation, it doesn't mean that someone won't perceive that it doesn't work for them.

At first glance expectancy theory would seem most applicable to a traditional-attitude work situation where how motivated the employee is depends on whether they want the reward on offer for doing a good job and whether they believe more effort will lead to that reward.

However, it could equally apply to any situation where someone does something because they expect a certain outcome. For example, I recycle paper because I think it's important to conserve resources and take a stand on environmental issues (valence); I think that the more effort I put into recycling the more paper I will recycle (expectancy); and I think that the more paper I recycle then less resources will be used (instrumentality)

Thus, Vroom's expectancy theory of motivation is not about self-interest in rewards but about the associations people make towards expected outcomes and the contribution they feel they can make towards those outcomes.

Expectancy theory in comparison to the other motivation theories

There is a useful link between Vroom's expectancy theory and Adam's Equity theory of motivation: namely that people will also compare outcomes for themselves with others. Equity theory suggests that people will alter the level of effort they put in to make it fair compared to others according to their perceptions. So if we got the same raise this year, but I think you put in a lot less effort, this theory suggests that I would scale back the effort I put in.

Other theories don't allow for the same degree of individuality between people. This model takes into account individual perceptions and thus personal histories, allowing a richness of response not obvious in Maslow or McClelland, who assume that people are essentially all the same.

Vroom's expectancy theory could also be overlaid over another theory (e.g. Maslow). Maslow could be used to describe which outcomes people are motivated by and Vroom to describe whether they will act based upon their experience and expectations.

Expectancy theory in companies

Expectancy theory predicts that employees in an organization will be motivated when they believe that:

• Putting in more effort will yield better job performance
• Better job performance will lead to organizational rewards, such as an increase in salary or benefits
• These predicted organizational rewards are valued by the employee in question

In order to enhance the performance-outcome tie, managers should use systems that tie rewards very closely to performance. Managers also need to ensure that the rewards provided are deserved and wanted by the recipients. In order to improve the effort-performance tie, managers should engage in training to improve their capabilities and improve their belief that added effort will in fact lead to better performance.

Expectancy theory: application to financial bonuses

The implication of Vroom's expectancy theory is that people change their level of effort according to the value they place on the bonus they receive from the process and on their perception of the strength of the links between effort and outcome.

So, if someone perceives that any one of these is true:

1. My increased effort will not increase my performance
2. My increased performance will not increase my rewards
3. I don't value the rewards on offer

...then Vroom's expectancy theory suggests that this individual will not be motivated. This means that even if an organisation achieves two out of three, that employees would still not be motivated, all three are required for positive motivation.

For financial bonuses, it implies that people need to feel that their increased effort will be able to attain the level needed to get the bonus. Or, if no additional effort is needed, none will be added. This means a balance must be created, if a financial bonus is to be given, between making it achievable and not making it too easy to achieve. There need to be clear standards of achievement.

On top of that, the question is to what extent financial bonuses are really valued by people. If we look at the needs theories and Herzberg's motivation factors, money is just a small part of a much larger picture.

Employee motivation ebook

For the first time ever, practice meets theory in a concise report on how people get (de)motivated, and exactly what you can do to get them back on track. More about the employee motivation ebook

Hertzberg hygiene factors and motivators theory

Hertzberg hygiene factors and motivators theory

Herzberg's hygiene factors vs. motivators theory is one of the most empirical and in my opinion, compelling theories about motivation. It is the only motivational theory that splits out demotivating factors from true motivators; it introduces the concept of movement vs. motivation. And it "has produced more replications than any other research in the history of industrial and organizational psychology." (source: Institute for Scientific Information).

Herzberg hygiene factors: KITA

Herzberg researched hundreds of employees and companies and determined that most companies use what he unceremoniously refers to as KITA, under the erroneous belief that it will motivate their employees. A Kick In The Ass, he explains, comes in different forms.

First off, you have negative physical KITA. The literal kick up the buttocks and whiplashes may have helped build the pyramid, they're not what today's workers are looking for in a job. And they have a choice.

Secondly, there's negative psychological KITA. This entails all kinds of emotional games and manipulations to make someone perform more. This happens a lot, as it can give quite an ego boost to the person administering it. It doesn't help to get anyone excited to get to work in the mornings though.

And then, according to Herzberg's hygiene factors vs motivators theory, there is positive KITA. It means any kind of quid pro quo that an organisation may use. A reward, an incentive, more status, a promotion… Many companies believe that these positive KITAs truly do motivate people. As Herzberg's hygiene-motivators theory shows, they don't really. They may create a pull, a kind of "dog biscuit to wave in front of employees to get them to jump" (Herzberg). Positive KITA, Hertzberg explains, is seduction. Where negative KITA is truly a practice to be abhorred, positive KITA makes employees party to their own downfall. "It's the American Way. The organisation doesn't have to kick you, you kick yourself".

Hertzberg goes on to show the ways positive KITA is administered. What Herzberg sees as a true motivator is an engine inside a person that makes them keep going out of their own accord without needing a constant pull from the company. What's fascinating about this is that even things like human relations training and job participation don't intrinsically motivate people. They may charge a person's battery, but it will run flat again at some point of no real motivation is instilled.

Herzberg's hygiene factors vs. motivators

'How do you install a generator in an employee?', Herzberg wonders. Herzberg's hygiene factors vs motivators theory first suggests that "the factors involved in producting job satisfaction (and motivation) are separate and distinct from the factors that lead to job dissatisfaction." Semantically, this may seem strange but as Herzberg states, these two feelings are not opposites of each other.

Herzberg explains this by turning to the different sets of needs human beings have in a way that is very reminiscent of Maslow's as well as Anthony Robbins' division of needs into two categories (the personality needs, and growth needs).

