EFFECT OF COMPANY VALUES ON WORKPLACE MOTIVATION: A CASE OF ABAY BANK SHARE COMPANY

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of company values on workplace motivation a case of Abay bank Share Company. A mixed method approach was chosen and the results of the quantitative questionnaire (n= 175) and the qualitative semistructured interviews (n=3) were integrated to ensure a more complete understanding of the data. The basic research questions of how Abay bank designed its value statements, how the values reflected in the company’s day to day operations, and how the designed values motivate employees of the bank were addressed by this study. The results showed that there is a positive and very strong relation between company values and workplace motivation. In most cases the managers of Abay bank did not ‘walk the talk’ they simply ‘talk the values talk’. The bank’s value statements are so platitudinous that they read more like public relations handouts than the commitment to values they are meant to be. In addition, they are also too many and most of the values does not represent the bank’s core identity. Consequently the study shows that the designed values must be deeply held by the company’s members, they have to weaved in to everything, must be reflected in the company’s day to day operations and management system, and the managers also need to set an example of how to do it, so as to increase the workplace motivation.