Apple’s Strategic Decision in Employee Motivation

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A realistic decision or strategy is one that is neither understated or overstated (7: Premise). The metrics by which the decision is based are logical and can be proved. For instance, the human resource department at Apple Inc chose improve its production and success in innovating new products by ensuring that their employees are motivated, and satisfied to work in the firm (Crouse,, 2005). These expectations are not overstated or understated, but realistic. They are realistic because as per the current industry conditions, such decision are currently viewed as strongholds within the firm. For instance, Google decided to determine the factors that lead to employee motivation and better production and also job satisfaction (Crouse,, 2005). Consequently, they introduced some partial benefits and motivators without notifying their employees. For instance, nursing homes were introduced, whereby employee mothers could report to work with their children and leave them at the nursing home with certified nurse (Crouse,, 2005). After a few hours of work, the mother employees could slightly deviate from their work during short breaks, see how their children are being attended and report back to work. Amazingly, the company’s productivity levels increased by 30%. It was later concluded that employees also have different barriers that demotivate them and prevent them from fully using their energy and concentrating towards the firm’s ultimate goals (7: Conclusion). The latter explains Apple’s decision to provide additional benefits to parental employees whose performance may have been crippled by such barriers.

Finally, deducing this line of logic is not difficult. As per Apple Inc, the main point of focus is that parental issues stalled the company’s progress because employees had much to worry about. For instance, expectant employees could not focus well on their jobs when nearing delivery. Similarly, male employees who probably had wives that had recently delivered could also concentrate well in heir jobs, consequently declining the company’s level of production. It aws also inferred that financial burdens of having to pay past student loans, career development training and even the fear of leaving one’s family broke after the employee passes away are demotivating factors. Based on the deduced reasoning that motivated employees perform well, the company chose to introduce these customized employee benefits to motivate and professionally develop their employees and positive contribute to the objective of attaining value proposition, a key principle of the blue ocean strategy.

References

Crouse, N. (2005). Motivation is an inside job: How to really get your employees to deliver the results you need. New York: iUniverse.

Kim, W. C., & Mauborgne, R. (2015). Blue ocean strategy: How to create uncontested market space and make the competition irrelevant. Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press.

Lev-Ram, M. (2014). Apple Unveils New Perks to attract Talent. Forbes Magazine. Retrieved from: http://fortune.com/2014/10/02/apple-employee-perks/

Müller, C. (2010). Employee motivation an incentives at Apple: Do incentives really help to motivate employees?. Norderstedt: GRIN Verlag.