The first set stems from our animal nature – "the built-in drive to avoid pain from the environment, plus all the learned drives that become conditioned to the basic biological needs. For example, hunger makes it necessary to earn money, and then money becomes a specific drive". The stimuli inducing pain-avoidance behavior are found in the job environment. Herzberg calls these hygiene (or KITA) factors. They are things like wage, company policies and administration, working conditions, status, security, co-worker relationships and supervisory style.

The other set of needs relates "to that unique human characteristic, the ability to achieve and, through achievement, to experience psychological growth". The stimuli for the growth needs are tasks that induce growth, in the industrial setting, they are the job content. Motivation factors are achievement, recognition, responsibility, advancement and the work itself.

According to Herzberg, the factors leading to job satisfaction are separate and distinct from those that lead to job dissatisfaction. Therefore, manager who seek to eliminate factors that create job dissatisfaction can bring about peace, but not necessarily motivation.

Job enrichment according to Herzberg's hygiene factors vs motivators theory

Herzberg suggests that work be enriched (or 'vertically loaded') for true motivation to spark up. This is different from horizontal job loading, which reduces the personal contribution rather than giving opportunities for growth. Some examples are:

• Challenging the employee by increasing the amount of production expected.
• Adding another meaningless task to the existing one.
• Rotating the assignments of a number of jobs that need to be enriched.
• Removing the most difficult parts of the assignment.

So how do you enrich a job? I can imagine that after reading about all the ways people AREN'T motivated, you'd like to hear some good news. Well, here you go. Herzberg's motivation factors vs hygien factors theory advises to follow seven principles when vertically enriching jobs:

Principle				Motivators involved
1.		Removing some controls while retaining accountability		Responsibility and personal achievement
2.		Increasing the accountability of individuals for own work		Responsibility and recognition
3.		Giving a person a complete natural unit of work (module, division, area...)		Responsibility, achievement and recognition
4.		Granting additional authority to employees in their activity; job freedom		Responsibility, achievement and recognition
5.		Making periodic reports directly available to the workers themselves rather than to supervisors		Internal recognition
6.		Introducing new and more difficult tasks not previously handled		Growth and learning
7.		Assigning individual specific or specialized tasks, enabling them to become experts		Responsibility, growth and advancement

Employee motivation ebook

For the first time ever, practice meets theory in a concise report on how people get (de)motivated, and exactly what you can do to get them back on track. More about the employee motivation ebook

Stacey Adams equity theory

Stacey Adams equity theory

John Stacey Adams' equity theory helps explain why pay and conditions alone do not determine motivation. It also explains why giving one person a promotion or pay-rise can have a demotivating effect on others.

When people feel fairly or advantageously treated they are more likely to be motivated; when they feel unfairly treated they are highly prone to feelings of disaffection and demotivation.

Employees seek to maintain equity between the inputs that they bring to a job and the outcomes that they receive from it against the perceived inputs and outcomes of others. The belief in equity theory is that people value fair treatment which causes them to be motivated to keep the fairness maintained within the relationships of their co-workers and the organization.

Words like efforts and rewards, or work and pay, are an over-simplification - hence the use of the terms inputs and outputs. Inputs are logically what we give or put into our work. Outputs are everything we take out in return.

Inputs

This equity theory term ecompasses the quality and quantity of the employees contributions to his or her work. Typical inputs include time, effort, loyalty, hard work, commitment, ability, adaptability, flexibility, tolerance, determination, enthusiasm, personal sacrifice, trust in superiors, support from co-workers and colleagues, skill...

Outputs

Outputs in equity theory are defined as the positive and negative consequences that an individual perceives a participant has incurred as a consequence of his/her relationship with another. Outputs can be both tangible and intangible. Typical outcomes are job security, esteem, salary, employee benefits, expenses, recognition, reputation, responsibility, sense of achievement, praise, thanks, stimuli...

It's all about the money

Payment however, is the main concern and therefore the cause of equity or inequity in most cases. In any position, an employee wants to feel that their contributions and work performance are being rewarded with their pay. According to equity theory, if an employee feels underpaid then it will result in the employee feeling hostile towards the organization and perhaps their co-workers, which may result the employee not performing well at work anymore.

It's the subtle variables that also play an important role for the feeling of equity. Just the idea of recognition for the job performance and the mere act of thanking the employee will cause a feeling of satisfaction and therefore help the employee feel worthwhile and have more outcomes.

Perception of equity

But Adams' Equity Theory is a far more complex and sophisticated motivational model than merely assessing effort (inputs) and reward (outputs). Equity Theory adds a crucial additional perspective of comparison with 'referent' others (people we consider in a similar situation). 'Referent' others are used to describe the reference points or people with whom we compare our own situation, which is the pivotal part of the theory.

Equity does not depend on our input-to-output ratio alone - it depends on our comparison between our ratio and the ratio of others. We form perceptions of what constitutes a fair ratio (a balance or trade) of inputs and outputs by comparing our own situation with other 'referents' (reference points or examples) in the market place as we see it. If we feel are that inputs are fairly rewarded by outputs (the fairness benchmark being subjectively perceived from market norms and other comparable references) then generally we are happier in our work and more motivated to continue inputting at the same level.

If we feel, however, that our ratio of inputs to outputs is less beneficial than the ratio enjoyed by referent others, then we become demotivated in relation to our job and employer.

Examples of equity theory at work

In practice this helps to explain why people are so strongly affected by the situations (and views and gossip) of colleagues, friends, partners etc., in establishing their own personal sense of fairness or equity in their work situations.

