Question

Consider a job you hold now or have held recently. Would you want this job to be redesigned to place more emphasis on efficiency, motivation, ergonomics, or mental processing? Explain why you choose the specific factor. What changes would you want and why?

Answer 1

Answer: One job that I held recently was the job of a cashier at a fast food restaurant chain. I feel that this job should be redesigned for placing more emphasis on motivation. The reason why I feel so is that it is a monotonous job that requires high levels of attention and focus. It is a job that completely lacks motivational factors in terms of future prospects, incentives or even skill development. It requires only the basic skills and does not help in updating the knowledge or skills that are cherished in other fields or for some higher positions. Thus I feel that it is very important that elements that can help in improving motivation in this job should be included in the job. I feel that this job can be made motivating by adding two changes. The first change is that there should be a cash incentive included for this job. The cashiers should be given some incentive if they are able to avoid mistakes that results in the loss to the organization. This will motivate them just like the sales people. Money is a big motivator. The second step that could be taken is of the non cash incentive. Generally the non cash incentives like recognition awards like employee of the month are given to the sales and service staff. I feel that including cashiers for such awards will also motivate them. Similarly the job rotation in which the cashiers are given other job responsibilities will also help in motivating them as this will help them to develop their skills and knowledge and break the monotony.