Motivating Employees

Aditya Bhattacharjee
Lecturer, MPE, AUST

Management by Stephen P. Robbins & Mary Coulter (11th

 What Is Motivation?
Motivation refers to the process by which a person’s efforts are
energized, directed, and sustained toward attaining a goal.

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3 Key Elements of Motivation

Employees are needed to persist in putting forth

PERSISTENCE
effort to achieve those goals.
Effort that’s directed toward, and consistent with,
DIRECTION organizational goals is the kind of effort that is
needed from employees.
ENERGY A measure of intensity, drive, and vigor. A
motivated person puts forth effort and works
hard.

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 3 Key Elements of
Motivation
How hard a Where a person How long a person
person tries channels his effort maintains effort

Energy Direction Persistence

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Early Theories of Motivation

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

McGregor’s theories X and Y

Herzberg’s two-factor
theory
McClelland’s three-needs
theory

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 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory

Need for growth, achieving one’s

potential, and self-fulfillment; the
drive to become what one is
Higher-order capable of becoming.
needs Need for self-respect, autonomy,
and achievement & status,
recognition, and attention.

Need for affection,

belongingness, acceptance, and
friendship.
Need for security and protection
Lower- from physical and emotional
harm.
order
Need for food, drink, shelter,
needs reproduction, and, etc.
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 Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory
 Psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed this theory.

 Maslow separated the five needs into higher and lower levels.
Physiological and safety needs were considered lower-order needs;
social, esteem, and self-actualization needs were considered
higher-order needs.
 Lower-order needs are predominantly satisfied externally while higher-
order needs are satisfied internally.
 But the theory says that once a need is substantially satisfied, an
individual is no longer motivated to satisfy that need.
 Therefore, to motivate someone, you need to understand what need
level that person is on in the hierarchy and focus on satisfying needs
at or above that level.
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McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y

 Two motivational theories were proposed by McGregor:

 Theory X – Employees with negative viewpoint
 Theory Y – Employees with positive viewpoint

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McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y

Negative Viewpoint of Employee Characteristics

 They do not enjoy their jobs.

 They have little ambition.

 They are individual-goal oriented.

 They avoid responsibility.

 They require formal direction.

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 McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y

 Motivation Using Theory X

 Use threats or punishments for not meeting goals.

 Focus on tangible incentives like bonuses, promotions and pay rises.

 Provide close supervision and monitoring of employees.

 Implement strict rules and regulations to control employee behavior.

 Prefer to make most decisions.

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McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y

Positive Viewpoint of Employee Characteristics

 They enjoy their jobs.

 They always strive to improve themselves.

 They are organizational-goal oriented.

 They eagerly take up responsibilities.

 They are self-directed.

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 McGregor’s Theory X and Theory Y
Motivation Using Theory Y
 Provide meaningful work that aligns with employees' interests and skills.

 Empower employees to make decisions and solve problems on their own.

 Recognize and reward employees for their achievements and

contributions.
 Foster a sense of purpose and autonomy for employees by allowing them
to have control over their work.
 Provide a means of effective communication with employees.
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Contemporary Theories of
Motivation

Goal-Setting Theory

Reinforcement Theory

Equity Theory

Expectancy Theory

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 Locke’s Goal Setting Theory
Dr. Edwin Locke formulated and clarified what has come to be
called "goal-setting theory" in the 1960s.

 Employees are more likely to do their best work

once they have set clear & attainable goals.
 Working toward a goal is a major source of job
motivation. Studies on goal setting have
demonstrated that specific and challenging goals
are superior motivating forces.

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 Locke’s Goal Setting Theory
Setting unspecific and vague goals fail to
increase motivation!!

According to Locke’s Goal Setting Theory,

examples of vague goals include:

 Do your best.
 Be better at your job than the rest of the
team.
 Complete your assignment to the best of
your ability.

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 Locke’s Goal Setting Theory
Use SMART goals.

S Specific: Precise with a single focus per goal.

M Measurable: Can be measured so that you know when you’ve hit
A them.
R Achievable: The goal should stretch you but not be
unachievable.
Relevant: The goal needs to matter to you. If you’re working
T within an organization you need to understand how your goal
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matters to the organization too.
 Equity Theory
 Developed by J. Stacey Adams.

 Employees compare what they get from a job (outcomes) in relation

to what they put into it (inputs), and then they compare their inputs–
outcomes ratio with the inputs–outcomes ratios of relevant others.

Equity Theory joins Two Factor Theory-

- Satisfaction
- Dissatisfaction

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 Equity Theory

Perceived Ratio Comparison Employee’s

Assessment
Outcomes 𝑨 Outcomes 𝑩
<
Inputs 𝑨 Inputs 𝑩

Outcomes 𝑨 Outcomes 𝑩
=
Inputs 𝑨 Inputs 𝑩

Outcomes 𝑨 Outcomes 𝑩
>
Inputs 𝑨 Inputs 𝑩

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 Equity Theory: Examples
• “Tareq earns more than I do, but
doesn’t do nearly as much work!”
• “I get paid a lot less than Tareq, but
this place would fall apart without
me!”
• “Did you hear that the new guy
earns $500 more and works fewer
hours! How is that fair?”

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 Equity Theory
Common inputs Common outcomes
• The number of hours worked • Salary
• The commitment & enthusiasm shown • Annual holiday allowance
• The responsibilities and duties of the • Company transport or
individual in the role. accommodation facilities
• Experience achieved throughout the years • Recognition
• Any personal sacrifices made • Bonus or Promotion
• The loyalty the individual has demonstrated • Flexibility of work
to superiors or the organization. arrangements
• flexibility shown by the individual, for • Training & Learning facilities
example, by accepting assignments at very
short notice or with very tight deadlines.

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 Equity Theory: Role of a
Manager
 Equity Theory of Motivation proposes that high levels of employee
motivation in the workplace can only be achieved when each employee
perceives their treatment to be fair relative to others.

A person with children

may accept flexible
working hours in return
for lower pay.
 An employee who
believes they are
overcompensated may
increase their effort.

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 Expectancy Theory
An individual tends to act in a certain way based on the expectation.

 Suggested by Victor Vroom

 The most comprehensive explanation of how employees are

motivated
 Although the theory has its critics, most research evidence supports it

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Expectancy Theory
It includes three variables or relationships

 Expectancy or effort–performance linkage

 Instrumentality or performance–reward linkage

 Valence or attractiveness of reward

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