Hackman & Oldhams Job

Characteristics Model
Core Dimensions
Skill Variety
Task Identity
Task Signif.

Psychological States
Meaningfulness
of Work

Autonomy

Responsibility
for outcomes

Feedback

Knowledge of
Results

Outcomes
High intrinsic
motivation
High job perormance
High job satisfaction
Low absentee
ism & turnover

Moderating Variables for the

Job Characteristics Model
Growth need strength
job is a vehicle for personal growth, sense of
achievement, avenue for feeling success

Knowledge and skills

Satisfaction with extrinsic aspects of
work

Motivating Potential Score

Skill Variety +Task Identity+Task Significance
3

MPS

Autonomy
X

Feedback

Implementing Concepts for the

Job Characteristics Model
Combine tasks: Effects skill variety, task
identity, & task significance
Group tasks into natural work units: Effects
task significance and task identity
Give workers contact with customers:
Effects skill variety, autonomy, feedback
Vertically load jobs: Effects autonomy
Open feedback channels: Effects feedback

Designing Jobs for Teams

Team has to be an identifiable group,
doing a specified piece of work, and be
self-managing
Key behaviors: Ask for ideas, give
suggestions,. listen to others, share
information, help others
Managers role: Make alterations needed
for effective group performance, consult

Goals That Motivate

Specific Goals
Difficult Goals
Goal Acceptance
Goal Feedback

Why Goals Motivate

Mobilize energy in relation to goal
Focus attention towards goals attainment
Encourages setting of action plans or
strategies for goal attainment
Encourages persistence until goal is
attained

Enhancing Goal Acceptance

Participation
Rewards
Supportiveness

Incentives for Individuals

For Executives
Compensation tied to achieving strategic
goals

For Lower Level Employees

Tied to performance: bonuses, commissions,
piecework

Incentives for Groups

Team incentives
Profit sharing
Gain sharing
Stock options

Where Pay Fails to Motivate

Bonuses or merit pay is too small
Non-existent link between pay and
performance
Performance appraisal is done poorly
Effect of unions
Adaptation problems

Effective Reward Systems

Set high goals for performance
Develop accurate ways to measure
performance
Train supervisors in performance
appraisal
Link pay to performance
Make increases noticeable and meaningful

Backwards & Forwards

Summing up: Examined how Hackmans &
Oldhams Job characteristics Model can be
used to redesign jobs to engage motivation;
studied how and why goals setting works &
looked at ways to use pay as a motivator
Next time we begin our study of groups in
the organization looking at how they
function and the role of cohesiveness