Motivational Factors and Retail Employees : Lessons Learnt from the UK Beauty and Health Retail Sector

Motivated employees are critical for the success of any organisation. This is especially true in the service industry where the employees form the primary customer facing asset of the company. In view of the difficult economic conditions prevalent in most developed countries, it has become critical for retail companies to have motivated staff. This study uses a sample of 30 Superdrug (UK) employees based at High Holborn, London to assess the key motivational factors and their link to employee commitment. The results show that, while the majority of the employees demonstrate high levels of intrinsic motivation, the overall organisational commitment is low. This is contrast to prior studies which show high correlation between intrinsic motivation and organisational commitment. The reason for the unexpected result is rooted in issues with the store management which impacts key motivational factors such as empowerment and feedback. This is the leading cause of the lack of organisational commitment.