Motivation

From WikiTextbook

There are five main theories of motivation.

Herzberg's 2 factor theory

The motivation of employees is important to organizations since it is one of several factors that significantly affects the productivity of employees. Herzberg's Two Factor Theory, also known as the Motivation-Hygiene Theory, came from a study designed to test the idea that people have two sets of needs.

1. Their need to avoid pain. (be working in a healthy environment)

2. Their need to develop mentally. (become motivated)

Herzberg's study consisted of a series of interviews. The questions he asked were;

1. Recall a time when you felt exceptionally good about your job. Why did you feel that way about the job? Did this feeling affect your job performance in any way? Did this feeling have an impact on your personal relationships or your well- being?

2. Recall a time on the job that resulted in negative feelings? Describe the sequence of events that resulted in these negative feelings.

From his research he discovered that the things that made people happy and unhappy on the job had two separate themes.

There were five factors that made people happy whilst working.

1. Achievement-whether they do well in their job at what they do and if they complete tasks set out for them.

2. Recognition-their work is recognised by a simple pat on the back or a bonus. Also, if they do something that goes out of their way or they use their intiative then they get praised for it.

3. Work itself-if the job is fulfilling enough and they enjoy it.

4. Responsibility-if the worker is given responsibility they feel trusted and want to impress.

5. Advancement-this promotion or getting better, higher paying job and it makes workers happy because they are getting recognition for their work.

It appears that the central theme of the motivators is to do with the relationship the employee has with his or her job or job content.

There six factors that didn’t make people happy whilst they were working are.

1. Company policy

2. Administrative policies

3. Supervision

4. Salary

5. Interpersonal relations

6. Working conditions

The theme of the dissatisfiers appears to be related to the environment or context of the job.

The two different job attitudes seem to reflect a two dimensional need-structure.

For Herzberg, people find satisfaction in work that is fascinating and testing. A desire to fulfil our potential drives us to grow and provides the reason to achieve there goals. Employees will be motivated to do work that they see to be significant.

Herzberg's theory tells us that there are two classes of factors that effect an employee’s motivation; motivator factors (job satisfaction) and the hygiene factors (job dissatisfaction). K-I-T-A (Kick in the Ass) techniques fail to motivate workers. Job content factors, such as achievement and responsibility, are motivators, while job environment factors such as hygiene or K-I-T-A. Motivators are the key to satisfaction.

With the hygiene factors in place the worker can be motivated. This means that with only the hygiene factors and no motivation factors the worker will not be motivated and will see there job as something they have to do. If there are hygiene factors and motivation factors then it is the ideal situation for the worker and the employer; the worker gets benefits such as good wages and the employer gets a good output, evryone wins.

In conclusion, you need the hygiene factors such as a decent wage, good working conditions and security to be able to be motivated so you can increase your output.

Frederick W Taylors' theory

Frederick W Taylor (1856-1917) developed a theory, a science on the motivation of work. He Said that one of the main forms of motivation is the amount of wages an employee receives for his/her work. The lower the wage the less motivated the employee will be to work and fulfil their potential work rate, and vice versa, the higher the pay the more the employee will want to work and earn money. He also believed that the role of the manager is to take control of his subordinates and to tell them what to do. Taylor thought that the main role of an employee was to fulfil their work rate potential, achieve there set goals and earn there wages accordingly. Frederick Taylor also made three assumptions about human behaviour at work; a man is a logical economic animal troubled only by maximising his economic gain. Taylor believed that people respond not as groups but as individuals.

Elton Mayo and the Hawthorne Studies

George Elton Mayo was born on 26th December, 1880 in Adelaide, Australia. He was a psychologist and sociologist and conducted lectures at the University of Queensland. In 1926, he moved to America and became a professor of industrial research at Harvard Business School. He died on 7th September, 1949.

The Hawthorne Studies were conducted between 1924 and 1927 at the Western Electrics Company in Chicago. Mayo wanted to discover what effects tiredness and monotony have on the workforce. Six women took part in the experiment. Mayo changed their work times, rest breaks and the temperature and saw if their output increased or not.

In one normal week, the women worked 48 hours, including Saturdays. Their working hours were then changed and here are the results.

Two 5 minute rest pauses increased output. Prolonging the rests to 10 minutes increased output once more. Six shorter rests were introduced and the women complained their rhythm was disrupted. Their output decreased. The women were given a free hot meal and output again went up. Finally, the women were asked to return to their long hours with no rests or meals. Output was at a record high.

The women increased their output because, eventually, they worked as a team. This was because they felt they received less supervision and had the opportunity to work freely. They believed they were under less pressure than before and became much more motivated. By rewarding the women and making them feel valued, Mayo managed to dramatically increase their value to his business.

