Abstract
The contemporary business environment is undergoing drastic changes; shareholders expect a greater return on investment and organizations expect productivity and greater efficiencies, whilst employees expect huge financial & non-financial benefits. In order to keep up with the demands of the environment, organizations are implementing employee wellness programmes, assistance programmes, learning and development, and integrated reward systems. This study’s aim was to determine whether Employee Performance Management System (EPMS) and career advancement and development influences the motivation of operational level employees of an alcoholic beverage manufacturer in South Africa. The rationale for this study was to find out the perception of operational employees on the role EPMS and career advancement and development plays on their motivation. A self-administered web-based survey tool or Computer-Assisted self-administered questionnaire (CSAQ) was used to collect data. A non-probability sampling method (purposive sampling) was adopted for this study to ensure that only participants with knowledge of the subject at hand are surveyed. Submission from 153 respondents was used for data analyses. The latest version of SPSS Version 26 was utilized to analyse the data collected. The study found that there is a statistically moderate positive correlation between EPMS and career advancement and development, and between EPMS and motivation. The one-way ANOVA performed for this study revealed that there is no statistical significant difference in employees' perceptions regarding motivation based on age group and the level of education. However, a significant difference in motivation was found among operational level employees perception in different job grades. The results show that EPMS is an important element that influences the motivation of operational level employees. The study was conducted in one organization and therefore the results cannot be generalized to other organizations.