Equity Theory explains why people can be happy and motivated by their situation one day, and yet with no change to their terms and working conditions can be made very unhappy and demotivated, if they learn for example that a colleague (or worse an entire group) is enjoying a better reward-to-effort ratio.

This also explains why and how full-time employees will compare their situations and input-to-output ratios with part-time colleagues, who very probably earn less, however it is the ratio of input-to-output - reward-to-effort - which counts, and if the part-timer is perceived to enjoy a more advantageous ratio, then so this will have a negative effect on the full-timer's sense of Equity, and with it, their personal motivation.

Mechanisms

Equity Theory consists of four proposed mechanisms for (de)motivation:

1. Individuals seek to maximize their outcomes (where outcomes are defined as rewards minus costs).
2. Groups can maximize collective rewards by developing accepted systems for equitably apportioning rewards and costs among members. Systems of equity will evolve within groups, and members will attempt to induce other members to accept and adhere to these systems. The only way groups can induce members to equitably behave is by making it more profitable to behave equitably than inequitably. Thus, groups will generally reward members who treat others equitably and generally punish (increase the cost for) members who treat others inequitably.
3. When individuals find themselves participating in inequitable relationships, they become distressed. The more inequitable the relationship, the more distress individuals feel. According to equity theory, both the person who gets "too much" and the person who gets "too little" feel distressed. The person who gets too much may feel guilt or shame. The person who gets too little may feel angry or humiliated.
4. Individuals who perceive that they are in an inequitable relationship attempt to eliminate their distress by restoring equity. The greater the inequity, the more distress people feel and the more they try to restore equity.

People respond to a feeling of inequity in different ways

Generally the extent of demotivation is proportional to the perceived disparity with other people or inequity, but for some people just the smallest indication of negative disparity between their situation and other people's is enough to cause massive disappointment and a feeling of considerable injustice, resulting in demotivation, or worse, open hostility. Some people reduce effort and application and become inwardly disgruntled, or outwardly difficult, recalcitrant or even disruptive. Other people seek to improve the outputs by making claims or demands for more reward, or seeking an alternative job.

Equity Theory in companies

Equity Theory in business introduces the concept of social comparison, whereby employees evaluate their own input/output ratios based on their comparison with the input/outcome ratios of other employees.

Employees who perceive inequity will seek to reduce it, either by distorting inputs and/or outcomes in their own minds ("cognitive distortion"), directly altering inputs and/or outcomes, or leaving the organization. Thus, the theory has wide-reaching implications for employee morale, efficiency, productivity, and turnover.

Assumptions of Equity Theory applied to business

The three primary assumptions applied to most business applications of Equity Theory can be summarized as follows:

1. Employees expect a fair return for what they contribute to their jobs, a concept referred to as the "equity norm".
2. Employees determine what their equitable return should be after comparing their inputs and outcomes with those of their coworkers (social comparison).
3. Employees who perceive themselves as being in an inequitable situation will seek to reduce the inequity either by distorting inputs and/or outcomes in their own minds ("cognitive distortion"), by directly altering inputs and/or outputs, or by leaving the organization.

Implications of Equity Theory for managers

Understanding Equity Theory - and especially its pivotal comparative aspect - helps managers and policy-makers to appreciate that while improving one person's terms and conditions can resolve that individual's demands (for a while), if the change is perceived by other people to upset the equity of their own situations then the solution can easily generate far more problems than it attempted to fix.

Equity Theory reminds us that people see themselves and crucially the way they are treated in terms of their surrounding environment, team, system, etc - not in isolation - and so they must be managed and treated accordingly.

Equity Theory has several implications for business managers:

• People measure the totals of their inputs and outcomes. This means a working mother may accept lower monetary compensation in return for more flexible working hours.
• Different employees ascribe personal values to inputs and outcomes. Thus, two employees of equal experience and qualification performing the same work for the same pay may have quite different perceptions of the fairness of the deal.
• Employees are able to adjust for purchasing power and local market conditions. Thus a teacher from Alberta may accept lower compensation than his colleague in Toronto if his cost of living is different, while a teacher in a remote African village may accept a totally different pay structure.
• Although it may be acceptable for more senior staff to receive higher compensation, there are limits to the balance of the scales of equity and employees can find excessive executive pay demotivating.
• Staff perceptions of inputs and outcomes of themselves and others may be incorrect, and perceptions need to be managed effectively.
• An employee who believes he is over-compensated may increase his effort. However he may also adjust the values that he ascribes to his own personal inputs. It may be that he or she internalizes a sense of superiority and actually decrease his efforts.

Relation of Equity Theory to other theories

The comparative aspect of Equity Theory provides a far more fluid and dynamic appreciation of motivation than typically arises in motivational theories and models based on individual circumstance alone.

There are similarities with Maslow and Herzberg in that the theory acknowledges that subtle and variable factors affect each individual's assessment and perception of their relationship with their work, and thereby their employer. However, awareness and cognizance of the wider situation - and crucially comparison - feature more strongly in Equity Theory than in other earlier motivational models.

Implications of Equity Theory for financial rewards

People may feel guilty because they feel they don't deserve the bonus. Or they may feel undervalued because someone else did get one, and they perceive their inputs to be superior to the person that got the bonus.

There are limits to the balance of the scales of equity and employees can find excessive executive pay demotivating.

Staff perceptions of inputs and outcomes of themselves and others may be incorrect, and perceptions need to be managed effectively.

An employee who believes he is over-compensated may increase his effort. However he may also adjust the values that he ascribes to his own personal inputs. It may be that he or she internalizes a sense of superiority and actually decrease his efforts.

