17/08/2021

Psychology Learning Objectives

in the • Define motivation and differentiate between
the types of motivation
Workplace – • Understand and apply two theories of
motivation: Hierarchy of Needs and Expectancy
Part 1 Theory
• Investigate the different factors that influence
job satisfaction and occupational stress
Rachael Heckenberg • Understand communication and the different
types of conflict
PSY1APP@latrobe.edu.au
• Identify causes of conflict and investigate the
Week 5
different ways to manage conflict in the
PSY1APP workplace

1 2

Organizational/Industrial Motivation
Psychology
• Most people spend most of their waking hours at work until
they retire. • Motivation is related to a number of individual and organizational outcomes and is a
• Therefore, it is important that we understand how people crucial factor in performance.
behave at work, what explains their performance, how work
can impact their lives in and outside of the workplace • It is influenced by several different factors, including environmental factors of the
• Industrial/organizational psychology applies psychological workplace and how individuals are managed within the workplace.
principles to understanding people in the workplace.
• Work motivation is defined as a set of energetic forces that originate both within as
• It is multi-disciplinary and covers topics such as: well as beyond an individual to initiate work-related behavior and to determine its
• Personnel selection
• Training and professional development form, direction, intensity, and duration (Pinder, 2008).
• Performance
• Employees’ health and wellbeing
• Motivation and job satisfaction
• Work-life balance

3 4

Intrinsic Motivation Extrinsic Motivation

• Intrinsic Motivation comes from the person and • Extrinsic Motivation comes from outside of the
is the desire to complete or perform an activity person and is the desire to complete an activity
for its own sake. The satisfaction comes from for the outcome it will provide, i.e., a potential
completing the task rather than an associated reward or positive consequences or to avoid a
outcome. negative consequence/punishment.
▪ For example – pursuing work that you find • For example – pay, benefits, bonuses,
fulfilling, meaningful and satisfying, autonomy deadlines, recognition and praise
over tasks

5 6

1
 17/08/2021

Intrinsic vs Extrinsic Motivation

• Incentives that are strongly related to performance of a task are associated with better performance.
E.g., Salespeople receiving commission.
• Intrinsic motivation is also strongly related to performance Maslow’s
▪ Extrinsic incentives also a better predictor of quantity performance, while intrinsic motivation
was a better predictor of quality performance. Hierarchy
• Intrinsic motivation is also associated with optimism, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, of Needs
and better health and wellbeing.
• Extrinsic motivation has been linked to lower job satisfaction and wellbeing outcomes.
• The undermining effect refers to the idea that the presentation of incentives on an initially enjoyable
task reduces subsequent intrinsic motivation for the task.
• Extrinsic motivation does not always undermine intrinsic motivation – dependent on the type of
incentive.
(Truxillo et al., 2015)

7 8

Application of fulfillment,
reaching
potential, • Self-actualization
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs the Hierarchy of strengths,
growth

Needs to the Social recognition,

sense of
accomplishment, • Esteem
• Maslow suggested that people must fulfill the lower-level needs before moving up Workplace respect, appreciation,
rewards
to the higher order needs – called fulfillment progression.
Social support from supervisors
• The Hierarchy of Needs can be applied to the workplace by thinking about what and colleagues, belongingness
and acceptance, • Social
motivates people to engage in work, choose their occupation, and to advance in friendships/connections
their career.
• In addition, workplaces could potentially increase employee motivation, satisfaction, Job security, safe work environment (free
performance, and wellbeing by meeting the needs of employees. from harassment/danger), health care
benefits
• Security/safety

• Although there is some research that needs may not need to be met in the order
proposed by Maslow, more recent, large-scale studies have suggested employees do
tend to focus on each level in order. Pay, access to fresh air, water, food, hygienic amenities • Physiological

9 10

Expectancy Theory Expectancy Theory

• Expectancy theory (Vroom, 1964) attempts to explain what motivates people to behave in a particular Motivation force = Expectancy x Instrumentality x Valence
way, focusing on their goals and what they put effort into.
• It proposes that motivation to increase effort is determined by a calculation in which individual
evaluate their situation. • Expectancy theory is generally supported by empirical evidence
• Specifically, a person’s beliefs about the degree to which effort leads to performance, and that
performance will lead to a desired outcome, determines their level of motivation. • However, it has been criticized for being too simple, for not considering the social
context and for a lack of construct validity
▪ The components of the theory are each associated with motivation, but there is less support for
Expectancy Instrumentality Valence
the multiplicative relationship/the model when considered as a whole
• Effort leads to • Performance • The • Still, it continues to be a popular model as it provides a general framework for
performance leads to a reward/outcome assessing, interpreting, and evaluating employee behavior in learning, decision
reward/outcome is valuable
making, attitude formation, and motivation.
(Based on Porter & Lawler, 1968)

11 12

2
 17/08/2021

Application of Expectancy Theory Job Satisfaction

• Scenario: You’re a HR manager in a company, you’ve noticed staff productivity has

been reduced lately. How could you apply expectancy theory to increase employee
motivation and therefore, see an increase in output?
• Job satisfaction refers to the feelings people have toward their job.
• More specifically, it is “a pleasurable or positive emotional state resulting from the
appraisal of one’s job or job experiences” (Locke, 1976).
• Job satisfaction can be measured as a global construct (overall job satisfaction) or as
facet-based (average score based on ratings of different aspects of the job).

