Motivating Employees in Small and Medium Business Enterprises in the Context of Intense Workforce Emigration

Abstract

An assumption is made in the article that incomplete motivating of employees by neglecting non-material incentives may be important reasons of workforce emigration, in addition to economic factors. An investigation of the situation concerning the fulfilment of Herzberg's two kinds of factors (hygiene and motivating) in six Lithuanian small and medium business enterprises was conducted in order to test the assumption. The results from 159 employees questionnaires showed that hygiene factors are better met in the enterprises than motivating factors (Z= - 8,658, p=0,000). It was also found that opinions concerning hygiene and motivating factors differ significantly in the sample groups of different age, educational level and work position. The investigation disclosed also which particular hygiene and motivating factors are seen by respondents as mostly met and mostly unmet. The results are valuable as a material for a more general picture of work motivation tendencies in Lithuania and have practical value to business organizations.

http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ss.71.2.534