Employee motivation ebook

For the first time ever, practice meets theory in a concise report on how people get (de)motivated, and exactly what you can do to get them back on track. More about the employee motivation ebook

McClelland achievement and acquired needs theory

McClelland achievement and acquired needs theory

In his in his 1961 book 'The Achieving Society', David McClelland expounds on his acquired-needs theory. He proposed that an individual's specific needs are acquired over time and are shaped by one's life experiences. He described three types of motivational need. A person's motivation and effectiveness in certain job functions are influenced by these three needs.

• n-ach - achievement motivation
  The n-ach person is 'achievement motivated' and therefore seeks achievement, attainment of realistic but challenging goals, and advancement in the job. There is a strong need for feedback as to achievement and progress, and a need for a sense of accomplishment. People with a high need for achievement seek to excel and thus tend to avoid both low-risk and high-risk situations. Achievers avoid low-risk situations because the easily attained success is not a genuine achievement. In high-risk projects, achievers see the outcome as one of chance rather than one's own effort. High n-ach individuals prefer work that has a moderate probability of success, ideally a 50% chance. They prefer either to work alone or with other high achievers.
• n-pow - authority/power motivation
  The n-pow person is 'authority motivated'. This driver produces a need to be influential, effective and to make an impact. There is a strong need to lead and for their ideas to prevail. There is also motivation and need towards increasing personal status and prestige.
  
  A person's need for power can be one of two types - personal and institutional. Those who need personal power want to direct others, and this need often is percieved as undesirable. Persons who need institutional power (also known as social power) want to organize the efforts of others to further the goals of the organization. Managers with a high need for institutional power tend to be more effective than those with a high need for personal power.
• n-affil - affiliation motivation
  The n-affil person is 'affiliation motivated', and has a need for friendly relationships and is motivated towards interaction with other people. They need harmonious relationships with other people and need to feel accepted by other people. The affiliation driver produces motivation and need to be liked and held in popular regard. These people are team players. They tend to conform to the norms of their work group. High n-affil individuals prefer work that provides significant personal interaction. They perform well in customer service and client interaction situations.

McClelland's acquired needs theory states that most people possess and exhibit a combination of these characteristics. Some people exhibit a strong bias to a particular motivational need, and this motivational or needs 'mix' consequently affects their behaviour and working/managing style.

Mcclelland's achievement motivation theory suggests that a strong n-affil 'affiliation-motivation' undermines a manager's objectivity, because of their need to be liked, and that this affects a manager's decision-making capability. A strong n-pow 'authority-motivation' will produce a determined work ethic and commitment to the organisation, and while n-pow people are attracted to the leadership role, they may not possess the required flexibility and people-centred skills.

McClelland's motivation theory argues that n-ach people with strong 'achievement motivation' make the best leaders, although there can be a tendency to demand too much of their staff in the belief that they are all similarly and highly achievement-focused and results driven, which of course most people are not.

McClelland's achievement motivation theory in work situations

McClelland's acquired needs are found to varying degrees in all workers and managers, and this mix of motivational needs characterises a person's or manager's style and behaviour, both in terms of being motivated, and in the management and motivation others.

People with different needs are motivated differently.

• High need for achievement (n-ach)
  High achievers should be given challenging projects with reachable goals. They should be provided frequent feedback. While money is not an important motivator in itself. Rather, it is an effective form of feedback.
• High need for affiliation (n-affil)
  Employees with a high affiliation need perform best in a cooperative environment.
• High need for power (n-pow)
  Management should provide power seekers the opportunity to manage others.

Note that McClelland's acquired needs theory allows for the shaping of a person's needs; training programs can be used to modify one's need profile.

Relation of McClelland's achievement motivation theory to other theories

McClelland's concept of achievement motivation is also related to Herzberg's motivation-hygiene theory. People with high achievement motivation tend to be interested in the motivators (the job itself).

Achievement-motivated (n-ach) people want feedback. They want to know how well they are doing on their job. On the other hand, people with low achievement motivation are more concerned about the environment. They want to know how people feel about them rather than how well they are doing.

Employee motivation ebook

For the first time ever, practice meets theory in a concise report on how people get (de)motivated, and exactly what you can do to get them back on track. More about the employee motivation ebook

ERG motivation theory Alderfer

ERG motivation theory Alderfer

Clayton P. Alderfer's ERG theory from 1969 condenses Maslow's five human needs into three categories: Existence, Relatedness and Growth.

1. Existence Needs
   Include all material and physiological desires (e.g., food, water, air, clothing, safety, physical love and affection). Maslow's first two levels.
2. Relatedness Needs
   Encompass social and external esteem; relationships with significant others like family, friends, co-workers and employers . This also means to be recognized and feel secure as part of a group or family. Maslow's third and fourth levels.
3. Growth Needs
   Internal esteem and self actualization; these impel a person to make creative or productive effects on himself and the environment (e.g., to progress toward one's ideal self). Maslow's fourth and fifth levels. This includes desires to be creative and productive, and to complete meaningful tasks.

Even though the priority of these needs differ from person to person, Alberger's ERG theory prioritises in terms of the categories' concreteness. Existence needs are the most concrete, and easiest to verify. Relatedness needs are less concrete than existence needs, which depend on a relationship between two or more people. Finally, growth needs are the least concrete in that their specific objectives depend on the uniqueness of each person.

Relationships between Alderfer's ERG theory concepts

There are three relationships among the different categories in Alderfer's ERG theory:

1. Satisfaction-progression
   Moving up to higher-level needs based on satisfied needs.
   
   With Maslow, satisfaction-progression plays an important part. Individuals move up the need hierarchy as a result of satisfying lower order needs. In Alderfer's ERG theory, this isn't necessarily so. The progression upward from relatedness satisfaction to growth desires does not presume the satisfaction of a person's existence needs.
2. Frustration-regression
   If a higher level need remains unfulfilled, a person may regress to lower level needs that appear easier to satisfy.
   
