How Does Motivation Work?

Familiarity with the best-known theories can help supervisors think of ways to motivate employees.

None of the theories are perfect, but all give supervisors some guidance.

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Motivation + Ability = Performance

Content Theories

Content theories focus on the content of the motivators.

Three researchers whose content theories of motivation are widely used:Abraham MaslowDavid McClellandFrederick Herzberg

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Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

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Share of 945 U.S. Companies Offering Flexible Work Options

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McClelland’s Achievement-Power-Affiliation Theory

1. The need for achievement – the desire to do something better than it has been done before.

2. The need for power – the desire to control, influence, or be responsible for other people.

3. The need for affiliation – the desire to maintain close and friendly personal relationships.

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Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory

Hygiene FactorsCompany policy and

administrationSupervisionRelationship with

supervisorRelationship with peersWorking conditionsSalary and benefitsRelationship with

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Motivating FactorsOpportunity for

achievementOpportunity for

recognitionWork itselfResponsibilityAdvancementPersonal growth

Process Theories

Process theories look at the process of motivation instead of specific motivators.

Two major process theories:Vroom’s expectancy-valency theorySkinner’s reinforcement theory

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Vroom’s Expectancy-Valence Theory

Victor Vroom decided that the degree to which people are motivated to act in a certain way depends on two things:Valence – the value a person places on the outcome

of a particular behavior.Expectancy – the perceived probability that the

behavior will lead to the outcome.

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Strength of Motivation = Perceived Value of Outcome x Perceived Probability of Outcome Resulting

Skinner’s Reinforcement Theory

The reinforcement theory maintains that people’s behavior is influenced largely by the consequences of their past behavior.

Reinforcement theory implies that supervisors can encourage or discourage a particular kind of behavior by the way they respond to the behavior.ReinforcementPunishment

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Motivation Theories and the Law

Federal laws set requirements for overtime pay, rest breaks, health insurance for retirees, and many other areas.

The Family and Medical Leave Act can pose a significant challenge to planning and scheduling because of an employee’s leave.

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Money as a Motivator

When money motivatesMoney motivates people when it meets their

needs.

Pay plans using financial incentivesPiecework systemProduction bonus systemCommissionsPayments for suggestions

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Group Incentive Plans

Profit-sharing planUnder this kind of plan, the company

sets aside a share of its profits earned during a given period and divides these profits among the employees.

Gainsharing The company encourages employees

to participate in making suggestions and decisions about improving the way the company or work group operates. As performance improves, employees receive a share of the greater earnings.

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Group incentive plan

A financial incentive plan that rewards a team of workers for meeting or exceeding an objective.

Secrecy of Wage and Salary Information

In private (nongovernment) organizations, employees generally do not know one another’s earnings.

Government employees’ earnings are public information.

In private organizations, a typical compromise between maintaining privacy and sharing information is for the organization to publish pay ranges so employees know what they can potentially expect to earn.

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How Supervisors Can Motivate

Making work interestingJob rotationJob enlargementJob enrichment

Having high expectationsPygmalion effect

Providing rewards that are valuedThe content theories of motivation indicate that a

variety of rewards may motivate, but that not all employees will value the same rewards at the same time

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How Supervisors Can Motivate (continued)

Relating rewards to performanceThe rewards a supervisor uses should be linked to employee

performance.Rewards are most likely to motivate employees when the

employees view them as achievable.Treating employees as individuals

A supervisor who wishes to succeed at motivating has to remember that employees will respond in varying ways.

When a particular type of motivation does not seem to work with an employee, a supervisor should try some other motivator to see if it better matches the employee’s needs.

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Job Characteristics Rated Important by U.S. Workers

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How Supervisors Can Motivate (continued)

Encouraging employee participationEmployees tend to feel more committed when they can

contribute to decisions and solutions.Asking subordinates for their advice about how tasks

should be accomplished is another way to increase their involvement.

Providing feedbackPart of a supervisor’s job is to give employees

feedback about their performance.Praise is an important kind of feedback.

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