Motivation at work

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All rights reserved
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Work Motivation

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Learning Objectives
• Describe four approaches that can be used to
explain employee motivation and satisfaction.
• Explain how managers can use goals and
rewards to improve performance.
• Describe how jobs can be designed to be
motivation and satisfying.

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Learning Objectives (cont.)
• State how the organization context affects
motivation and satisfaction.
• Describe how individual differences in needs
can affect employees’ work.
• Describe how understanding motivation can
help managers improve employee performance
and satisfaction.

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Understanding Motivation and Satisfaction
• Motivation is a psychological state that exists
whenever internal and/or external forces
stimulate, direct, or maintain behaviors.
• Satisfaction is a psychological state that
indicates how a person feels about his or her
situation, based on a evaluation of the
situation.

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Employee Motivation and Satisfaction
(adapted from Figure 14.1)
Consequences for employers
And employees
- Improved individual and
team performance
- Satisfied Customers
- High Morale
- Reduced turnover
Employee Motivation
Employee Satisfaction
Manager
Behavior
Manager
Behavior
Job
Design
Job
Design
Organization
Context
Organization
Context
Individual
Differences
Individual
Differences

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Managerial Approach
• Goal-setting theory states that managers can
direct the performance of their employees by
assigning specific, difficult goals that
employees accept and are will to commit to.
• Management by objectives (MBO) is a
participative goal-setting technique used in
many U.S. organizations.

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How Goal Setting Works
(adapted from Figure 14.2)
Goals
-Specific
-Difficult
-Accepted
Goals
-Specific
-Difficult
-Accepted
Effects on Employee
-Directs attention
-Energizes
-Encourages persistency
-New strategies developed
Effects on Employee
-Directs attention
-Energizes
-Encourages persistency
-New strategies developed
PerformancePerformance
FeedbackFeedback

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Process of Reinforcement and Behavior Change
(adapted from Figure 14.3)
Employee Avoids a
Negative Consequence
(Negative Reinforcement)
Employee Avoids a
Negative Consequence
(Negative Reinforcement)
or
or
or
Employee Experiences a
Reward
(Positive Reinforcement)
Employee Experiences a
Reward
(Positive Reinforcement)
Employee Experiences
No Consequences
(Extinction)
Employee Experiences
No Consequences
(Extinction)
Employee Experiences a
Negative Consequence
(Punishment)
Employee Experiences a
Negative Consequence
(Punishment)
A Situation
Experienced
By Employee
A Situation
Experienced
By Employee
Employee Reacts
By Exhibiting
Behavior X
Employee Reacts
By Exhibiting
Behavior X
StimulusStimulus
Response of
Employee
(Behavior X)
Response of
Employee
(Behavior X)
Consequences for
Employee
Consequences for
Employee
Likelihood of Behavior
X in a Similar Future
Situation
Likelihood of Behavior
X in a Similar Future
Situation

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Managerial Approach (cont.)
• Expectancy theory states that people tend to
choose behaviors that they believe will help
them achieve their personal goals (e.g., a
promotion or job security) and avoid behaviors
that they believe will lead to undesirable
personal consequences (e.g., a demotion or
criticism).

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Expectancy Theory
(adapted from Figure 14.4)
?
?
?
Instrumentality
Question:
If I perform the
behavior, what
will be the
consequences?
Valence Question:
How much do I value
the consequences
associated with the
behavior?
Expectancy Question:
If I make an effort, will
I be able to perform
the behavior?
EffortEffort PerformancePerformance
Obtain desired outcomes
(e.g., rewards,
recognition, pride)
Obtain desired outcomes
(e.g., rewards,
recognition, pride)
Receive undesirable outcomes
(e.g., punishment, ridicule
shame)
Receive undesirable outcomes
(e.g., punishment, ridicule
shame)

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Job Design Approach
• Job characteristics theory states that employees
are more satisfied and motivated when their
jobs are meaningful, when jobs create a feeling
of responsibility, and when jobs are designed
to ensure that some feedback is available.

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Job Characteristics Theory
(adapted from Figure 14.6)
GrowthNeedStrength
Three Critical Psychological States
Experienced Experienced Knowledge of
meaningfulness responsibility for actual work
of work work outcomes results
Personal and Work Outcomes
High internal High-quality High satisfaction Low absenteeism
work work with the and turnover
motivation performance work
Five Job Characteristics
Skill variety Autonomy Feedback
Task Identity
Task significance

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Organizational Approach
• Herzberg’s two-factor theory states that two
separate and distinct aspects or the work
context are responsible for motivation and
satisfying employees.

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Two–Factor Theory
(adapted from Figure 14.7)

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The Link between Recognition and performance
(adapted from Figure 14.8)
Recognizing employees helps
me motivate them.
75
Recognizing my employees for good work
makes it easier to get the work done.
908580 95
Providing non-monetary recognition when
they do well improves their performance.
Recognizing employees provides
them with useful feedback.
Percent
Percent managers agreeing

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Organizational Approach (cont.)
• Equity theory states that employees judge whether
they’ve been treated fairly by comparing the ratio of
their outcomes and inputs to the ratios of others doing
similar work.
• Reactions to perceived inequity
– Increase their outputs
– Decrease their outputs
– Change their compensation through legal or other actions
– Modify their comparison by choosing another person for
comparison
– Distort reality by rationalizing that the inequities are justified
– Leave the situation

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Individual Differences Approach
• A need is a strong feeling of deficiency in
some aspect of a person’s life that creates an
uncomfortable tension.
• Hierarchy of needs describes the order in
which people seek to satisfy their desires.

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Moving up and Down the Needs Hierarchy
(adapted from Figure 14.9)
Satisfaction-Progression
Frustration-Regression

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Guidelines for Managers
• Clearly communicate the organization's
mission to employees and explain how their
contribution to the organization will help the
organization realize its mission.
• State the behaviors and performance
achievements that are desired and explain how
they will be rewarded.
• Design jobs with high motivating potential.
• Provide frequent and constructive feedback.

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Guidelines for Managers (cont.)
• Provide rewards for desired behavior and
outcomes.
• Provide rewards that employees value.
• Provide equitable rewards.
• Recognize that each person is unique.