   Frustration-regression suggests that an already satisfied need can become active when a higher need cannot be satisfied. Thus, if a person is continually frustrated in his/her attempts to satisfy growth, relatedness needs can resurface as key motivators.
3. Satisfaction-strengthening
   Iteratively strengthening a current level of satisfied needs.
   
   Satisfaction-strengthening indicates that an already satisfied need can maintain satisfaction or strengthen lower level needs iteratively when it fails to gratify high-level needs.

Differences between ERG theory and Maslow's model

Alderfer's ERG motivation theory differs from Maslow's theory in three ways:

1. A lower level need does not have to be gratified (i.e., a person may satisfy a need at hand, whether or not a previous need has been satisfied);
2. If a relatively more significant need is not gratified, the desire to gratify a lesser need will be increased (i.e., the frustration in meeting high-order needs might lead a person to regress to a more concrete need category);
3. Alderfer's ERG theory allows the order of the needs to differ for different people (e.g., it accounts for the "starving artist" who may place growth needs above existence ones).

The ERG motivation theory work situations

On a work level, this means that managers must recognize his employees' multiple simultaneous needs. In Alderfer's ERG model, focusing exclusively on one need at a time will not motivate your people. The frustration-regression principle impacts workplace motivation. For example, if growth opportunities are not provided to employees, they may regress to relatedness needs, and socialize more with co-workers. If you can recognize these conditions early, steps can be taken to satisfy the frustrated needs until the employee is able to pursue growth again.

Implications for financial incentives in Alderfer's ERG model

Financial incentives may satisfy the need for growth, and for recognition by others. As you can see, in this theory financial incentives can only fulfill human needs indirectly, through their perceived value and effect on other people. So even though you may provide financial incentives, if your people's other needs aren't being met, according to Alderfer's ERG theory your workers will not be motivated.

Employee motivation ebook

For the first time ever, practice meets theory in a concise report on how people get (de)motivated, and exactly what you can do to get them back on track. More about the employee motivation ebook

Maslow hierarchy of needs theory

Maslow hierarchy of needs theory

Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory states that people have a pyramid hierarchy of needs that they will satisfy from bottom to top. Starting from mere physiological subsistence the Maslow hierarchy of needs covers belonging to a social circle to pursuing your talent through self-actualization. Important to the hierarchy of needs theory is that Maslow felt that unfulfilled needs lower on the ladder would inhibit the person from climbing to the next step.

The pyramid of needs is divided into two categories: deficiency needs (physiological and safety) and growth needs (belonging, self-esteem and self-actualisation). If the deficiency needs aren't satisfied, the person will feel the deficit and this will stifle his or her development.

Maslow work situations

When Maslow's hierarchy of needs is applied to work situations, it implies that managers have the responsibility, firstly, to make sure the deficiency needs are met. This means, in broad terms, a safe environment and proper wages. Secondly, it implies creating a proper climate in which employees can develop their fullest potential. Failure to do so would theoretically increase employee frustration and could result in poorer performance, lower job satisfaction, and increased withdrawal from the organization.

For example, according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory job insecurity and the threat of layoffs, will block the person from their higher growth needs. They might work harder to get security, but without fulfilling their other needs. If security doesn't return they will fulfill their needs elsewhere or burn out.

How to satisfy employee's needs

The figure below shows some potential ways of satisfying employee needs according to Maslow's hierarchy of needs theory. Some of these are easy and inexpensive to implement, others are hard and costly. Also, the employees' needs may vary. However, if you manage to implement at least some of these strategies you will be looked at as more considerate, supportive and interested in your people's welfare.

Need		Examples
Physiological		Cafeterias Vending machines Drinking fountains
Security		Economic Wages and salaries Fringe benefits Retirement benefits Medical benefits Psychological Provide job descriptions Avoid abrupt changes Solve employee's problems Physical Working conditions Heating and ventilation Rest periods
Belonging		Encourage social interaction Create team spirit Facilitate outside social activities Use periodic praise Allow participation
Self-esteem		Design challenging jobs Use praise and awards Delegate responsibilities Give training Encourage participation
Self-actualization		Give training Provide challenges Encourage creativity

Implications for financial incentives in Maslow's hierarchy of needs model

In Maslow's hierarchy of needs model, wages are part of the deficiency needs. That means that they serve as a measure of security, and that people will feel unfulfilled in their need for safety until they have it.

Giving financial bonuses is a different matter. In Maslow's hierarchy of needs model, these can serve to fulfill the need for esteem. However, the way they are awarded is also important: if they aren't given in an atmosphere of praise but as a mere benefit for reaching a certain goal, they can work counterproductively as they will be seen as mere wages, and as such only serve to satisfy someone's deficiency needs, or not at all (if they don't really need the money).

Employee motivation ebook

For the first time ever, practice meets theory in a concise report on how people get (de)motivated, and exactly what you can do to get them back on track. More about the employee motivation ebook

Hackman and Oldham job characteristics model

Hackman and Oldham job characteristics model

The job characteristics model, designed by Hackman and Oldham, is based on the idea that the task itself is key to employee motivation. Specifically, a boring and monotonous job stifles motivation to perform well, whereas a challenging job enhances motivation. Variety, autonomy and decision authority are three ways of adding challenge to a job. Job enrichment and job rotation are the two ways of adding variety and challenge.

It states that there are five core job characteristics (skill variety, task identity, task significance, autonomy, and feedback) which impact three critical psychological states (experienced meaningfulness, experienced responsibility for outcomes, and knowledge of the actual results), in turn influencing work outcomes (job satisfaction, absenteeism, work motivation, etc.). The five core job characteristics can be combined to form a motivating potential score (MPS) for a job, which can be used as an index of how likely a job is to affect an employee's attitudes and behaviors.

