Motivation of Employees and Team Work in Samsung

Company
Theories of Motivation
Samsung adopts McClelland’s need theory to motivate its employees. This theory is based on
three basic needs- Affiliation, Achievement and Power (Angelo Kinicki, 2016). In terms of
affiliation Samsung provides a suitable environment for the employees to work with one another.
When it comes to achievement Samsung is a highly innovating company in which its growth in
past years itself is a proof of the achievement of a company and so the achievement of
employees as well. The last thing is the Power in which Samsung helps employees to be in
higher positions according to their performance in work (Jakecrifasi, 2016).
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Maslow’s hierarchy of need theory can be also applied in case of Samsung. According to this
theory, the first level is physiological which is food shelter and clothing. Samsung satisfies its
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employees physiological needs by opening canteens which open at any time and provides
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nutritious and healthy food for employees. In terms of shelter Samsung provides “housing
allowances” (Baramy, n.d) for its employees. The next level in Maslow’s hierarchy is safety
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needs. Samsung provides medical benefits like “full health insurance for employees and
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spouse” (Baramy, n.d). Samsung also provides an “unemployment insurance” (Baramy, n.d).
They have a pension plan for the retired employees. The next level in Maslow’s hierarchy is
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love and belongingness which Samsung provides” fitness and gym facilities for employees”
(Baramy, n.d), provides gifts for employee’s personal life events for example a marriage
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anniversary (Baramy, n.d). They also offer discounts for various recreational activities like
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“vacation pay” (Baramy, n.d) and discounts for resorts like “Caribbean bay and ski resort”
(Baramy, n.d). The fourth level in Maslow’s hierarchy is self-esteem. The self- esteem and self
respect level in case of Samsung employees is fulfilled by the promotions and achievements
they get. The last stage in Maslow’s hierarchy is Self-actualization. The Samsung “C-lab”
(Samsung Newsroom, 2016) helps employees to identify their maximum potential and provides
them with the support to be successful in their own ideas (Samsung Newsroom, 2016).

Motivational Approaches in Samsung

Job Enrichment- “Samsung’s C-lab” (Samsung Newsroom, 2016) help employees to develop
their ideas despite of being in any position they can participate in the C-lab programme.
Samsung employees can put their ideas in the C-lab all year around without any
recommendations from their senior staffs (Samsung Newsroom, 2016).

Time shifting approaches in Samsung

Flex Time – Samsung provides employees flexibility in their work schedules “since July
2014” (Ji-young, 2015). It allows the employees to choose their work timings (Ji-young,
2015).
Telecommuting- Samsung motivates its employees to perform well through
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 telecommuting. Telecommuting not only help for employee motivation but also as an
environmentally friendly practise. It developed OfficeServ 7000 for telecommuting. It
developed OfficeServ 7000 not only for Samsung employees but also for other
companies (Samsung, n.d).

Groups and teams in the organization

The stage of development according to Tuckman’s model

According to Tuckman’s model there are five stages for group development. When considering
Samsung in terms of this model we can see these five stages (Baramy, n.d). For experiencing
the corporate culture Samsung has a “reverse deployment scheme of three months” (Baramy,
n.d) in which representatives from around the globe is sent to Korea (Baramy, n.d).

1. Forming: For this scheme employees from across the globe is selected. Tuckman’s first
stage of forming perfectly fit in this programme because individuals from different places
meet as a group for a period of three months (Baramy, n.d).
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2. Storming: As the individuals is from different work cultures and are of different mindsets
the Tuckman’s stage two of storming can fit into this reverse deploy scheme. There will
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be conflicts of ideas among employees from different countries even though the
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common aim is to study the work culture (Baramy, n.d).

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3. Norming: When considering the Tuckman’s stage three of norming they started to begin
work together to know about the Korean work culture. Group norms are developed in
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this stage (Baramy, n.d).

4. Performing: In this stage all individuals started to get involved in the purpose of their
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group and started learning about the work cultures (Baramy, n.d).
5. Adjourning: In the last stage of Tuckman’s model adjourning the group which is of only
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for three months got separate and employees from different place is back to their places
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(Baramy, n.d).

Organizational group member roles

The organizational structure of Samsung is department wise. Samsung follows more of a role
culture. CEO of Samsung has the power to control the entire company. The role of each person
to take decision flows from one person to another based on the positions they hold.

Group norms in the organization

Some of the norms Samsung follows are “respecting individuals” (Samsung, n.d), “providing
clean organizational culture” (Samsung, n.d) and “environmental safety” (Samsung, n.d).

Teams

1. Self Managed teams: Samsung has started programmes like employee voluntary
service programmes which provides services for the community. This is an example of a
self managed team in Samsung (Samsung Social Contribution, n.d).
2. Virtual Teams: Samsung encouraged its employees in telecommuting by the
development of “Office serv 7000” (Samsung, n.d) so there is virtual teams in the
organization (Samsung, n.d).
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 Team building practises in the organization

1. Samsung conducts a “coffee chat” (Samsung Newsroom US, 2017) meeting to

encourage the employees to interact with each other and develop a “inter-department
network” (Samsung Newsroom US, 2017).
2. Samsung employees actively participate in various community activities and through
their interaction outside the organization they are able to build relationship with each
other (Samsung Social Contribution, n.d).

Communication in the organization

Communication with the employees to get their feed back in Samsung Electronics is by “VOE
(Voice of Employee) system” (Samsung Securities, 2016). Samsung developed an online
platform named “U r Awesome” in which employees can suggest, identify and honor their
colleague (Richard Yerema, 2018).
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History of conflicts in the organization

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1. A movement started against Samsung company in Korea asking the Government to

probe on the health-related issues in the Samsung Co factories (Lee, 2016).
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2. In Korea women employees of Samsung protest to get the equal pay after years of
discrimination (Kim, 2016).
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Handling conflicts
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Samsung agreed to give the compensation for the workers who suffer from work related health
problems and the families of workers who died. Samsung dealt with this conflict through
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arbitration. Samsung absolutely agreed with the conditions to resolve the conflict (Jung-a,
2018).

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