Today, the Hawthorne Effect is apparent in many different places of work. For example, if you train an employee, it will make them feel valued. You are spending time and money on that worker because you feel they can benefit the business. This motivates that member of staff and they will try to repay your faith in them. More importantly, the employee isn’t forced to work hard by lack of trust and constant supervision. Instead, they feel a sense of belonging and choose to go further to assist the business.

McGregor’s - Theory X Y

McGregor’s X-Y Theory is a principle from which to develop positive management style and techniques.

The theory is a simple reminder of the natural rules for managing people, which under the pressure of day-to-day business are easily forgotten.

McGregor maintained that there are two fundamental approaches to managing people.

Theory x ('authoritarian management' style) • The average person dislikes work and will avoid it he/she can. • Therefore most people must be forced with the threat of punishment to work towards organisational objectives. • The average person prefers to be directed; to avoid responsibility; is not ambitious, and wants security above all else.

Characteristics of the x theory manager • distant and detached • short temper • issues instructions, directions • issues threats to make people follow instructions • demands, never asks • does not participate • unconcerned about staff welfare, or morale • poor listener • anti-social • does not thank or praise • takes criticism badly

Theory y ('participative management' style) • Effort in work is as natural as work and play. • People will apply self-control and self-direction in the pursuit of organisational objectives, without external control or the threat of punishment. • Commitment to objectives is a function of rewards associated with their achievement. • People usually accept and often seek responsibility.

Many managers tend towards theory x, and generally get poor results. Enlightened managers use theory y, which produces better performance and results, and allows people to grow and develop.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a theory in psychology that Abraham Maslow proposed in his 1943 paper A Theory of Human Motivation

His theory contends that as humans meet 'basic needs', they seek to satisfy successively 'higher needs' that occupy a set hierarchy.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is often depicted as a pyramid consisting of five levels: the four lower levels are grouped together as deficiency needs associated with physiological needs, while the top level is termed growth needs associated with psychological needs. From the bottom up the levels are: PHYSICAL, SAFETY, SOCIAL (RELATIONAL), ESTEEM, SELF-ACTUALISATION. It works like a chain reaction, once the bottom need is met, then the need above it will arise. For example, when the PHYSICAL needs are met, then the person will move onto SAFETY needs.

PHYSICAL

This level is basically all of the physical needs that all people need, these mainly include:

the need to breathe

the need for water

the need to eat

the need for sleep

SAFETY

When all of the PHYSICAL needs are met, the SAFETY needs will need to be met. General safety in a workplace includes:

Security of employment

Security of revenues and resources

Physical Security - violence, delinquency, aggressions

Moral and physiological security

Familial security

Security of health

SOCIAL (RELATIONAL)

The set of needs that have to be met in a workplace is SOCIAL/RELATIONAL. These are basically to give the worker a sense of belonging into the business. This involves emotionally-based relationships in general, such as friendship. Humans want to be accepted and to belong, whether it be to clubs, work groups, religious groups, family, gangs, etc. People also have a constant desire to feel needed. In the absence of these elements, people become increasingly susceptible to loneliness, social anxiety and depression.

ESTEEM

After the SAFETY needs are fulfilled the fourth layer of peoples needs is ESTEEM. Humans have a need to be respected, to self-respect and to respect others. People need to engage themselves in order to gain recognition and have an activity or activities that gives the person a sense of contribution and self-value, be it in a profession or hobby. Imbalances at this level can result in a low self-esteem and inferiority complexes, and, on the other hand, can give an inflated sense of self and snobbishness.

SELF-ACTUALISATION

The next level of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs is SELF-ACUALISATION. A self-actualising person has these qualities:

They embrace the facts and realities of the world (including themselves) rather than denying or avoiding them.

They are spontaneous in their ideas and actions.

They are creative.

They are interested in solving problems; this often includes the problems of others. Solving these problems is often a key focus in their lives.

They feel a closeness to other people, and generally appreciate life.

They have a system of morality that is fully internalized and independent of external authority.

They judge others without prejudice, in a way that can be termed objective.

Weaknesses in Maslow's Theory

There are TWO main weaknesses in Maslow's work:

1. It is OLD - written for a world of work that no longer exists and, it could be argued, for people who no longer exist. Today's workplaces are very different from those of the 1940s - perhaps there is a case for arguing that today's third-world sweatshops bear a closer comparison. Also, today's workers are much less likely to do exactly as they are told by a boss without asking 'Why?'.

2. It seems to expect all people to react similarly, whereas motivation seems to me to be a very personal affair. There is insufficient account taken of the INDIVIDUAL.

Links

Contributors

George Paton, Owen Jefferies, Matt Chamberlain and Jake Carruthers "Herzburg's 2 Factor Theory"

Callum Shorland, Jonjo Harrity, Frederick Smith, Joe Wilkinson and Callum Pinfold "Taylors' theory"

Dan Sweet, Ed Jaffa, Phil Brown, Tom Evans "Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs"

Rhys Williams "McGregor's Theory X Y"