We might think we should motivate employees to display organizational citizenship

behaviour $($OCB$),$ and that helping others would benefit their careers. We would

probably also believe our own OCB will yield us career benefits. Surprisingly, there is

some evidence that these assumptions are false, at least in certain organizations.

Why?

In some organizations, employees are evaluated more on how their work gets done

than on how much. If they possess the requisite knowledge and skills, or if they

demonstrate the right behaviours on the job $($for example, always greeting customers

with a smile$),$ they are determined by management to be motivated, "good"

performers. In these situations, OCBs are considered as the next higher level of

good employee behaviour. Employees' careers thus benefit because of their

helpfulness toward co$-$workers.

However, in other organizations, employees are evaluated more on what gets done.

Here, employees are determined to be "good" performers if they meet objective

goals such as billing clients a certain number of hours or reaching a certain sales

volume. When managers overlook employee OCB, frown on helpful behaviours, or

create an overly competitive organizational culture, employees become unmotivated

to continue their helpful actions. Those who still engage in OCB can find their career

progress is slowed when they take time away from core tasks to be helpful.

The upshot? There may be a trade$-$off between being a good performer and being a

good citizen. In organizations that focus more on behaviours, following your

motivation to be a good citizen can help to accomplish your career goals. However,

in organizations that focus more on objective outcomes, you may need to consider

the cost of your good deeds.

Questions:

Identify the benefits and drawbacks of evaluating employees on how their

work gets done.

What are the motivational approach that could be successful? Explain the

benefits of applying such approaches to an organization and its employees.

You just closed a deal with an organization client, and this helps you achieve

the target that was set for you by the unit. Use Expectancy theory to discuss

how the events that will follow may increase your motivation and engagement.