Hackman and Oldham’s job characteristics theory proposes that high motivation is related to experiencing three psychological states whilst working:

1. Meaningfulness of work
   That labour has meaning to you, something that you can relate to, and does not occur just as a set of movements to be repeated. This is fundamental to intrinsic motivation, i.e. that work is motivating in an of itself (as opposed to motivating only as a means to an end).
2. Responsibility
   That you have been given the opportunity to be a success or failure at your job because sufficient freedom of action has given you. This would include the ability to make changes and incorporate the learning you gain whilst doing the job.
3. Knowledge of outcomes
   This is important for two reasons. Firstly to provide the person knowledge on how successful their work has been, which in turn enables them to learn from mistakes. The second is to connect them emotionally to the customer of their outputs, thus giving further purpose to the work (e.g. I may only work on a production line, but I know that the food rations I produce are used to help people in disaster areas, saving many lives).

In turn, each of these critical states are derived from certain characteristics of the job:

1. Meaningfulness of work
   The work must be experienced as meaningful (his/her contribution significantly affects the overall effectiveness of the organization). This is derived from:
• Skill variety
  Using an appropriate variety of your skills and talents: too many might be overwhelming, too few, boring.
• Task Identity
  Being able to identify with the work at hand as more whole and complete, and hence enabling more pride to be taken in the outcome of that work (e.g. if you just add one nut to one bolt in the same spot every time a washing machine goes past it is much less motivating than being the person responsible for the drum attachment and associated work area (even as part of a group).
• Task Significance
  Being able to identify the task as contributing to something wider, to society or a group over and beyond the self. For example, the theory suggests that I will be more motivated if I am contributing to the whole firm’s bonus this year, looking after someone or making something that will benefit someone else. Conversely I will be less motivated if I am only making a faceless owner wealthier, or am making some pointless item (e.g. corporate give-away gifts).
2. Responsibility
   Responsibility is derived from autonomy, as in the job provides substantial freedom, independence and discretion to the individual in scheduling the work and in determining the procedures to be used in carrying it out)
3. Knowledge of outcomes
   This comes from feedback. It implies an employee awareness of how effective he/she is converting his/her effort into performance. This can be anything from production figures through to customer satisfaction scores. The point is that the feedback offers information that once you know, you can use to do things differently if you wish. Feedback can come from other people or the job itself.

Knowing these critical job characteristics, the theory goes, it is then possible to derive the key components of the design of a job and redesign it:

1. Varying work to enable skill variety
2. Assigning work to groups to increase the wholeness of the product produced and give a group to enhance significance
3. Delegate tasks to their lowest possible level to create autonomy and hence responsibility
4. Connect people to the outcomes of their work and the customers that receive them so as to provide feedback for learning

Employee motivation ebook

For the first time ever, practice meets theory in a concise report on how people get (de)motivated, and exactly what you can do to get them back on track. More about the employee motivation ebook

Malam itu, hembusan udara-Nya amat lembut, segar bugar. Bintang di langit masih bercahaya patuh pada perintah-Nya. Aku masih lagi menelaah. Hanya ini mampu mengubah hidupku, keluarga dan adik-adik. Pengalaman pahit dahulu cukup jitu untuk dijadikan semangat mengubah hidup. Tertekan hidup kerana setiap apa yang dicapai, baik buruk terutamanya buruk menjadi umpat keji manusia. Jiran yang dulu kusangka baik rupanya pemberita yang baik dalam mensensasikan setiap gerak geriku. "tak soh cara dia la." Ayat ibu bila luahan rasa kucurahkan kepadanya. Mungkin dia telah mamli dengan tingkah laku itu. Ibuku teruk dikerjakan oleh mulut jiranku, tapi sabarnya kadangkala membuak darah mudaku. Waktu itu belum menguasai tahap sabar kerana desakan hidup memerlukan diri lebih ofensif.

Daun tingkap kukuakkan supaya aliran pantas udara malam masuk menyejukkan ruang bilik yang mampu menempatkan satu katil, satu almari pakaian, satu meja, satu kerusi dengan lampu jantung bercahaya kemerahan. Buku kuterus hadap, besok akan hadapi ekonomi sebagai kertas mula. "Za, tak tido lagi ke? Esokmu nak periksa." Suara ibu yang sentiasa mengambil tahu gerak geri belajarku. Macam biasa dan selalu, aku lebih suka diamkan diri daripada menyahut setiap kata dan teguran ibu. Rumah sunyi sepi kerana setiap batang tubuh adik-adikku telah rebah ke tilam nipis berlapikkan lantai kayu di bawah. 

***

Rasa sedih, tidak berbaloi dan segalanya mula menyelubungi diri. Segala yang dibaca semalam langsung tidak ditanya dalam soalan. Aku mula berkelakuan gambaran kecewa kerana apa yang diharapkan dalam peperiksaan siang tadi gagal memenuhi rasa puas hati dalam menjawabnya. Malam itu, aku menonton televisyen semahu mahunya. "Tak baca buku ke malam ni? Tak periksa ke esok?" Tanya ibuku bila melihat aku terlalu asyik dengan menonton. Macam selalunya, aku diam tanpa memberi respon yang baik untuk setiap teguran mungkin suruhan halus ibuku. Jam 11.00 malam, aku bergerak masuk ke bilik. Melihat buku-buku, rasa marah, rasa sedih bercampur baur. Apalah makna membaca jika setiap apa yang dibaca tidak boleh digunakan langsung untuk menjawab soalan. Lebih baik tidur. 

