STAFF MOTIVATION AND IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY AT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL

STAFF MOTIVATION AND IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY AT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEVEL

(A CASE STUDY OF LOKOJA LOCAL GOVERNMENT, KOGI STATE)

CHAPTER ONE

1.1     INTRODUCTION

          Motivation is a detractive of the Latin word “Mover” which means “to move” i.e it is that moving force which propels people and make their work in a particular direction molder to achieve predestined goals. Before a factor can be motivational, it must be capable of satisfying and identified state of need in the person in question if not there will be no motivation. Motivation therefore has two faces:

i.       Identifying the state or need in an employee and

ii.      Identifying the factor or condition that can satisfy the

employees state of needs.    

          In Nigeria, especially at the local government level lack of motivation has been identified as the major factor which hinders efficiency and effectiveness in the use of resources. The resultant effect has been lots of wastage of resources and indeed, low morale, lack of motivation have been identified by CC. Nwochukwu as the causes of low productivity at the local level of the government.

          In order to improve the level of performance for the purpose of enhancing productivity at the local level is what leads the researcher to writes on this topic staff motivation and improved productivity at the local level.

1.2     BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY     

           In topic staff motivation and improved productivity at the local government level is a topic of interest. This is because an organization like local government are set up for certain purpose, and for organization to achieve such objectives, there is a need to motivates the employees for the purpose of productivity. This is one of the factor that lead the researcher to select this topic so that all the organization that need high productivity in their organization will find this research work useful.

          It is obvious that so many organization lack motivation and this has been identified as the major factors which hinder efficiency and the effectiveness in the use of resources by the employees in an organization for the purpose of productivity. Therefore, this write up will help of productivity the top management in an organization that need productivity; the research will also point out to the local government administrator or the manages of various organization about the need for training in an organization.

          Training is a prerequisite to productivity which take different found. Examples of training are Seminars and workshops, training, secondary schools colleges of education and staff training centres.

          These are centres were staff can be trained for the purpose of productivity.

          Equally, this writes up will also he interested an useful to the students who will be making research on this topic, staff motivation and improved productivity at the local government level for the partial fulfilment of their courses and to use it at the place if their work in future.

          In order to improve the level of performance in an organization, the Nigeria public service should b motivated properly with the vanuse ways of motivations like review of the public service, different motivations like review of the public service, different motivational programmes like remuneration interms of salaries and wages in the local government level and the public service at all level.

1.3     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

          Motivation that makes the employees to work more than what is expected of workers or an employees has encounter a lot of problems, despite its roles in the organizational productivity.

          In major problems associated with motivation in an organization as regards this piece of writing is that most organization do not know the importance of motivation to their organization for the purpose of improving their organizational productivity. So many organization fail to understand the needs of their employees such as physical needs, safety needs, social/affliction needs, and self actualization.

          At this problem are faced by most of organizations, and there is need to avert this ugly trend otherwise most of the organization will not attain productivity specially the organization at the local level of the government.

1.4     SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

          This research topic staff motivation and improved productivity at the local level is significant in the following ways.

i.       The study is significant to the researcher because it is a major requirement for the award of Higher National Diploma in Public Administration.   

ii.      The recommendations made in this study shall be useful to policy makers at the federal, state and local government level in the designing of incentives and indeed motivational package.

iii.     The outcome of the study shall also assist practitioner of local government to determine the relationship between motivation and productivity.

iv.     This research work shall be of great use to students scholars, and researchers who may be interested in pursuing similar study in the future.

1.5     PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

          The principal aim of this study into measure the relationship which exist between motivation and productivity. In an attempt to do that, the study shall have at the following.

i.       To determines factors which affect negatively employee performance at the local government level.

ii.      To determine factors which enhance improve performance of employees at the local level.

iii.     To determine the impact of motivational programmes at the local levels as its leads to productivity.

iv      To evaluate the effectiveness of local government incentive package on employees productivity.

v.      To suggest ways of improving employee productivity at the local level of the government.

1.6     RESEARCH QUESTIONS

          In order to achieve the above stated research objectives, the study shall provide answer to the following research questions, which are:

i.       What are the incentive package in the local government?

ii.      How often are employees send to training in the local government? 

iii.     How regular is promotion in the local government?

iv.     How regular is the payment of salaries, gratuity and pention?

v.      Are the working tools or materials adequate in the local government?

vi.     How are decision made in the local government?

vii.    What type of leadership exist on the local government?

1.7     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

This study is limited in scope of staff motivation and

improved productivity at the local government level.

          The study shall cut across all the departments in the local government, e.g. personnel, finance, works, education, and department of Agriculture. The period shall be between 2007 to date.

1.8     LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

          Below are the limitation or the factors that limit the scope of the study are:

TIME: There are limited time allocated for carrying out the exhaustive research that serves as one of living factors.

FINANCIAL CONSTRAINT: The researcher work were also limited due to insufficient of money to carry out necessary research work required for the purpose of this project.

INSUFFICIENT OF INFORMATION: Though the information were given, but there were some certain information regarded as to be revealed to the management alone could not be revealed.

          However, despite this limitation the researcher is very much concerned that the study will provide a critical analysis of staff motivation and improved productivity at the local government level.

1.9     DEFINITION OF THE STUDY

          For the proper understanding of this work the following terms have be briefly explained.

1.       GOVERNMENT: Is an agency or machinery through which the will of the state is controlled, formulated and realized.       

2.       LOCAL GOVERNMENT: Defined as a political authority which is purposely created by the state government under law a law by which local communities within a definite area of an organized to manage their own affairs within the limit of the law under which the authority is created.

3.        ADMINISTRATION: This can be defined as the act of planning, directing, controlling, coordinating, reporting and budgeting both human, material, or financial resources of an organization in order to achieve the aims and the objectives for which such organization is being set up.

4.       LOCAL GOVERNMENT ADMINISTRATION: This refers to the act of planning, staffing, directing, reporting, and implementation of local government policies in order to provides efficient services to the local communities.

5.       ORGANIZATION: Is a reformed coordination of activities of numbers of people for the achievement of some common explicit purpose or goals which is normally due through division of labour and function on a hierarchical authority and responsibility.

6.       MOTIVATION: Is a general term applying to the to the entire class of derives, desire, needs wishes and similar force.

7.       NEEDS: This refers, to a state or condition of want which is established either through deprivation or through noxious stimulation.

8.       MOTIVER: Some times referred to as drive, which is a consequences of needs.

9.       PRODUCTIVITY: This is the relationship between the output generated by a production service system and the input provided to create this output. This means that productivity is a measurable relationship between output and all employed production factors.

10.     LABOUR: This refers to human energy which is expended on work. Such energy may be physical as in routine work that may not require the exertion of any cerebral mental activities.