13 14

Job Satisfaction Work Engagement

• Work engagement is an independent concept that is negatively associated with burnout

Job Characteristics • It can be defined as a positive, fulfilling state of mind related to work. It has three main
Leadership Performance characteristics:
Stress Organizational ▪ Vigor: high levels of energy, mental resilience and persistence and willingness to invest
Organizational support citizenship behaviours effort into work
Job Satisfaction Absenteeism
Justice ▪ Dedication: a strong sense of significance, enthusiasm, pride, challenge and inspiration
Personality Turnover in regards to work
Person-environment fit Unit performance
▪ Absorption: difficulty detaching from work as individual is happily engrossed and fully
concentrated on the work

15 16

• Workplace stress occurs when perceived job demands

and efforts exceed the employee’s perceived
resources to cope, or rewards being gained.
Workplace
Burnout
• Burnout is the progressive loss of energy and enthusiasm caused by persistent strain in the
workplace
• Malasch and Jackson (1981) defined burnout as a syndrome that affected those working in human
services. They suggested burnout had three components:

Stress ▪ Emotional exhaustion: feelings of being emotionally depleted and unable to give to others at a
psychological level
▪ Depersonalisation: negative and detached attitudes towards clients
▪ Reduced personal accomplishment: negatively evaluating themselves and their work with
clients, feeling dissatisfied with work accomplishment
• Burnout has since been found in all sectors and redefined more generally, rather than specific to
clients
▪ Depersonalisation redefined as cynicism, referring to detachment from one’s work
▪ Personal accomplishment redefined as reduced professional efficacy in both social and non-
social aspects of work

17 18

3
 17/08/2021

The JD-R Model – Three Hypotheses

The Job Health impairment process – demands exhaust employees’ mental and
Demands physical resources, depleting energy leading to exhaustion and health
problems
Resources
Model Motivation process – job resources have motivational potential and lead
to high work engagement, low cynicism, and excellent performance

Interaction effect – resources buffer the impact of demands on job strain,

and that engagement is highest when both demands and resources are
high
Adapted from Demerouti, Bakker,
Nachreiner, & Schaufeli (2001)

19 20

Evidence for the JD-R Model

Communication Processes
Job Demands Job Resources Interaction Effect
• Burnout • Work engagement and • Some evidence that high job
motivation resources buffer impact of • Communication is the process of transmitting information and understanding from one person to
• Psychosomatic another (Adu-Oppong & Agyin-Birikorang, 2014).
• Lower number of job demands on burnout
symptoms • In the workplace it has three main functions: coordination, transmission of information and sharing
absences • Some evidence that high job emotions and feelings.
• Poorer mental health, resources in the context of
• Increased organizational • Effective communication helps people grasp issues, build rapport, achieve consensus, work towards
i.e., anxiety and high job demands increases goals and reduce conflicts.
commitment
depression work engagement
• Sickness absence • Personal resources may also
buffer impact of job
demands on burnout, but
findings are mixed

(Adu-Oppong & Agyin-Birikorang, 2014).

21 22

Causes Conflict in the Workplace

Conflict in the Workplace
Organizational Structure Limited Resources Task Interdependence
• Conflict is defined as a disagreement or opposition of interests or
ideas.
• A lack of a clear • Limited funding, • Accomplishment of a
• It can be due to inappropriate or poor communication, which results organizational structure equipment, time goal is dependent on
in misinterpreting one’s words or value. • A lack of clear • Greater competition others
• Intrapersonal conflict arises from within a person. It can occur when reporting lines
there is uncertainty about expectations, roles, or confidence.
• Interpersonal conflict occurs among individuals (e.g., coworkers, Incompatible Goals Personality Differences Communication Problems
managers and employees). It can occur due to competition or
personality or values differences. • Arises when two parties • Some personality • Communication issues can
• Intergroup conflict occurs between different groups (e.g., different think that their goals are differences may be more arise between individuals or
departments/divisions, employee union and management, or mutually exclusive likely to clash be due to larger
competing companies). Merging two groups together can lead to • May also result in role • E.g., Type A individuals tend organizational structures
friction between the groups—especially if there are scarce resources conflict to have more conflict with • They may be small
to be divided among the group. Type B individuals misunderstandings

23 24

4
 17/08/2021

Outcomes of Conflict Change the structure

Change the composition of the team

- Consideration of a broader range of
ideas, resulting in a better, stronger
idea
- Surfacing of assumptions that may
be inaccurate
- Increased participation and
creativity
- Clarification of individual views that
build learning
Strategies
for Create a common opposing force
- Increased stress and anxiety among
individuals, which decreases
productivity and satisfaction
Managing
Consider majority rule
- Feelings of being defeated and
demeaned, which lowers individuals’
Conflict
morale and may increase turnover
- A climate of mistrust, which hinders
the teamwork and cooperation
Problem solve
necessary to get work done

25 26

Conflict-Handling Style
• Avoidance – this style is typically uncooperative and unassertive. They are prone to postponing any
decisions in which conflict may arise.
• Accommodation – this style is cooperative and unassertive. Typically, the person will give in to what the
other side wants. Conflict-
• Compromise – this style is a middle-ground, the person will express their own concerns but also respect
other person’s goals. When this applied as conflict management solution, each person sacrifices something.
Handling
• Competition – this style is when the individual is more interested in getting the outcome, they want instead Styles
of keeping other parties happy.
• Collaboration – this style incorporates both assertiveness and cooperation. The person high on
collaboration may still challenge points but not the other person and the emphasis is on problem solving
and integration of each other’s goals.
• The best approach to conflict management is dependent on the situation, however collaboration works in
many situations.
• Individuals may have one dominant style that they tend to use frequently but more successful people are
able to match their style to the situation.

27 28

Psychology in the Workplace – Part 2

Next Week Good luck with your Group

Presentations!!
Thank you
latrobe.edu.au

La Trobe University
CRICOS Provider Code Number 00115M © Copyright La Trobe University 2020

29 30