Setiap malamku menjadi seperti rutin tanpa merujuk kepada bacaan walaupun peperiksaan. Peperiksaan dihadapi dengan biasa, setiap jawapan ditulis dengan hanya pengetahuan sedia ada, fakta, huraian dan contoh. Fakta, huraian dan rajah jika perlu. Proses yang berterusan hampir melebihi 2 minggu, akhirnya berakhir. Aku tekad jika rezeki tidak menyebelahiku, biarkan, rezeki Allah masih luas bukan pelajaran semata boleh mengubah hidup. Penting perlu ada akal dan daya usaha. 

***

Zaman payah sebagai manusia hampir dewasa mula tiba. Aku diterima sebagai buruh binaan di sebuah sekolah secara kontrak dengan upah harian RM30. Speksifikasi kerja melibatkan bancuhan simen, mengangkut, mengagihkan kepada individu yang berperanan melakukan plaster dinding. Bancuhan simen jangan terlalu muda dan jangan terlalu tua. Itu pesan mandur, awalnya diajar secara teori, satu bag simen perlu dicampur dengan 4 kereta pasir, keretanya kereta tolak beroda satu. Itulah kemahiran pertama secara pratikal kuraih daripada pengalaman kerja. Setelah kerja plaster dinding selesai, aku ditempatkan pada bahagian bancuh konkrit. Agak letih kerana bancuhan melibatkan batu, sedikit pasir dan simen. Standard kualiti masih sama, jangan terlalu tua, jangan terlalu muda. Malamnya, mendapat tidur yang lena kerana keletihan badan secara fizikal. Tapi mudah dilupakan apabila lena berlaku secara kualiti. Esoknya mengulangi kerja yang sama. Ulangan masa akhirnya sampai penghujung, siap semuanya. Bangunan akan diserah, maknanya kerjaku akan berakhir. Tiada lagi pendapatan buat aku, ibuku dan adik-adik. Payah hidup kerana bergantung kepada peluang yang diberikan. Bila masanya aku mampu mencipta peluang untuk diriku sendiri, gunanya untuk memberi peluang buat ibu dan adik-adik. Hati mula gusar, celaru, takut dan pelbagai mainan perasaan hidup sukar mula menyelubungi diri. Akhirnya, aku kembali ke rumah, menganggur dengan pendapatan simpanan kerja. Melihat ibuku, menyediakan kuih muih untuk dijual timbul rasa kesian. Kuih itulah yang menyara kami untuk belajar adik beradik. 

"Tak da kerja lagi ke?Soalan biasa ibuku. Diam lebih baik daripada menjawab, hanya dalaman yang tersentap dengan teguran itu. Jika mampu kuluahkan, hanya ini akan kukatakan, aku memang mahu pekerja tetapi peluang untuk mencari agak sukar kerana aku hanya tahu menerima peluang yang diberikan. Masih tidak tahu untuk mencipta peluang. Sabarlah ibu. 

"Za, ada keja buat lokan di mahkamah majisret, mu nak dak?" Soalan pada petang selepas habis bermain bola secara kampung. 

"Boleh jugak, bila buleh mula?" Tanyaku ringkas. 

"Ayah aku kata, kalau mu nak, esok gilah." Jawab Nawan ringkas jugak. Dia mengerti manusia aku yang kurang bercakap. Tanpa memikirkan berapa upah aku bersetuju dengan tawaran lisan yang dikemukakan. Peluang telah disediakan, tidak perlu lagi bertanyakan upahnya. Lagipun aku telah biasa bekerja dengan Tok Harun. Upahnya mengikut tahap mahir dan rasa kemanusiaan kepada pekerja-pekerjanya. Standard biasa RM30 sehari. Campur kemanusiaan, biasanya aku akan dapat RM40 sehari. 

"Za, mu bacuh semen. Konkrit lokan." Tok Harun membuat agihan kerja. 

"Gajimu sari, 40 rial.Kontraktor bayar aku mahal sikit." Tok Harun seperti biasa akan terlebih dahulu membaca upah untuk setiap orang yang bekerja dengannya.

***

Hari kedua bekerja, hatiku mula sayu, sedih dan bercampur baur antara kehidupan masa depan dengan kehidupan sekarang yang aku alami. 

"Orang suruh ngaji mu malas. Keja gini la sesuai denganmu." Kata-kata kontraktor yang masih terngiang-ngiang bermain di telinga. Esok hari penentuan, arah mana akan aku ditakdirkan Allah. Aku mula mengerti usaha mengubah hidup perlu dilakukan manusia walaupun Allah telah ada takdir-Nya sendiri untuk kita. Aku faham segala-galanya daripada-Mu. Segala sembahyangku, hidupku dan matiku hanya kepada-Mu. Aku akan terima segala-galanya tanpa soal jawab pada takdir yang kau tentukan. Walaupun mungkin aku perlu meneruskan hidup dengan tulang empat kerat sehingga beranak pinak. Namun, aku tetap mengharapkan pertolongan-Mu. Berilah kepadaku limpah kurnia, hidayah dan pertolongan-Mu. Esoklah ibu kepada segala hala tuju hidupku. Maaflah ibu jika esoknya aku melukakan hatimu.

SBPA-Selama Belum Puas

Dalam pengajian ekonomi sesetengah memberi definisi sebagai cara bagaimana manusia menggunakan sumber-sumber terhad untuk memenuhi kehendak manusia yang tidak terhad. Sumber terhad isi rumah atau individu merujuk kepada pendapatan wang atau upah lebih popular dipanggil gaji. SBPA merupakan mekanisme kerajaan dalam menentukan pemberian gaji kakitangan awam. Kerajaan sebagai majikan sudah tentu akan mengambil kira sumber terhad mereka, iaitu pendapatan negara atau hasil. Logiknya, jarang akan berlaku kerajaan mampu memenuhi semua kehendak atau tuntutan kakitangan awam melalui kesatuan-kesatuan yang diwakili, dalam konteks Malaysia CUEPAC kerana hasil kerajaan bukan semata-mata untuk membayar kakitangannya.

