Motivating and Retaining Top Performing Managers in Today's Reduced Organizational Structures

Author

Anne Elizabeth McIntosh, Fontbonne College

Year of Award

1988

Degree

Master of Business Administration (MBA)

College

College of Business & Professional Studies

Degree Program

Business

Department

Business Administration

Keywords

entrepreneur, corporation, incentive, benefit, employee, manager

Abstract

American business has cut the fat from its organizations. Competition in the global marketplace has caused American companies to evaluate and justify jobs and divisions. As a result, management has been pared, corporate layers have been eliminated. Therefore, traditional promotion up the career ladder is slower. Employees are spending more time in each job and there is more time between promotions. Presently, management pipelines are full; and top employees are becoming plateaued at an early age, when they are still anxious for promotion. These top employees are restless. They are leaving major corporations in search of challenge. They are joining small entrepreneurial companies that allow them greater responsibility and authority. Their loyalty to corporations is at an all time low because they perceive corporations' loyalty to management to be at an all time low.

Moving into the 1990's, major American corporations will face the challenge of retaining their top employees. They will need their "best and brightest" to compete in the competitive global marketplace. If American business does not change its traditional management style and reward system, retention of top employees will be extremely difficult. Yet retention of these employees will be critical to the success of these corporations. Corporations will need to motivate their top employees by meeting their professional needs. The needs that are characteristic of top employees include autonomy, challenge responsibility and a great deal of recognition.

Based on this information, corporations must implement new programs to retain these employees. These programs include compensation packages that reward performance, recognition programs, and lateral moves to increase professional growth.

Finally, corporate managers will need leadership skills to motivate these bright, independent workers. Traditional autocratic management must be traded for participative management allowing for a high information exchange and worker autonomy.

Major corporations need their productive and creative employees to maintain a strong presence in worldwide markets. Retaining and motivating these employees is critical to the success of American business.

Document Type

Restricted Thesis

Recommended Citation

McIntosh, Anne Elizabeth, "Motivating and Retaining Top Performing Managers in Today's Reduced Organizational Structures" (1988). All Theses, Dissertations, and Capstone Projects. 524.
https://griffinshare.fontbonne.edu/all-etds/524