Secara ekonominya, apabila gaji kakitangan awam meningkat dengan andaian cukai pendapatan kekal pada mekanisme lama, maka kuasa beli wang isi rumah akan meningkat. Permintaan terhadap barang secara logiknya akan meningkatkan. Jika permintaan gagal ditampung dengan penawaran barang yang mencukupi maka hasilnya akan berlaku kenaikan harga barang. Ini secara mudahnya tetapi dalam amalan ekonomi ia lebih kompleks kerana perkaitannya berlaku secara serentak. Jika terlalu banyak hasil kerajaan digunakan untuk belanja mengurus maka logiknya akan kurang hasil kerajaan dapat digunakan untuk pembangunan. Bagi negeri-negeri yang telah wujud kemudahan asas yang baik dan boleh digunakan, kekurangan pembangunan mungkin sesuatu yang boleh diterima, tetapi bagaimana jika sebuah negeri yang masih bergelumang dengan soal kemudahan asas yang belum cukup seperti di Sabah dan Sarawak serta beberapa tempat di negeri-negeri Semenanjung Malaysia. Soal pembangunan yang menyentuh kebajikan rakyat secara maksimum seperti pembinaan sekolah, jambatan, jalan raya, institusi-institusi pengajian perlu diberi perhatian dalam perbelanjaan negara. Logiknya, bilangan rakyat akan sentiasa bertambah dan kemudahan asasi paling asas menjadi satu keperluan utama mereka. Kegagalan pembangunan kemudahan asas akan memberi kesan jangka panjang kepada kemakmuran dan pertumbuhan ekonomi negara. Soalnya adakah kita mampu mencapai pertumbuhan ekonomi yang mampan jika hanya bersandarkan kepada perbelanjaan isi rumah semata-mata? Di sinilah perlunya peranan pihak swasta, dengan keuntungan hasil penggunaan isi rumah, pelaburan dapat dijanakan oleh pihak swasta untuk meningkatkan produktiviti dan kualiti barang serta perkhidmatan yang dihasilkan. Jika perkara sebegini berlaku pihak kerajaan hanya menumpukan kepada pembangunan kemudahan asas dan kawalan ekonomi semata-mata tanpa secara langsung melabur untuk menjana pendapatan kerajaan. Kerajaan berfungsi pada mekanisme sepatutnya dengan menjadi orang tengah antara pengeluar dan isi rumah. Kuasa pengimbang jika berlaku ketidakadilan ekonomi dalam masyarakat.

Soal gaji yang menjadi punca rasa tidak puas hati seharusnya dilihat secara holistik. Dalam sektor kerajaan, semakin tinggi jawatan yang disandang bukanlah bermakna semakin banyak beban kerja perlu ditanggung tetapi ia sebenarnya lebih merujuk kepada beban tanggungjawab, akauntabiliti, kejujuran, amanah, adil dan bersikap benar. Jika seorang kerani melakukan pecah amanah ia bukan kesalahan seorang Ketua Setiausaha Negara, cuma bualan orang waktu dia memegang jawatan KSN, kerani pun boleh pecah amanah. Itu sahaja, kesalahan tetap diletakkan kepada kerani tadi. Jadi mana logiknya kenaikan gaji yang keterlaluan diberikan kepada seorang KSN. Adakah kenaikan ini semata-mata untuk menjaga prestij jawatan Ketua Setiausaha Negara sebagai orang nombor satu dalam perkhidmatan awam. Seharusnya, ratio 25:35:40 digunakan dalam menentukan kenaikan gaji ke SBPA. Gaji seorang KSN akan tetap tinggi kerana gaji pokok asalnya telah sedia tinggi. Jika formula ini digunakan oleh kerajaan, dasar gaji minimum secara tidak langsung telah dapat dilaksanakan. Perbezaan seharusnya hanya wujud pada elaun-elaun tertentu mengikut kesesuaian jawatan. Adakah sama elaun seorang guru atau pengetua dengan seorang KSN?

Dalam pemerhatian, terdapat golongan yang langsung gagal diberi perhatian wajar apabila berlaku rombakan sistem perkhidmatan secara besar-besaran. Selalunya yang menjadi isu ialah kumpulan sokongan dan kumpulan berjawatan tinggi atau JUSA. Golongan yang terus berijazah dan memasuki skim perkhidmatan kerajaan tertentu biasanya hanya mendapat kenaikan gaji secara biasa tanpa apa-apa isu yang diperjuangan berbanding golongan sokongan dan JUSA. NUTP misalnya sibuk meminta perkhidmatan dalam skim berbeza diterima atau dipakai untuk ke skim siswazah bagi guru yang melanjutkan pelajaran ke peringkat ijazah, hasilnya mereka meningkat ke DG44 tanpa menunggu 10 tahun di DG41 berbanding guru berijazah yang terus masuk ke dalam perkhidmatan. Bagaimana dalam SBPA apabila guru dijanjikan 8 tahun pada DG44 untuk ke DG48, bagaimana dengan 2 tahun waktu DG41 dahulu sebelum masuk ke DG44 apakah kaedah yang sama akan diperjuangan oleh NUTP. NUTP jangan semata-mata memperjuangan ahli-ahli sokongan kerana golongan ijazah juga membayar yuran keahlian bulanan. Wujudkan keadilan dalam perjuangan jangan hanya tahu meminta untuk golongan tertentu sahaja.

Mat Zaini Abdullah